{"product_id":"aea-rpq500-230223","title":"RPQ500","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe AEA \"RPQ\" Philosophy Adapted to the 500 Series\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith the RPQ500, AEA offers demanding sound engineers and home studio users a preamp specifically tailored for ribbon microphones, in an easy-to-integrate API 500 format. The goal is clear: to provide \u003cstrong\u003eample, clean, and stable gain\u003c\/strong\u003e while maintaining a natural sound that respects the ribbon's signature. Where many general-purpose preamps quickly reach their limits (noise, lack of level, muddy bass), the RPQ500 is designed to preserve a sense of openness and depth, even with low-output ribbons and more distant placements.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho Should Use the RPQ500 and When?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe AEA RPQ500 is aimed at those recording with ribbons who want a preamp \"made for that\": \u003cstrong\u003eacoustic guitars\u003c\/strong\u003e captured from a distance, \u003cstrong\u003estrings\u003c\/strong\u003e played pianissimo, \u003cstrong\u003ebrass\u003c\/strong\u003e without harshness, soft and spacious overheads, or ambient room miking. Thanks to its gain reserve, you are no longer forced to move the mic closer just to gain level, allowing better placement choices for tone, depth, and room\/source balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe RPQ500 is also relevant in the studio for broader uses: processing a \u003cstrong\u003estereo bus\u003c\/strong\u003e (2 bus) or a line source, with the same musicality and curve control logic. The 500 series format facilitates creating a custom chain (preamp, dynamics, conversion) while maintaining quick adjustment ergonomics for daily use.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGain, Impedance, and CurveShaper: A Channel Designed for Ribbon Mics\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eVery high gain without unwanted noise\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003ePassive ribbon microphones often require a preamp capable of high gain without \"cracking\" or noise. The RPQ500 combines a \u003cstrong\u003eJFET stage\u003c\/strong\u003e and a low-noise architecture to deliver massive amplification while staying clean. The result: quiet sources become usable with a comfortable signal-to-noise ratio, and transients remain clear without artificial harshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHigh-impedance input to preserve the ribbon's signature\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eInput impedance is critical with ribbons: too low, it can choke bass and reduce the sense of spaciousness. The RPQ500 offers a Mic input at \u003cstrong\u003e10 kOhm\u003c\/strong\u003e to let the mic breathe and maintain the \"rich and natural\" sound sought after with this type of transducer. Practically, this translates to a fuller low end, denser midrange, and a sense of relief that helps the source find its place in the mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCurveShaper: Correct and Enhance from the Start\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe integrated CurveShaper equalizer is not a gimmick: it's a recording tool to shape the ribbon sound even before mixing. The bass shelf quickly controls bass buildup (common with proximity effect), while the treble shelf adds presence and \"air\" with slope control, particularly useful to restore openness to a ribbon or to provide a clearer high end on a stereo bus. This approach saves time, avoids extreme downstream corrections, and secures a more polished sound right at recording.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eEssential Studio Functions\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe RPQ500 includes indispensable features for real-world use: \u003cstrong\u003ephase inverter\u003c\/strong\u003e to manage multi-mic setups and polarity alignment, \u003cstrong\u003eswitchable 48 V phantom power\u003c\/strong\u003e for microphones that require it, and stepped gain control for more consistent recalls. As always with ribbons, the use of 48 V should be considered carefully depending on the mic and wiring, but having a dedicated switch adds appreciated flexibility in a 500 series rack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTechnical specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e@media(max-width:632px){table[data-wb-spec]{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) minmax(0,1fr)}table[data-wb-spec] colgroup{display:none}table[data-wb-spec] tbody,table[data-wb-spec] tr{display:contents}table[data-wb-spec] td{display:block;overflow-wrap:anywhere;grid-row:var(--wb-l);background-color:var(--wb-lb)}table[data-wb-spec] td[data-r]{grid-row:var(--wb-r);background-color:var(--wb-rb)}table[data-wb-spec] td[colspan=\"2\"]{grid-column:1\/-1}table[data-wb-spec] td:empty{display:none}}\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003ctable data-wb-spec style=\"width:100%;table-layout:fixed\"\u003e\n\u003ccolgroup\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003c\/colgroup\u003e\n  \u003ctr style=\"background-color:var(--wb-neutral-50);--wb-l:1;--wb-r:3;--wb-lb:var(--wb-neutral-50);--wb-rb:var(--wb-neutral-50)\"\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCategory\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;font-weight:var(--font-body-weight-bolder)\"\u003emicrophone preamp\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd data-r style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValve\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd data-r style=\"text-align:left;font-weight:var(--font-body-weight-bolder)\"\u003eNo\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003ctr style=\"background-color:transparent;--wb-l:2;--wb-r:4;--wb-lb:transparent;--wb-rb:transparent\"\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEQ\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;font-weight:var(--font-body-weight-bolder)\"\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd data-r colspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ctable data-wb-spec style=\"width:100%;table-layout:fixed\"\u003e\n\u003ccolgroup\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003ccol style=\"width:25%\"\u003e\u003c\/colgroup\u003e\n  \u003ctr style=\"background-color:var(--wb-neutral-50);--wb-l:1;--wb-r:2;--wb-lb:transparent;--wb-rb:var(--wb-neutral-50)\"\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLow-noise preamplifier\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:left;font-weight:var(--font-body-weight-bolder)\"\u003ebelow -130 dBu (A-weighted)\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd data-r style=\"text-align:left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOutput gain control\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003ctd data-r style=\"text-align:left;font-weight:var(--font-body-weight-bolder)\"\u003e60 dB +19 dB\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"AEA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54358092284179,"sku":"230223","price":899.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0984\/0872\/6803\/files\/3b5d57f980ffd6d5c97635839a89d3cf2efe25c6_AEA_RPQ500.jpg?v=1792552022","url":"https:\/\/woodbrass.shop\/products\/aea-rpq500-230223","provider":"Woodbrass.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}