AEA N8 NUVO Stereo Kit is a matched pair of active ribbon microphones N8 with a complete stereo rigging package — SMS stereo bar, NUVO Blumlein Coupler, two windscreens, and an SKB travel case. The N8 is the second microphone in the NUVO series: the same body, 1.8-micron Big Ribbon at 59.7 mm × 4.7 mm, and Lehle transformer as the N22, but with a fundamentally different motor tuning — open, flat, far-field voicing modeled on the design philosophy of the R88. The kit was developed at the request of engineer John Kurlander (The Beatles, Lord of the Rings) for fast, precise stereo setups on a single stand.
Far-Field — Flat Balance from 12 Inches to 20+ Feet
The N8 is the active mono equivalent of the R88: the same minimalist acoustic design, the same ribbon element as the flagship R44, and the same commitment to tonal neutrality. The motor has no multi-layer proximity-suppressing screen like the N22 — the N8 retains its full tonal balance, including low end and top-end detail, at working distances from 12 inches to beyond 20 feet. A Blumlein pair of N8s above a drum kit captures the full kit with natural stereo spread and the complete dynamic range of cymbals and toms. For orchestral, choral, or ensemble recording, the pair maintains low-end coherence and spatial accuracy regardless of mic placement distance. The frequency response is the flattest in the NUVO lineup — smooth between 200 Hz and 5 kHz with a gentle rolloff of approximately 6 dB/octave above 5 kHz, and no proximity-compensation LF attenuation.
Active Electronics and Stereo Configurations on a Single Stand
The Lehle transformer (identical to the one used in the A440 and R84A) delivers +12 dB of output over a passive ribbon and holds 92 Ω broadband output impedance — the N8 pair works at full resolution with any preamp without gain or impedance matching concerns. Sensitivity of 8.3 mV/Pa and 141 dB SPL handling span the range from piano and solo strings to drums and large ensembles. The NUVO Blumlein Coupler locks both microphones head-to-head in a 90° Blumlein array or near-coincident configuration; the SMS Stereo Bar provides flexible positioning on any standard stand. The matte black finish and compact 225 mm × 42 mm profile make the pair nearly invisible in orchestral recording and broadcast environments. Factory-matched pair removes the need for channel-level calibration between sessions.
KEY FEATURES
- Two matched NUVO N8 active ribbon microphones — far-field voicing
- Big Ribbon — 1.8-micron aluminum, 59.7 mm × 4.7 mm (identical to R44)
- Active JFET electronics + Lehle transformer (Germany) — +12 dB output vs. passive ribbon
- Output impedance: 92 Ω broadband
- Sensitivity: 8.3 mV/Pa (–41.6 dBV) at 1 kHz, no load
- Max SPL: 141 dB (1% THD harmonic distortion >1 kHz)
- Power: P48 phantom, 7 mA (per microphone)
- Polar pattern: figure-8 (bidirectional) — both microphones
- Flat far-field frequency response — no proximity compensation above 30 cm
- Recommended working distance: 12 inches to 20+ feet
- Off-axis rejection: –35 dB at 90°/270° (both axes)
- Matte black finish — low-profile for orchestral and broadcast use
- Kit contents: 2 × N8, SMS Stereo Bar, NUVO Blumlein Coupler, 2 × windscreen, SKB case
- Microphone dimensions: 225 mm × 42 mm (max. diameter); weight approx. 340 g (each)
- Handmade in Pasadena, California, USA
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (per microphone)
- Operating principle: pressure gradient transducer
- Polar pattern: figure-8 (bidirectional)
- Frequency range: <20 Hz – >20 kHz
- Max SPL: 141 dB (1% THD >1 kHz)
- Sensitivity: 8.3 mV/Pa (–41.6 dBV) at 1 kHz, no load
- Output impedance: 92 Ω broadband
- Recommended load impedance: ≥1 kΩ
- Power: P48 phantom, 7 mA
- Ribbon thickness: 1.8 µm; width: 4.7 mm; length: 59.7 mm
- Ribbon material: corrugated aluminum
- Self-noise: approx. 18 dB(A)
- Output connector: XLR-3M
- Dimensions: 225 mm (H) × 42 mm (max. diameter)
- Weight: approx. 340 g
- Made in: USA (Pasadena, CA)
