AEA TRP2 Ribbon Microphone Preamplifier
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  • Regular price $999.00

AEA TRP2 Ribbon Microphone Preamplifier

The AEA TRP2 preamp provides two channels of high-output, high-impedance, and low-noise gain in a half-rack package with a rich and natural sound that brings out the full potential of your microphones.

  • Two channels with 85dB of sweet and quiet JFET gain
  • Switchable phantom-power, polarity reverse, and high-pass filter
  • 63k ohm high-impedance circuitry providing better overall transients, frequency response, and higher output sensitivity
  • Optimized for ribbon mics, condensers, and dynamics
  • Switching power supply for easy use in any country
  • 1U half-rack with optional hardware for mounting one or two units together
  • Made in the U.S.A.
ENHANCE YOUR RIBBONS - The AEA TRP2 Ribbon Preamp provides two channels of high-output, high-impedance, and low-noise gain with a rich and natural sound that brings out the full potential of your microphones. Specifically designed for ribbon microphones, the TRP2 excels at drawing out the warmth and lush sound that ribbons are uniquely known for.
 
A GAIN POWERHOUSE - The TRP2 is a powerhouse that provides unparalleled high gain with low-noise. With 85db of JFET output, the TRP2 gives you enough juice to record soft sources without ever having to worry about noise. With the TRP2, you will never consider a source too quiet to record with a ribbon mic ever again. Passive ribbons with low output levels require preamps that supply a high level of output. If the preamp you use doesn’t have enough clean gain, the mic signal may seem too soft or noisy which may be apparent when recording quiet acoustic guitars or strings, especially at a distance or with long cable runs. The TRP2 eliminates this concern.
 
HIGH IMPEDANCE MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE - The sound and tonality of dynamic microphones like ribbons and moving-coils are directly affected by the impedance of a preamp. The higher the impedance, the better the sound. The RPQ2 boasts an extra high input impedance of 63K Ohms. Preamps with an impedance of under 10k ohms will limit the lows, highs, and transients of your passive microphones. The RPQ2’s high impedance will reveal your microphone’s true nature– a thick low-end, open top-end, and articulate transient response that you will need to hear to believe. Both condensers and active microphones will also benefit from the RPQ2’s impedance.

Professional Features in a Compact Package - The TRP2 is AEA’s second iteration of the high-performance TRP preamp with the addition of new features including phantom power, optional rack ears, and a switching power supply. Polarity reverse switches for ensuring proper polarity throughout the recording chain and switchable 100 Hz, 12 dB per octave low-frequency filters allow you to tame proximity problems. The TRP2 includes switchable phantom power that is capable of powering condensers and active ribbons. For engineers concerned about phantom power hurting their passive ribbons, there is phantom power kill switch, known as No Blow Mode, located internally within the unit that easily deactivates 48V from ever turning on.

A UNIVERSAL POWER SUPPLY - An external switching power supply with a grounded AC plug is used with the TRP2 so hum fields can be kept away from the high-gain electronics. The power supply allows the TRP2 to be used in any country without any modifications made to the unit.

RACKING THE TRP2 - The TRP2 is housed in a portable and lightweight half-rack aluminum chassis that allows you to easily take it to remote gigs, other studios, and on the road. AEA manufactures optional racking gear for convenient use in rackmount furniture. A single TRP2 can be easily racked with TRP2 Rack Ears. Rack two TRP2s side by side with a TRP2 Rack Shelf. These assemblies can be securely installed in any standard rack. EXCEPTIONAL PREAMPS Passive microphones, coupled with AEA’s range of ribbon-specific preamps, are the key choice for discerning recordists who want total control over their signal path. AEA offers the RPQ2, RPQ500 and TRP2 microphone preamps, all of which provide unmatched clean levels of gain, and a high impedance. All AEA Ribbon Preamps all share the same topology and sound. The differences between each unit come down to extra features and form factor.

Technical Specifications

Gain at 1kHz 

85dB of gain at 1kHz,
balanced-in to balanced-out
in Microphone Input Mode
Noise figure, rms A-weighted <2dB
Noise figure, rms unweighted

<3dB, 20 kHz LPF bandwidth

EIN

<-130 dBu A-weighted, 150 Ohm resistive source

Frequency Response -3dB <1Hz and >100 kHz
THD

<0.02% at 1 kHz

Input Impedance

63K Ohms 
Input Impedance (P48 Engaged)

10K Ohms

Mic Gain Control Twelve-position switch provides from
+7dB to +63dB of gain for the pre-
amplifier circuit, as measured between
the input and the before the output line driver.
Output Level Potentiometer 25 dB
Low-Cut Filter 12dB per octave from 100 Hz
XLR Output Maximum Level into 600Ω Load +28 dBu, balanced; 0 dBu = 0.7746 V rms 
XLR Connectors Polarity Pin-1 is ground, pin-2 is high, pin-3 is low.
LED Signal Level Indicators Green LED snaps on at -20 dBu
to indicate the presence of signal;
Yellow LED snaps on at 0 dBu; 
Red LED snaps on at +24 dBu
to warn of approaching signal overload
Dimensions / Weight 1/2 Rack
Height: 1.5 in (4.3 cm)
Width: 8.5 in (36.7 cm)
Depth:  8.5 in (36.7 cm)
Weight: 2 lbs. (0.9 kg)
Power Supply Length 12 feet (3.6 m)