Warm Audio WA-1B All-Tube Transformer-Balanced Optical Compressor

Manufacturer’s Description

All-Tube, Transformer-Balanced Optical Compressor Accurately Recreating World-Class Scandinavian Compression Combining Smooth Tube-Optical Warmth with Precision Controls

The WA-1B accurately recreates world-class Scandinavian compression, combining smooth tube-optical warmth with precision controls. Like its original inspiration, favored by producers and engineers from Chris Lord-Alge to Rick Rubin, the WA-1B delivers that revered “forgiving” musical compression of tube-optical circuitry with speed and control more closely associated with modern dynamics processing. Hand-wired to authentically recreate the sound of a renowned circuit, the WA-1B combines custom large-core transformers from Lundahl Sweden, select tubes from JJ and Tung-Sol, and a premium high-precision optical element for ultra-fast and accurate operation without sacrificing authentic analog warmth.

Tube-Opto Tone with Extended Control: Delivering that revered “forgiving” musical compression with the added speed and control functionality, the WA-1B excels on highly dynamic sources that demand analog warmth.

True-to-Original Controls: To deliver extended dynamics processing, the WA-1B features all of the classic controls of its modern-classic inspiration.

• Threshold: The WA-1B supports a variable threshold giving maximum control to the user regarding how much compression is applied to any signal at various input levels.
• Ratio: The WA-1B ratio is variable and has infinite controls between 2:1 and 10:1. From soft musical dynamic control all the way to hard-smashing compression!
• Attack & Release: The Attack/Release controls on the WA-1B are unique in that the attack/release operations can be switched from a fixed setting, manual (variable) setting, or a combined setting. In the “fixed” mode, the WA-1B delivers the natural attack & release time of the optical element. The combined setting in particular creates the opportunity for a more nuanced release-time curve. This dueling time-constant circuit operation is a special feature of the WA-1B and its original inspiration.
• Meter Switch: The WA-1B meter switch has three settings: input, compression, and output levels. Set to “input”, the VU meter is reading the level at the input connector. Set to “compression”, the VU meter is reading gain reduction. The steady state is “0”, and the amount of compression is shown as the needle moving right-to-left away from 0dB. Set to “output”, the VU meter is reading the level at the output connector.
• On/Bypass: The on/bypass switch on the WA-1B activates or bypasses the compressor. This is a hard bypass, meaning no signal passes through the circuitry in bypass mode.

Premium Components: The WA-1B is a 270v circuit with hand-wired through-hole circuitry, and 100% discrete analog signal path. The custom large-core transformers from Lundahl Sweden bring the full Scandinavian-style analog tone of the WA-1B circuit to life. Paired with select tubes from JJ and Tung-Sol, the high-precision optical element applies sweet analog warmth to audio signals with unrivaled accuracy.