Filled my Lunch box today!

[DwaneHollands]

WOO HOO!

Got my 6 API Modules today. (if you would direct your attention to my avatar)

Haven't tried 'em out yet. Can't wait!

[peat]

nice one!

ultimate 6 space!

very nicely done

[Chinagraf]

"Haven't tried them out yet" ..... wot are you...mental? Drop everything and twist those knobs..

[DwaneHollands]

nice one! ultimate 6 space! very nicely done

Yeah I thought about going the whole API hog. I'll use it for tracking, mixing and summing make up at the end. Still have some more gear before I can do everything. More leads, summing mixer and new audio interface. But I'll be tracking some guitars very soon with them! Can't wait.

[DwaneHollands]

"Haven't tried them out yet" ..... wot are you...mental? Drop everything and twist those knobs..

Lol. I twisted them, 'ooh, famous API stepped controls"

The 512C's don't appear to have stepped. But the 550B's do. And they're quite stiff. Aluminium knobs have a great feel and look! The blue anodising is fantastic on the 550B's. The 527's have a greater resolution of steps, there are 2 or 3 intermediate positions between each dot marker and are lighter to adjust.

Man the 550B's, you really have lean on 'em! It's like "you really want to change it, or do you want to leave it where it is?". ha ha. Switches and buttons feel great too.

[HA_DA_JA]

Got your Neve Portico II yet?

[Chinagraf]

I love the smell of new gear.

[DwaneHollands]

Got your Neve Portico II yet?

no STiIIILLLLL WAAAIIITTTIIIINGGGG!

[Adam Dempsey]

Man the 550B's, you really have lean on 'em! It's like "you really want to change it, or do you want to leave it where it is?". ha ha.

Yes welcome to that good feeling, as I get just that from the 550m's. ;)
Congrats.

[spandex man]

Love the 512c's and 550b's. Did a quick shootout last weekend between the 512c, the 4 different types of preamp in the SSL 4000 E/G at the studio and a Vintech x81. API sounded beautiful. I have a pair of the ClassicAPI VP26 kits that also sound really nice, a steal at $300 a pop. Ill be giving them a thrash next week on a few different projects, looking forward to seeing how they stand up against the real API stuff. Id still love to here the 525 and 527. Its a shame more people over here havent jumped on the 500 series bandwagon.

[harry]

Hey Troy,

keep us posted on how the classicapi stuff sounds - just bought a lunchbox and have 6 channels of cinemag api type iron here waiting - gonna build his 312 di pres...

congratulations Dwane! must have cost heaps..




h.a.r.r.y.a.r.v.a.n.i.t.i.s

[13thbeach]

Here's my lunch box. aaaaaeeeeyyyyy!!!!!

[heathen]

Nice rack! I hav'nt used the 527's, the 525's are great but probably not as flexible as the 527's.

[musikwerks]

Its a shame more people over here havent jumped on the 500 series bandwagon.

Maybe something to do with the local pricing/distributor. I'm a 500 series convert but my current set up was purchased overseas. I know quite a few others in a similar boat. Lots of 500 modules around.

[DwaneHollands]

I love the smell of new gear.

Ha ha. Yeah I know it's great!

[DwaneHollands]

Man the 550B's, you really have lean on 'em! It's like "you really want to change it, or do you want to leave it where it is?". ha ha.

Yes welcome to that good feeling, as I get just that from the 550m's. ;)
Congrats.

The 'm's are very rare aren't they? (or do you have a 5500 for mastering which can run in M mode?)

BTW, checked out your site. Nice stuff. Just looking at your room, I notice you have a wooden platform under your desk. Is that just sitting on the carpet? The reason I ask, is I've found some nice timber at bunnings and thought about doing the same thing. Kinda like the inverse of having a wood floor with a rug to control reflections.

[DwaneHollands]

Congrats Dwayne - I want to get myself some API too - good gear.
And I would love 8 Ch's of 512's (or 2 x 3124's) up at Heliport for tracking drums - have to lean on Al - LOL.

Thanks Angus! Yeah I was tossing up between API 500 and SSL XRack modules. I have never read a bad thing about API and after listening to samples on Vintage King of their API 8200A summing solution and the 550B (and 560) run flat and what it did to the sound, I was floored. With the SSL I found there were people who loved it and others who hated it. However, maybe one day I'll get an X-rack to cover that sonic base too! The universal love for the 2500 comp and the 527's few shared features also got my eye. The 'Thrust' switch has me intrigued. Can't wait to run mixes though it. I'll have to settle for tracking for the mean time!

Add to that, the fact that the 500 format has over 20 other manufacturers of modules, it's a little flexible.

[DwaneHollands]

Hey Troy,

keep us posted on how the classicapi stuff sounds - just bought a lunchbox and have 6 channels of cinemag api type iron here waiting - gonna build his 312 di pres...

congratulations Dwane! must have cost heaps..

h.a.r.r.y.a.r.v.a.n.i.t.i.s

Yeah I've heard a whisper about that DIY project. Can you still buy the kits? Where from?

