User Manual

The Technical Stuff

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Output (Makeup Gain)

Finally, an output control is employed to make up for the gain reduction applied by the gain reduction

circuitry; on the 1176LN, this is the function of the Output knob. Makeup gain is generally set so that

the compressed signal is raised to the point at which it matches the level of the unprocessed input

signal (for example, if a signal is being reduced in level by approximately -6 dB, the output makeup

gain should be set to +6 dB).

As you are adjusting a limiter or compressor, a switchable meter such as the one provided by the

1176LN can be helpful in order to view the strength of the outgoing signal (displayed when the meter

is set to +4 or +8), or the difference in levels between the original input signal and the gain-reduced

output signal (displayed when the meter is set to GR). When in GR mode, the 1176LN meter will read

0 dB when there is no incoming signal or when no compression is being applied.

About “All-Button” Mode

One of the most unique features of the 1176LN is the ability to press all four Ratio buttons in

simultaneously to create extreme amounts of compression or limiting. In this “All-Button” mode

(sometimes also known as “British Mode” because of its extensive use on many seminal British

recordings of the 60’s and 70’s), distortion increases radically due to a lag time on the attack of initial

transients (a phenomenon which might be described as a "reverse look-ahead"). 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.

About “Class A”

Most electronic devices can be designed in such a way as to minimize a particularly unpleasant form

of distortion called crossover distortion. However, the active components in “Class A” electronic

devices such as the 1176LN draw current and work throughout the full signal cycle, thus eliminating

crossover distortion altogether.

Making A Custom Insert Cable

In order to ensure unity gain, the input and output to a compressor are normally derived from a mixer

channel or bus insert send and return. However, most mixing consoles provide such inserts on

unbalanced TRS (Tip/Ring/Sleeve) connectors, with the tip carrying the send and the ring carrying the

return, with the sleeve serving as common ground. Most 1176LN users will opt to use the rear panel

XLR input and output connectors instead of the less commonly used terminal strip connectors.

( see page 24) Premade “insert” Y-cables that provide a single TRS plug on one end and two XLR

connectors on the other end are commercially available for this purpose. However, it can be

considerably more cost-effective to make your own custom insert cable—something that requires only

basic soldering skills and a few inexpensive parts.