New York, New York, October 28, 2026 — Johnathan Smith is the production manager and front-of-house engineer for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. From Jazz at Lincoln Center’s home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, in New York, to stages around the world, he relies on a lineup of AEA ribbon microphones to create cohesive mixes while preserving the ensemble’s natural detail.
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The orchestra’s 15 musicians play acoustically onstage and very rarely use monitors, instead listening to one another and establishing their own balance. During a recent six-show tour through Scotland and Ireland, Smith used the AEA R88A, N8 and KU5A to preserve that natural interaction in both the front-of-house mix and multitrack recordings on the road.
Smith adopted the R88A when he needed a straightforward way to record an archival recording for the Wynton Marsalis Septet arranged in a semicircle. Rather than building an elaborate multichannel setup around them, he placed the stereo microphone in front of the group. “The reach of the two ribbons in that Blumlein pair was phenomenal,” Smith recalls. “It had great bass and a very pleasing, realistic sound.”
The R88A also feeds Smith’s front-of-house mix, where the amount of reinforcement varies by venue. Some rooms require only a light touch, while in others, most of the ensemble’s sound comes through the PA. “It helps blend everything and make a really nice, cohesive sound,” Smith says. “It almost makes the live sound experience feel more like a live album.”
.jpg "Photo credit: Luigi Beverelli")
In a dense big-band arrangement, the tonal differences between brass mutes can be easy to lose. Harmon, cup and bag mutes each produce a distinct sound, but Smith finds that some ribbon microphones soften those differences too much. “In a big-band texture where it is already thick, it can just become a wash. You lose the composer’s or arranger’s intent,” he explains. “With the N8, all that texture suddenly came back. It was like, oh my goodness, this is the sound that I have been looking for,” Smith says.
During a full orchestral performance of Marsalis’s “All Rise” at the Edinburgh International Festival, Smith placed four N8s across the first violins, second violins, violas and cellos. “It allowed the strings to become much fuller without sounding noticeably spot-miked,” Smith explains. “The microphone has a ton of reach. It can pick up not only the first desk, but also the desk behind it. It is like a big warm hug.”
When mic’ing the trumpet section, Smith positions four N8s roughly two to three feet from the musicians, leaving them room to stand, move, and change mutes. With the trombones only about 16 inches away on the level below, he angles the figure-of-8 nulls toward them to limit bleed. “With the N8s, because they have so much reach, you still get that bottom end and a nice amount of the top end, which is just right,” Smith says. “When they’re in that cup mute, and they want to peek through the texture, you still get that sound.”
Upright bass presents a different challenge. Positioned near the center of the orchestra, the instrument sits among piano, brass, drums, and saxophones. A figure-8 microphone could pick up the baritone saxophone through its rear lobe, while a conventional cardioid could capture spill from both sides. Smith chose the KU5A for its supercardioid pattern, allowing him to focus on the bass without excessive proximity effect or low-frequency buildup. “It isolates right on the bass player, but it is still so natural,” Smith says. “There is enough high end that you still get the sound of his fingers and the fullness of his instrument.”
The KU5A also helped Smith manage the relationship between upright bass and kick drum, two sources that can compete within a dense arrangement. “The kick drum can sit right under the band where it needs to be, and the bass player can be right above that,” Smith explains. “You can hear every note and every line that he does.”
The N8s and KU5A have since joined the R88A as regular parts of Smith’s microphone setup.
Learn more about the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at jazz.org/the-orchestra/meet-the-jlco.
For more information about AEA Ribbon Mics, visit aearibbonmics.com.
Header image credit: Gilberto Tadday
About AEA Ribbon Mics
Founded in 1964, AEA began as a record label and mobile recording studio before expanding into microphone repairs and full-scale manufacturing. In 1998, AEA introduced the R44C — an evolution of the iconic RCA 44BX — and has since developed a full range of microphones and preamps inspired by classic designs and built to modern standards. With a commitment to ultra-low noise circuitry, musical sound, and expert craftsmanship, AEA continues to push ribbon technology forward while honoring its legacy. All AEA products are proudly handcrafted in Pasadena, California.
