API525 - One trick pony? Which trick does it do then?

[stevetgn]

I've heard a lot of people say the API525 compressor is a one trick pony. If that is the case which trick does it do and does it do it well?

[poncival]

The only trick I know about it is to push in the 2:1 AND the 20:1 buttons at the same time and it makes the 525 a little more predictable and understandable for me. I have heard the "one trick pony" thing before about this and from what I understand it doesn't do that trick very well...

My experience with the 525 and other engineers is that they too either haven't used these at all or gripe about them, but with both ratio buttons pushed in I have had some good feelings about using them on bass and guitar, I am still experimenting though and don't feel like the 525's are something that I can't live without.

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by poncival

The only trick I know about it is to push in the 2:1 AND the 20:1 buttons at the same time and it makes the 525 a little more predictable and understandable for me. I have heard the "one trick pony" thing before about this and from what I understand it doesn't do that trick very well...

My experience with the 525 and other engineers is that they too either haven't used these at all or gripe about them, but with both ratio buttons pushed in I have had some good feelings about using them on bass and guitar, I am still experimenting though and don't feel like the 525's are something that I can't live without.

Interesting, never knew about the two button thing. How do you find the lack of options as far as the attack settings go. Its strange to me to have a none adjustable super fast (50us!) attack.

Guitar & bass, anything else you like it on?

Cheers for the reply

[grahluk]

I've owned, lived with, and loved me some original 525s. Yes they are one trick ponies. So are LA2A's or a Fairchild 670 but nobody complains about them right? The 525's either work for you or don't. Dial in how much of the input you want it to act on, try on a couple of the release values and adjust your makeup gain. If that ain't working for you move on. A Distressor they ain't. The only part of it I usually just left alone was the Ceiling. I know it's supposed to be a tandem compression/gain makeup control but I usually just cranked it and used the input to set compression level.

[TonyBelmont]

I know of people having good results with the 525 on vocals...

[Legacy Audio]

Love the 525 on bass, vocals and guitars. I generally use the 525 in similar places I'd use an LA2A. I usually drive them pretty hard too, and get them to distort for attitude.

For drums I use the 225L due to more selections in attack and release.
225L's are often overlooked but work great.

[stevetgn]

Interesting, thanks guys.

Hopefully next month I'm putting together a 10 slot 500 series rack so I was looking for opinions on all the comps available. It seems the 525s main use is on vocals. I'm not sure how versatile it will be for me though. I'm favouring the Buzz Audio essence and especially the Potion so far.

[grahluk]

Originally Posted by stevetgn

Interesting, thanks guys.

Hopefully next month I'm putting together a 10 slot 500 series rack so I was looking for opinions on all the comps available. It seems the 525s main use is on vocals. I'm not sure how versatile it will be for me though. I'm favouring the Buzz Audio essence and especially the Potion so far.

Your best bet is to try them. Yes obvious advice and not always feasible but you may love the 525's, or not. As to favoring something few people have even seen let alone used might be buying into the newness hype.

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by grahluk

Your best bet is to try them. Yes obvious advice and not always feasible but you may love the 525's, or not. As to favoring something few people have even seen let alone used might be buying into the newness hype.

Yeah, but sometimes the only way to really "try" gear is to buy and then sell it when you hate it! Hence the get as much info as poss first!

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by stevetgn

Yeah, but sometimes the only way to really "try" gear is to buy and then sell it when you hate it! Hence the get as much info as poss first!

The reality, to me, is that I never really figure out if I like a piece of gear during a trial anyway. If you really think you're interested in something, why not buy it, live with it, and if you hate it, sell it? Most good pro gear sells for close to street if it's only slightly used.

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by max cooper

The reality, to me, is that I never really figure out if I like a piece of gear during a trial anyway. If you really think you're interested in something, why not buy it, live with it, and if you hate it, sell it? Most good pro gear sells for close to street if it's only slightly used.

I agree! Unless a piece of gear is totally shit in which case you know straight away that you don't want it. Other than that it can take several weeks sometimes months getting to know a bit of kit and you need to use it in many different real world situations.

[u b k]

i love what the api does for bass and guitars; not even the action of the compression, which is cool, but the tone. guitars thru api just sound 'right'.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[thenoiseflower]

Originally Posted by u b k

guitars thru api just sound 'right'.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

Agreed

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by u b k

i love what the api does for bass and guitars; not even the action of the compression, which is cool, but the tone. guitars thru api just sound 'right'.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

Yeah, I'm definetly getting some 550b and possibly an a 550a for guitars
I've just never heard the 525 used on anything. I'll probably end up just buying one 525 and see how it goes.

[aryschien]

I'm also expecting my 525. Really tired of searching for people's opinions but never able to hear one myself. One day I decided that I'd just buy one, and then I'll know.

I agree that it's hard to know if we'll like a gear or not during trial period. It's always after using it in two or three mixdowns that you know how to use it the best. And most of the time it ends up that I keep most of the gears I thought I didn't like during trial period.

[ScumBum]

I find so many mixed opinions on the 525 I think I'm just gonna have to buy it to try it out .

