API® 2500 Bus Compressor
-
An obsessively accurate emulation of API’s flagship compressor.
The API 2500 Bus Compressor is a permanent fixture on the stereo bus of many of the world's top engineers and producers. Considered the best of the Paul Wolff-era API circuit designs, this famed compressor adds energy, movement, and tone to stereo mixes and subgroups unlike any other compressor.
The API 2500 Bus Compressor plug-in for UAD-2 hardware and Apollo interfaces is a spot-on emulation of this classic compressor, capturing its all-discrete signal path with Thrust® circuitry — and features a fanatically detailed modeling of API's custom transformers and 2510 and 2520 op amps.
Glue together your stereo mixes and subgroups with the world’s finest circuit emulation of the iconic API 2500 compressor
Select between "Old” and "New” compression, with feedback or feed-forward sounds
Sharpen your workflow with plug‑in‑only Mix and Headroom controls
Punch up low frequencies with API's patented Thrust technology
Contour your mix's stereo interaction with percent-based L/R Link controls
Mix with artist presets from Jeff Balding (Faith Hill), Vance Powell (Jack White), Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and more
Ways to Buy
Buy for your Apollo interface/UAD hardware or get with UAD Spark on subscription.
Buy for Apollo and UAD- •Buy once — no subscription required
- •Runs in realtime with Apollo on Mac and Windows
- •UAD Spark native version included
- •Requires Apollo or UAD hardware
Get with UAD Spark3 Months for 99¢- •Subscribe and save
- •Runs natively on Mac and Windows
- •An evolving collection of UAD plug-ins & instruments
- •No UA hardware required
TAKE A LISTEN
API 2500 5-Minute Tip
Learn how to use the API 2500 on drums, bass, guitars, and your entire mix.
The Only End-to-End API 2500 Emulation
Poring over proprietary "for-your-eyes-only" schematics made available to Universal Audio by API, our team of DSP experts analyzed two classic API 2500s — rackmount and in-console — ensuring one of UA's tightest behavioral circuit models to date. Working together with API's engineers, we scrutinized every facet of the plug-in against its analog counterpart, delivering the definitive representation of this iconic compressor. Early beta testing with UA artists confirmed that the plug-in ranks among the most accurate analog emulations in UA history.
Built for the 2-Bus
API designed the 2500 compressor with program material firmly in mind. Its Release control includes fixed or variable options, while the Attack, Threshold, and Ratio controls offer musical tweaking throughout their range, making the API 2500 a toneful dynamics overlord for your stereo bus.
Shaping Tone and Dynamics
The API 2500 allows selection between three custom-voiced compression Knees — Soft, Medium, and Hard. You can shape the tone further with two compression types; "Old" for characterful peak-detection harkening back to API's earliest, highly-coveted 525, or "New", which features a modern feed-forward design.
Thrust Control for Unmatched Punch
Taken from their Paragon series of consoles, the API 2500’s Thrust feature puts a filter before the RMS detector, evening high and low frequency energy — so neither triggers the compressor more than the other. This gives you a tight hallmark API punch beyond any other compressor.
Enhance Energy and Motion
Most compressors only allow you to turn left/right linking on or off. The API 2500 Bus Compressor Link parameters allow for precision control of your mix's L/R dynamic interaction. Set exactly how much dependence — or independence — you want your L/R spatial dynamics field to have, and hone your dynamic contours even further with the Shape control.
“The API 2500 Bus Compressor is the only piece of analog gear that’s stayed consistent with me through the years. Now with the UAD plug-in there is finally a worthy model.”
– Vance Powell (Jack White, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs)
“The API 2500 is my all-time favorite drum bus compressor. The Punch and sound is unmatched by any other in it's class. This is a must have in any studio.”
– Grieves
“The API 2500 plug‑in has all the same character and punch as the original hardware.”
– Adam Hawkins (Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Keith Urban)Watch The Reviews
Customer Reviews
D. Lee
October 14, 2022
Sounds great subtle or aggressive!
I'm a fan of this. My favorite drum bus comp!
