The AEA RPQ500 Ribbon Preamp and EQ is a 500-series module that delivers high-gain, high-impedance, low-noise preamplification with a musical, transparent character designed to reveal the true nature of microphones.
Featuring 81 dB of JFET gain, the AEA RPQ500 ensures even the quietest sources can be recorded without added noise. Specifically optimised for ribbon microphones, it excels at capturing their warmth and detail, while also providing excellent performance with condensers and dynamics.
The AEA RPQ500 includes AEA’s CurveShaper™ EQ, offering adjustable high-frequency presence and air boost, as well as low-frequency proximity control. This allows engineers to tailor tone directly at the source, removing low-end build-up or enhancing top-end clarity as needed.
With its flexible design, the AEA RPQ500 can function not only as a microphone preamp but also as a high-quality EQ module during mixdown when using its line input.
Equipped with AEA’s NoLoad™ 10 kΩ high-impedance circuitry, the RPQ500 preserves the full transient and frequency response of passive microphones, producing an open, full-bodied sound. Compact yet powerful, it’s a versatile workhorse for any 500-series rack, equally valuable in tracking, mixing, and mastering applications.
The AEA RPQ500 delivers 81 dB of clean JFET gain, NoLoad™ high-impedance circuitry, and CurveShaper™ EQ in a 500-series module, optimised for ribbons but ideal for all microphones.
Features
- One channel with 81dB of sweet and quiet JFET gain
- High-frequency CurveShaper™ EQ and low frequency proximity control
- Mic and line inputs for mixdown EQ versatility
- Switchable phantom power, polarity, line/mic
- NoLoad™ 10k Ohm high-impedance circuitry providing better overall transients, frequency response, and higher output sensitivity
- Made in the U.S.A.