AEA are well-known name in the world of ribbon mics, and as their range has expanded over the years they’ve also introduced a number of preamps designed to pair perfectly with their high-end mics — or indeed, any ribbon mic! Their latest release is a first for the company, though, and sees them turn their attention to compression.
The AEA 1029 is an all-analogue, stereo VCA compressor housed in a half-rack chassis, making it a great option for those looking for a desktop unit, or hoping to save some space in their rack. As you’d expect from AEA, high-quality components are used throughout, with a proprietary discrete op-amp design by Fred Forssell joined by a pair of THAT 4305 VCA chips that share a single RMS detector fed by the summed input signals.
The company say that the result is a versatile compressor that boasts a clear, balanced sound that excels at everything from taming vocals to squashing drum overheads. It’s been designed to pair perfectly with AEA’s TRP- and RPQ-series preamps, and is ideal for recording or mixing stereo mic arrays.
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