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Post by chromies on Jan 22, 2020 13:39:22 GMT -6
Im struggling with some real GAS lately for 550/550a even 560 eq. Why? No idea. Ive never even tried one, including vst. I am quite familiar with flavors and uses of analog eq through my boards and pultecs, but 50 years on and people are still nuts for api eqs. I have one slot left in my 500 and it thinks it needs one. If the Waves is 90% there like some say, is that a smarter choice these days? Is 550 style truly magical? Perhaps a bt50 or other clone type?
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Post by drbill on Jan 22, 2020 13:46:37 GMT -6
550A's always work for me. Plug ins or Clones less so.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 22, 2020 14:00:35 GMT -6
550A's always work for me. Plug ins or Clones less so. You have the 550A-1 though right? This is different from all of the plugins and clones on the market and lacks the API signature proportional-q feature.
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Post by brenta on Jan 22, 2020 15:22:58 GMT -6
I like the API hardware, I like the CAPI hardware, and I like the Waves and UAD plugins. They’re all great.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2020 16:08:47 GMT -6
550 must be a standard for a reason. I'm just not sure I've figured that reason out yet. I chalk that up to lack of experience. I've had a few occasions to work with the HW version, and they were fine. I can remember just one instance where I was like "oh, hell yea". The UAD version is hit or miss. I don't like the way the top end sounds on that. The mids are nice though.
Overall, I prefer the 560. I like to be able to make finer adjustments, rather than being limited to 2db steps and the frequency points seem to compliment more sources for me. I don't own a HW model, but have used several. I love them on bass and bass drum in particular. The UAD gets a ton of use here.
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Post by matt@IAA on Jan 22, 2020 16:24:59 GMT -6
Stepped controls are really nice.
The moves are reversible because the same exact filter is used in boost and cut.
The frequency points, Q, shape, filter, and shelving options make it very versatile.
Means it works well on a wide variety of program materials in a wide variety of situations.
The circuit topology gives some pleasant THD as do the output transformers and op amps.
They sound good pushed.
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Post by m03 on Jan 22, 2020 16:26:59 GMT -6
I like to be able to make finer adjustments, rather than being limited to 2db steps FWIW there was a recent version of the 550A (model "550Ad") that had ~1dB increments to a max of 6dB. I assume they're special order units, but VK had several of them for sale about a year or so ago: vintageking.com/api-550ad-equalizer-reissue-5097-14-used
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Post by drbill on Jan 22, 2020 16:43:21 GMT -6
550A's always work for me. Plug ins or Clones less so. You have the 550A-1 though right? This is different from all of the plugins and clones on the market and lacks the API signature proportional-q feature. Yes. Those are the ones I own. I'm intimately familiar with normal A's as well though. Like them too.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2020 17:18:42 GMT -6
...one cool thing about the 560 is every band is exactly an octave apart ~ just slightly sharp of a "B" note, over and over in different octaves.
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Post by drsax on Jan 22, 2020 17:51:49 GMT -6
550A's always work for me. Plug ins or Clones less so. Same here. I have the new 550a’s. Can’t really describe why they are great. They just are. They deliver time after time. If I could only have one outboard 500 series EQ for mixing individual tracks, I’d take the 550a. Or the Kush Electras 550’s have some excitement to them... the Electras are more open, sweet, and unhyped
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Post by EmRR on Jan 22, 2020 18:20:05 GMT -6
I like to be able to make finer adjustments, rather than being limited to 2db steps FWIW there was a recent version of the 550A (model "550Ad") that had ~1dB increments to a max of 6dB. I assume they're special order units, but VK had several of them for sale about a year or so ago: vintageking.com/api-550ad-equalizer-reissue-5097-14-usedthat'd be my jam
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Post by EmRR on Jan 22, 2020 18:29:48 GMT -6
The shapes are like what came before from Langevin, Cinema Engineering, Altec, and some others, but with more bands and options. Pultec were an inexpensive outlier in terms of what they did and how they did it. The 2dB step thing follows the standard of Daven faders and Cinema/Langevin/Altec EQ's. There's a time honored basis to that which stood as a standard BEFORE. So we like them. They don't do everything. They hit a middle ground between what was before and what came later.
I have TB550A clones, Steiger had praise for those at the time. I have CAPI LC53A's which change the same steps and shapes to cap/inductor topology, and they have their own version of familiar strengths.
On 560's, which I don't know, I applaud Jeff's 'other' octave option.
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Post by matt@IAA on Jan 22, 2020 20:45:52 GMT -6
You can convert any 550A to the 1/2 or 1/4 gain option. It only takes 6 resistors.
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Post by winetree on Jan 22, 2020 23:42:09 GMT -6
I built and have a pair of the TB550s and a pair of the LC53a, so I don't have to jones for the APIs?
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Post by Blackdawg on Jan 23, 2020 0:02:41 GMT -6
Or put up the cash for a 5500 API and have .5dB or 1dB or 2dB steps.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2020 5:00:24 GMT -6
^ yes, love the 5500..
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Post by javamad on Jan 23, 2020 14:43:05 GMT -6
I was looking at the 5500 myself as an option for tracking and hybrid mix duties. The ability to quickly switch to smaller steps is great
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Post by matt@IAA on Jan 23, 2020 14:48:10 GMT -6
👀😇
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 23, 2020 14:54:33 GMT -6
For me, I seem to gravitate towards the API eq's over Neve. Something about them speaks to me.
I had a demo of the Iron Age EQ and it was rad as hell. I hear that there are some additional tweaks since I had it in hand...
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Post by chromies on Jan 23, 2020 18:04:02 GMT -6
Appreciate all the input. I don’t feel like there was an overall push or opinion that i did indeed need one, just that those who have used one thoroughly enjoyed some difficult to convey aspect of it. I guess that the definition of mojo, eh?
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Post by dreamsambas on Jan 23, 2020 18:27:55 GMT -6
I owned a pair of 550A eqs for a few years. They have punch in spades. Guitars jump out of speakers. Vocals become more authoritative. Drums sound more rock & roll. With just a few quick clicks.
When I ran a vocal through the 550A, though, I felt like it sacrificed some resolution. Maybe it was just my pair? But it made them go-to EQs for rock and modern styles, not as much for folk or classical.
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Post by drbill on Jan 23, 2020 22:12:56 GMT -6
For me, I seem to gravitate towards the API eq's over Neve. Something about them speaks to me. I had a demo of the Iron Age EQ and it was rad as hell. I hear that there are some additional tweaks since I had it in hand... You're not alone. Is that the Siemens EQ? Or an API derivative?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 24, 2020 5:30:31 GMT -6
For me, I seem to gravitate towards the API eq's over Neve. Something about them speaks to me. I had a demo of the Iron Age EQ and it was rad as hell. I hear that there are some additional tweaks since I had it in hand... You're not alone. Is that the Siemens EQ? Or an API derivative? I haven't tasted his Siemens yet. This one... realgearonline.com/post/205692/thread
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Post by subspace on Jan 24, 2020 8:11:29 GMT -6
Lets keep the lifestyle choices off the board and keep it about the gear, mkay?
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jan 24, 2020 8:17:31 GMT -6
Lets keep the lifestyle choices off the board and keep it about the gear, mkay? 😂😂😂
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