1176 "Attack of the Clones", or "Return of the Jedi"

[DrC:Drive]

I am looking for a 1176LN type compressor, and was wondering which was the best sounding and most reliable. Should one go for the Return of UA Jedi units or are the Purple Audio units superior. I am looking for that 1176 snare and Bass sound.
Cheers

James Cullen
Nimrod Audio

[Jules]

I bought a UA unit because it was black.

It works

I like it

Yes I would like a whole bunch of vintage units

mebbe one day I will.

smokin

Dave Martin has tried em all and reviewed em both for EQ or Mix (I forget).

Dave?

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Jules
Dave Martin has tried em all and reviewed em both for EQ or Mix (I forget).

Dave? [/B]

Frank Wells and I did a comparison piece for Pro Sound News, which may have been published in EQ as well. The bottom line is that they sound very similar to the old 1176's (since no two 1176''s really sound alike). The old 1176's we used for the test came from Richard Dodd and from Jim Gilmore, an engineer for CBS.

We thought the Purple was a bit cleaner, which is probably due to the fact that the components, circuit design and layout are better than the original, which is what Universal Audio essentially cloned.

I have a pair of Purples and a pair of UA clones. I prefer the purples for bass and kick, and generally use the UA's on guitars. But next week that may change, and I'll use the Purples on guitars and the UA's on kick and bass.

I'm happy with both of them.

[Jules]

All depends what 'color' you are after eh?

smokin

[bassmac]

Originally posted by Jules
I bought a UA unit because it was black.

Gee Jules, you shop just like me. okk

I usually find black gear sounds the best.

Purple is pretty cool for converters though...

BTW: Thanks for the invite to Gearslutz. I wish you and your fellow slutz much success.

[Jay Kahrs]

I bought a UA reissue because GC offered me one year same as cash on purchases over $1000 last year. I'm happy with it, I doubt you could go too wrong with either one. If anything I'd get the Purple because it's purple. I want a rainbow rack one day. How come nobody makes gear with an orange panel?

[fihrecords]

A friend of mine suggested the Distressor w/ the "British Mode" Option was a good way to go if you want to emulate the 1176 w/ all the compression ratio's set. Any comments?

Steve

[Jules]

Wise words I am sure - I have one on a bass now on this mix I am doing, I swapped it out of the UA1176 INTO the disrtressor cause I preffered the sound...

Must get that brit mod done .... SOOON!

[largeunit]

I would go for the Distressor w/Brit mode also.

http://www.mercenary.com/emlabdismode.html

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by fihrecords
A friend of mine suggested the Distressor w/ the "British Mode" Option was a good way to go if you want to emulate the 1176 w/ all the compression ratio's set. Any comments?

Yeah, it's kind of close. Not totally the same though. In a perfect world I'd want a pair of both. Even an 1176 on bypass is cool just to get the sound of the transformers. Driving them hard can be very cool.

[jeronimo]

grudge I wish I could afford one of those... even if it was purple with green leds all over... or without a faceplate!

[Nik]

EL8 with Brit mod is really VERY nice. I could do with another one.

Nik

[blesscurse]

I've been very happy with my Purple Audio unit. Their website lists some of the design changes they made and the reasons for them. I've never A/B'd the units directly, but the MC76 has become one of my favorite bits of gear. The fine people at Purple recently swapped out the VU meter light bulb for a line of white LEDs at no charge. The Distressor (w/British Mod) which I also have, is a fine, versatile unit but does not quite nail the '76 thing. The Purple Audio unit is really built to last, by the way.

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Nik
EL8 with Brit mod is really VERY nice. I could do with another one.

Nik

(I may have to get another pair of Distressors to see what's up with the Brit Mod - Mine have been living on the second drum buss in the Nuke setting for so long that I don't even think about trying them anywhere else.

[Nik]

Hey Dave,

I wonder what a pair would sound like (with image link) on the 2-bus?

Nik

My distresssor is stuck on the Kit room mic at this time. Busy trcking.

