Custom Vintage API

Custom Vintage API Console

Specifications:

• 24 channel console
• 24 API mic pres
• 16 vintage API EQ's
• Direct outs
• Custom TT patchbays
• Completely refurbished

Our basic reworking of the desk kept the 16 original 512A's and added 8 re-manufactured 512As as we couldn't locate any more originals. These re-manufactured ones were kept as close to the originals as possible, minus the filter and the meters. The 512As then fed a 500 series slot for EQ modules. I believe it was delivered with 12 550A and 4 550A-1 though I'll have to check out all of the notes on that. The EQ's then fed into the 440 faders which in turn fed into the newly designed routing module. The direct outs that appear on the patch bay come from the EQ out, through a balanced attenuator and to the bay.

Our new routing module kept the passive design and basically re-labeled the busses. Bus 1-2 became the main mix bus, 3-4 became the group mix bus (these are both fed from a pan pot 10k dual lin slugged normally). The group mix bus is just a second stereo bus. Bus 5 became Aux 1, Pan Bus 1 became Aux 2, Pan Bus 2 became Aux 3. These auxes were selectable pre/post fader and were all fed through a 10k pot. We kept the channel off/mute function and also the solo function which became latching instead of momentary. All of the summing resistors stayed the same 47k value and fed the original ACA and boost cards.

The client wanted to add a juke box to the desk to make it more flexible for tracking. This was accomplished through the use of 1 API 8200 and one API 8200A with wiring for a second 8200 installed as well, though he never purchased it from us to fill out the juke box. The auxes and solo bus from the 8200 section were tied to auxes 1-2 and the solo of the original desk. The main busses from the 8200A were fed through a 440 and could be dumped into the main mix bus of the original desk as well.

Cosmeticallly the desk was revenered with real wood and the bolster was removed for that process. The 2183 job number was still legible written in marker on the backside of the bolster. The legs were also repowdercoated.

The original control room section was passive and mono. Very very simple, basically you could select any of the 5 busses to listen to and there was a relay to swap in the solo bus. This then feed an unused channel on one of the booster cards.

We had another tech in town design a new control room section that kept the same very basic layout but it was made stereo, had speaker selects and a dim circuit. I will attach drawing of that section too. This then feed a remanufactured boost card to give us the stereo capability. It's incredibly close to the original but I don't recall if we used original 2503 outputs or used remakes from Crimson Audio Transformers. I'll have to check out all the notes on that as well.