1176 - what makes it so special?

[basmartin]

Originally Posted by ScumBum

Same with alot of Pro guitarists , the amps you see them use are usually always modded . You see a certain model Marshall head they use onstage live and you go buy it , but it don't sound like theirs .

Well, give two different guitarist the exakt same guitar and rig and it won´t sound the same...

[John Paul]

I never liked the 1176 for tracking always used it in mixing. There've been better alternatives to track with for years. I guess people like the 1176 for an effect type of comp but I never really was into that type of sound. I liked it for guitar compressing in the mix. The vintage ones vary in sound so much and I had one I didn't like at all.

[kristjanz]

If anyone in NYC area is interested in trading for, or buying a 1176LN?
pm me.
I have one to sell but would rather do it in person than on ebay. I could bring it to your studio and let you try it out.
For trade, I'm looking for rack synths and maybe a rack line mixer.

[Antoine8]

just curious as I don't own a 1176, however it would be good to have for the fast attack.

You see so many reissues, which ones stand up to the original?

I hear the retro ones are very good?

[Empire Prod]

Originally Posted by Antoine8

just curious as I don't own a 1176, however it would be good to have for the fast attack.

You see so many reissues, which ones stand up to the original?

I hear the retro ones are very good?

Retro makes the 176

[Antoine8]

Originally Posted by Empire Prod

Retro makes the 176

Yeah right i have obviously confused the 2.

So In that case what who makes a very good reissue of the 1176..
The Universal Audio 1176LN Seems popular also, how is that one?

I am guessing the original is hard to come by.

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by John Paul

1176 is good but a comp like the Distressor can do the same thing and is a better comp-more versatile

That is your 2 cents, I bought a couple Distressors, #1 I didn't care for them, yes they are good but not the same character as the 1176, my Blue Strip is dope as well. Only compressor that comes close to the 1176 but still not quite there is the 525 api.

[Antoine8]

Originally Posted by AllAboutTone

That is your 2 cents, I bought a couple Distressors, #1 I didn't care for them, yes they are good but not the same character as the 1176, my Blue Strip is dope as well. Only compressor that comes close to the 1176 but still not quite there is the 525 api.

Interesting and thanks for the share Tone!
I need to hear the 525 api now!

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by Antoine8

Interesting and thanks for the share Tone!
I need to hear the 525 api now!

The 525 is as good as the 1176 on post vocals, it's just a different flavor, I hated selling my 525s, but the 1176 was a little bigger (huge) and I thought the 525 was amazing, very vintage sounding both. The 525 want give you the hair the 1176 has when you want it, the 525 is all smooth,

[skybluerental]

Originally Posted by Antoine8

just curious as I don't own a 1176, however it would be good to have for the fast attack.

You see so many reissues, which ones stand up to the original?

I hear the retro ones are very good?

Mohog 76 is the best clone i have heard.

i tried the UA 1176 and Purple MC 77, but neither one was as good as the Mohog or an original Urei blackface.............

[dismaus82]

It's what made the snare sound cool in many many many of the rock recordings youve heard!

[mrcalrec]

I've had a pair for 20 yrs and always my go to when other compressors are not getting it. They are one of the most versatile comp around. I like them on snare, guitar, organ, well they are safe on anything - that's their real value in my studio!

GOLDEN GATE RECORDING STUDIO

[rob S]

Couple 1176's + Couple LA3A's + Couple of distressors = record

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by rob S

Couple 1176's + Couple LA3A's + Couple of distressors = record

Great quote.........

[Antoine8]

Originally Posted by AllAboutTone

The 525 is as good as the 1176 on post vocals, it's just a different flavor, I hated selling my 525s, but the 1176 was a little bigger (huge) and I thought the 525 was amazing, very vintage sounding both. The 525 want give you the hair the 1176 has when you want it, the 525 is all smooth,

Thanks man.
Will have to look into this.

[Antoine8]

Originally Posted by skybluerental

Mohog 76 is the best clone i have heard.

i tried the UA 1176 and Purple MC 77, but neither one was as good as the Mohog or an original Urei blackface.............

right i need to get me to a dealer pronto then.
Thanks for sharing.

[Antoine8]

Originally Posted by mrcalrec

I've had a pair for 20 yrs and always my go to when other compressors are not getting it. They are one of the most versatile comp around. I like them on snare, guitar, organ, well they are safe on anything - that's their real value in my studio!

GOLDEN GATE RECORDING STUDIO

You see this is what I keep reading.

However I am not big on clones, and always prefer the real thing.

Now I need to find me a reissue.
You often hear how the 1176 is amazing on drums especially with the all button mode pushed in yeah? it kind of does something to the drums!

[sage691]

I've got one of the earliest UA 1176LN re-issues. LOVE IT !!!

I've compared it to great specimen UREI rev. E and D blackface units in my studio, and it's right up there; you just need to crank up the output gain a bit more to match levels as the originals are smokin hot on the output.

I've also got 2 MC77 units and love those as well. One lives on the main vocal insert, the other on the snare insert. And the UA 1176 lives on the kick drum insert.

