User manual
MODULAR PROCESSING SUPPLEMENT
REVIEW
keep tabs on the output level.
A white Tone knob is calibrated as Thin on the left,
Fat at the top, and Fatter at full-tilt. In actual fact, this is
a mud-removal shelving EQ circuit, with anything less
than Fatter reducing sub 150Hz signal by up to 12dB at
the Thin end. The Bright toggle switch boosts the highs
with a shelf from around 8kHz by about 7dB, adding
terrific life and sparkle to guitars. This is most welcome,
and like traditional API EQ doesn’t sound harsh or at all
spiky. An On button illuminates yellow when pressed;
this is a very handy way of quickly muting the output
before your talent plugs in or unplugs their end of the
jack cable. Further toggles provide a 20dB Pad that
apparently doesn’t affect the load — useful especially
for high output keyboard instruments — and a Load
selector to switch between 100kOhm and 400kOhm.
The latter setting is generally preferable; it’s subtler than
the Bright switch, but the former slightly darkened the
tone and reduced the level of my Telecaster.
The sound is solid, musical, and as reassuringly
smooth and stable as you come to expect from API.
The tonal variations available are useful, and it is
quick and easy to make decisions with just one Tone
knob and a couple of toggles to vary things. The
Bright circuit is smooth and brings an openness to
the tone. The Tone knob does a great job too, with a
beautifully linear gradation as you turn it to find the
sweet spot. Even when recording bass guitar, settings
lower than Fatter can usefully tame any low end
waffling. At £408 + VAT the 505-DI isn’t cheap, but
this is a tool of the highest quality.
CONS
PROS
Solid sounding DI preamp; line level output;
useful Thru jack; plenty of gain; exible tone
shaping.
No ground lift.
565 — This new module
comprises High Pass, Notch
and Low Pass Filters,
expanding on the 215 filter
module found in API’s large
desks. Unlike the 505-DI, the
565’s circuitry is completely
encased in thin steel. On the
front are four familiar looking
blue-topped API knobs. I love
API knobs; they look like
something from the TARDIS
and have huge protruding
pointers that you can steer the
knob round with. Unlike the
usual clicky switched settings
found on 550 EQ modules,
the 565’s are all continuous
sweeping pots with no
damping. The top one is the
Low Pass control, calibrated
from 500Hz to 20kHz. A tiny
toggle marked In enables the
filter, and there is a similar one to select between
-12dB per octave and -6dB per octave operation.
Some very gentle reduction of nasties is possible here,
or you can achieve more robust taming of unwanted
harshness. The next section is a variable Notch filter.
When the In toggle is enabled, the selected frequency
is notched out. At fully clockwise, the notch is pin-
sharp, as narrow as a needle (Q factor is quoted as
20) gradually widening towards a broader dip when
counter-clockwise. At the broadest setting, the Q
is 0.65, which cuts a huge 40-50dB swathe at the
selected frequency. The frequency is selected with a
knob calibrated from 20Hz to 200Hz, with a three-
position multiplier toggle for x1, x10 and x100,
thereby covering the entire audio spectrum while
allowing the user great precision. Sweeping with the
Notch near the narrow end creates a pseudo-phasing
effect, while turning the Notch further left allows great
wodges of the spectrum to be pulled out.
Finally there is a High Pass filter knob scaled from
20Hz to 600Hz, with an In toggle and a choice of
-12dB or -18dB per octave on another switch. This
works well for cutting out undesirable lows, and even
in its steepest mode manages to sound clean and
smooth. The filters don’t sound at all phasey (unless
you sweep a narrow Notch of course). Clearing
some low-end mud is always satisfying. Sometimes
counter-intuitively, clearing some ‘air’ with the Low
Pass is also surprisingly pleasant and doing this on
some instruments can help bind the mix. With the
High and Low filters almost meeting, you can get
some good telephoney sounding effects. All toggles
operate silently with no drama, and the knobs are
a pleasure to twiddle. This is a super-smooth and
wonderfully useful module with great sonic integrity,
and fabulous sounding filtering, all for £408 + VAT. n
CONS
PROS
Great sounding lters; powerful Notch
covering the entire audio spectrum.
None.
Contact
API AUDIO, US
Web: www.apiaudio.com
UK, Source: +44 208 962 5080
AWARDS 2014
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