The light will glow depending on the strength of signal passing through it and reduce the gain accordingly. These compressors use a photocell as a detector and a light bulb or LED to determine the gain reduction. The 1176 is synonymous with FET compression, but some lesser-known FET compressors include the Daking FET III, Chandler Little Devil, and the popular 1176 Clone by Warm Audio, which I’ve heard great things about. Guitar, bass, vocals, drums, keys have all found their way through an 1176 with great results. Regardless of the lack of flexibility, it still sounds great on just about anything you put through it. The fastest attack time is a blazing fast 20 microseconds, and the slowest is a not-as-blazing-but-still-pretty-damn-fast 800 microseconds. A fellow engineer once described the release settings to me as being either “fast or faster.” The fastest release setting on an 1176 is 50ms, and its slowest release is 1100ms. The drawback to their fast speed is there isn’t much range. This makes them a favorite on drums for many engineers. FET style compression has a super-fast attack and release capabilities, which really allows you to shape the transients. The most popular example is the iconic 1176. Here are the 6 most common types of compressors used in music production FETįield-effect Transistors, or FETs, use an electric field to control the gain of the unit. It takes time and ear training and a lot of A/B comparisons to distinguish between each. However, you choose to use a compressor, know that each style is like a different flavor. You can use them as a leveling device or just for tone or saturation. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.įET, Opto, VCA, Vari-MU….you’ve probably heard these names to describe types of compressors, you sort of know which type is right for what, but what do they really mean? Each name represents a different type of circuit design that the compressor uses to react to the signal you put through it.īefore I list each of the types and what they do, know that compressors all serve the same function. Go to interviews now! Interviews with Hit Producers / Engineers Q+A with Tchad Blake Q+A with Andrew Scheps Expert Question and Answer Archives Q+A with Michael H.Disclosure: Audio Hertz is supported by its audience.
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February 2023
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