I think there's a whole lotta BS on GS sometimes. IMHO the purple MC77 is just as good as any old original UREI blackface -- EXCEPT for the beast of all 1176s: the Blue Stripe !!

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by yotonic

I ic aesthetic.

But unfortunately you do have to spend a pretty penny to get one that sounds acceptable. The "D" revision is the only one I like but I haven't tried a Bluestripe. I have owned every version since the D including the AE.

Have you tried the Mohog mofet? I haven't done any strict comparisons but this is one amazing box that seems to get at what my impression of an 1176 is quite nicely.

-R

[Fezzle]

For rock n roll flavour nothing does it like an 1176! It has a sound for sure and I like it

[MarioContreras]

From my point of view the 1176 is great for both tracking and mixing. We used to track rock vocals with it and it was well worth it.

The distressor is good as well but a different animal if I'd have both I'd use the distressor for parallel comp and the 76 for other compression task (alright maybe I'd use it for some parrallel comp on the guitars for some tone)

Is it just me or does it emphasize the lower mids a bit when pushed?

[rob S]

The mohog mofets are very cool.
I have a pair and really like them.
The transformer options are very useful.
If a track is digi bright nasty, the carnhill
Will definitely help give it a haircut.
More then once it has help tame the spitty
Bright condenser vocal.

[Ergo]

Originally Posted by Antoine8

You see this is what I keep reading.

However I am not big on clones, and always prefer the real thing.

Now I need to find me a reissue.
You often hear how the 1176 is amazing on drums especially with the all button mode pushed in yeah? it kind of does something to the drums!

All in would kind of do a WHOLE LOT of stuff to ANYTHING.

[Lek]

Get a new 1176, maybe a rev D, a purple mc77, etc etc and just try them on every instrument and voice and decide if it's magic to your ears...

[Melodicca]

Originally Posted by Lek

Get a new 1176, maybe a rev D, a purple mc77, etc etc and just try them on every instrument and voice and decide if it's magic to your ears...

+1

[uncle muscles]

Originally Posted by Dayo

I must admit I've never used an 1176 but I am curious why it is so highly regarded?

What makes this comp so special? I know it has a very fast attack time, but surely it can't be unique in that respect can it?

Try one on multiple sources thought a mix and see what cumulates ..

[David Kulka]

Originally Posted by yotonic

I don't think "tube magic" is what anyone is looking for when they use an 1176 though. You're not wrong, I just don't think it matters in what it's being "utilized" for. I think you will find most popular record producers are using it for its fast grab and vocal forward effect. Whether its Beyonce or Jack Johnson its very effective at achieving a specific aesthetic.

But unfortunately you do have to spend a pretty penny to get one that sounds acceptable. The "D" revision is the only one I like but I haven't tried a Bluestripe. I have owned every version since the D including the AE.

Sorry but I think a little pre-emptive myth busting is needed here. The more common Rev E is exactly (repeat -- exactly) the same except that to change between 115 and 230 volts it has a switch on the back; you don't have to solder internal jumpers to change the line voltage.

I don't think the input voltage switch compromised the sound of the E. Do you? Maybe the E you disliked wasn't working right. Who knows?

Anyway, the D and E were identical, audio-wise. The capacitors, FETs, PCB layout, everything.

(BTW, the UA 1176 revision summary, which I helped write, states that the E used a different power transformer, but that's incorrect. Not sure how that error got in there but I'm going to write UA and bring this to their attention.)

[Winey]

The 1176 is magic because it allows you to make a performance sound more exciting. You can add spit and breath to a vocal. Make the drums explode or make a bass sit comfortably in a spot. It's the way it grabs quick and brings out the sustain that exists right after the sharp transient. You can actually make a vocal performance sound more emotional with an 1176. Very helpful. A lot of other compressors are great utilities but the 1176 is more of a creative smasher that just brings the life of a track forward. Distressor is similar and wonderful for drums but I still think the 1176 on rock vocal is "that" sound.

[Blunt]

I just bought one this year (my first hardware comp) and my friend put it best when he heard a vocal take through it...he said:

"before it sounded like a recording of a singer, now it sounds like a finished vocal lifted from a track"

[foldback]

Setting an 1176 is very important. I grew up using Ashly and DBX and some other cheap compressors.

I bought a Distressor but it was not my thing. I tried hard to love it but after using if for a couple of weeks I returned it and bought an LA-2. I also tried an LA-610 (which is NO LA-2 by a long shot).

I like the LA-2 but it's not very fast. So I bought an 1176. It took me about six months of experimenting to find the settings I like but now it's my favorite compressor.

I use it for tracking vocals, I never used compression during tracking until I got the 1176, now I wonder how I worked without it.

I set the 1176 so only the loudest peaks have gain reduction. This thing has saved hundreds of vocal takes for me. I try to get the vocalist to give me their loudest but they never do, then you end up with an "OVER", ugggggh. 1176 to the rescue, it saves tracks from "overs".

On the way to getting rid of "overs" I fell in love with the sound the 1176 was doing. It makes tracks sound big and intimate.

It's my favorite, I want more of them. Personally I think the multiple buttons "IN" at once is highly overrated, I don't really care for that crushed sound.

Good music to all!