Known to many for a menagerie of software audio plugins, McDSP’s APB hardware creation instead sets out to resolve hardware euphonics with software recall and control. Is it the best of both worlds? We check out this big box of green goodness…
In Summary
The APB is a programmable hardware analogue processing box. It is controlled from DAW channels with APB plugins across them. Connected via Thunderbolt, the plugin sends and receives control data and audio simultaneously to and from the box. APB offers the sound of analogue with the convenience of an audio plugin.
Going Deeper
ITB, OTB, And Beyond
While many mix exclusively using audio plugins in-the-box (ITB), others continue to use hardware processing and mixing that happens outside the computer. The reasons for this can be many, with some engineers citing workflow and sound as the advantages. Others simply own a selection of trusted tools acquired before the pre-DAW era; if the real thing is there to use, why replicate it elsewhere?
Mixers aside, hardware outboard processors continue to enjoy employment among some, both from those who use them and those who hope to as their studios expand. With very few hardware setups operating without a certain amount of ITB augmentation, a natural progression is to take a fully combined approach giving rise to the hybrid workflows seen in many studios.
Out Of This World?
Some hardware designs, or just the act of processing OTB can add some reverence and mystique; certainly those who have never rolled up their sleeves to twist-and-go on a ‘real’ box could be forgiven for feeling like they’re missing out. However, for all the fun and mojo that real boxes can inject, those who work with them will know the caveats. Even taking maintenance, patchbays, cabling, and a suitable rack space out of the equation, taking prints and otherwise managing multiple projects and mix revisions aren’t quite as simple as just re-opening the session file.
McDSP APB - In Depth
Background
Colin McDowell is known to many as the mind behind McDSP, who have been part of the studio landscape for nearly a quarter of a century. With the advantages of working ITB with the right tools well established, and with McDSP’s heritage to that end, why make the APB at all? We put this to Colin.
Why make the APB? I think the better question is ... why not ?!?! McDSP had accumulated over two decades of modeling expertise and we thought, golly, if we could somehow put our signal processing savvy back into the analog domain, that would be a compelling product!!! There will always be folks who prefer analog anyways, so maybe we could make an analog plug-in platform for those folks. Plus making analog is still really cool. The APB hardware turned out great (in my completely biased opinion) and is a pleasure to program. We look forward to making APB plug-ins for a long time.
McDSP has had the privilege to make audio tools for nearly 25 years (25th anniversary is Sept of this year !!). It is tons of fun. I would not want to be doing anything else. And there is so much more I want to do. I am grateful to every customer who has given McDSP their support.
Form Factor
APB is piece of analogue processing hardware for Intel and Apple silicon Macs. Coming in eight (APB-8) or sixteen (APB-16) channel versions, its corresponding analogue signal paths can be thought of as a collection of hardware ‘instances’ to fire DAW signals through for true analogue infusions. In the DAW, plugins are instantiated to control APB channels on the hardware. These also route track or buss audio out to the APB and back via its onboard conversion, as well as send control data to it down the same Thunderbolt connection. Following earlier models’ Thunderbolt 2 connections, the current revision sees USB-C connectors supporting twice the bandwidth over Thunderbolt 3 and 4, compatible with both new and older units for daisy-chained expansion.
In use, the engineer simply calls up APB plugins on tracks or busses to control the processing that is happening on the hardware. This way, they need never notice the 1U rack box itself (admittedly an achievement given its highly distinctive brushed front panel finished in ‘McDSP green’).
Processors
Royal Mu Dual-channel compressor and limiter. Features include analogue biasing and saturation, mid/side processing, equalisation, and a fully featured analogue compressor and analogue limiter. Independent (or linked) control of the left/right (or mid/side) channels.
MC-3 Multi-band Compressor Fully automated analogue multi-band compressor. Analogue saturation control is also available per band.
C673-A Based on McDSP's C670 and C671 modules from the McDSP 6000 series plug-ins, the C673-A adds all analogue dynamics processing and a custom saturation circuit.
El Moo Analogue limiter based on the design used in the MooTube compressor. Features an adjustable all-analogue saturation stage.
MooTube Compressor based on the flagship McDSP tube-based compression algorithm. This true analogue processor brings the Moo sound to APB.
ChickenHead Compressor modded interpretation of a classic mid-twentieth century studio stalwart with a saturation circuit that McDSP describe as “aggressive”.
L-18 Limiter The L-18 Surround Limiter includes support for LCR, LCRS, Quad, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.1, 7.0, 7.1, 7.0.2, and 7.1.2 formats.
