UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

The Definitive Collection of the World’s Most Famous Compressors

The original Universal Audio 1176 was designed by UA founder M.T. “Bill” Putnam,
and represented a major breakthrough in limiter technology. The first true peak limiter
to feature all-transistor circuitry and ultra-fast FET gain reduction, the 1176 has lent its
character and punch to some of the greatest recordings in history.
Universal Audio released its first 1176 plug-in emulation in 2001. This plug-in single-
handedly launched the UAD platform, and inspired a decade of analog emulation
software. Today, we’ve circled back to the 1176, and modeled its entire electronic path
from stem to stern — including its transformers and FET and transistor amplifiers,
resulting in unrivaled emulations of three distinct 1176 units.

Now You Can:

• Track and mix with painstaking emulations of the legendary 1176, the most
popular compressor ever made
• Choose from three famous versions: Rev A, Rev E, and AE — each with their own
sonic attributes
• Harness the 1176’s entire electronic path including transformers and FET and
transistor amplifiers for colorful distortion
• Add color to signals with “No Ratio” or Attack “Off” yielding 1176 distortion
without compression
• Mix with presets from legendary 1176 users such as Andy Johns, Andrew Scheps,
Ed Cherney, and Joe Chiccarelli

A Triple Threat
The 1176 Classic Limiter Plug-In Collection provides three distinct 1176 revisions,
representing over 40 years of design iterations to the original 1176. The Rev A
“Bluestripe” represents the original Putnam FET limiter design, complete with its higher
distortion and unique FET gain amplifier characteristics. The Rev E “Blackface” covers
the early ‘70s Brad Plunkett “LN” (Low Noise) era, with variations including a more
linear compression response, transistor gain amplification, and a change to the program
dependence. The 1176AE provides UA’s rare 1176 40th Anniversary Edition, complete
with exclusive mods — including its lower 2:1 compression ratio.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 584 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

Easy Setup
Using an 1176 is a study in simplicity. Input simultaneously sets compression threshold
and the level of the signal entering the 1176; Output sets the final signal level. Attack
sets the time it takes the 1176 to respond to incoming signal, while Release sets the
time it takes the 1176 to return to its initial level. The VU meter displays the amount of
gain reduction (GR) or output level (+4/+8).

Ratio Buttons
The four Ratio buttons determine the degree of compression — lower ratios for
compression, higher ratios for limiting. Disengaging all Ratio buttons disables
compression, while continuing to pass signal through the 1176 circuitry, adding
unmistakable color. At the request of users, “Multi-Button” combinations possible with
the hardware are now attainable in the plug-in — including the famous “All Button”
sound.

UA 1176 Rev A interface

UA 1176LN Rev E interface

UA 1176AE interface

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 585 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

1176 Plug-In Family
The complete 1176 family is comprised of five individual plug-ins, as seen on the
previous page. Each variation has its own unique sonic characteristics.

UA 1176 Limiter Collection

The UA 1176 Limiter Collection bundle (introduced in UAD v6.2) provides three distinct
1176 revisions, representing over 40 years of design iterations to the original 1176 —
the world’s most recognized compressor.
The newer state-of-the-art algorithms in this bundle take full advantage of the extra
power available on UAD-2 devices and the design sophistication and expertise gained
since the introduction of the legacy 1176LN plug-in ten years prior.
1176 Rev A “Bluestripe”
This model represents the original Putnam FET limiter design, complete with its higher
distortion and unique FET gain amplifier characteristics.
Although the input can clip even when gain reduction is not occurring in all the Limiter
Collection bundle models, the input clipping is most evident on the Rev A model.
1176 Rev E “Blackface”
This model covers the early 70’s / Brad Plunkett “LN” (Low Noise) era of the 1176
circuit lineage, with variations including a more linear compression response, transistor
gain amplification, and a change to the program dependency.
1176AE “Anniversary Edition”
This model provides UA’s rare 1176 40th Anniversary Edition, complete with exclusive
“hot-rod” mods — including its lower 2:1 compression ratio and a fixed “super slow” 10
ms attack mode.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 586 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

