Tonio Ruiz heard about the API brand while recording as an artist in L.A. "at studios such as Can-Am Records, Paramount Recording Studios and WestLake. I absolutely love the API tone, character and personality." Ruiz buys his gear directly from API's distributor Vari Internacional in Mexico City, and says he favors the brand for its unique qualities. "If you want something to sound good, put it through API gear …plain and simple. API sounds so punchy, transients run so clearly through this gear and it adds a lot to the sound. I can't stop saying good things about API, especially its versatility!"
Ruiz became a producer while recording with his band in the mid-90s. The studio produces and mixes for bands in Mexico and Central America, focusing most heavily on rock, metal, alternative and pop music. Ruiz says he "learned the industry by watching and being involved in studios with great engineers and producers in the US, UK and Mexico while doing my records as an artist." He also finds it very important to support independent bands in Mexico, with the ultimate goal of getting rock music as main-stream as it is in other countries. "There is so much talent here; and very little opportunity for rock musicians and the rock genre in general." API is a huge part of reaching those goals to Ruiz: "My wish list without a doubt is: a lunchbox® full of 550A, 550b EQs, and the 2500 Bus Compressor… I'd buy an API console with my eyes closed. I would die to have 24 channels of API in my studio."
More: Facebook; gearslutz.com/board/members/56582-tonio-ruiz
Contact: tonioqbo@gmail.com; Twitter