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

1. Classic Studio Compression With True Analog Grit: The WA76-A is a faithful recreation of the vintage 76 “blue stripe”-style FET studio compressor with added features to meet modern recording workflows. Recreating the lauded original vintage “Blue Stripe” version of the 76 compressor known for its extra “grabby” fast attack and vintage analog grit, the WA76-A offers the ideal blend of vintage circuitry and modern controls to deliver ultimate flexibility without sacrificing vintage analog character. 

2. Critical Classic Controls + Bonus Modern Add-Ons: WA76-A delivers vintage circuit design and all of the traditional 76-style compression controls; attack, release, ratio, input, output, and meter display. In addition to the classic controls expected on a 76-style compressor, WA76-A has added stereo linking, dry/wet mix for parallel compression, external sidechain, selectable input impedance, active & true bypass, and variable sidechain high-pass filter to tackle unruly bass that dominates the compressor’s attention.

3. Custom CineMag Transformers: Just like in the vintage 76-style compressors from revision “A” to D”, the WA76-A uses custom large-core, CineMag input & output transformers. The transformers inside the WA76-A use the exact same spec data and materials used by Reichenbach Engineering in the original vintage designs known for delivering vintage analog grit to any signal chain. 

4. Premium Components & Accurate Blue Stripe-Style Circuitry: WA76-A uses premium poly film capacitors, carbon resistors, and a vintage-voiced preamp stage. These key components complete a circuit that cuts no corners in delivering an authentic vintage 76-style “blue stripe”-style compression experience. 

5. Hand-Tested In Austin, TX: Like all Warm Audio gear, WA76-A is meticulously hand-tested and inspected by trained technicians with a passion for making music in Austin, TX USA.

Tech Specs 

• 100% Analog Discrete FET Compressor

• Faithful Recreation Of The Vintage “Blue Stripe” FET Compressor With Added Recording Features

• VU Meter Options: Gain Reduction | +8dB Output | +4dB Output | “Off” Powers off unit

• 100-230v IEC Inlet Universal Power Supply

• Class-A Line-Level Output Amplifier

• 100% Discrete Audio Signal Path Using 600Ω Input Impedance Attenuator

• Selectable 10kΩ Input Impedance To Better Match Modern Audio Interface Specifications

• 100% Dry-Wet Mix Control

• Variable Sidechain High Pass Filter: 30 - 300Hz, 12dB/Octave 

• ¼” Stereo Link & External Sidechain Access

• Active Bypass For Running Unit As Line Amplifier & True Bypass Option For A/B Comparisons

• 2U 19″ Rackmount Chassis

• Utilizes Premium O-12 Input & 5002 Output Transformers From CineMag USA

• Vintage-Spec Attack & Release: Attack = 20 µS - 800 | Release: 50 mS - 1.1 Second

• “All-Buttons-In” Setting For Experimental & Hard-Limiter Tones

• Frequency Response: ± 1 dB 20 Hz - 20 kHz

• Balanced XLR & TRS Inputs & Outputs

• Total Amplifier Gain: 58dB 

• Signal-To-Noise Ratio (SNR): 84dB

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): -58dB (at -18dBu)

Popular Uses

• Add Analog Grit & Dynamic Control To Vocals 

• Perfect Drum Room/Overhead Mic Compression With Harmonic Overtones

• Tight Acoustic Guitar Rhythms For Dense Track Counts

• Dynamic Control For Heavy Electric Guitars

Artists, Producers, & Engineers Of The Original Style of Compression

• Led Zeppelin

• Jack White

• David Bowie

• Chris Stapleton

• The Beatles

• Chris Lord-Alge