Supercardioid Ribbon Microphone
The AEA KU5A is an active supercardioid ribbon microphone designed to deliver the naturalness, warmth, and smooth response typical of ribbon transducers, along with directionality that is particularly effective in both studio and live settings.
Its narrow polar pattern allows for precise capture of sound coming from the front of the microphone, while reducing the contribution of the room, the audience, and surrounding sources. This feature makes the KU5A ideal for recording in untreated rooms, on stage, during multitrack sessions, and in situations where bleed control is critical.
Unlike traditional figure-8 ribbon microphones, the AEA KU5A uses a supercardioid configuration that significantly attenuates sound coming from the rear. The output at 180° is reduced by 12 dB, while the angle of maximum rejection is 135°.
This response allows for great freedom in positioning the microphone in front of snare drums, toms, amplifiers, acoustic instruments, and vocalists, while limiting unwanted pickup from monitors, cymbals, nearby amplifiers, and room noise.
The off-axis sound captured by some dynamic or condenser microphones can sound harsh and unstable, especially at high frequencies. The KU5A, on the other hand, maintains a softer, more natural response, making the bleed less intrusive and easier to integrate into the mix.
The extended frequency response preserves high-frequency detail without introducing harshness, while the midrange remains present and the low end retains the characteristic solidity of AEA ribbon microphones.
The internal active electronics and optimized transformer ensure a stable output level and proper interfacing with a wide variety of professional preamps, audio interfaces, and mixers.
The AEA KU5A requires P48 phantom power with a draw of 7 mA. Its sensitivity of -43 dBV and output impedance of 92 Ω allow for clean recordings without relying on very high-gain preamps.
The switchable high-pass filter attenuates low frequencies with a slope of 6 dB per octave at 283 Hz. It can be used to reduce the proximity effect during close-up recordings, suppress vibrations and mechanical noise, or lighten the low-end directly during recording.
When the filter is not needed, the KU5A offers a full, deep response extending below 20 Hz.
Its rugged construction, adjustable design, and ability to handle sound pressure levels up to 135 dB SPL make the AEA KU5A suitable for a wide range of sound sources. It can be used for vocals, electric guitar, bass, brass, woodwinds, percussion, snare drum, toms, and acoustic instruments.
The combination of isolation, reliability, and tonal quality allows you to capture the natural character of a ribbon microphone even in situations where a traditional bidirectional model would be difficult to manage.
The AEA KU5A combines the musicality of classic ribbon microphones with a design tailored to the demands of modern production. It offers excellent separation between sound sources, a moderate and controllable proximity effect, and refined sound reproduction even under the most challenging conditions.
Technical Specifications
Power Type
Active
Polar pattern
Super Cardioid
€ 1.788,00 € 1.477,69 + VAT
Normally shipped in 8-10 working days
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