UA 1176LN/SE Legacy
The 1176 legacy bundle includes the UA 1176LN Legacy and UA 1176SE Legacy plug-
ins. These first-generation plug-ins run on UAD-1 and UAD-2 devices.
To accommodate the limited DSP resources of the UAD-1, the input transformer and I/O
distortion characteristics were not modeled in these plug-ins. This makes the legacy LN/
SE versions especially useful in situations where less distortion is desirable.
UA 1176LN Legacy
The UA 1176LN Legacy plug-in was, along with the venerable LA-2A, the first plug-in
available for the UAD platform. It still has a great sound and is very usable, especially
when there are not enough DSP resources to use the second-generation versions in the
newer UA 1176 Limiter Collection.
UA 1176LN SE Legacy
The UA 1176SE Legacy “Special Edition” is derived from the UA 1176LN Legacy
plug-in. Its algorithm was revised in order to provide sonic characteristics similar to the
UA 1176LN Legacy, but with significantly less DSP usage. It provides “1176LN-like
sound” when DSP resources are particularly constrained. The UA 1176SE Legacy sound
and behavior is practically identical to the UA 1176LN Legacy at nominal settings; at
extreme (cranked) settings, the differences are more obvious.

The UA 1176LN Legacy interface

The UA 1176SE Legacy interface

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 587 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

Operational Overview
Applications
Generally speaking, the primary use for the 1176 plug-ins are as individual inserts for
sources that require compression, such as an individual snare, vocal, or guitar track, or
for multi-instrument sources such as a stereo drum buss.
Because the UA 1176 Limiter Collection also models the input and output amplifiers,
these models can also be used as “tone boxes” to add 1176 color without compression/
limiting by disengaging the ratio control (all Ratio buttons “up”).

Parameters
Using an 1176 is a study in simplicity. Input simultaneously sets compression threshold
and the level of the signal entering the 1176; Output sets the final signal level. Attack
sets the time it takes the 1176 to respond to incoming signal, while Release sets the
time it takes the 1176 to return to its initial level. The VU meter displays the amount of
gain reduction (GR) or output level (+4/+8).
The four Ratio buttons determine the degree of compression; lower ratios for
compression, higher ratios for limiting. Disengaging all the Ratio buttons (Shift+Click the
currently selected ratio) disables compression altogether, but signal continues to pass
through the 1176 circuitry. This is commonly used to add the “color” of the 1176LN
without any gain reduction. At the request of users, the wide range of “Multi-Button”
combinations possible with the hardware is now possible — including the famous “All
Button” sound.

Control Response & Interactions

The UA 1176 Limiter Collection plug-ins are meticulous emulations of the original
hardware in every regard, including control responses and interactions. Each 1176 has
unique characteristics for gain, threshold, compression knee, distortion onset, and sweet
spots. Setting the controls to the same positions on the different plug-ins may yield
radically different results, especially depending on the source signals.
This accurate control modeling also applies to the Input and Output control tapers and
amplifier levels. The same knob positions on one 1176 could produce a dramatically
louder (or softer) levels on another. For this reason (to prevent unexpected and
potentially damaging output level jumps), presets are not interchangeable between the
1176 variations.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 588 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

Grit
A simple 1176 trick is turning the attack and release up all the way to their fastest
setting. This has the audible effect of adding compression distortion to the audio source,
and is especially pronounced in all-buttons mode. What happens here is the attack and
release are happening so fast that minute level fluctuations sound like distortion. It can
add a very useful, gritty compression effect.
This effect is useful on bass, where you might need compression and distortion at the
same time, and the 1176 can provide both in a unique way. This trick also sounds great
on screaming lead vocals.

Artist Presets
The UA 1176 Limiter Collection includes artist presets from prominent 1176 users.
Some of the artist presets are in the internal factory bank and are accessed via the
host application’s preset menu. Additional artist presets are copied to disk by the UAD
installer. The additional presets can be loaded using the Settings menu in the UAD
Toolbar (see the “Using UAD Powered Plug-Ins” chapter in the UAD System Manual).
Note: Presets created with the original 1176LN Legacy and 1176SE Legacy plug-
ins are incompatible with the newer Classic Limiter Collection plug-ins.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 589 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

1176 Controls
Each 1176 plug-in variation has the same control set, so they are only detailed once.
The parameter descriptions below apply to all models unless otherwise noted.

Input
Input adjusts the amount of gain reduction as well as the relative threshold. Rotate the
knob clockwise to increase the compression amount.
Like the original hardware, the label values are somewhat arbitrary; the knobs are not
calibrated to any particular dB values and levels will vary between the various plug-in
models. Even when the Input knob is set to “ ∞ “ signals can still pass into the processor
and be compressed.
Note: In the UA 1176 Limiter Collection plug-ins, increasing Input will increase
distortion.

