Universal Audio 1176LN Classic Limiting Amplifier.

The Stones, Zeppelin, Michael Jackson — you've heard it on countless classic recordings. It's the legendary 1176LN. In 1967, Bill Putnam released the solid-state redesign of his venerable 176 tube compressor, ushering in the modern era of dynamics processing. The Universal Audio 1176LN Limiting Amplifier was an instant classic. It featured ultra-fast attack and release times and a broad palette of sonic malleability ranging from inconspicuous compression to flamboyant distortion. Its Class A output stage, which incorporated a custom overwound transformer, always delivered sweetly musical results that quickly earned the 1176 a home in pro studios worldwide. Today, the Universal Audio 1176LN is crafted to original specifications in Scotts Valley, California, handwired point to point, with every component carefully selected for authenticity. It's a toneful beast that works wonders on every signal you pass through it. Basses sound gargantuan. It imparts a definitive thwack to lackluster snare drums. It has no equal for grabbing a vocal and pushing it to the front of your mix. Your studio simply isn't complete without it.

Individually, the 1176's famed push-button-selectable ratios of 4:1 and 8:1 (compression), and 12:1 and 20:1 (limiting) give you generous dynamics-control leeway, but they pack a sonic surprise when all four are pressed in simultaneously. Deployed on the right source — drum room mics, for instance — the so-called "Nuke Mode" can trigger warped, explosive results akin to a seismic event in your control room. Symptoms may include increased distortion, a plateaued slope on initial transients, and extended lag time — kind of like a fun house mirror for audio. At Sweetwater, we know of no other processor that can brutalize your signal quite so delightfully.

FEATURES:

•  True to the original in design, manufacturing and performance

• Modeled after 1176LN, blackface, D and E revisions

• Ultra fast attack time -20 microseconds to 800 microseconds

• Class A line level output amplifier

• Custom built Putnam-designed output transformer

• Stereo interconnect operation

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Input Impedance: 600 ohms, bridges-T control (floating)
• Output Load Impedance: 600 ohms, floating, damping factor 20
• External Connections: Jones Barrier terminals and XLR connectors
• Frequency Response: 1 dB 20 Hz to 20kHz
• Gain: 50 dB
• Distortion: Less than 0.5% total harmonic distortion from 50 Hz to 15 kHz with limiting
• Signal to Noise Ratio: Greater than 70 dB at +10 dBm
• Attack Time: 20 microseconds to 800 microseconds
• Release Time: 50 milliseconds to 1.1 seconds
• Stereo Interconnection: via 1176 SA Network accessory
• Meter: dB gain reduction and dB output
• Power Requirements: 120/240 V
• Environmental: Maximum operating temperature 160F