Revision A: sometimes referred to as the “Bluestripe” due to its faceplate, Rev. The Classic Limiter Collection comes with three revisions of the 1176, each of which have their own unique sonic characteristics. It’s no surprise that the Universal Audio plugin emulation of the classic hardware unit is a standout. It’s known for its character and aggression. UAD 1176 Classic Limiter Collectionīill Putnam of Universal Audio designed the original 1176, which went on to become the most popular compressor of all time. Here are some of my favorite compressors to use when mixing music, and tips on how I use them.

As with equalizers, you’re not likely to be able to find a major music release over the past 60 years that didn’t utilize compression at some point in the production process, whether it be during recording, mixing and/or mastering. They are now far more feature-laden than they were in the early days.

Over the years technology advanced and so did the capability of compressors. Additionally, because many early hardware compressor units were tube (valve) based, engineers utilized the fact that they had a rich tonality to them, making them great for adding harmonic content to recordings. They can also manipulate transients so that the attack of kick or snare drums are more or less pronounced. Compressors can even out the dynamic range of signals, making them easier to balance against one another. Originally used in the broadcast industry to prevent the over-modulation of radio waves, music engineers gradually realized that compression could be used for other purposes. Perhaps aside from equalization, there is no type of processor more essential to the audio engineer than the compressor.

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