Output
Output determines the final output level of signal leaving the 1176. Once the desired
amount of limiting or compression is achieved with the use of the Input control, the
Output control can be used to make up any gain lost due to gain reduction.
To monitor the Output level, set the VU Meter to +8 or +4. The Output control does not
affect the amount of compression.
Note: In the 1176 Limiter Collection plug-ins, increasing Output will increase
distortion.

Attack
Attack sets the amount of time it takes the 1176 to respond to an incoming signal and
begin gain reduction. The 1176 attack time is adjustable from
20 microseconds to 800 microseconds (both extremely fast).
The attack time is fastest when the Attack knob is in its fully clockwise position, and
is slowest when it is in its fully counter-clockwise position. When a fast attack time is
selected, gain reduction kicks in almost immediately and catches transient signals of
very brief duration, reducing their level and thus “softening” the sound.
Slower attack times allow transients (or partial transients) to pass before limiting or
compression begins on the rest of the signal. Note that the actual attack time varies
slightly based on the selected ratio and the particular plug-in model in use. Lower ratios
will maintain the fastest attack times.
The behavior of the Attack knob varies slightly between the models, as detailed below.
UA 1176AE Attack
The 1176AE offers a unique, fixed 10 ms “SLO” Attack mode when this control is
moved to the fully counter-clockwise position.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 590 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

UA 1176 Rev A and UA 1176LN Rev E Attack
When Attack is in the OFF position the I/O amplifiers remain active while the
compression circuit is bypassed. This enables these models to add 1176 color without
dynamics processing. This function is identical to disengaging all the Ratio buttons.
Note: To avoid unexpected level changes that can result when compression is dis-
engaged, on these models the OFF text label must be clicked to move the Attack
knob to the OFF position.

UA 1176LN/SE Legacy Attack

The OFF position is unavailable in these plug-ins. To bypass plug-in processing in these
models, use the Meter OFF button.

Release
Release sets the amount of time it takes the 1176 to return to its initial (pre-gain
reduction) level. The 1176 release time is adjustable from 50 milliseconds to 1100
milliseconds (1.1 seconds).
Note that the actual release time varies slightly based on the particular plug-in model in
use and also partially depends on the program material.
The release time is fastest when the Release knob is in its fully clockwise position, and
is slowest when it is in its fully counter-clockwise position. If the release time is fast,
“pumping” and “breathing” artifacts can occur, due to the rapid rise of background
noise as the gain is restored. If the release time is too slow, however, a loud section of
the program may cause gain reduction that persists through a soft section, making the
soft section difficult to hear.
About Program-Dependent Release
Program-dependent release is a feature of many compressors. The motivation for having
program-dependent release is as follows: After a transient, it is desirable to have a
fast release to avoid prolonged dropouts. However, while in a continued state of heavy
compression, it is better to have a longer release time to reduce the pumping and
harmonic distortion caused by repetitive attack-release cycles.
The 1176 compressor employs a release mechanism that is heavily program-dependent.
There are three features to a program-dependent release: A fast release-time, a slow
release-time, and a transition-time.
The fast release time is the effective release time after transients; the slow release time
is the release time after sustained high-RMS signals. The transition time expresses how
long the signal must be “in compression” before the slow release time comes into effect.
The original “Bluestripe” and 1176AE has a different slow release-time and transition-
time when compared to the “Blackface” revisions.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 591 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

Ratio
The four Ratio pushbutton switches (to the left of the VU Meter) determine the
compression ratio of the plug-in. Ratios of 20:1, 12:1, 8:1, and 4:1 are available for all
1176 models except the UA 1176AE, which has 20:1, 8:1, 4:1, and 2:1 modes.
The 20:1 ratio is typically used when peak-limiting is desired, while the lower ratios are
typically used for general dynamic range compression.
Multiple Ratio Buttons
One of the most unique features of the 1176 hardware is the ability to press multiple
Ratio buttons in simultaneously to create unusual compression or limiting behavior and
increased compression distortion.

All Button Mode

Engineers typically use “All Button” mode on drums or on ambience or room mics. It can
also be used to make a bass or guitar sound “dirty” or for putting vocals “in your face.”
In All-Button mode (sometimes also known as “British Mode”), distortion increases
radically due to a lag time on the attack of initial transients.
In All Button mode the ratio goes to somewhere between 12:1 and 20:1, and the bias
points change all over the circuit, thus changing the attack and release times as well.
The unique and constantly shifting compression curve that results yields a trademark
overdriven tone that can only be found in this family of limiter/compressors.
All Button mode is available in all 1176 models.

