another 500 series thread

[sheltersoton]

hiya,

im justs sorting out my lunchbox and my priority is a pre and compressor combo specifically aimed at the snare drum but is suibtable for some guitars and maybe vox too..

i've read the A-designs Blue is nice for snare how are the Purple Biz and any of the OSA's for snare? Is the only comp available at the moment the API 5-series one?

thanks in advance guys and gals x

[Pohaku]

There is an older Aphex comp out there (discontinued) too that comes up every now and then but I think that's about it right now for comps. The API 525 is a nice comp though. More coming I believe.

[Klauth]

I got two, "BIZ" pre's specifically for my snare. very slammin and, "in your face" presence. much more so than an API 512C. highly recommend it! - Klauth.

[max cooper]

Unfortunately, the 525 is not a great drum compressor, IMO. Love it on vox and acoustic guitars, though.

For one thing, the attack time is 'program dependent' and not user-controllable, and the release time is not continuously variable. Those issues could be workable if the character of the 525 was good for things like snare drums, but alas, I think you're gonna find it's just not that kind of box.

[warhead]

I have a session scheduled tonight at a local studio to shoot out all of the 500 series preamps from A-Designs (P1, Red, Silver & Blue) as well as the Pacifica. Snare is part of the plan anyhow, as well as other drums, guitars etc. It will be recorded as well so clips will be on the way soon directly comparing all modules within the line.

War

[sheltersoton]

cheers lauth, thats what i wanted to hear! Thanks max, ill save my money for the osa or another comp... and war, legend, i look forward tro hearing them... you just earned some brownie points!

[transfiguration]

Originally Posted by warhead

I have a session scheduled tonight at a local studio to shoot out all of the 500 series preamps from A-Designs (P1, Red, Silver & Blue) as well as the Pacifica. Snare is part of the plan anyhow, as well as other drums, guitars etc. It will be recorded as well so clips will be on the way soon directly comparing all modules within the line.

War

!!!SWEET!!!

[NathanEldred]

Originally Posted by sheltersoton

i've read the A-designs Blue is nice for snare how are the Purple Biz and any of the OSA's for snare?

If you are considering an OSA for snare, get the MP1-L "Mutant", it's the most in-your-face (in terms of higher frequencies) and is my favorite of the 4 they make on snare. OSA has a 500 series VCA comp coming out in the near future that I suspect should be good for percussion duty (it's a comp/limiter, not just a peak limiter). Purple Biz also sounds excellent on snare duties, very big upfront sound. Andrew from Purple Audio mentioned he is working on a 500 series FET comp/limiter, but I have no idea about delivery date.

[warhead]

Originally Posted by sheltersoton

cheers lauth, thats what i wanted to hear! Thanks max, ill save my money for the osa or another comp... and war, legend, i look forward tro hearing them... you just earned some brownie points!

At a local studio last night, we listened to every single one of the A Designs 500 series & the Pacifica last night, and made clips on:

bass (DI)
ac guitar
el guitar
drum OH
kick
snare
tom

The clips are coming soon, lots of editing to do! But I can tell you this: whoever told you the "EM Blue" 500 series module was right for snare knows what they're talking about. In fact, the blue module is the one we kept going back to and agreeing that it always sounded good, period. On every source it was a top performer for sure, and on snare my top pick would have been either the blue module or the Pacifica itself (P1 being a very similar sound to the Pacifica...they share most of the same innards except they couldn't fit quite as fat a transformer in the 500 series module).

Very well built stuff I might add.

War

[sheltersoton]

great stuff! cheers war look forward to the clips,

any experience of the Brent Averill BAE modules? how are they for snare?

cheers!