Like all of the gear made by Warm Audio, WA76 is inspired by a classic, re-created faithfully, and priced to be accessible for ‘the rest of us’.
WA76 Discrete Compressor is a modern reproduction of the Classic ’76 Revision D. The WA76 has a fully discrete signal path and uses the original Reichenbach Engineering’s (now CineMag) transformer design.
The classic ’76 was a major breakthrough in limiter technology, and used on hundreds of hit records since its inception. Engineers have craved the ultra-fast attack time and trademark sound of the ’76 for decades, and now it is finally affordable!
All buttons in
WA76 can reproduce the classic effect known as ‘All Buttons In’ mode, sometimes also referred to as ‘British Mode’ or the ‘Four Button Trick’. It is reproduced by pushing in all four ratio buttons simultaneously and getting them to latch (this can take a bit of practice).
All-buttons-in compression is typically characterised by having a very aggressive compression ratio, attack and release curves that are more drastic plateaus opposed to gentler slopes, and more audible distortion or ‘overdrive’ on the signal. Initial transients are more likely to come through loudly, followed by heavy compression curve sometimes described as having a ‘sucking’ effect as the compressor releases.
Because this mode is considered a design accident, faithfully maintained; it is normal for the meter function to ‘peg out’ and cease providing accurate metering.
