Warm Audio Introduce the WA76 Discrete Compressor Unit

The WA76 Limiting Amplifier is a modern reproduction of the Classic 1176 Revision D. Every effort was made to remain faithful to the original designs including the use of Reichenbach Engineering’s (now CineMag) transformer design that was originally used. 

WA76 Limiting Amplifier

The classic 1176 was a major breakthrough in limiter technology — the first true peak limiter with all transistor circuitry offering superior performance with a signature sound — and set the standard for all limiters to follow. The ultra-fast attack time and trademark sound have lured legendary artists and studio moguls alike to the 1176 — Peter Frampton, Joe Satriani, Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell, and Mike Elizondo are just a few names on a list that’s continued to grow, for nearly 50 years. 

I am asked often how Warm Audio is able to produce such high quality gear at affordable prices. Many assume we must be cutting corners on the designs themselves but my answer to this question continues to be “NO”. Warm Audio stays true to original discrete schematics and does this without cheapening components such as our continued use of world class Reichenbach/CineMag transformers.

A few reasons Warm Audio are able to do this

– There is only one total employee/owner, so overhead costs are very low.

– We manufacture in very high quantities, usually at least 500 pieces at a time.  We receive extreme quantity breaks from both our assembly house and CineMag transformers for this.

– We do not make much profit off of each unit, but sell quite a few units.  I started the company more out of passion than for the desire to turn huge profits.  I enjoy shaking the price floor of this industry a bit where prices in many cases are just too high in my opinion.

– Because our products are so impressive at their respective price points, word of mouth spreads the word.  This leaves little work for us to do to promote and sell the products.

Specifications

  • True to the Classic 1176 compressor in design and performance
  • Completely discrete signal path
  • Modeled after the D revision
  • Utilizes USA made CINEMAG input and output transformers
  • Supports the famous “all buttons in” ratio setting
  • Ultra fast attack time
  • Class A line level output amplifier
  • Input impedance – 600 ohms, bridges-T control (floating) 
  • Frequency Response ± 1 dB 20 Hz to 20kHz
  • XLR and TRS inputs.  XLR and TRS outputs
  • 55db of gain
  • Less than 0.4% total harmonic distortion from 50 Hz to 20 kHz with limiting
  • Signal to noise ratio is greater than 74 dB at +25 dBm
  • EIN -104.1 dbm
  • Attack time, 20 microseconds to 800 microseconds
  • Release time, 50 milliseconds to 1 second
  • Meter provides dB gain reduction and dB output
  • Internal power supply, external 24v AC power transformer

Warm Audio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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