Well hell, let’s face it – who doesn’t love a good sounding 1176? It’s one of my favorite compressors! Everything – vocals, guitars, bass, drums, percussion, and sax – sounds good through it. Quick history lesson: Bill Putnam founded Universal Audio in Chicago in the 1950s, then moved to Hollywood, and in 1967 the company was absorbed and rebranded United Recording Electronics Industries (UREI). The URIE 1176 is noted for its distinct tone deriving from Class A amplifiers, its input and output transformers, the uncommonly fast attack and release times and their program dependence, and different compression ratios and modes. It's a fairly straightforward circuit, which is probably why so many companies large and small have emulated it to death through the past 20 years. But what is better than an 1176? A pair of them! So, in 1979 URIE introduced the 1178 compressor, which became a huge hit amongst audio engineers and producers throughout the 1980s, and is even used by mix engineer Bob Clearmountain [Tape Op #151, #129, #84].
Universal Audio builds new 1176s these days but not the 1178, and the originals have become exorbitantly priced. When I heard AudioScape was building their version, the AS78 Dual Peak Limiter, I was excited because not many companies have tackled this successfully. AudioScape's Chris Yetter went at it again, to deliver pinpoint accuracy, unique sound, and rock-solid performance. The AS78 is characterized by its lightning-fast response, transparent compression, and a touch of harmonic saturation. Like the 1178, it offers two independent channels – each with its own threshold and ratio controls – and gives precise control over the dynamics of the audio signals. It will tame wild peaks, add punch, or sculpt the overall tone. With dual channels, there's the choice of channel-linked Stereo mode or discrete dual channel A/B mode. What is different from the original is the introduction of a sidechain high pass filter, switchable between 80 or 120 Hz, for more nuanced sidechain detection.
I used the AS78 on several mixes for an album called Indie Palooza. I inserted the compressor directly across the 2-track drum kit mix on my vintage Trident 24 console, using the insert/return patches on the desk over two channels. I was pleasantly surprised on how much punch there was to the drums and the presence it gave to them in the overall mix. I found the Comp Blend knob (another new feature) very useful as well. The sidechain HPF was handy, and I found toggling between either of the settings 80 or 120 Hz would bring out the cymbals or the snare. As with the original, the AS78 works as two independent channels when not linked. I was able to put the snare through channel A and the bass guitar through channel B, which makes it a flexible compressor to have in your rack. I even experimented with using the AS78 across the Trident 24's mix bus. It was musical if used lightly, just enough to tame any peaks that were coming through. Again, the sidechain high pass filter came in handy, allowing me to squash the upper frequencies.
The AS78 is a well-made recreation of a classic compressor/limiter, keeping the integrity of the original while adding useful features for modern recordings.
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