Recording - November 2012 - 24

B Y PA U L V N U K J R .

API is an American manufacturer of microphone preamps, equalizers and compressors as well as full-scale professional analog recording consoles that adorn many of the top studios in the world. The API legacy spans over four decades with a lineup of classic designs that remain largely unchanged from their inception, like the 525 compressor and the 550b eq, along with new “classics” like the 2500 Buss compressor and 1608 recording desk.

heat up a lot. Visually the A2D is a bit of a departure for API, featuring a shiny silver faceplate (kind of like the API Seth Walker signature modules) rather than API’s typical matte-black color scheme. First we will start with the front panel monitoring and controls, and then move around the back to have a look at its plethora of connection choices. Starting on the left are the matching 312 mic pres—these are a tad tricked out, you might say. Each preamp contains

rates will light and the external sync LED turns on. Last on the front panel is the power button with matching blue LED. In and out On the back are the analog XLR inputs and outputs for the microphone preamps. Each channel also has a 1/4" TRS input which can be used for direct input into the A/D converter and accepts +30 dB levels, or the 1/4" jacks can function as channel inserts.

API A2D
Above all, API is respected for the 312/512 microphone preamps, which can be found in modern form in the 4channel API 3124+ mic pre, in the 512 single-channel pre for the 500 Series of rack enclosures (another API invention), and—better still—in the device we are looking at today, which features two channels of this classic workhorse preamp and then goes one significant step further. Aside from being a 2-channel mic pre, the A2D is a 2-channel analog to digital converter. As far as I know the API A2D is API’s first-ever digital device. And that pretty much sums up this box: 2 preamps, 2 converters, done! Of course it is the details in between that make this device truly stand out... so let’s get to reviewing it. The guided tour This is a solid box with a thick front faceplate, with plenty of venting slots in the sidepanels and in the top and bottom—important for converters, as they do
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RECORDING November 2012

Preamplification and A/D conversion in style

one of API’s visually unique input-gain knobs followed by five backlit buttons that control: Polarity, +48V phantom power, –20 dB pad, a 2:1 ratio control (more on this later), and a button that switches between the rear microphone input or a front mounted 1/4" line input. Each button glows a nice warm blue when selected and looks classy in a darkened studio. Above each preamp is a 20-stage analog scale LED signal meter with a throw of –30 to +27 dB. On the right is the digital input/monitor section. It starts with a pair of input attenuation knobs, again of the famous API variety. Above these is another 20-stage LED meter, stereo this time, and scaled for digital use from –57 dBFS to digital zero. The last control in the digital section is a larger API knob that selects the sample rate of the internal clock from 44.1 up to 192 kHz. Each choice contains a corresponding green LED, and if the unit is externally clocked, none of the sample

The digital connections are next and include: AES (XLR) and S/PDIF (phono) out, 20–26 MHz sync input (BNC), word clock in and out (BNC) along with a yellow sync LED, and lastly a pair of both male and female 9-pin jacks that function as master and slave connections for hooking up and, more importantly, syncing the clocks of multiple A2D units. Power is handled by a standard 3-prong jack with switchable voltage for the US or Europe. In use Once you decide on your digital connections to your system or DAW, use of the A2D is pretty straightforward and painless. The mic pres look, sound and function just like my old API 512c preamps. If you are unfamiliar with the sound of API mic pres, they are best described as full, forward and punchy. Compared to a classic Neve they are much tighter, nicely aggressive and super fast. These pres are

Recording - November 2012

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