IK Multimedia’s plugin version of Urei 1176.
History of the hardware
The 1176 compressor was first introduced in 1967 by Bill Putnam Sr. and built by Universal Audio. It was one of the first compressors to use a solid-state design instead of vacuum tubes, and was based on a field-effect transistor (FET) circuit, which allowed for fast response times and a distinctive compression style. It went through multiple revisions, each refining its circuitry while staying true to the initial design.
The Plugin
Read more about the 1176, and UAD’s version here. (Along with some hopefully helpful ideas.) Also compare this to Waves Blue and Black version.
Ideas
- The attack and release controls work in reverse from the normal way we think about control pots—faster settings are to the right, and slower settings are to the left.
- Attack times on the 1176 range from 20 microseconds to 800 microseconds (0.8 milliseconds).
- Using a fast attack on transient-heavy material can result in an audible click because just a few samples of the initial sound will pass through, instead of smoothly controlling the transient.
- The “all buttons in” (or “British”) mode increases distortion and creates a more aggressive, unpredictable compression character. There’s plenty of in-depth information available online if you want to explore it further.
- Setting both attack and release to their fastest settings can cause distortion-like fluctuations, especially on bass and kick drums. Engaging “all buttons in” mode enhances this effect even more.
Tests
