The Universal Audio 1176AE Anniversary Edition is a custom, limited-run, hot-rodded version of the world's most recognized studio limiter. Celebrating a decade of Universal Audio's refounding and just over 40 years since the birth of the original 1176-only 500 1176AE units will be sold worldwide.The 1176 set the standard for FET compression and helped to define the sound of rock guitar, drums, and bass. (Many use it on vocals as well.) In steady use making records since its inception 40 years ago, the 1176 compressor/limiter remains at the top of every engineer's must-have list.The AE descriptor not only stands for Anniversary Edition, but also signifies earlier unit revisions this UA limiter draws upon. The 1176AE studio limiter borrows the sonically unique program-dependent characteristics from the original, Revision A "Bluestripe," while retaining the class-A low-noise ("LN") circuit and custom transformers of the most popular 1176: Revision E.Giving the Universal Audio 1176AE another sonic distinction, the ratio selections hearken back to the 1176 limiter's predecessor the UA 176 Limiting Amplifier. The 1176AE offers a gentler ratio array of 2:1, 4:1, and 8:1, perfect for compression duties-but also preserves 20:1 at the top, for full limiting applications. This ratio modification also allows for a unique range of multi-button ratio combinations, pushing the unit beyond the famous all-button mode of the standard unit.Lastly, the UA 1176AE is a studio limiter that offers something fresh for bass-heavy tracks or over-the-top effects, with a unique super-slow attack setting of 10ms cleverly repurposed from the redundant Off/Bypass position from the 1176's Attack control. This gives you an option not achievable with the original unit, allowing transients to pass more freely—again furthering the versatility of the Universal Audio 1176AE Studio Limiter beyond its predecessors.
Only 500 1176AE units will be sold worldwide. Order yours before they're gone.