

The LA-2A does not allow you to set the ratio. The 1176 allows you to decide between four different ratios, although you can use all four of them simultaneously in what is called "British" or "All-Buttons Mode", which the engineers use for getting an aggressive, distorted sound. What made the distressor truly unique is the way it makes use of its ratio while also giving you an insane amount of control.įor the ones who may not know, the ratio of a compressor will determine how much the unit will blunt a signal that meets or exceeds the given threshold. However, it certainly comes with unique gifts that make it well worth a place in any studio's arsenal, even the ones lucky enough to have classics at their disposal. It was the first of several pieces of top-end studio gear that was manufactured in Empirical Labs.ĭerr modeled the Distressor after the favorite parts of the classic 1176 and LA-2A compressors. The Distressor was first prototyped back in 1994 and released officially in 1996. Before he found Empirical Labs, he was an engineer at Eventide where he helped make the H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer, which was a multi-effects unit that also became a mainstay in pro studios. If you're in the market for one of these plugins, how to tell which one best emulates the original? Or maybe one does not hew closely to its analog counterpart yet still has a distinct flair all its own? A quick history lesson of the distressorĭave Derr is the creator of the Distressor. It is only fitting that there will be many software plugins that try and mimic all or some of its distinct mojo. With over 30,000 units around the world, the Empirical Labs Distressor seems to have become a staple of the recording industry, adding a unique compression option to countless records in a great number of the world's professional studios.
