Best free 1176 plugins: That classic 1176 sound without spending a cent

Compressors all have their own sonic flavor. If you’re looking for a smooth, transparent sound look into an optical style like an LA2A. We went over the Best Free LA2A Compressor Plugins previously.

Another of the most infamous compressors is the 1176. It’s a FET design, which is a type of transistor. These types of compressors have faster time constants than others, with greater preservation of the transient material.

This makes them great on sources like drums and vocals, but to be honest – they sound good on anything. If you’re looking for a compressor that won’t color your signal, look elsewhere.

FETs are very vibey and offer a lot of mojo due to their use of transformers. This is one of the things that makes them appealing.

If you’re looking for great freeware 1176 plugins, let’s dive into some of the best! And here are some affordable hardware compressor alternatives.

Best free 1176 plugin overall: Analog Obsession Fetish

This is far and away the best free 1176 plugin around. Analog Obsession has a suite of free plugins, all of them are top-notch. Fetish is one compressor in a pack of three, all based around a FET topology.

It’s called the FET Bundle and it includes the Fetish, FetDrive, and FetSnap. The input circuit of Fetish has up to 60dB of gain and the output can do 30dB either way. Time constant controls operate just like a true 1176 with reversed action.

Attack goes from 20-800ms, and Release from 50ms-1.1s. Ratio works a little differently than you might be accustomed to. You have four options – 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 20:1.

Each has its own unique curve and range of compression. This means that lower ratios compress faster than higher ratios, and work in tandem with the input level to achieve compression.

Equalization includes a high-pass filter that ranges from 20Hz-500Hz and a MID control that goes from 500Hz-10kHz and a gain that can attenuate or boost by 6dB. High frequency works a little differently to compress this range of the spectrum.

And unlike many 1176 style plugins that aim to be 1:1 with the original circuit, there is a blend control, so you can do parallel compression without having to set up extra routing.

Original 1176 units don’t have a ratio knob, they use a button system. “All buttons in” is a popular technique to make the compression really aggressive. While Fetish doesn’t have the button set up the way the original does, it does have a Slam “switch” that simulates this renowned technique. Use it to add intense drive and saturation to your tracks.

As for what’s going on behind the scenes it runs on an advanced DSP circuit and up to 4x oversampling. Plugin formats supported are VST/3 and AU. It’s compatible with Windows systems, but only supports Mac OS for Catalina and Big Sur.

Most flexible free 1176 plugin: TDR Molotok

A free and simplified version of the TDR Molot GE, the Molotok brings some features to your DAW that most other 1176 plugins don’t. It’s not a direct emulation of an 1176, but the way it sounds and performs is very similar to the classic FET compressor.

By utilizing state-of-the-art processing algorithms to keep unwanted distortion and artifacts under the strictest control or eliminate them altogether.

Molotok’s tue appeal is in its flexibility. Depending on the source content and the type of compression it needs you can dial in the compressor to get you there. Eleven compression modes meet you anywhere you need to be.

Unlike a “true’ 1176 the Ratio control is variable, not stepped. So you’re not just stuck with a few predetermined choices. There is a versatile Knee control and a sidechain high-pass filter that when disabled becomes a fixed -3dB low-shelf filter.

This is one of the most unique and flexible plugin takes on the 1176. Even though it’s not a direct emulation it packs all the aggressive character and fast time constants and includes controls and features that take this type of compression to the next level.

Best light resource free 1176 plugin: Audiocation AC1

Another top free 1176 plugin is the AC1. Based on a FET topology, it offers some additional features not found in the traditional 1176 design.

While it lacks an input control, it does have controls for attack/release, threshold, knee, and output gain. Ratio is set via buttons like on a hardware 1176, with five options starting at 2:1 and going all the way up to 20:1.

There’s an input transformer simulation that adds some saturation, color and character to the signal. It’s designed to be lightweight, freeing up processing power. The GUI interface is clean and easy to navigate as well.

However, like many freeware plugins, it is only available for Windows in VST.

Best legacy free 1176 plugin: Antress Seventh Sign

Antress was among the first company to create free hardware compressor emulations. The Seventh Sign is their take on the 1176. If you’re familiar with the layout of a hardware 1176 you’ll have no issue dialing this one in.

It’s got input, output (up to 40dB), attack (.03ms-10ms), release (50ms-2s), and ratio controls. Threshold is relative to the input level. Meaning the more you increase the input, the more compression you’ll get.

Unlike the original unit’s button system Seventh Sign sports a stepped rotary knob with five settings. It offers 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1, and “Crush”. Crush simulates the popular “all-buttons-in” setting, also known as Nuke.

It’s a slick little freebie that is a bit older, but still worth a try for the more adventurous. For freeware it’s got an impressive GUI that resembles the original 1176 pretty closely. Being that it is older it is only available for Windows in 32-bit VST format.

Best Blue Stripe free 1176 plugin: Hornet FAT-FET

FAT-FET isn’t exactly a 1:1 1176 plugin, but it does model the same dynamic structure. It’s most closely related to perhaps the most esoteric and popular of all 1176 models – the Blue Stripe.

The algorithm behind FAT-FET operates the same as Hornet Plugins‘ Multicomp and Multicomp Plus models.

It has some additional features 1176 compressors don’t have, like fully adjustable threshold and sweepable ratio. Attack times are really fast, going down to an insane .02ms with release times as fast as 50ms.

What sets it apart is the sidechain of the signal. This allows for a more aggressive sound just like the Blue Stripe 1176 compared to the regular model. The interface is slick and simple and looks great.

Metering provides an accurate perspective of what’s going on with the input and output stages as well as how much gain reduction is happening. And if you need to take things to the next level there is an oversampling mode.

It’s easy on CPU and supports Windows and Mac 64/32-bit systems and comes in VST and AU formats.

Best DAW bundled free 1176 plugin: Reaper JS SStillwell/1175

The rawest free 1176 plugin comes with Reaper, a cult-favorite DAW that has gained a lot of notoriety over the past decade. It’s even made its way into many professional studios.

It comes with a robust suite of free plugins. And while they aren’t much to look at, they sound pretty damn good. ReaComp is a great compressor, but it also features a lesser known option built in JavaScript called SStillwell/1175 – and no, that’s not a typo!

It has a fast attack with a program-dependent release, though there is a release control. Speaking of, parameters are controlled via horizontal sliders. Included are attack/release, threshold, and mix. Ratio is fixed with the four familiar options of 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 20:1.

There is no “all-buttons-in” setting, but that’s not a deal-breaker. Side-by-side metering presents input and output gain levels. There is no dedicated gain reduction meter, but it’s not hard to do the math on the differential between them.

You can’t download it independently, so you’ll have to get the entire Reaper suite. Not a bad thing – there are plenty of gems in there!

FAQ

What is an 1176 compressor?

It’s a FET compressor known for the fast attack and release times, as well as the character and punch it adds to tracks. It works well on any source.

What are the key features of 1176 compressor plugins?

The 1176 sets itself apart from other compressor because of the fast attack/release times, multiple ratio options, the harmonic distortion it adds to the signal, and the famous “all buttons in” mode that adds aggression and color to the sound.

What are the best uses for an 1176 plugin?

It’s great on pretty much any source – including groups and even the master. But it shines on vocals, drums, bass, and guitars. It works well on high SPL instruments with a pronounced high end like brass and woodwinds too.