Purple Audio MC76 VS. Urei 1176

[farside]

I'm debating about buying a Purple Audio MC76 or a modern Urei 1176

Which is the better compressor in your opinion. Are the Purple's closer to the vintage 1176 design and sound?

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by farside

I'm debating about buying a Purple Audio MC76 or a modern Urei 1176

Which is the better compressor in your opinion. Are the Purple's closer to the vintage 1176 design and sound?

The Purple MC-76 hasn't been made in years... but the Purple MC-77 is [in my twisted opinion] a great addition to any collection.

Best of luck with your search.

[farside]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

The Purple MC-76 hasn't been made in years... but the Purple MC-77 is [in my twisted opinion] a great addition to any collection.

Best of luck with your search.

Sorry, I actually meant to say MC-77

[JTR]

Originally Posted by farside

I'm debating about buying a Purple Audio MC76 or a modern Urei 1176

Which is the better compressor in your opinion. Are the Purple's closer to the vintage 1176 design and sound?

1176 and LA-2A reissues

back around page 4...

[Matt M]

I have owned and used both vintage 1176's and the Purple MC76/77's. The Purple's are great. They are my "go-to" compressors for tracking and mixing. To my ear they sound just like a well maintained and calibrated blackface but I must say that the old 1176's vary considerably in design and sound. I would say the MC77 is definitely part of the 1176 family in sound. Anyway, I can't say enough good things about them. I own 4 and I always feel like I could make use of a few more! Check out my website if you are curious what my other compressor choices are.

[NathanEldred]

They have a little more thickness than my pair of original revision H 1176's, other than that they are easily just as good (perhaps better). I want 10 of them. Acoustic guitars, vocals, bass, electric guitars, overheads, kick, snare, drum submix, synths, room mics, hell yeah.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by Matt M

Check out my website if you are curious what my other compressor choices are.

Holy crap! How can you possibly decide? (That is a lot of stuff) thumbsup

[thethrillfactor]

Sorry i got to be the contrarian here.

I still prefer certain originals than the MC77(which i own).

The MC77 is a tad edgier.

To my ears its a little closer to the silverface than the black.

Or somewhere in between.

I still use it mind you, but just want to give a different opinion here.

[neve1073]

Very happy with the mc77 here!

[Donpepperoni]

Originally Posted by Matt M

I have owned and used both vintage 1176's and the Purple MC76/77's. The Purple's are great. They are my "go-to" compressors for tracking and mixing. To my ear they sound just like a well maintained and calibrated blackface but I must say that the old 1176's vary considerably in design and sound. I would say the MC77 is definitely part of the 1176 family in sound. Anyway, I can't say enough good things about them. I own 4 and I always feel like I could make use of a few more! Check out my website if you are curious what my other compressor choices are.

Wowowowow! That is some gear list you have there! Seriously, I have never seen anything like that before, I bet Abbey Rd doesn't even have that much choice gear! I would have serious problems knowing which compressor/ effects unit to turn to! Storage must be a problem, I could help you out and store some at my place if you want!

[passenger]

I didn;t want to start a new thread for this. I'll add my question to this thread and hope that the gearslutz GEARGODS will have some opinions.

I have a MC76, and although it sound quite impressive on bass, snare, kick.... I seem to have a hard time getting it to work WELL on vocals. There is almost ALWAYS sibilance to deal with.... EXTREME sibilance. I have tracked with GR hitting 20db, as well as gentle 2-3 db, and the this compressor is brutal on esses... Its quite annoying.

Setting are usually attack: 3 release: fastest Horatio: 4:1

And the vocal chain is quite often SM7b---473---MC76---FF800

Anybody experience this too? any mods to help this? Any less sibilant incarnations of the 1176 out there?

thanks all!

[George Necola]

the MC77 is more mid-forward and shove off some lowend. you can get stuff stick out of your mix easily with the mc77.

cheers
George

[passenger]

any other users?

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by passenger

And the vocal chain is quite often SM7b---473---MC76---FF800

man, that is a killer rock vocal chain!

[andrewenson]

i love my MC77! but i use it in conjunction with with my LA2A when tracking.
the knobs feel hella cheap though.

i have a question for you old timers. did the original 1176's attack knob click when you turned it all the way counter clock wise? because my purple does and i dunno if i should be worried about that

also do you think i should put a space above and below my la2a? i dont have any heat problems but everyone is telling me to

[passenger]

if it is hot... then leave some space.

I use my convertors as a guage. If it is hotter then my FF800, then it is TOO HOT. leave space.

[KRStudio]

The original 1176 and reissue have attack knobs that click. This is to turn off the compression but still send signal through all the circuit for the tone, but no compression.

[andrewenson]

Originally Posted by KRStudio

The original 1176 and reissue have attack knobs that click. This is to turn off the compression but still send signal through all the circuit for the tone, but no compression.

