{"product_id":"api-550a-sw-eq-saul-walker-edition-vintage","title":"API 550A SW EQ - Saul Walker Edition (Used)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFew equalizers enjoy the respect and admiration of the coveted \u003cstrong\u003eAPI 550A\u003c\/strong\u003e.  Designed by the now legendary Saul Walker, an adjunct instructor in  music technology, the 550A has been used in recording studios throughout  the world, among them the Record Plant and Sunset Sound, and by such  musical greats as Jimmy Page, Phil Ramone, the Doobie Brothers, Stevie  Wonder, Leon Russell, Frank Zappa, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, and Bob  Dylan. In 2008 the API 550A was inducted into the Technology Hall of  Fame at the annual Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention held in  San Francisco.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWalker, a fellow of AES, designed the equalizer in  1968, and the discrete 550A was first used as a modular OEM equalizer.  As the industry rapidly embraced the sonic quality of the 550A, it  quickly found its way into many custom console designs by Frank DeMedio  and other leading engineers. Many of these consoles are still in use  today. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForty years later, the 550A remains the standard against  which other EQs are measured, and it has played a major role in the  recording industry for decades. Still copied but never duplicated, the  550A became API's standard channel module EQ when the company began  manufacturing consoles in 1971. With virtually all existing units spoken  for, popular demand for this EQ resulted in API finally resuming  production in 2004. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat accounts for its popularity and  longevity?  \"The 550A design provides a fast, repeatable, and virtually  foolproof mechanism to enhance or accentuate specific segments of the  audio spectrum or to de-emphasize other tonalities while maintaining the  essential integrity of the program material,\" Walker says. He notes  that though newer technology provides greater flexibility at lower cost,  permitting more drastic alteration of the sound spectrum, many artists  just prefer the sound of the original 550A.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUsers of Walker's  equalizer are fond of its acoustic properties – the 'sweet tonal change'  coursing through the mix and its settings that allow for 'more bite or  body' in the basses. \"An equalizer is, in a way, a musical instrument,\"  Walker says.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 550A provides reciprocal equalization at 15  points in 5 steps of boost to a maximum of 12dB of gain at each point.  The fifteen equalization points are divided into three overlapping  ranges. The high and low frequency ranges are individually selectable as  either peaking or shelving, and a band-pass filter may be inserted  independently of all other selected equalization settings. Frequency  ranges and boost\/cut are selected by three dual-concentric switches and a  push-button \"in\" switch allows the EQ to be silently inserted into the  signal path. A small toggle switch is used to engage the band-pass  filter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe combination of Walker's incomparable 2520 op-amp, and  his \"Proportional Q\" circuitry gives the 550A user an uncomplicated way  to generate acoustically superior equalization. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis  long-awaited, limited edition reissue is a continuation of the  equalizers produced by API exactly as they were in the 1960's, featuring  hand-wired switches, the original circuit board design and API founder  Saul Walker's signature on the chassis. an EQ that has had such a part  in the history of recording is continuing to make history in today's  music. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"API Audio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47247473311881,"sku":"17100","price":1195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0764\/8706\/5737\/files\/vintage_api_550a_sw_eq-saul_walker_edition_2d09d7f0-9fb8-44f1-bd9c-6fcae46c519f.jpg?v=1784045110","url":"https:\/\/vintage-king-staging.myshopify.com\/products\/api-550a-sw-eq-saul-walker-edition-vintage","provider":"Vintage King Staging","version":"1.0","type":"link"}