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Apollo
API 500 Series EQ Collection

API 500 Series EQ Collection

4.9 (276)

Sculpt your sounds with hit-making API tone.

  • Track and mix with full-circuit emulations of API’s iconic 550A and 560A EQs
  • Harness API’s musical filter amp distortions and musical clipping behaviors
  • Use API’s proprietary “Proportional Q” for more precise control over your sources
  • Mix with artist presets from Ross Hogarth (Van Halen, Mötley Crüe), Darrell Thorp (Beck, Radiohead), and Vance Powell (Jack White, Kings of Leon)

Runs on macOS or Windows. Requires an Apollo audio interface or UAD Accelerator. View full system requirements.

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Plug-In:

Sculpt your Sounds with Hit-making API Tone

The API 500 Series EQ Plug-In Collection gives you the punch, low-frequency transparency, and ultra-tight imaging of API’s iconic 550A and 560 Series EQs. Now you can add the unique filter shapes, complex band interactions, and musical filter amp distortions of the same EQs that left an indelible stamp on legendary recordings of the ’60s and ’70s.

Make Your Drums and Guitars Pop with the 550A

Introduced in 1971, the 550A was the standard channel EQ module on API's first consoles. Its three overlapping bands of parametric EQ, independent 50 Hz to 15 kHz band-pass filter, and individually selectable peaking or shelving modes make your drums and guitars stand out in the mix.

Fine Tune your Mixes with the 560 Graphic EQ

With ten bands of graphic EQ, the 560 EQ will shape your mix with surgical precision. API’s proprietary “Proportional Q” intuitively widens bandwidth at lower boost/cut levels and narrows it at higher levels, giving you more musical control over precise bands of your mix.

What They Say

Some other emulations sound a bit harsh when pushed, but not the UAD API 500 Series EQ plug-ins. They still sound as musical as the real ones, even when pushed hard.

Paul Hager

Goo Goo Dolls, Jonas Brothers

With these new UAD API 500 Series EQ plug-ins, I've got all the great sound I love from the original 500 EQs, and not limited to only a few channels of it! Amazing model, down to the color it puts on even in bypass mode. I'm fully amazed.

Miles Walker

Rihanna, Katy Perry, Wiz Khalifa

The new UAD API 500 Series EQ plug-ins are great! Their open, clear sound is immediately apparent...These are a very welcome addition to the UA suite.

Vaughan Merrick

Amy Winehouse, Jason Mraz

Reviews

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 276 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 262 Total 4 star reviews: 12 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 2
99%would recommend this product
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276 reviews
  • SF
    Stephen F.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    16 hours ago
    API 500 Series - You need these…eventually.

    Having owned the API Vision, 2500 & API Summing, I thought I was sorted for that API thing. The 500 series has added another palette for me, when I expected them to be very similar, they aren’t at all. I immediately used them tracking drums and loved the punch and openness I got on the snare.

    Also great just popping the op amp in on stuff, even the mix bus, just to get that little bit extra. If you’re just starting out and want that API sound I’d go for the Vision as you get the gate, compressor, op amp & 4 band EQ. But if you’re building your sonic palette and want a classic, this is up there if you want to track with a different vibe than the Neve’s.

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  • JR
    Jiri R.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    2 weeks ago
    API500

    Super serie EQ Collection. I use it regularly

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  • DH
    Damian H.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    7 months ago
    Cool

    Did the 550a. Would be great if UAD did an API 312 pre as well. Also, I have the vision strip so I’m not sure if the 560L is just the same thing as what comes w the vision strip. The 550A here though, is great.

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  • WS
    William S.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    7 months ago
    API 500 series

    Sounds great... thanks

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  • DL
    Daniel L.
    Verified Buyer
    I recommend this product
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    7 months ago
    good

    good eq

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you’ll need an Apollo audio interface, UAD-2 Satellite, or UAD-2 PCIe card to run these plug-ins, using the onboard DSP. The plug-ins run on the hardware itself, without adding strain to your computer’s CPU. In an Apollo, onboard DSP processing allows you to run realtime UAD plug-ins with near-zero latency, and even record that processing directly to your DAW.

Yes, you can start a fully functional 14-day demo from any plug-in bundled with the UAD software. Simply click “Start Demo”, and start using it in your DAW.

UAD-2 licenses follow the hardware, it does not matter which computer they are connected to. You can have up to six UAD-2 devices registered to a system in your Universal Audio account, which share those licenses. See UAD-2 Plug-In Licensing Explained for full details. Authorization of UAD-2 hardware is managed by the UAD Meter & Control Panel Application.

Check our Knowledge Base for additional questions

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