Multi Button Modes

The UA 1176 Limiter Collection includes the ability to select a variety of “Multi Button”
combinations, offering various interpretations of the “All Button” idiosyncrasies. Various
button combinations will yield audibly different compression characteristics.

Selecting All/Multi Button Ratio Modes

In UA 1176 Limiter Collection
• To select the various combinations of multiple buttons, shift+click the Ratio
buttons.
• Combinations are limited to the modes that actually affect the sound in the
hardware. See Available Multi Button Modes for the combinations.
• For the combinations with three or more buttons, the shift-clicking the outer
buttons will automatically engage the inner buttons (the inner buttons cannot be
disengaged; such combinations don’t affect the sound in the hardware).
• These models can be used as “tone boxes” without compression/limiting
by disengaging the Ratio control altogether (all Ratio buttons “up”). This is
accomplished by clicking any Ratio button so only one button is engaged, then
shift-clicking the engaged button so none are engaged.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 592 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

In UA 1176LN/SE Legacy
• To select All Button mode on the UA 1176LN/SE Legacy, shift+click any Ratio
button.

Available Multi Button Modes

The Multi-Button modes available in the UA 1176 Limiter Collection.

Only All-Button mode (far right) is available in 1176LN and 1176SE

VU Meter
This is a standard VU meter that displays either the amount of gain reduction, or output
level, depending upon the setting of the Meter Function switch.

Meter Function
These four pushbutton switches (to the right of the VU Meter) determine the mode of the
VU Meter, and whether the plug-in is enabled. When set to GR, the VU Meter indicates
the Gain Reduction level in dB. When set to +8 or +4, the VU Meter indicates the output
level in dB; when set to +4, a meter reading of 0 corresponds to an output level of +4
dB.
When the Meter Function is set to GR mode and multiple Ratio buttons are engaged, the
Meter will appear to behave strangely. This is normal behavior in the 1176 hardware, and
is faithfully recreated in the plug-in.
When the OFF switch is engaged, the plug-in is disabled and UAD DSP usage is reduced
(unless UAD-2 LoadLock is enabled).

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 593 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

 The UA 1176 Limiter Collection Original Hardware

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 594 UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

UA 610 Tube Preamp & EQ Collection

Authentic tube mic preamp modeling – featuring

Unison™ technology for Apollo interfaces
When Universal Audio founder Bill Putnam Sr. introduced the 610 Modular Amplifier
preamp in the early ‘60s, it was a milestone in audio recording history. The 610 became
famous among record producers for its startling harmonic detail, and rich clipping char-
acteristics, and its ability to overdrive in a warm, ultra-musical fashion.
The original 610-A preamp was integral to countless legendary recordings — from the
Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison. Its modern variant, the
610-B, helped to create new classics by Adele and Cold War Kids. Today, you can add
the same tube presence, warmth, and body to vocals, guitars, bass and more with the
UA 610 Tube Preamp & EQ Plug-In Collection for UAD-2 and Apollo interfaces.

Now You Can:

• Give your tracks startling three-dimensional tube warmth, presence, and body
• Record “through” the 610-A or 610-B tube preamp models in real time using any
Apollo interface that features mic preamps
• Use the 610-A plug-in to get the exclusive sound of the Wally Heider “Green
Board,” used to record Neil Young, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix
• Add Unison™ technology to your Apollo, controlling physical mic preamp gain
staging and impedance with Unison-enabled UAD plug-ins
• Mix and saturate signals with any UAD-2 hardware for an iconic tube glow

The First Genuine 610 Tube Preamp Emulation

More than three years in the making, the UA 610 Collection represents the first com-
prehensive modeling of the legendary 610-A tube preamp and its modern variant, the
610-B — including their tube and transformer components and all of the unique distor-
tion characteristics of the originals.
The 610-A is modeled on a channel from the storied Wally Heider “Green Board,” used
to record Neil Young, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix, and offers simple
10 kHz high-shelf and 100 Hz low-shelf EQ. The modern 610-B offers selectable input
impedance, adjustable high- and low-shelf EQ, and expanded gain range.

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual 595 UA 610 Tube Preamp & EQ Collection