Read MoreN. Liebich
August 14, 2022
Like the hardware
I’m happy to own the HW of this… but the Plug-in is the real deal and so much more handy! Going to sell the HW!
Read MoreI. Papagiannidis
July 18, 2022
The best for mixbus
Perfect for mixbus and almost every source! The weight and lows it gives to drums are amazing! Combined with distressor is a grate combo!
Read MoreR. Chiga
July 18, 2022
ohhhh! wow!
A new go to on my mixbus! really amazing even if subtle compression is on!
Read MoreF. WIOROWSKI
July 16, 2022
Must have !
I have tons of plugins comp, and some hardware too. This API 2500 is really nice, can be subttle or not, i really like it in loud mode. It s amazing on mixbus....
Read More -
Key Features
Painstakingly modeled by Universal Audio's plugin design team, licensed and authenticated by Automated Processes, Inc.,
Beloved Paul Wolff-era API design, exclusively measured from the all-discrete, in-console version of the 2500
Provides the entire circuit path and control set of the API hardware including custom API op amps and transformers
Signature API 2500 features include patented Thrust® sidechain filtering, "New" and "Old" Compressor Types, and Variable Sidechain Link
Plug-in-only features include Dry/Wet parallel processing and Headroom for user-customizable operating level
Includes artist presets from Vance Powell, Jeff Balding, Ryan Hewitt and Adam Hawkins
-
Customer Reviews
API 2500 Bus Compressor
A. Viktorovich
Great of 2500
One of the most beloved compressors
D. Lee
Sounds great subtle or aggressive!
I'm a fan of this. My favorite drum bus comp!
N. Liebich
Like the hardware
I’m happy to own the HW of this… but the Plug-in is the real deal and so much more handy! Going to sell the HW!
I. Papagiannidis
The best for mixbus
Perfect for mixbus and almost every source! The weight and lows it gives to drums are amazing! Combined with distressor is a grate combo!
R. Chiga
ohhhh! wow!
A new go to on my mixbus! really amazing even if subtle compression is on!
F. WIOROWSKI
Must have !
I have tons of plugins comp, and some hardware too. This API 2500 is really nice, can be subttle or not, i really like it in loud mode. It s amazing on mixbus.
J. Rosso
An inspring compressor for me to compress hard
The compressor of the pros
h. kim
oh..? wow..!!
i love it..!!
R. Matias
Quality
Workhorse Im going to use on every track
C. Domenico
Bus Compression
The enthusiasm lies in its sound and its numerous special functions. After all, only the best should be used for processing sums :-)
R. Bouma
A clean useful comp-lim
Not something I would buy as hardware but in plug in style yes. The sound is good on drum tracks. From acoustic to EDM.
D. Morris
secret sauce
I will use this on all my productions
P. VALLEJO
Best compressor for Drums
I have many compressor plugins., But nothing compares to this one if you use it with drums. Really natural and organic...best purchase in some time !!
A. Gray
Infamous bus compressor
So versatile
j. Pettit
Api on the buss
I'm an API guy and I owned an actual one of these. I enjoy that the plug is easier for me use in the box. It's still pretty new so I'm still getting used to it but I sent a couple songs out to a client today and got an email back congratulating me on the quality sound of the tracks. I like that.
D. Faggiolino
API 2500
Bus Compressor at its best!
r. lewis
Favourite 2500 plugin version
The api 2500 is one of my favourite bus compressors, excellent for shaping, making drums especially punchy and bringing out the room tone in creative ways, I’ve tried a few different plugin versions, waves, sk note (which I love), Softube American class a (which is excellent but limited controls in console 1).
Uad version is my favourite yet, doesn’t quite capture the sense of space for whatever sound you send it like the hardware, but it’s close, also like the tone of the hardware slightly more, but the compressor action is superb. Find the dsp hit to be reasonable, overall happy with my purchase.K. Dobracki
Perfect bus compressor
It is a must in every studio!
R. Tolbert
More versatile than you think.
My favorite thing to use the 2500 on is BGV's. There is just something about it.
H. Holzheu
API, Great Sound
It works great, on all busses and instruments, that‘s what I missed.
