Warm Audio WA76-A Single-Channel Vintage-Voiced Discrete FET Compressor

The WARM Audio WA76-A is a classic, vintage-inspired FET compressor designed to recreate the iconic Blue Stripe 1176 sound, revered by engineers and producers around the world for its fast attack, powerful dynamic control, and warm analog saturation. Used on countless legendary recordings from artists like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, David Bowie, and Jack White, the WA76-A offers the perfect blend of vintage sound and modern functionality, providing both the grit and flexibility you need for today's recording workflows.

Built with premium components including CineMag transformers and a vintage-voiced preamp stage, the WA76-A delivers authentic 76-style compression with modern enhancements. Its all-analog, discrete design ensures that your sound retains that unmistakable analog character, making it perfect for applications such as stereo bus compression, vocal treatments, and dynamic control on electric guitars and drums. The added controls like dry/wet mix, sidechain high-pass filter, and active bypass expand your options, while the classic features give you precise control over attack, release, and ratio for a wide range of compression styles.

The WARM Audio WA76-A combines the classic 1176-style sound with modern features to meet the needs of today’s recording professionals. Whether you're adding warmth to vocals, drums, guitars, or processing your stereo bus, the WA76-A delivers unmatched analog grit and dynamic control. It's the perfect tool for producers and engineers looking to capture that vintage analog magic with modern flexibility and precision.

Key Features

• 100% Analog Discrete FET Compressor: Built with a completely analog signal path to preserve vintage sound.
• Faithful Recreation of the Blue Stripe 76: Based on the legendary Blue Stripe 1176 compressor known for its fast attack and analog grit.
• CineMag Transformers: Premium O-12 input and 5002 output transformers for a true analog experience.
• Class-A Line-Level Output Amplifier: Ensures high-quality signal output with warm analog tone.
• Flexible Compression Controls: Attack, release, ratio (4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1), and all-buttons-in setting for a hard-limited sound.
• Stereo Link & External Sidechain Access: Perfect for linking multiple units for stereo applications or adding EQ/processing for external sidechain use.
• Modern Enhancements: Dry/wet mix control for parallel compression, active bypass, and selectable input impedance (600Ω or 10kΩ) for modern workflows.

Technical Specifications

Compressor Type: 100% analog discrete FET compressor
Compression Ratios: 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1 (All-buttons-in setting for hard-limited sound)
VU Meter Options: Gain Reduction, +4 dB Output, +8 dB Output, Off
Impedance: 600Ω input impedance, selectable 10kΩ input impedance for modern audio interfaces
Input/Output Transformers: CineMag O-12 (input), 5002 (output)
Class-A Output Amplifier: Yes
Sidechain High-Pass Filter: 30 to 300 Hz, 12 dB per octave
Dry/Wet Mix Control: Yes, for parallel compression
Attack Time: 20 µs to 800 µs
Release Time: 50 ms to 1.1 sec
Power Supply: 100 to 230V IEC inlet, universal power supply
Bypass: Active bypass for line amplifier, true bypass option for A/B comparisons
Dimensions: 2 RU 19" rackmount chassis
Weight: 10 lbs
Inputs/Outputs: Balanced XLR and TRS inputs and outputs