AHAHAHAHA i never saw the "OFF" below the knob. theres a shadow there. thats interesting thanks

[JEAN B]

The original 1176 and reissue have attack knobs that click. This is to turn off the compression but still send signal through all the circuit for the tone, but no compression.

that s dope for drum machine line pre amp !! i love it on mpc ...

[DONNX]

I have owned the MC76 and MC77 and others.


IMHO, the MC76 smokes the MC77.

[passenger]

so I guess.... I should learn to love mine...... It is on the bright side for my taste though.

[DONNX]

Originally Posted by passenger

so I guess.... I should learn to love mine...... It is on the bright side for my taste though.

Which one do you have? MC77 was the one on the bright side for me.

[passenger]

I have an MC76..... I have not tried the MC77. Though I am not making a comparison, I just find that compressing even 2 db results in a sibilant vocal sound. The last few sessions have required De-essing, and plenty of automation. Whereas some other comps I use are less of a problem.

I think the SM7b may have a hand in this too. The sm7b-473-MC76 is a combo that is just not working for me these days.

Bah.... what's a man to do!

[zippsinc]

Originally Posted by passenger

if it is hot... then leave some space.

I use my convertors as a guage. If it is hotter then my FF800, then it is TOO HOT. leave space.

I agree.

andrewenson - I would unrack your LA2A and use it extensively over a period of time typical to that of a regular session you do. Check it during and afterwards and if it's anything near as hot as a FF800 or MultifaceII then it needs space. I check all my gear like this as soon as get it. I have a MultifaceII and you can gather everyone around it for a heat on a winter's day.

If a little worried give some of your more expensive units a rack hole's worth of space above and below. To be extra careful you could get a little quiet fan to blow from the rear into your rack too.

[mu6gr8]

Originally Posted by passenger

I have an MC76..... I have not tried the MC77. Though I am not making a comparison, I just find that compressing even 2 db results in a sibilant vocal sound. The last few sessions have required De-essing, and plenty of automation. Whereas some other comps I use are less of a problem.

I think the SM7b may have a hand in this too. The sm7b-473-MC76 is a combo that is just not working for me these days.

Bah.... what's a man to do!

The MC76 should not be causing the sibilance. I have a pair of them that I use on vocals. They both sound pretty sweet up to 4 dB of GR, and still don't fall apart even when GR peaks at 7 dB. No sibilance problems here. You might try removing other items from your signal path, one at at time, to troubleshoot.

[passenger]

Originally Posted by mu6gr8

The MC76 should not be causing the sibilance. I have a pair of them that I use on vocals. They both sound pretty sweet up to 4 dB of GR, and still don't fall apart even when GR peaks at 7 dB. No sibilance problems here. You might try removing other items from your signal path, one at at time, to troubleshoot.

thanks.

I think I'll just ban the use of "S" words in my studio!

[Frenchie Smith]

Hi Slutz
I have a blackface Urei 1176(circa 1972), and one UA 1176, the UA is about a year old.
My studio partner has another UA 1176(about 6 years old) parked next to them.
They all sound different.
The Urei kinda smokes the UA's.
I don't know why really?
It's just a special piece, and get this, I bought it for $700 about 8 years ago!
God, that was a blessing.
I'd love to try the Purple mc77.
I'm currently selling my Purple action on eBay,
it's cool, it's just too hard to recall.
To it's credit, it's different from an 1176.
I bought it thinking it'd be closer to 1176, the lunchbox portable piece?
I give Purple a lot of credit.
If I buy an Mc 77 I'll try to embrace it for it's own identity.
All in all, 1176 is a classic.
I'd love to collect more.
Instant "Rock maker"!
I do really love the UA reissue.
It's nice to be in a world that produces them currently!
Best
Frenchie

[Frenchie Smith]

Dear Slutz
when I shared my positivity for the UA 1176 being produced now, I meant the blackface version(mono).
I haven't liked how the ua 2-1176 sounded at all.
Same with the ua 6176.
I don't know what happened, they just don't seem right.
I would not buy that type ever.
You are better off riding the fader.
Yes, the mono black face ua1176 really feels authentic.
Latenight post!
Best
Frenchie

[HudHudson]

I have an 1176 Rev D and an MC76. Did a shootout a couple years ago with those along with a UA 1176 reissue and an MC77 and most participants thought the MC76 was closest to the Rev D (which was the top rated of the four). The MC77 was definitely a bit more "hifi" than the Rev D and the MC76 but FWIW either Purple gets you close to the 1176 blackface vibe for a fraction of what the UREI units are going for. The reissue was pretty bland.

[tommy lee]

Originally Posted by farside

I'm debating about buying a Purple Audio MC76 or a modern Urei 1176

Which is the better compressor in your opinion. Are the Purple's closer to the vintage 1176 design and sound?

One is a production tool, one is a dfegadfake.........