CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter

Name: CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter
Price: 32 USD
Author: Waves

by Waves · Compressor · FET

vst3s Score 9.1/10 · rated #3 of 10 compressors

Chris Lord-Alge's take on the 1176, with two revisions to choose from: the brighter "Bluey" and the darker "Blacky". It keeps the original's backwards attack and release knobs and adds optional analog hum.

It is one of the most common first compressors in a vocal chain, usually catching peaks before a slower opto stage, and it is constantly discounted.

Best for: Vocals, Drums, Bass, Guitars. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Pop, Rock & Indie, Metal.

Keywords: FET, vocals, hardware emulation, low latency, mixing, drums, 60s, bass, bright, classic, metering, zero-latency, dark, electric guitar, room mics, single-band, vintage.

What it does

CLA-76 is Waves' take on the classic mid-'60s FET limiting amplifier (the 1176), made with mix engineer Chris Lord-Alge and built around super-fast FET compression with a strong tonal signature. It comes in two versions, each in mono and stereo:

Bluey: based on the original blue-stripe revision.
Blacky: based on the later black-face, low-noise revision.

The controls follow the hardware:

Input and Output.
Attack and Release from slow to extremely fast (attack down to about 50 microseconds).
Ratios of 4, 8, 12 and 20:1, plus the all-buttons "ALL" mode.
A compression on/off switch, and an Analog switch that adds the unit's modelled hum and noise.
A VU meter for input, gain reduction or output.
Zero latency, with Chris Lord-Alge's presets included.

Source: Waves product page

When to use it

CLA-76 is the budget-friendly 1176-style choice: fast, aggressive FET compression with colour. It's light on CPU and has zero latency, so it's easy to use on many tracks at once.

Bluey: brighter and rougher; suited to aggressive vocals and room mics.
Blacky: steadier; suited to bass and more conservative settings.
Genres: a mainstay of rock, metal and pop mixing and of hip-hop vocal chains, and great for punchy drums.
Compared with UA's 1176 Collection: fewer modern extras and an older-style interface.

What producers say

Users like its stability and its sound on snare, kick, vocals and overdriven guitars, especially in all-buttons mode. Tape Op found it effective on every source, singling out how it adds meat and clarity to a kick drum.

Common tricks: ALL mode on parallel drums and room mics, Bluey for urgency on vocals, and Blacky to firm up DI bass.
Criticisms: no dry/wet control for parallel compression in older versions, and one KVR reviewer found Blacky too dark, preferring Bluey.

Where to buy

Thomann: $32
Plugin Boutique: $34.99 (regular $149)
AudioDeluxe: $34.99 (regular $149)
Sweetwater: $39.99
Waves: see store (Price changes with Waves' weekly sales)

Tutorials and reviews

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