9/25/2023 0 Comments 1176 compressor![]() Universal Audio's current reproductions are based on these revisions, so if you are looking to DIY an 1176 rather than buying a new one, rev D is the way to go. Rev E merely added 220v operation in order to aggravate transients on both sides of the pond. For rev C, the LN circuitry was kept in its own epoxy module to protect the not-yet-patented design, but was added directly to the main PCB for rev D. Revisions C, D, and E are all in fact the same circuit with some superficial differences. Mnats reported that his rev D build tested 3.4dB quieter than the rev A. These include reducing the voltage going to the gain-reduction FET to make its operation more linear, and incorporating a Q-bias pot to minimize distortion. These were both introduced with rev C and codified with the rev D. "LN" stands for "Low Noise," and all of the circuit changes in rev C were intended to reduce noise and distortion. Most 1176 fetishists reading this have already noticed two conspicuous differences between the rev A and the compressor most of us know today: the black front panel and the "LN" signification. Revisions C/D/E 1970: A clean up, a suffix, and a dark new look. So, for all intents and purposes it is a rev A 1176, but with a more stable and controllable limiter. Mnats' Rev A PCB is actually based on what UA calls "rev AB," which changed some resistor values and added a bypass cap for the resistor feeding the gain-reduction FET. ![]() #101-125), which makes them about as rare as a piece of gear can be. Finally, the rev A does not have the low-noise circuitry of later revisions, which means it imparts more harmonic distortion at the expense of a higher noise floor. The Universal Audio website tells us that there were only 25 of this revision made (serial no. It is also cosmetically unique, sporting a distinctive blue stripe through the meter. It is the only revision to use FETs rather than bipolar transistors in the preamp and line amps. Although it was the basis for all 1176 revisions, the rev A has numerous peculiarities that set it apart from the others. Revisions A/AB June 20, 1967: Wild transients tremble in fear of the enigmatic "Blue-Striped Terror."īill Putnam created the first 1176 compressor in 1967. So without further ado, let's look at the revisions and what they can do for your sound. ![]() With "Mnats" (a veritable Bill Putnam of the DIY world) now offering PCBs for revs A, D, and F/G, "which one should I build?" is becoming a common question. Others, however, were overhauls that significantly affected the compressors' sonic character. Most of these consisted of either cosmetic makeovers, such as rev H, or minor tweaks that didn't reach the audio path, such as revs D and E. According to Universal Audio's website, the 1176 underwent at least 13 revisions from 1967 to 1973. But why, indeed, so many projects when there is only one 1176? Revisions. And where there was once but one DIY option (Gyraf's G1176), there are now a myriad to choose from. Where 1176's used to dangle from big-name engineers' racks like so many fruits from Tantalus' tree, they're now well within reach of anyone with a soldering iron and a modest budget.
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