EQ Legend Unplugged: The API 550A Breakdown
In this week’s episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris & Jody twist the knobs and roll back the decades for a deep dive into one of the most iconic EQs in pro audio: the API 550A. Whether you’ve seen it on a vintage console or recreated in your favorite plugin, the 550A is a classic that helped define the sound of records for decades—and it’s still going strong today.
You’ll get a guided tour through the history of the 550A, from its invention at Automated Processes Inc. to who bought the first units. But we’re not stopping there. Chris & Jody unpack the inner workings of the 550A, demystify its EQ bands and frequency points, explain why its proportional Q design matters, and share real-world insights on when and how they use it in the studio.
Expect a mix of tech savvy, real talk, and some light gearhead banter (plus Friday Finds, of course). If you’re serious about understanding your tools—or just love a good piece of hardware history—this episode is for you.
******************************
Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E
Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E
Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.
******************************
If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com