Affordable 500 Series Modules

Alta Moda Audio recently announced their successor to the am-20, the am-25, which is a four band parametric EQ. It seems like every time you turn around there is a new 500 series module announced, but this one is listed at only $499. And has a special introductory price of $299! A few posts ago I did a write up on Lindell audio who is releasing three 500 series modules at $299. I know a lot of people complain that 500 series gear is too expensive. If a few more companies can come in at this $299-499 price point things can get interesting. Chameleon Labs is already there with the 581 mic pre for $399. And you can add Radial to this group with their Power Pre ($499) and their Komit compressor ($499). If you go $100 up you can get modules $599 like the Radial Q3 (which I own and love) and JDK audio V14. JDK audio also just announced  their 500 series pre based off the R20, and a compressor based off the R22, the V10 and V12. Likely these will both be priced $599 to match the V14. Black Lion audio is gearing up to ship their auteur pre in the 500 series format for $349. Looks like some really cool units are coming at an affordable price tag.

Companies and Products I Would Love To See Develop For The 500 Series

After half way filling up my new API lunchbox, I got to thinking of which companies and products I would love to see develop for the 500 series. So here is a wish list of 5 of those companies and products.

1. Summit Audio - The TLA100 is one of my favorite vocal compressors. And I’ve always wanted to use Summit EQ’s (I recently got the new Softube Summit Grand Channel). If Summit could find a way to shrink their products into the 500 series you can put me down for one of each. Summit is known for their tube gear so this would be quite a challenge.
2. Tube-tech CL 1B - Oh the classic blue beast. Tubetech opticalness in 500 series. One word. Yes! Tube-tech has their own proprietary modules similar to the 500 series, but sadly its not 500 series.
3. Empirical Labs 500 series pre - The mike-e is one of my favorite vocal pre’s and channels strips. If Dave Derr where to make a 500 series pre with say the saturation from mike-e I’d be on it like LED’s on all the other Empirical Labs gear.
4. Dave Hill Designs - Dave Hill gave me the most impressive demo at Gearfest this year at Sweetwater. If Dave was to make anything 500 series no doubt it would be great. For those who don’t know Dave Hill he is more known as the mastermind behind the Cranesong gear.
5. Solid State Logic - Because SSL makes the X-rack,modules, their own proprietary smaller modules, I doubt we’ll ever see them design for the 500 series. In my opinion the 500 series is way more popular than the X-rack stuff. I think SSL could make a killing with the 500 series format, especially if they did their EQ.

These are of course dreams but the Empirical Labs pre I can see really becoming a reality. What companies or products do you want to see in the 500 series?