Greetings fellow KVRer's:

I am trying to emulate the API 525 compressor (preferably the vintage, with the big meters, or, the re-issue). Are any of the soft compressors able to? I think I need help in getting answers to a few questions, and I appreciate any assistance that can be given here.

How can one set the parameters of the hardware API 2500 to emulate the 525? Any tips? Any way to emulate the "ceiling" feature of the 525?

Also, the SmartElectronix MJ Compressor appears to be somewhat viable for this application, but I being a newbie, I am hoping to have a few questions answered:

What are the SD Liste and Drive parameters capable of?

Is there a way to bypass the pass filters? (I was trying to see if it would be possible to do that API 525 "300 Hz" thing with the high-pass filter, where there are longer time constants on the low end program material than the high end, but wasn't sure if the low-pass slider could be bypassed completely)

How does one go about finely tuning settings on the sliders of the MJ Compresor?

The MJ Compressor is said to be very transparent, so I took it for a viable candidate to front-end with an API mic-pre or possiby Tessla SE.

Thanks in advance for any help that can be given, as well as any tips for emulating the 525 in the box.

It's not possible to emulate the 525 with any plugin nor with the hardware 2500. I've had both (still have the 525).
I understand that what you want is basically a fine "transparent" tracking compressor, so I suggest that you get DC8C. It's the best one so far, and will get better with the upcoming update.

What Shy said. I don't think it's possible to properly emulate the 525.. unfortunately.

Perhaps in the future if/when Acoustica gets their VVKT magic to work with properly fast attack and release settings then it might be possible to capture a pretty damn accurate model but until then you either have to do without it or buy the reissue.

@Shy: you got the reissue or one of the originals? Any idea how/if they differ a lot in sound?

Cheers!
bManic

The last reissue. Never used the older ones. I've read that there were actually 4 versions of the older 525, and that the older with small meter and the reissue sound the most similar and the older with big meter sound a little more different ("less grabby" they say), but that essentially they all sound very similar and give a similar result.

Cool, thanks for the info on that. I've only ever used the latest reissue, never even seen any of the vintage ones.

It's a great compressor, definitely worth considering for our lunchbox.

Cheers!
bManic

First, thanks for all the responses. I appreciate them.

I probably should adjust my request for assistance, and rephrase it to say, I would like to use the MJ Compressor like the API 525, in terms of getting that ceiling override 300 Hz feature, making use of that super fast attack to get those peaks right where I want em, and getting those dirty guitars and thumpy drums I like.

Also, I was just going by what I heard others say about the 2500, where they said there is the old feedback mode "like a 525", or the new feed-forward mode. I was just seeking info on the old feedback mode.

Plus I thought it would be cool to set up the MJ Compressor with the fast attack, and maybe patch TesslaSE in front or in back of the MJ Comp (for a "transformer" sound), but... I would really like to know the answers to the questions I posted above:

What are the SD Liste and Drive parameters capable of?

Is there a way to bypass its pass filters?

What are the SD Liste and Drive parameters capable of?

Thanks again in advance, and extra thanks for setting it straight that the 525 cannot be had ITB (well, at least not yet)!

Oops!

On that last post, along with the other questions, I meant to add:

How does one go about finely tuning settings on the sliders of the MJ Compressor?

Instead of the other question twice!

Thanks again!