Simple yet extreme “British-style” compression – an accurate imitation of a unique modification of the 1176. Smasher is an unprecedented custom modification of the classic Urei 1176 compressor circuit. This is a unique formula that we stumbled upon while tweaking other algorithms.
The original 1176 compressor hardware offered four compression ratios, but studio engineers soon discovered that pressing all the buttons simultaneously resulted in distorted, explosive, and heavily compressed sounds. It’s this “All Buttons Down” or “British” mode that has been meticulously recreated in Smasher.
While we’ve kept the original circuitry as close to true as possible, the changes made in Smasher will add clarity to transients and make your sound more aggressive. We love using it to enhance ambience in drum sessions, but there are many other creative uses. Smasher isn’t suitable for every track, but where it works, it works wonders.
Smasher excels at handling gritty, harsh sounds, reminiscent of bands like Vulfpeck, The Whitefield Brothers, and The Black Keys.
Based on an internal feedback configuration, field compressors like the Urei 1176 are renowned for their ultra-fast response times and vibrant tonal response, ranging from soft clipping to intense saturation.
When operating in “all knobs on” mode, the 1176’s circuit undergoes several changes, including bias voltage. In Smasher, all of these phenomena have been perfectly reproduced for the first time using our proprietary topology-preserving technology, allowing you to fully exploit the sonic potential of this classic effect in your DAW. With
our unique tuning and a beautiful, simple interface, Smasher gives this iconic circuit a new identity.
