API 550
Sweeten your mixes and masters with proportional-Q curves
API550TDM
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Shape Your Tone with
Exceptional EQ Curves
The API 550 introduced visionary EQ curves. Q varies with gain, so boosting adds a more focused musical quality—while reducing gain provides natural, subtle-to-steep tone shaping. Developed in close collaboration with API, the 550A/B are loving re-creations of these late-60s legends.
Expertly selected frequencies lift instruments up, or place them further back—just as easily as they can sweetly shape a mix’s contour. For individual tracks, buses, or full masters, the 550 defines musical transparency.
Watch It in Action
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What Top Pros Are Saying
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And the CLA-3A makes everything a little tougher and the mix a little more centered \u2013 that\u2019s what I used on \u2018Uptown Funk.\u2019","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":2},{"itemID":45,"itemGUID":"a746795d-4788-4917-9ea6-b79c2add855d","artistName":"Thom Russo","artistTitle":"Producer / Engineer","credits":"Michael Jackson, Man\u00E1, Tom Morello","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/thom-russo.png","quote":"The API plugins are a dream come true\u2014so silky and punchy. They put my EQ heart at ease. ","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":3},{"itemID":193,"itemGUID":"2d9c1f17-7ddc-4acb-94f7-fae1eae267e1","artistName":"Mike Patton","artistTitle":"Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist, Film Composer, Producer","credits":"Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Fantomas","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/mike-patton.png","quote":"Naturally, for crushing!","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":4},{"itemID":235,"itemGUID":"51a2c81c-c4c9-44c7-b7c5-a6c027090af0","artistName":"Ken \u0022Pooch\u0022 Van Druten","artistTitle":"Mixer, FOH Engineer","credits":"Linkin Park, Kiss, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/ken-van-druten.png","quote":"In the late 80s I used the analog API 550 hardware in the studio to get crushing drum sounds. Now I use the Waves API 550A plugin to get CRUSHING drum sounds.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":5},{"itemID":2415,"itemGUID":"cf0a868f-3c57-41a3-80d9-c677bbc66b80","artistName":"Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)","artistTitle":"Composer, Musician, Producer","credits":"Mortal Engines, Tomb Raider, Deadpool, Mad Max: Fury Road","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/tom-holkenborg.png","quote":"My EQ of choice! All my VST returns have one inserted. I sometimes insert two in a row so I have more frequencies I can edit. Amazing sound and color for all instruments.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":6},{"itemID":238,"itemGUID":"8ab2a04a-ef53-4ed8-a151-4cc603630453","artistName":"Alan Branch","artistTitle":"Producer, Engineer, Writer, Musician","credits":"Nine Inch Nails, Sin\u00E9ad O\u2019Connor, Depeche Mode, Blur","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/alan-branch.png","quote":"I use the API EQs regularly. The effect they have on drums, vocals, guitars, and the stereo bus mix is an instant pleasure.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":7},{"itemID":1628,"itemGUID":"65e766e2-1110-4085-aa19-ef5d8ed559fe","artistName":"Lu Diaz","artistTitle":"Mixing Engineer \u0026 Producer","credits":"DJ Khaled, Pitbull, Beyonc\u00E9, Jay Z","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/lu-diaz.png","quote":"API 550A and 550B are my go-to plugins when I need a nice top end on anything. They are such good representations of the original hardware. The best-sounding 10K and 12.5K I\u2019ve ever heard!","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":8},{"itemID":41,"itemGUID":"13924f14-102f-4f53-a4a1-3fa9aee23ae7","artistName":"Gil Norton","artistTitle":"Producer","credits":"Foo Fighters, Pixies, Stornoway","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/gil-norton.png","quote":"I\u2019m amazed at how accurate the API Collection plugins are.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":9},{"itemID":245,"itemGUID":"ccecd379-85d8-49b6-8596-f5f7677f49e8","artistName":"Todd Parker","artistTitle":"Recording \u0026 Mixing Engineer","credits":"Norah Jones, Weezer, AFI","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/avatar-male.png","quote":"There\u2019s a reason the original hardware is a classic, and Waves got it spot-on with their API plugins.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":10},{"itemID":248,"itemGUID":"fab15a40-4f20-4bcf-a1e8-5093dd5889e7","artistName":"Guy Sigsworth","artistTitle":"Producer","credits":"Bj\u00F6rk, Madonna, Seal","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/guy-sigsworth.png","quote":"The key reason I reach for my API plugins is because they\u2019re \u2018vibey.\u2019 This is largely down to the way Waves have modeled the coloration of the original circuitry.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":11},{"itemID":2005,"itemGUID":"5d079ee5-0980-4222-b4af-8e32371ec8d0","artistName":"Alen Konako\u011Flu","artistTitle":"Producer, Mixing Engineer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist","credits":"Virgil Donati, Victor Wooten, Scott Handerson, Natalia Oreiro","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/alen-konakoglu.png","quote":"Sounds great on drums, especially kick, snare and overheads. For heavy punchy rock drums, these plugins deliver the real sonic character of the hardware.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":12},{"itemID":257,"itemGUID":"4acbcfba-74ed-4517-a59d-b60d6c986396","artistName":"Chris \u0022BRX\u0022 Apfalter","artistTitle":"FOH Engineer","credits":"Kruder \u0026amp; Dorfmeister, Tosca","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/chris-brx-apfalter.png","quote":"I use the API plugins as master plugins on the entire mix in order to make it crispier and get more punch.","isMainQuote":false,"sortID":13},{"itemID":254,"itemGUID":"b62a21e0-5ff7-44e3-b057-9ab5cd3bf6b9","artistName":"Brad Madix","artistTitle":"FOH Engineer","credits":"Rush, Jack White, Shania Twain","artistImage":"/images/artists/1280/brad-madix.png","quote":"The API EQs are great for tonal shaping, and you don\u2019t have to be shy about cranking the knobs around. Even with crazy boosts and cuts, they still sound natural. 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product-quote-gallery-app
EQs That Are Both Transparent and Musical
Ahead of the Curve
API’s pioneering proportional-Q curve made it a favorite for high-end studios that demanded musicality with transparency, rather than the vintage sound that was the mainstay in the 60s and 70s.
Two EQs, One Coherent Goal
The 550A and 550B are designed to the same exacting standards and sound quality, but offer different EQ philosophies—the 550A’s more general slant, or the 550B’s surgical, problem-solving approach.
All That Changes Is the Tone
API’s EQs bring clarity to the zing of a violin string, the snap of a snare, the intimacy of a vocal, or the contour of a mix. These EQs were engineered to bring out the very best of whatever sound you put through them.
Harness API 500’s Symmetrical Boost and Cut
With Proportional-Q, boost and cut are symmetrical—which works wonders for instruments. You can differentiate two layered guitars solely with EQ: a medium boost on one guitar, a medium cut by the same amount on the other. Now the two "add up" to the same energy in that part of the spectrum. This is easier to do with API than with any other EQ.