Relab - 176 Compressor/Limiter

The Relab 176 is a tube compressor/limiter plugin modelled on a vintage 1960s 176-style compressor, the variable-gain tube design that preceded the 1176. It's for engineers who want real tube compression on vocals, instruments, the mix bus and masters.

The whole circuit, in real time

Instead of a fixed compression curve, Relab models the entire audio circuit with a real-time circuit solver: every tube, transformer, timing network and power-supply interaction. Compression emerges from the circuit, so attack, release and harmonics respond to the source the way the hardware does.

How the 176 behaves

The original used a fixed threshold and variable gain, so each of the four ratios (2:1 to 12:1) changes both the slope and the knee: gentle levelling at low settings, firm limiting at high ones. Timing is program-dependent, and polarity-selective detection lets you choose which part of the waveform drives the compressor for finer transient control.

Tone controls

Switch between a resistor path for vintage thump and a transformer path for faster attack and a brighter tone. A single Calibration knob adjusts tube bias, harmonic profile, threshold and feel together, and an advanced trim section reaches the hardware's hidden internal adjustments.

The sound

Warm, thick and musical, with the tube glow and gentle grip that make this style of compressor a favourite on vocals and bass. The full circuit model is demanding: it needs an Apple Silicon Mac or a recent Windows CPU and 8GB of RAM. For the same tube stage as a saturator, see Color Drive.

Features

• Real-time circuit model of a 1960s 176-style tube compressor
• Fixed-threshold, variable-gain design
• Four ratios from 2:1 to 12:1 with ratio-driven knee
• Resistor or transformer path
• Polarity-selective detection
• Program-dependent attack and release
• Single-knob Calibration control
• Advanced trim section

System requirements

• Version: 1.2.0
• Mac: macOS 12 Monterey or later, Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) only. AU, VST3 and AAX
• Windows: Windows 10 or later (64-bit), Intel Core i7 8th gen or AMD Ryzen 5 3000 series or newer, with AVX2. VST3 and AAX
• 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended)
• Licence: iLok, authorised to your computer or an iLok USB key (a free iLok account is needed). One active device at a time

SOUND7 is an authorised Relab Development reseller. Digital delivery: licence activation code sent by email.

Demo