Preliminary Mini Review...A Designs 500 Cards

[Midlandmorgan]

Fellow slutz...the following is a mini review of my newly acquired A Designs P1 and EM Silver cards, designed specifically to be used in the 500 series rack formats...the cards were sent to me on demo status.

Short version: get them...you will be amazed at how versitile and powerful these things really are.

Long version: I received the cards in a simple yet overpacked box with the two cards in their own well packed, classicly understated packaging. Installing the card pres into my OSA 11 space chassis was a snap (literally), total integration...I installed them next to my existing OSA MP1Cs (which I dearly love...) Here's the rundown)

P1: The P1 card is (as I understand it) a chassis mounted version of the A Designs MP1 pre...we ran this pre with a wide variety of mics and pres on the usual instruments...a Martin D1936 into an older AT 4033 resulted in clear, shimmering tones, the classic dreadnaught low end, and the clear mids Martins are known for...as a matter of record, I have removed the local "For Sale" status of said Martin, as with the P1, I heard nuances previously unknown to me, and have decided I GOTTA keep this quality. We also ran the P1 using a Jurassic era RCA SK46 ribbon with some horns (plenty of gain available), and the same warm, clean, yet ever so slightly colorered results were obtained...Same with some old EV RE16s, an SM7, and other "standard" upper end dynamics...On each application of guitars, bass DI, standard noisemakers, etc...regardless of mic, the P1 proved itself a worthy addition (in my opinion) to anyone's setup, regardless of musical style, presently owned gear, or whatever.

EM Silver: This pre absolutely blows me away. It has a very unique characteristic unlike any other preamps here (not that many I am proud of) that, depending on how the gain and pad is set, can run from super clean to very colorered. Testing this mic, we used the same dynamics, plus a Peluso 2247, one of the Josephson C42 from a matched pair, and ADK A51 Ser III, and some oddball stuff. Sources included more guitars, bass DI, key rattling tests, keyboard DI, and most important to many, vocals. The EM Silver shined in all applications, and continually provided a powerful and warm sound, usuable in everything we could throw at it...Of the two, the EM Silver was my personal choice for an all arounder.

Now, here's the kicker: we had these units less than 5 hours before we were scheduled to lay down some horn parts and the lead vocals for a master project. Although the gain knob seems to have a different threshold/throw than anything else I've used, it only took a moment to get to know both these pres - within 30 minutes, I felt as if I had been using them for years. Anyway, we tracked keeper tracks for the master using these two pres: the P1 with a ribbon for a trumpet solo, and the EM Silver using a Peluso 2247 (preamp pad engaged, gain up) for the keeper vocal tracks...(latin jazz project with a 60's kinda vibe)...I felt they were that good out of the box, and that good for the project...We tracked and mixed each of these with no EQ, no compression...I don't know of any other product I have had the confidence to use in master without taking days (if not weeks) to develop said confidence.

How do they stack up against the OSAs? In my opinion, the A Designs and OSA pres are different pres altogether, not in direct competition for a certain sound. I really wonder if OSA and A Designs were in cahoots to make similar pres that were designed to compliment each other, not compete against each other. The tracks done with the OSAs are (again my opinion) KILLERS....the tracks done with the A Designs were also KILLERS, but of a different flavor...each brand has their own characteristics, each brand has their own set of preferences...IMO, if you own the OSA already (which you really should) then adding the P! and/or EM Silver will expand your sonic pallet 5 fold.

In a nutshell, the P1 and EM Silver would be welcome and often used preamp choices, regardless of what you already have. Each goes from clean to mean, each has a slightly different sonic character unlike anything I've used up to this point in my career, and each would be a wise investment.

Couple more things: I am not an employee of A Designs, nor affiliated with the company in any way...Whenever I demo a piece of gear, the FIRST thing I do is find out what it CAN'T do, then go from there. With the P1 and EM Silver, I was not able to find anything either card could not provide exceptional result with (of course, mic choices and placement become even that more important with such high end products)...As time and post Christmas funds become available, I will be purchasing more A Design and OSA products both...

One last thing...some of you know me enough to know I don't spend money with anyone I do not trust, regardless of who has the "best deal" or cheapest price. Up until Friday, Nathan Eldred from Atlas and David Klausner from Sweetwater were the ONLY two people I would do business with for such things....as of Friday, Peter Montessi from A Designs became the third. We chatted on the phone, worked out some details, and talked about MY needs, MY current gear and where I was wanting to end up...to me, his words are backed up by his product. Peter (like Nathan and David) told me all sides of the story, not just what they thought was what I needed to hear to make a sale.

Wrap up: The A Designs P1 and EM Silver cards are a fantastic addition to whatever high end pre collection you now have....they do not compete, but offer sonic alternatives and characteristics. After demoing these two units, I put my money where my mouth is, and bought both units. All I can advise is they worked better than I hoped for in everything we threw at them, and that if you have an API/OSA/BAE 500 series rack, you owe it to yourself to try them out. I would be very VERY suprised if you sent them back, or find they are not high end enough to be used on virtually any project.

Feel free to ask questions either here in public or via private email...Since I have nothing to gain or lose in this, I will tell it how it is, in my opinion.

Ken

[pan60]

i must concur.
if you don't have a 500 format box of some sort you need one.
very well packed, amazing build quality.
i got the P-1 and it is really sweet, nice detail, i will be getting another one of Peters cards as soon as i can.
i am very stoked about this card and its quality.