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The Best Pre Ever
Published on 09/25/12 at 23:14UTILIZATION
No need to complicate a pre amp. Set your level and record. There are balanced inputs both line and mic and both sound great. All discrete and it has a great reputation and a great resale value. API has the best resale value of any pre amp you will buy. Most people don't sell their API pre amps unless they are getting out of the business. I have seen some of the older ones get far more than I expected.
SOUND QUALITY
100 % transparent and clean. API does not color the sound in any way which is what you want when you are about to spend the kind of money that it cost to buy this pre amp. The sound is clean and transparent and the bass is not enhanced nor is the top or highs or high mids. I can rave enough about why you want to own an API. I like all of their pre amps and have never been into in big time room and they don't have API as one of their main pre amps. It is a universal pre amp that sounds great on any and everything. if you listen to records you are listening to API probably on most all of the instruments recorded. If you have every had the pleasure of working with an API console you will know what I am saying.
OVERALL OPINION
I have four of these and they are absolutely the best pre made. Kick drums sound so fat and have 10 db more headroom. I red line mine all day with zero distortion. I know the API reputation so I did not hesitate to buy all my API pre amps. It is the most reputable company around and it is an investment in your studio and shows you know waht the best is.

Awesome Compact Mic Pre
Published on 04/25/11 at 21:54UTILIZATION
Using this mic pre is pretty easy overall. It doesn't have many extra features, just the pre, an input gain knob, and a -20db pad. The most obvious thing missing from here would be a phase reverse switch. However, since the vast majority of users are...…
UTILIZATION
Using this mic pre is pretty easy overall. It doesn't have many extra features, just the pre, an input gain knob, and a -20db pad. The most obvious thing missing from here would be a phase reverse switch. However, since the vast majority of users are going to be using a DAW, you can switch the polarity within that DAW if necessary. Thus it's ultimately avoidable, as hardware polarity switching doesn't have a much better sound than digital.
The setup of this whole thing is really stripped down and simple. I didn't have any problems with it, and I wouldn't need a manual.
SOUND QUALITY
This is a really fantastic sounding mic pre. It has that classic API sound. Clear, full, and just warm enough without coloring the sound. The pre is the very definition of transparent, and doesn't lack in warmth and fullness either. You really don't need much else in the way of features here, sure there is no compression or EQ but if all fails you can use the DAW for those things. This pre can be used for just about anything. If you have a decent mic collection your tonal capabilities are quite varied with this. It's equally good with dynamic and condenser mics, as well as ribbons. I think the best results will come with the best mics, so don't get it unless you have a good enough mic collection to really make the most of it.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall I think this is a fantastic purchase. It's got everything you need and nothing more. Sure, it has fewer features than the full 512 but it's still got enough. For somebody looking to upgrade their home studio, this is a fantastic option without being too pricey. It could even work in a professional studio considering its quality. Overall, you can't really go wrong with this at all.

UTILIZATION
Using the API Audio 212L module is incredibly simple. Even if you aren't too experienced with mic preamps, this would be a good place to start since...…
UTILIZATION
Using the API Audio 212L module is incredibly simple. Even if you aren't too experienced with mic preamps, this would be a good place to start since it's so simple. It's really small, so it's understandable that they wouldn't have much room for features like on some like a 512 module. It's just got a knob for setting your gain and buttons for a -20 db pad and +48 v phantom power. I haven't had a need to check out the manual and probably never will.
SOUND QUALITY
Don't be fooled by the smaller stature of the API Audio 212L as it's definitely got the clean and classic API sound. The only feature that it's really missing is a phase switch, but while using this you can just reverse phase within your DAW if necessary. I haven't had a chance to shoot it out with something like the API 512, but I would bet that the sound would be pretty close if not exactly the same. I recently used the 212L at a studio that had a full rack of these and other 200 series modules. The preamp is definitely suitable for recording across the board, as it's got that clean API sound that is definitely applicable to any and all applications.
OVERALL OPINION
Of course when choosing the API Audio 212L you aren't just choosing this module, as you need to commit to a full rack of 200 series modules really since you'll also need the casing and power supply to run this or any other 200 series modules. There are a lot less options in terms of modules in the 200 series, but the trade off is that they're also less expensive. If you're considering getting an API lunchbox rack of some kind, I'd definitely encourage you to check out both the 200 and 500 series options to see what will work best for you...
Tech. sheet
- Manufacturer: API Audio
- Model: 212L
- Category: Solid-State Pre-amps
- Added in our database on: 10/14/2010
We have no technical specifications for this product
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Other categories in Microphone preamplifiers
Other names: 212l, 212 l