Rome Palermo is a California-based Producer who recently mastered a record for the first time. That record was Mya's Smoove Jones, which was nominated for Best R&B Album at this year's 59th Grammy Awards. A Grammy nod on a first time mastering effort? Not too shabby. Rome says his success in working on the record is due in large part to the API 527 Compressors he used when mixing and mastering the album.

"These 527s really helped out. They were the icing on the cake," says Rome. "You just run the track through it and it makes a difference. The 527 opened up the whole record."

Rome had his 527 modules for two years before using them on Smoove Jones.

"Initially I was using them very aggressively and I didn't get the results I was looking for. So I thought, 'Let me give them another chance.' I eased off of the 527s and just let the record run through them, and it made all the difference."

Rome's good experiences with the 527 inspired him to add the 2500 Stereo Buss Compressor to his set-up.

"I'm using the 2500 for everything. I love it. I'm blown away," he says. "There's something about it—it cleans things up and tightens everything up."

"I bought the plug-in and then decided to get the real deal," Rome adds. "Some people think the plug-ins are the same thing, but the hardware is everything. It makes a huge difference."

Rome has officially become an API fan for life, and the next thing he's looking to add to his studio is an API console. What can we say? Once you start using API gear, it's a slippery slope from there.

Congratulations to Rome Palermo on his Grammy nominated work.