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The Two Page, Two Minute Guide To Getting Started _____________________________________________________________

No one likes to read owner’s manuals. We know that. We also know that you know what you’re doing—why else would you have bought our product?

So we’re going to try to make this as easy on you as possible. Hence this two-page spread, which we estimate will take you approximately two minutes to read. It will tell you everything you need to know to get your Universal Audio 1176LN up and running, without bogging you down with details.

Of course, even the most expert of us has to crack a manual every once in awhile. As the saying goes, “as a last resort, read the instructions.” You’ll find those details you’re craving—a full description of all front and rear panel controls, interconnection diagrams, insider’s secrets, history, theory, maintenance information, block diagrams, specifications, even a glossary of terms—in the pages that follow.

Getting Started With Your 1176LN:

Step 1: Decide where the 1176LN is to be physically placed and place it there. The 1176LN is housed in a standard two-rackspace 19" chassis, and so we recommend that it be securely mounted in a rack if possible.

Step 2: On the rear panel, make sure the voltage selector switch is set correctly for the voltage in your area. On the right side of the front panel, make sure the bottom Meter button (OFF) is pressed in, and then connect the supplied IEC power cable to the rear panel AC power connector.

Step 3: Mute your monitors and then, using balanced cables with XLR connectors, make connections to the 1176LN rear panel XLR line input and output. Most often, these connections will be to a patch bay or to and from a channel or bus insert on a mixer. (Alternatively, the rear panel terminal strip can be used for input and output connections; see page 24 for information about its use, and  see page 12 for an interconnection diagram)

Manual conventions: Means that this is an especially useful tip  Means that this is an especially important bit of information

And when we need to direct you to a page or section elsewhere in the manual, we’ll use the universal signs for rewind () or fast forward ().

 Make only one type of input connection (XLR or terminal strip) to the 1176LN. However, both outputs can be used simultaneously.

6The Two Page, Two Minute Guide To Getting Started _____________________________________________________________

Step 4: On the right side of the front panel, depress the +4 Meter button. This not only turns on the power to the 1176 but also ensures that the meter displays the final output level. (NOTE: Depressing any Meter button other than OFF also has the effect of powering on the 1176LN; when powered on, the front panel meter lights up.)

Step 5: Set the Input and Output knobs to approximately 24 (their 12 o’clock position) for unity gain. Step 6: Set the Attack and Release knobs fully counterclockwise (in the case of the Attack knob, to its

OFF position).

Step 7: Unmute your speakers and begin monitoring the 1176LN output. At the source, raise the level of the input signal until the 1176LN meter shows optimum signal strength (around 0 VU, with occasional excursions into the red, but with no audible distortion).

Step 8: With the Attack knob at its OFF position, signal is passing through the 1176LN circuitry but with a compression ratio of 1:1, thus adding “color,” but with no gain reduction. Depress the 4 Ratio button (4:1) and slowly raise the Attack knob to hear the effect of moderate compression on your signal.

Step 9: Experiment by selecting different Ratios, and by trying “All-Button” mode (pressing in all four Ratio buttons simultaneously). Also try varying the Input level and Attack and Release times for different compression and limiting characteristics. Note that, unlike many other devices, the 1176LN attack and release times are faster when their associated knobs are turned clockwise, and slower when they are turned counterclockwise. Set the Meter switch to GR in order to view the amount of gain reduction being applied to the signal. Note that as you increase the amount of gain reduction (by raising the Input level and/or selecting higher ratios), the overall signal may be attenuated. If necessary, you can make up the difference by turning the Output knob clockwise. Depress either the +8 or +4 Meter buttons in order to view the final output level. A meter reading of 0 corresponds to an output level of either +8 dBm or +4dBm at the 1176LN output, respectively.

 For more information, refer to the “Front Panel” and “Rear Panel” sections on pages 8 - 11.

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Front Panel _____________________________________________________________

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

(1) Input - Determines the level of the signal entering the 1176LN, as well as the threshold. Higher settings will therefore result in increased amounts of limiting or compression.

(2) Output - Determines the final output level of signal leaving the 1176LN. Once the desired amount of limiting or compression is achieved with the use of the Input control, the Output control can be used to make up any gain lost due to gain reduction. To set the desired output level, press the +4 or +8 Meter button and then alter the Output knob as required. ( see #7 on page 10)

(3) Attack - Sets the amount of time it takes the 1176LN to respond to an incoming signal and begin gain reduction. The 1176LN attack time is adjustable from 20 microseconds to 800 microseconds (both extremely fast). The attack time is fastest when the Attack knob is in its fully clockwise position, and is slowest when it is in its fully counterclockwise position.

 Turning the Attack knob all the way fully counterclockwise (to the OFF position) disables compression altogether; however, signal continues to pass through the 1176LN circuitry. This is commonly used to add the “color” of the 1176LN without any actual gain reduction.

When a fast attack time is selected, gain reduction kicks in almost immediately and catches transient signals of very brief duration, reducing their level and thus "softening" the sound. Slower attack times allow transients to pass through unscathed before limiting or compression begins on the rest of the signal.

(4) Release - Sets the amount of time it takes the 1176LN to return to its initial (pre-gain reduction) level. The 1176LN release time is adjustable from 50 milliseconds to 1100 milliseconds (1.1 seconds). The release time is fastest when the Release knob is in its fully clockwise position, and is slowest when it is in its fully counterclockwise position.

If the release time is too fast, "pumping" and "breathing" artifacts can occur, due to the rapid rise of background noise as the gain is restored. If the release time is too slow, however, a loud section of the program may cause gain reduction that persists through a soft section, making the soft section difficult to hear.

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Front Panel _____________________________________________________________

(5) Ratio - These four buttons determine the severity of the applied gain reduction. (A ratio of 4:1, for example, means that whenever there is an increase of up to 4 decibels in the loudness of the input signal, there will only be a 1 dB increase in output level, while a ratio of 8:1 means that any time there is an increase of up to 8 dB in the input signal, there will still only be a 1 dB increase in output level.) When higher ratios (12:1 or 20:1) are selected, the 1176LN is limiting instead of compressing. Note that higher Ratio settings also set the threshold higher. ( see page 20 for more information)

The 1176LN Ratio buttons allow four different modes of operation: 4 - Selects a 4:1 ratio (moderate compression). 8 - Selects an 8:1 ratio (severe compression). 12 - Selects a 12:1 ratio (mild limiting).

20 - Selects a 20:1 ratio (hard limiting).

 Unlike many other devices, the 1176LN Attack and Release times get faster, not slower, as their corresponding knobs are turned up (clockwise).

 Pressing all four Ratio buttons in simultaneously yields an extreme form of compression that many engineers love! When the 1176LN is in this “All-Button” mode, distortion increases radically due to a lag time on the attack of initial transients and there are constant changes in the attack and release times, as well as a change in the bias points. Consequently, the meter will go wild, often resting at maximum. Don’t worry, though – you won’t be harming the 1176LN by using this mode!

Engineers typically use “All-button” mode on drums or on ambience or room mics. It can also be used to “dirty” up a bass or guitar sound, or for putting vocals “in your face.” ( see page 22 for more information)