The guy that mixed the new Chili Peppers album said he used 525s on the guitars alot .

API: News: It's All API on Andrew Scheps' Red Hot Chili Pepper Tracks

[amino]

I have a pair of 525's, but since my studio isn't up and running I haven't been able to try them out too much yet. I'm also back on lunchbox slots... I have tried them on vocals and guitar though, and they have worked great there. Love them when you drive them a little harder. Although they're not as versatile as a Distressor I wouldn't call them a one trick pony. I will try them on the bus later on.

[ToddF]

Have had one in our B studio for just a short time.
I had time to play and got a great sound on a Jazz bass direct into a Neve 1073 Pre into the 525.

Didn't have a restricted or over compressed sound just nice even tone from lows to highs and kept an even punchy volume. I had all buttons out, I think, and 2:1 button in, 2-5 dB of reduction going on.

They are a little tricky at first to run just because of the nonstandard compressor buttons and knobs. Desser is a bonus.

I am anxious to try it on vocals and drums.

Todd

Here are the instructions for it.

Input control, adjusts the threshold
level.
Output control, adjusts the Output
level, or Make-up Gain.
Meter, Shows the amount of
Gain Reduction.
Release, Selects the amount of
Release time. All out=0.1 sec,
1 In=.05 sec, 2 In=2.0 sec,
1&2 In=2.5 sec.
Compression Switch, selects a
2:1 Ratio of Compression.
Limit Switch, selects a 20:1 Ratio
of Limiting.
OFF Switch, shuts off the Gain
Reduction, but unit is still inline.
Bypass bypasses the 525 with
a relay. Bypasses if power fails
also....
D-S Switch. Removes sibilance
or “ESSES” from the signal.
Ceiling Knob. This knob works
the same as turning the Threshold
AND Output controls up or
down at the same time.

[stevetgn]

Originally Posted by MushroomKingdom

I find so many mixed opinions on the 525 I think I'm just gonna have to buy it to try it out .

The guy that mixed the new Chili Peppers album said he used 525s on the guitars alot .

API: News: It's All API on Andrew Scheps' Red Hot Chili Pepper Tracks

Interesting artical/interview thanks for that.
The live guitar, bass & drum thing is what I mainly do. So the chili stuff is quite relavent.

[ToddF]

Finally got to play with the 525 on vocals. Female singer with wide dynamics. Piano singer songwriter stuff with full band. Billy Joel meets Meatloaf. Nice songs and voice.

Telefunken U47-Neve 1073 pre was the vocal chain going to 192 converter.

I first got a good level to the 192 then patched in the 525. Ended up with these settings.
Input-4
Output-10.5
Hey it goes to 11!
2:1 ratio
.5 release
Ceiling-2

I was hitting 6dB of gain reduction on the peaks. Not very often.

The sound was very controlled in a good way with the volume staying even sounding within the mix without sounding compressed. I never heard any compression artifacts even a few times she hit the level hard. Something I do hear on the Distressor.
I liked it.

I then patched in the Distressor, which I use often, in Opto mode and adjusted the level and compression to be the same. I took into account the meters on the Distressor should probably show more compression than 6dB on peaks.

The first thing I noticed was some distortion when she sang hard. The peak light wasn't going on the Distressor and the level to the 192 was ok. I just assumed the Distressor was getting hit too hard in the input or output. I hadn't had this happen before and I have used this Distressor often. It wasn't hitting more than 6dB of reduction.
Maybe my level from the 1073 pre was a little hot. The 525 was ok with it.

I brought the input of the Distressor down and was probably now compressing a little less than the 525. The distortion went away.
The sound was brighter in the 8k area which made it a little essier. Sounded a little thinner overall which just could have been from the brightness.
The volume didn't sound as controlled as in I would have to ride it more in the mix.

The sound wasn't bad but I did go back to the 525 for this song and another one we recorded. I preferred the 525 in this case.

I didn't hear any distinct colored sound with the 525 it just sounded better to me for her vocal at this time.

All the engineers here have been afraid of the 525 because its different looking knobs and buttons.

Everyone checked out my settings and were wanting to try it on vox now.

Peace Todd

[superjimmer]

Guys I had a vintage 70's 525 (three old NY 2520's in it) for about 6 months this year and absolutely LOVED it on acoustic guitar on pop/rock songs. Made the acoustic sit in the mix, tight and punchy, and sound exactly like a record. Easiest acoustic guitars I ever recorded. Found the controls easy enough to use and I would not really slam it.

The rep I had always heard was that they were NOT useful on bass and would break up/distort ... and I suppose I agree with that and did not run heavy bass through it.

I used it very effectively on trumpet and also on vocals (again very light on the vocals with the d-esser on).

I can honestly say that it is my favorite compressor ever for acoustic guitars. Amazing. I had to sell my lunchbox to pay some debt so sadly the 525 went too. But it made a lasting impressions and is possibly my only regret as far as selling gear.

it's on top of my compressor list and I will find an old one and purchase it again in the future . . .

- Jimmer