1176 Hardware
The iconic 1176 compressor is a well renown stable piece of audio equipment that is found throughout most professional studios. It was the one go to compressor that could be used on just about anything from bass to vocals due to its fast attack time.
What really got people excited about the 1176 was not just how it compressed things or the 'All four buttons mode' but how it injected character into any audio passed through it. Some engineers engaged it's circuit without using any of it's compression/limiting abilities just to have the character, of it's all transistor circuit, effect the audio travelling through it.
The 1176 is said to brighten the audio going through it almost acting like an Eq move but most definitely gives audio clarity and improvement in the top end that most engineers find a welcome addition to their workflow.
However you feel about it there's no getting away from the fact that this is a stable piece of equipment and completely deserving of it's iconic status. The simplicity of operation, compression, limiting that it has makes it a highly desirable piece of outboard gear.
1176 Plugin
For those of us who haven't got thousands of pounds/dollars to splash out on an iconic 1176 hardware compressor we are left with one other option and that is a plugin software emulation. There have been many various attempts to capture the essence of what the real world counterpart does to audio but they have always been a little off target.
Whether it be the response or the actual character, that hasn't been just right, plugin manufacturers are still pushing the boundaries and with more powerful CPU's being fitted to home computers are making gains toward being 100% accurate on simulating these hardware units.
There have been many versions from companies like Waves, UAD (The original hardware manufacturer), Softube, IK T-Racks and others but while they have come close there was always that little something missing. Now step forward the new contender to the throne PSP Audio FETpressor.
Whether it be the response or the actual character, that hasn't been just right, plugin manufacturers are still pushing the boundaries and with more powerful CPU's being fitted to home computers are making gains toward being 100% accurate on simulating these hardware units.
There have been many versions from companies like Waves, UAD (The original hardware manufacturer), Softube, IK T-Racks and others but while they have come close there was always that little something missing. Now step forward the new contender to the throne PSP Audio FETpressor.
PSP FETpressor
Is a FET feedback type compressor plug-in. It’s designed to provide accurate, almost instant compression with lots of character. Great for vocals, guitars, bass, drums, and whenever a classic 1970s-style FET compressor is needed. PSP FETpressor contains everything you’d expect from a FET compressor: an internal side chain high pass filter to control amount of low frequency pumping, smoothly adjustable compression ratio, ability to select which channel to process, and a link switch. This compressor also contains a dry signal blend for parallel compression. Additionally PSP FETpressor contains makeup amplifier and output transformer emulations to add subtle character even when set to 1:1 ratio.
Now I'm not one to endorse or advertise any software save that of Studio One or be a victim of the 'This plugin will change your mix's from amateur to pro', but after trying this out (Demo available here: PSPFetpressor ) I have to say this is the closest thing I've ever heard to a real 1176 hardware unit. It definitely has the character and the compression/limiter down to a 'T' and has become my go to compressor for everything even on the Masterbus. It can be a monster runaway train that pummels you to the ground or as subtle as a feather landing on your head and offers a wider range of options than an original 1176. But the one thing that sets it apart for me from the rest is the character it imparts. Just like the real unit and that is something extra special.
Conclusion
So all being said and done don't trust my ears or take my word for it go download the 14 day demo and see if you agree. It's what I've been waiting for a plugin counterpart, to the real world hardware unit, that undoubtedly ticks all the boxes when it comes to feeling like your actually throwing an 1176 onto something when tracking or mixing. So watch the video below as I demonstrate the FETpressor on a few tracks and don't delay, give it a go yourself and see if your not convinced there's never been a more exciting time to being a bedroom/home studio producer who simply hasn't got huge budgets.
