IT'S BIG, IT'S HEAVY AND
IT'S AWESOME!
 |
| Click to enlarge |
I've owned a lot of compressor-pedals and a lot of studio-compressors in my 60+ years of playing guitar and recording. I'm really not a fan of most pedal compressors because they usually result in smaller sound (I like a nice tube amp, doing some work, moving some air with a naturally compressed "tube" sound). Has Warm Audio finally delivered a compressor pedal that I like?
 |
| Click to enlarge |
This is no warmed over catalog item from China, this product is original and unlike any other pedal design in the way it's built, the controls, and the sounds it can produce.
 |
| A few of the compressors currently in the H.o.T. studio - Click to enlarge |
Warm Audio began in the business over 10 years ago by introducing an 1176 clone of a classic studio compressor/limiter at an unheard of low price. I bought a pair of the first generation WA76 and they are still working fine. Warm Audio has managed to continue delivering great products for reasonable prices in the years since (a new copy of my UA-1176 is currently on sale for $2999, the current WA76 is on sale for $699). Warm Audio truly made the 1176 a household item for home studios; it sounds good, is easy to use and functions exactly like an 1176 should. As a result Warm Audio established themselves and got a solid launch into producing a series of clone products that look and perform with excellence.
ENTER THE PEDAL76
This Warm Audio compressor pedal is awesome, if you know how to operate an 1176 you already know how to work this pedal. I especially like the attack and release controls, they function just like an 1176. Most pedals that attempt to emulate a "76" fall short of delivering BIG sound, instead delivering a lot of crushed dynamics and trying to be relevant by adding a parallel-compression blend knob or some other distracting control.
CONSTRUCTION - INSIDE THE PEDAL76
 |
| Pedal76 bottom removed - Click to enlarge |
If you look inside the Pedal76 you'll find thick, precision made circuit boards, a hand soldered pushbutton footswitch and heavy duty custom metal work (the pedal enclosure). The adjustable pots all appear to be sealed which should give them long life and freedom from static.
 |
| Cinemag transformer inside -Click to enlarge |
It does run on an internal 9-volt battery and comes with one installed (even though it's not mentioned anywhere except in Bryce's video). The transformer isolated output is inactive if you're using battery power, to get all the audio performance this pedal is capable of you'll need a good 9-volt power supply capable of 200 mA, I ran it from a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 3 and it performed fantastic.
 |
| Hand soldered footswitch on wire leads - Click to enlarge |
I laughed when I first saw the tiny VU meter on the Pedal76 but after using it I love the meter (reminds me of the little VU on my old Marantz Superscope cassette deck). I've never felt like a string of LED's delivered the right visual feel for gain reduction. The tiny VU meter is small but its display is powerful, useful and most of all, helpful. When you're trying to adjust the "Release Time" the real meter movement is wonderful, probably why the majority of 1176-style compressors designed for studio use have real VU meters on them rather than LED's or flat-panel type displays.
 |
| Pedal76 rear panel - Click to enlarge |
SOUND QUALITY
This is my favorite aspect of the Pedal76, it sounds great. Playing a pushed Marshall, EVH or Boogie head through a 4x12 cabinet was magical. Since the Pedal76 operates just like a full size studio 1176 you already know what the knobs do and it does not take long to dial in some sweet sounds.
 |
| Soldered wire lead footswitch = rugged construction, -Click to enlarge |
I especially liked the Pedal76 for clean sounds, it made my Telecaster spank and my Strat "ping" and chime while driving a Fender Super Sonic 22-watt head through a Marshall Vintage 4x12. Normally I avoid recording with any compression because I add it at mixdown; with the Pedal76 I was creating live sounds that were finished, all I had to do was record them, the compression-processing was already baked in to the guitar tone, very satisfying. Time will tell but so far I like the sound produced by this pedal A LOT!
 |
| Sealed pots and discrete transisters -Click to enlarge |
LIKES
- Easy to operate
- Smooth functioning sealed pots that feel solid
- 9-volt battery power option
- Lots of audio output options (including transformer isolated)
- VU Meter
- Heavy metal construction
- Great sounding compression effects
DISLIKES
- None!
EPILOGUE
If you need tiny don't get this because it's a large pedal with VERY LARGE SOUND, it's easy to operate and is built like a tank. Some reviewers have said this pedal is too big and too heavy; personally I think it's just about perfect.
It's the first 1176-in-a-pedal, DONE RIGHT!
Congratulations to Warm Audio for creating and delivering another brilliant "76-style" compressor, this time, in a heavy duty, pedalboard friendly, format.
Buy one, you'll like it! Good Music To You!
©October 2024 by Mark King. It's not ok to copy or quote without permission. Thanks for reading High on Technology.
