Recording - July 2015 - 26

PLUG-IN OUTLET

Universal Audio
API Vision Channel Strip
The UAD engine meets
the classic API sound
by Paul Vnuk Jr.

components. On the other hand, of all of the console manufactures out there, sonically API is one of the most consistent
across the board, and across the decades as well....
For now, let's put sonic comparisons aside and meet the
Vision Channel Strip.
A Vision
First introduced in 2003, the Vision Console is the crème
de la crème of API's line. The current model offers dual
channel inputs, surround mixing capabilities on every
channel, simultaneous stereo and 5.1 mixing, 3 stereo
buses, 24 main buses, 10 Aux sends and much more.
Since all API designs are modular, it is customizable with
a choice of two custom EQs-the parametric 550L and
graphic 560L-as well as a variety of 200 Series modules.
For their model, UA chose a standard configuration of
compressor, gate, filter and 4-band parametric EQ. Of
course it all starts with API's 212L mic preamp which, like
the 512c in The Channel Strip, is built upon the 2520 op
amp. It has a slightly different output transformer, but as
you would expect from API, a darn near identical sound.
In Unison
The UA Vision Channel strip was originally released last
year. However, as has been done with some of UA's other
plug-ins, the Vision Channel Strip has recently been updated
with an upgrade to its 212L mic pre module, which now
makes full use of Universal Audio's Unison technology!
Unison is available in all of the company's preampequipped Apollo units. This includes the original Apollo, the
Apollo Twin that I reviewed in August 2014 and used for this
review, and the recently announced Apollo 8 and 8p units.
Though a seamless marriage of software modeling, hardware impedance switching, variable gain staging and circuit
design, Unison technology allows for true microphone preamp modeling-including line and instrument inputs, too.

In the preceding pages we've looked at API's The Channel Strip-a
19" rackmount box that incorporates an API 512c mic preamp, a 527
compressor, and a 550A 3-band EQ, all tied together by the 325 Line
Driver. Here, we're looking at Universal Audio's own API channel strip,
this time modeled input to output from API's classic Vision Console.
If you have read any of my past Universal Audio plug-in
reviews, you will note that I like to do a complete side-by-side comparison of the original hardware vs. the plug-in. My most recent
reviews of this nature were the Manley Massive Passive in
February 2015 and the Neve 1073 in April 2015.
Of course, there was no way anyone was going to send me an
actual Vision Console for this. We talked with our friends at API
about this at the Winter NAMM show, and decided that apart
from The Box (reviewed September 2014), the closest parallel to
the plug-in would be The Channel Strip. I think the sonic similarity is largely due to the 325 Line Driver in The Channel Strip,
which I believe adds that final bit of console sound that you just
would not get by gathering together the correct API modules.
As we dig into UA's Vision Channel Strip, we'll find some significant differences. Most notably, the Vision is made up of both API
200 and Vision-specific modules, while The Channel Strip (and The
Box, for that matter) use 500 Series exclusively. This means that
many parameters and functions are different, as are some internal
26

RECORDING July 2015

A walkthrough
We start with the 212L. In the real world, this sparse
module has an input gain knob, a 20 dB pad button, and
a 48V phantom power button. In the UA-verse, the latter
was replaced with a phase/polarity switch; the Apollo
handles phantom power when needed.
Next in line is the 215 Sweep Filter module. This module
contains a 12 dB/octave highpass filter (20 to 600 Hz) and
a 6 dB/octave lowpass filter 500 Hz to 20 kHz), both fully
variable and transformer-coupled to +28 dBu. These are
ultra-smooth and very effective filters.
Next up: the 235L Noise Gate, with a variable Threshold of
-45 to +25 dBu, adjustable Depth of -80 dBU, two selectable
Attack times of greater than 100 µsec or slightly slower than
25 msec, and adjustable Release/Hold time of 50 msec to 3
seconds. It is also switchable from Gate to a 2:1 Expander.
This Gate is ultra-fast and capable of classic gated snare
effects, gently bringing down background/ambient noise in
spoken-word recordings, and full-on noise gating. In my
recordings I'm used to manually cutting out dead space and
bleed on tom and snare and even vocal tracks, but often I find
a good gate such as this can be a faster, better (and not only
more traditional) choice.
Next is the 225L, a full featured compressor/limiter in a
very tight, compact package. It offers a Threshold control with
a range of +10 to -20 dBu, a Ratio of 1:1 to ∞:1, Attack
times of 1-25 msec, and Release times of 0.3 to 3 seconds,
the latter controlled by an API dual concentric pot. There's a
5-step Gain Reduction meter, too.
There is a choice of hard or soft knee compression curves,
Auto Makeup Gain, and a choice of Old (Feedback) or New

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