[Product Review] Warm Audio WA76 by Kenichi Ikeda from ROOT SOUL

My name is Kenichi Ikeda from ROOT SOUL. I am the bassist, trackmaker, sound producer, and I also mix my own work.

I will be doing a review of Warm Audio’s WA76 compressor!

This model is a reproduction of the legendary Urei 1176, a staple compressor in studios. There are many plugins emulating this compressor from various brands.
I hope my review from a home recording track maker’s perspective will be helpful!

As I want to use it as an outboard gear, I connected it using Logic’s I/O plugin:

UA Apollo x4 Out → Warm Audio WA76 → UA Apollo x4 In

Like this.

Logic’s I/O plugin is very convenient, allowing you to send and return signals to external hardware directly from any track within your DAW software.

First, the appearance and knob layout look very similar to the 1176!

This type has a fixed threshold, and you can adjust the gain reduction with the input level.
I frequently adjust the INPUT and also OUTPUT knobs, so being able to touch both knobs at the same time is useful for me.
Large knobs are also great.
(With a mouse, you can adjust only one at the same time.)

The WA76 is mono, so I’ll use it on drums, bass, and electric piano one by one!

① Drums

First, the bypass:

■Drums WA76 bypass (mono)

Drums WA76 on

I used it like a drum bus comp because I had already had some image of the sound.
I applied light gain reduction.

• Input: 46
• Output: 27
• Attack: 5 (slower)
• Release: 16 (faster)
• Ratio: 20:1
• Gain Reduction: around -1.5dB

(Just like the 1176, the attack and release are not shown in milliseconds but just the scale is marked.)

Just like the Urei, it’s:
Attack Time: 0.02ms to 0.8ms
Release Time: 50ms to 1 second
It’s really fast! It’s literally the reproduction of the 1176.

② Bass

■Bass WA76 bypass

■Bass WA76 on

• Input: 26
• Output: 46
• Attack: 11 (medium)
• Release: 18 (fast)
• Ratio: 8:1
• Gain Reduction: around -6 to -4dB

The bass tightened up nicely.

The WA76 adds a pleasant saturation, so I set the output level a bit higher on the WA76.

■Bass WA76 on

• Input: 34
• Output: 22
• Attack: 11 (medium)
• Release: 18 (fast)
• Ratio: 8:1
• Gain Reduction: around -5 to -3dB

It feels stickier!！
Analog gear like this really boosts your spirits!

I adjusted the input level back in Logic’s I/O plugin from 0dB to -16dB to compensate for the higher output.

③ Electric Piano

■Electric Piano WA76 bypass

■Electric Piano WA76 on

It evened out the volume and added a bit of thickness.

• Input: 30
• Output: 45
• Attack: 9 (medium)
• Release: 17 (fast)
• Ratio: 4:1
• Gain Reduction: around -7 to -5dB

■Overall 2mix WA76 on

I added some percussion and a little reverb, but no EQ after the WA76.
For the bass, I chose the high-level output setting on the WA76.
This added grip and definition, making it sound more analog and appealing!
It’s great for the electric bass!

The Warm Audio WA76 offers a great price for such a high-quality piece of tangible gear and sound! Watching the VU meter move, turning the knobs, and feeling the saturation increase is incredibly satisfying!

This hands-on aspect is crucial!
It takes some getting used to, but the effort is worth it!