AEA 1029: A Stereo VCA Compressor in a Desktop Format
A compact VCA compressor for tracking and mixing.
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AEA 1029: A Stereo VCA Compressor in a Desktop Format · Source: AEA
AEA 1029 · Source: AEA
The AEA 1029 is a supremely clean-sounding stereo VCA compressor in a neat half-rack format with wet/dry mix for parallel processing.
AEA is known for its incredible ribbon mic designs, enabling users to capture vocals and instruments with vivid detail. However, in recent years, the manufacturer has also been building up a collection of high-quality microphone preamps, EQs, and now, the 1029 compressor.
AEA 1029
The 1029 uses discrete op-amp technology from Fred Forssell, as well as a pair of THAT 4305 VCA chips linked to an RMS detector. Whether you’re soothing vocal transients or squashing drum overheads, the 1029 allows you to process signals with an amazing degree of transparency.
As the perfect companion for the TRP and RPQ series mic preamps, the 1029 is designed for the tracking and mixing of stereo microphone signals. The design is compact, but don’t be fooled by its size; the 1029 is a full-featured compressor with plenty of range.
Although there are no individual attack and release controls, there are three different sensor behaviour modes, including Peak Fast, Slow, and RMS. This will help you get the best results, depending on the type of sound source you’re working with and its distance from your microphones.
With the variable ratio control, you can determine the compression slope, whether you want gentle compression, limiting, or anything in between. The greatest thing about the wet/dry mix control is that you can dial in quite aggressive settings for your overhead mics, for example, and then pull the mix back so you’re just getting a touch of bite and shaping on your sound.
Pricing and Availability:
The AEA 1029 is currently available for pre-order, shipping from next month. Get it at Thomann.*
More about the AEA 1029:
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