Nik

[dave-G]

I have a pair of original UREI 1176LN's and a pair of Distressors in my rack. The Distressors are really wonderful, in fact over recent years I find myself reaching for the Distressors far more often than the 1176, but they're definitely different animals. Am I to infer from this discussion of the "British mode" that it's meant to emulate an 1176? If so, why is it called "British"?

I think I'd like to send mine off for Brit-mode-retrofit. However, I'm not sure I can stand to be without them for a couple of weeks. Does anyone have any experience with turnaround time on this surgery? Is it worth it?

-dave

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Nik
Hey Dave,

I wonder what a pair would sound like (with image link) on the 2-bus?

Nik

I used the distressors on the 2 buss when I first got them, but I seem to remember that geting them to hold the image (even when linked) was pretty iffy. I so when I got a Vari-Mu, I moved that to the 2 buss and moved the Distressors to the nuke buss.

Sometime this week, I'm going to be trying out a DBX 160SL on the mix busses. It's an interesting sound - I like it on individual tracks - but I'm not really sure how with will work on program material.

[Jay Kahrs]

I've tried Distressors on the 2-mix. I don't like 'em and I can't think of anyone that does. YMMV on that one but I think they're way too agressive for that purpose.

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
I've tried Distressors on the 2-mix. I don't like 'em and I can't think of anyone that does. YMMV on that one but I think they're way too agressive for that purpose.

That kinda makes sense, but I seem to remember trying them on other sub-busses, too. Occasionally, I'll end up with with 3 or 4 subs, each effected differently (for instance, a Meek SC2 on a synth buss, or a pair of Trakkers on an electric guitar buss), and there was the imaging problem I mentioned.

[stedel]

Originally posted by dave-G
Am I to infer from this discussion of the "British mode" that it's meant to emulate an 1176? If so, why is it called "British"?

I think I'd like to send mine off for Brit-mode-retrofit. However, I'm not sure I can stand to be without them for a couple of weeks. Does anyone have any experience with turnaround time on this surgery? Is it worth it?

-dave [/B]

Hi Dave, good point re the British setting, curious about that myself. I'm following closely a post on the "High End" forum here re the Chandler EMI compressor (which I'm very interested in).

The comment above about two 1176's not sounding the same...is this true? How different are they unit to unit? Anybody able to limit my speculation? tut (sorry).

I'm only asking all this 'cos of poverty - can't afford a 1176, a Distressor (which seems essential) AND a Chandler, but I'll end up getting two out of three...any signposts anybody?

Kind regards

"Am I to infer from this discussion of the "British mode" that it's meant to emulate an 1176? If so, why is it called "British"?"

I believe it's explained somewhere on the Empirical Labs web site. But if I remember correctly, the "British" mod is supposed to emulate an 1176 when all 4 buttons are pressed in. A nickname that developed from the popularity of this technique in England. I guess it sounds a bit cooler than the "All buttons in" Mod.
Or the "Hey look mom, I've pressed in all the buttons" Mod.

[e-cue]

It's very easy to get a "Tom Lord Alge" style overcompressed vocal sound with the Brit mod (although I don't think that's what he uses). I kinda like multing my lead vocal to two tracks and riding this on up in the verses (so you can hear all the breathes/etc) then I usually ride a Gates Sta Level or Level Devil in the hooks.
The Dis with Brit mod is much more versitile, and usually works better than the 1176 for the style of mixing and tracking I do.

[e-cue]

Originally posted by stedel

The comment above about two 1176's not sounding the same...is this true? How different are they unit to unit? Anybody able to limit my speculation? tut (sorry).

Depends... When these units crap out, I assume that some [shoty] tech's fix the unit's with the 'closest to' parts because some are unavailable or costly. :eek: I first thing I notice is more noisefloor on some vintage units as aposed to other vintage units, they distrort differently, and just sound uneven when uses 2 on stereo tracks. Renting an 1176 is a spin of the wheel in my opinion (even more so with LA 2A's).