And yes it did cost a pretty penny at $6850 inc freight GST. Excluding lunch box. I love what Vintage King are doing with FREE lunch boxes for 4 or more modules. But by the time shipping and duties are factored in, just not worth the trouble. Particularily how the dollar is now. A free lunch box would have been nice. There are so many other modules I'd love to get!

[DwaneHollands]

Here's my lunch box. aaaaaeeeeyyyyy!!!!!

lol.

[musikwerks]

$6850 inc freight GST. Excluding lunch box.

Still cheaper than local price.

[DwaneHollands]

$6850 inc freight GST. Excluding lunch box.

Still cheaper than local price.

Is it 10% duty on everything imported or is it just on stuff over 10K? It came to $6832.00 ex freight with 10% duty when I just worked it out then. (current exchange rate etc)

[tony]

I think its on anything over $1000. However I have brought anything in for a while.

[DwaneHollands]

I think its on anything over $1000. However I have brought anything in for a while.

That's right I remember now, I had to import some chemistry from the US and was told I had to pay duty if it was over $1000. (it was like $60.00 worth of chemistry)

[GlennS]

10% GST on landed cost for anything over AUD1000. I'm pretty sure most mic pres should be 5% duty on FOB cost, but API products might be subject to USFTA & duty free. Compressors & EQ's duty free.

[DwaneHollands]

Its a shame more people over here havent jumped on the 500 series bandwagon.

Maybe something to do with the local pricing/distributor. I'm a 500 series convert but my current set up was purchased overseas. I know quite a few others in a similar boat. Lots of 500 modules around.

Yeah Radial engineering are working on 20+ different 500 modules. Apparently they've just released 7. One is a variable phase box.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johngrabowski/3997047170/

[Chinagraf]

[quote="DwaneHollands"][quote="musikwerks"][quote="DwaneHollands"]$6850 inc freight GST. Excluding lunch box.[/quote]

Still cheaper than local price.[/quote]

Is it 10% duty on everything imported or is it just on stuff over 10K? It came to $6832.00 ex freight with 10% duty when I just worked it out then. (current exchange rate etc)[/quote]

It's either 10 or 5 percent duty dpepnding on how they class them - or they will come under the FTA with the US only if all components used are manufactured in the US, including capacitors, resistors etc.
Then the 10% GST applies to both the purchase price and the cost of postage from overseas. Also over $1K a formal customs clearance must be lodged, which you are best to use a broker for IMHO.'You didn't have them sent Fedex did you? THey are dreadful at overcharging duties.

[ChrisW]

Also over $1K a formal customs clearance must be lodged, which you are best to use a broker for IMHO.

Hmm, it's so easy though.
They send you a form, you fax a page back with your credit card details and they release the item.
I've done it several times, although i do agree, items under $1000 are easier.

[DwaneHollands]

.'You didn't have them sent Fedex did you? THey are dreadful at overcharging duties.

Oh no, I got 'em locally. Just trying to see whether it would have been cheaper. I did sums before, but wasn't sure if my assumptions were correct about duties.

[Chinagraf]

Also over $1K a formal customs clearance must be lodged, which you are best to use a broker for IMHO.

Hmm, it's so easy though.
They send you a form, you fax a page back with your credit card details and they release the item.
I've done it several times, although i do agree, items under $1000 are easier.

Really? Who are you using for postage? Generally whoever completes the formal declaration has to be registered in the CARGO system. Whenever I buy stuff OS I just get a notice from customs saying it needs to be cleared.
The only place I've had do it the way you described is Fedex, and they overcharged the duties and it took a year of me and VK fighting them to get the money back.
Not being argumentative, just wondering if there is a better way to do it.

[DwaneHollands]

FINALLY GOT TO PLAY WITH 'EM TONIGHT!

And...I don't have enough cables. ha ha. I have 3 which enables me to run a PRE and an EQ or a PRE and a COMP.

Anyways, dove right in with some high gain guitars. 512C into 550B into MBOX2. I'm so used to listening to my guitar tone that I know if somethings different and WOW! be!@#$%^& B2 LDC with foam filter on it about 1 foot away, on axis. Now this is probably the power of suggestion, but it does sound thicker the more you turn it up on the 512C. I loved what the 550B did when I scooped some 700hz @ -9B. 7K shelf @ +2b. 50hz shelf + 2B.

http://www.hollands.com.au/R21Studios/A ... _Baby2.mp3

Bass I'm struggling with at the moment. It's a cheap junky bass. But I got better results with the 512C and the 527 than using the 550B eq. I'd use all three once I got cables, but the 527 made more of a difference. But it's not very obvious what the 527 does on the bass. The thrust turned out not to be a good idea on bass guitar for me, since it's dodging the comp I'm guessing. Took me about 10 minutes to find something I was happy with. A nice tight solid bass sound.

Anyways I'll need to experiment more.

(excuse the very sloppy riff in the middle. A good exercise for me to practice!)

I only used a stereo widner on the main guitars. Pretty subtle though, just gave a little more room for the others parts. But no EQ or COmps or warmers on the tracks. The drums were BFD2, not recorded live.