C-18 Those familiar with McDSP CompressorBank might enjoy this hardware version that lives and breathes in physical form, including an all-analogue version of the unique BITE control. Auto release also makes it a good candidate for buss duties.
Royal Q Dual-channel 4-band equaliser featuring parametric and shelving EQ, mid/side processing, and trim controls. The Royal Q equalisation is complimented by a custom analogue section for a truly unique hybrid processor. The Royal Q offers independent (or linked) control of the left/right (or mid/side) channels.
As with all APB EQ, the equalisation happens in the DAW plugin, whereas any level and saturation blocks within that EQ happen on the hardware. We asked Colin to expand:
For an EQ/filter kind of product, we do some of the signal processing on the software plug-in side (the EQ and filters), and then some on the analogue side within the APB hardware (output stage, possibly an analogue trim, an optional saturation circuit...). Both the digital and analogue processing of an APB plug-in are designed/calibrated with each other in mind. Also having 2, 3, 4, etc. bands of analog EQ in every track would be a limited type of EQ, and probably not fit in a 1U rack space!!
Moo-X
Bringing valve-inspired mixer channels featuring EQ, saturation and compression is Moo-X. A Master instance across the DAW main output can be summoned which can talk to other tracks’ instances of Moo-X, allowing control from one window. Arguably the Moo-X master’s highlight is its dedicated buss compression which is happening through real analogue circuitry on the APB.
In the case of Moo-X mixer input channels, these are returned into the DAW channel (as with any audio plugin) to hit the DAW master, and as such summing happens in the DAW. Colin elaborates:
There is no analogue summing in the Moo X mixer, nor in the APB hardware itself. We thought it better to let each channel fader on the Moo X mixer operating post analogue processing, in the digital domain, so the signal to noise ratio was the best it could be (before a fade - pun intended).
APB In Action
Hear the APB for yourself below as we take it for a spin on a mix in progress. Starting off with a completely unprocessed mix, we go on to employ EQ and compression across tracks and busses. We then roll out APB’s big gun in the form of Moo-X for submix and track sweetening in a processes that its creator refers to as ‘mooxing’!
APB Key Features:
Programmable analogue processing
Premium analogue components
Multiple analogue saturation circuits
AKM 32-bit DAC and ADC
Thunderbolt 2, 3, and 4 compatible
McDSP patented technology
Manufactured in the United States
APB-ready software plug-in bundle included
Sample accurate automation
Full session recall and preset handling
Final Conclusions
Un-Packing Analogue
Let’s park for a minute the qualitative reasons whether or not to use analogue signal paths. Potential users considering whether to try an APB might want to look at what traditional analogue processing actually looks like in use. Lots of cabling, maybe a patchbay, and plenty of rack unit real-estate. Maintenance, power usage, no automation in outboard gear, realtime printbacks for any changes. And for those who prefer File > Open to do nothing, there is also no recall!
This raises the question of why anyone or who has never worked outside of the box would ever get themselves into the world of expensive non-recallable analogue processing. After all, in the box plugins are comparable with outboard, and will always sound better than badly used tools regardless of in or out of the box status. With a basis for comparison, some who mix though hardware and analogue mixers may agree they are no panacea.
The advantages of working with the APB become immediately obvious as soon as you plumb it in. The plugin-control is very elegant (with good looks to match the sounds on tap), offering the control method of your choice, but better still is its instant, analogue session recall! Automatable analogue compression and saturation anyone? No problem.
Control surface users can enjoy real analogue channel paths on real faders. Although the summing happens back in the DAW post-channel fader, a Moo X Mixer instance on the master is there to again inject real analogue mojo if you want it. Those who want analogue summing are already well-catered for elsewhere.
The Analogue Answer?
Whether gleaned from past analogue experiences, or helped along by slick marketing, surely a great deal of the analogue sound happens in-between the buyer’s ears. I approached using the APB with an open mind with no expectations in either direction (impossible, I know!). It is for the most part difficult to explain at each level why the ABP sounds to me very good indeed; certainly trying to describe its sound without using a lot of superlatives is a tall order.
To re-introduce some objectivity, this is a high-end box, purpose-built to deliver real analogue euphonics with the convenience of an audio plugin. Those behind the whole endeavour understand the measurable differences between the two better than many, and why it might be a good idea to put decades of experience into developing the APB. With that it’s impossible to conclude that the magic happens by accident.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the