Recording - July 2015 - 24

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

API The Channel Strip
A flexible bundle of classic console sounds for your rack

For close to five decades, Automated
Processes Incorporated has been creating
professional studio gear. In fact, API is
one of the few companies left that still
build large-format consoles.
Early on, the company adopted a modular approach to its desks that has served
it well over the years, allowing consoles
to be easily configured and customized to
a studio's needs. Over time these console
modules gave birth to two product lines:
the venerable 200 Series and the insanely-popular 500 Series. In these two formats, modules like mic preamps, compressors, EQ and more, could be purchased individually and placed in
portable and rackmount enclosures.
We looked at API's latest 8-slot lunchbox® enclosure in December 2014, and
in our February 2015 issue we looked at
a pair of the company's latest 500 Series

The entire unit features all-discrete electronics. Unlike many all-in-one channel
strips that share op amps and transformers, each module here retains all of its
individual and original circuitry and components, most notably API's 2510 and
2520 op amps. As we saw in my review
of API's The Box mixer back in September
2014, it's this routing of op amps into op
amps and so forth that is an integral component of the "API sound" when multiple
modules are combined.
Additionally TCS also includes a fourth
output stage module, full-featured metering, and extensive patching and routing
capabilities. Each module is internally fed
into the next, but also retains individual
rear-mounted ins and outs as well. That's
a feature I love to find on all-in-one channel strips, as it lets me turn them into individual effects with ease, when needed.

that selects between the three input sources,
changing color to indicate which source is
selected: off for line-level, blue for mic, yellow
for instrument (and red for input clipping at
+27 dB). There is also a front-panel 1/4" instrument input; I will mention now that this is one
killer bass DI! On the back, this section has an
XLR mic input, a 1/4" TRS line in, and a 1/4"
TRS line out.

offerings, the 565 Filter Bank and the
505-DI module. Of course, not everyone
has jumped onto the 500 Series bandwagon, nor is a full-fledged API desk in
everyone's future. Luckily, API offers a mic
pre, compressor, and EQ in a single traditional 19" rackmount option, called
simply: The Channel Strip.

First base: the 512c
It all starts with the 512c microphone
preamp. Built around both the company's
2510 and 2520 op amps, this is the
sound of API. All these years later, the
512c remains faithful to company founder
Saul Walker's original preamp designs.
It offers 68 dB with a low -129 dBm
EIN noise floor. In addition to mic signals,
it can also accept line level sources as well
as high-impedance instrument sources
with 50 dB of gain.
The 512c starts with a small blue gain knob
followed by four backlit pushbuttons for polarity (phase), 48V Phantom Power, Pad (-20 dB
Mic / -6 dB Line) and a multi-function button

continually variable, yet detented to aid in
recall. Attack is on the outer ring (1 to 25
ms) and release is on the inner ring (0.3
and 3 seconds). The last knob sets the
Ratio between 1:1 and ∞:1.
There is a 10-stage red LED gain reduction
meter with markings of -1.5 to -23 dB.
Further controls include a choice of Hard
and Soft Knee settings, the ability to link the
compressor sections if you have a pair of
Channel Strips, a hard bypass button, and
pre/post EQ routing choice.
The final two buttons on the 527 are
where its personality and its versatility lies.
The 527 can be switched between Old
(feedback) or New (feed-forward) style

Cruisin' the strip
The Channel Strip is housed comfortably in a steel rackmount enclosure, standard 1U 19" format. It is finished in API
black and each module contains the same
distinctive knobs, buttons and more, that
you would find on API modules and desks.
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RECORDING July 2015

Second base: the 527
Next up: the 527 VCA-style compressor,
a newer API creation which we last looked
at during The Box review. It also uses 2510
and 2520 op amps, and despite its simple
three-knob appearance it's a full-featured
compressor and then some.
It has a continuously variable (detented)
Threshold with a range of +10 to -20 dBu.
Attack and Release are controlled by a
stacked/dual concentric pot that is also

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - July 2015