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IK Multimedia Black 76 Limiting Amplifier Is FREE Until February 13th!

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IK Multimedia Black 76 Limiting Amplifier Is FREE Until February 13th!

Black Ghost Audio offers the Black 76 Limiting Amplifier (€99 value) by IK Multimedia for FREE! You can grab this compressor/limiter for free until February 13th.

Any discussion about legendary studio gear has to include the Universal Audio/UREI 1176 Compressor/Limiter. If you aren’t sure if you’ve heard it, you have; it’s been on more hit records than The Beatles. It’s the Holy Grail of FET compressors, and a good condition original unit will set you back more than the cost of most people’s first car.

See also: BPB Dirty Filter Is A FREE Distortion VST/AU Plugin!

Multiple developers have released software emulations of this famous compressor in its various revisions. Revisions A, A/B, and B are known as the Bluestripe units; revisions C through to G are known as the Blackface models. Universal Audio, Slate Digital, and Waves are just a few that offer noteworthy emulations. IK Multimedia has gone for the 1176 LN Revision E because it’s the most revered model of all.

The much sought-after character of this revision comes from its input transformer and class-A output stage. In staying true to the hardware, this plugin is super straightforward to use.

The four buttons on the left of the VU meter select the ratio (degree of compression). The 4:1, 8:1 ratios are for compression; the higher 12:1, 20:1 ratios are for limiting. Four buttons on the right of the VU meter alternate the metering method.

Setting the input and output levels dictates the general amount of gain reduction needed. Attack and release knobs dial in a more precise level/sound.

One of the most prominent features of the hardware version is its incredibly fast attack, and this emulation recreates that very well. But keep in mind, it’s a versatile workhorse, and you don’t always need to abuse that swift attack. A slow attack and fast release can be a great way to keep the vibrancy in your sound; just ask Bob Power.

A clever old-school trick is to push in all four ratio buttons at once, creations a pumping sound with more distortion. I love that IK Multimedia kept that in (when some other developers didn’t) by adding an All ratio button.

IK Multimedia’s Black 76 Limiting Amplifier also has some unique channel linking and mid-side matrix options not found on the hardware. The flexible processing options add some modern convenience to a stellar recreation of a true classic.

Black 76 Limiting Amplifier is available for free download until February 13th, 2020. Visit the Black Ghost Audio channel below for more info on how to download your free copy of the software.

More info: Black 76 Limiting Amplifier (FREE until February 13th, 2020)

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James is a musician and writer from Scotland. An avid synth fan, sound designer, and coffee drinker. Sometimes found wandering around Europe with an MPC in hand.

14 Comments

  1. Tomislav Zlatic

     on

    Thanks to everyone who sent us messages about this freebie – Christian, Jérémy, Hitesh Bandhu, Deeno, Артур, Aris, Gav, Stefan, Jamie, Praneet, THANK YOU!

    Reply

  2. Jay Lane

     on

    Excellent plugin. Bear in mind it installs a load of other plugins as well that go in the TR5 rack but all of those plugins can be deleted from your plugin folder. It’s worth doing for the Classic EQ and this compressor alone. If the other plugins weren’t so expensive I’d buy some of them.

    I’d recommend you all have a look at Hornet Plugins. These are excellent and well priced for those of us on a budget.

    Reply

  5. Gav

     on

    As somebody who has picked up a number of IK freebies I have found that the best strategy for installing them is to download them all once and then move all of the ones you can’t register out of your VST folder 5i have a folder on an external drive) and then when another IK plugin comes along, just register it and then manually move the physical file back over without downloading.

    Reply

  6. Jon B

     on

    I don’t receive any e-mail from them when I try to subscribe to their e-mail list and I also tried to write to them directly and I haven’t gotten any answer :/ I hope that they can fix this before the period runs out.

    Reply

  8. Konny

     on

    It says model not availible when I open it.
    when I click on the clock, located on the bottom right, it says it is authorized but it sill cuts off every few seconds with some hissing noise.
    I have checked my IK account and it is fully registered. Can anyone help?

    Reply

  9. MaZe6k

     on

    This comment is a bit late, but I still want to mention that this is the second special from Black Ghost Audio where I havent received any key, although applying multiple times, and in this case on both ways they set up… Not that I feel entitled to getting free stuff or really need it, but it feels kinda bad to have given them my email.

    Reply
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