Warm Audio WA-1B Tube Compressor

£911.00

The WA-1B accurately recreates world-class Scandinavian compression, combining smooth tube-optical warmth with precision controls. Like its original inspiration, favoured by producers and engineers from Chris Lord-Alge to Rick Rubin, the WA-1B delivers that revered “forgiving” musical compression of tube-optical circuitry with speed and control more closely associated with modern dynamics processing. Hand-wired to authentically recreate […]


Description

The WA-1B accurately recreates world-class Scandinavian compression, combining smooth tube-optical warmth with precision controls. Like its original inspiration, favoured by producers and engineers from Chris Lord-Alge to Rick Rubin, the WA-1B delivers that revered “forgiving” musical compression of tube-optical circuitry with speed and control more closely associated with modern dynamics processing. Hand-wired to authentically recreate the sound of a renowned circuit, the WA-1B combines custom large-core transformers from Lundahl Sweden, select tubes, and a premium high-precision optical element for ultra-fast and accurate operation without sacrificing authentic analogue warmth.

Key Features:

  • Tube-Opto Tone With Extended Control:
    Delivering that revered “forgiving” musical compression with the added speed and control functionality, the WA-1B excels on highly dynamic sources that demand analogue warmth.
  • Hand-Tested In Austin, TX:
    The WA-1B is meticulously hand-tested and inspected by trained technicians with a passion for making music in Austin, TX USA.
  • Premium Components:
    The WA-1B is a 270v circuit with hand wired through-hole circuitry, and 100% discrete analogue signal path. The custom large-core transformers from Lundahl Sweden bring the full Scandinavian-style analogue tone of the WA-1B circuit to life. Paired with select tubes from JJ and Tung-Sol, the high-precision optical element applies sweet analogue warmth to audio signals with unrivalled accuracy.

Specifications:

  • Accurately recreating world-class Scandinavian compression combining smooth tube-optical warmth with precision controls
  • True-to-spec 270 volt, 100% discrete analogue signal path – hand wired with through-hole components
  • Transformer-balanced fully floating input and output – Custom-core large transformers from Scandinavian Manufacturer, Lundahl in Sweden
  • 12AX7 Tung-Sol & JJ 12AU7 tubes
  • Frequency response @ -3 dB: 5 Hz to 25 kHz
  • Self-Noise: < -75 dBU @ 30 dB gain
  • CMRR: > 60 dB @ 10 kHz
  • Ratio from 2:1 to 10:1
  • Variable Threshold: Off to -40 dBU
  • Continuously variable, fixed, or fixed/manual attack and release times
    – Fixed – Attack: 1 millisecond | Release: 50 milliseconds
    – Manual – Attack: .5 – 300 milliseconds | Release: .05 seconds – 10 seconds
    – Fixed/Man mode blends the release times of fixed and manual mode
  • Output gain: Off to +30 dBU
  • Input impedance: 600ohms
  • Two bus connectors to connect multiple sidechains
  • Meter (VU) input, output, or compression amount
  • Linear, low-noise power supply with toroidal power transformer

Brand

Warm

Category

Warm

Tags

Compression Pedals

Compressor

A compressor pedal evens out your dynamics, smoothing peaks and lifting quieter notes so everything feels tighter and more controlled. It adds sustain, clarity, and balance — making clean chords ring longer, country licks snap with precision, and funk rhythms pop with consistency. Subtle or pronounced, compression shapes the feel of your playing as much as the sound.

Use it at the front of your chain to tighten your core tone, add sustain to leads, or keep complex passages sitting neatly in the mix. From gentle polish to unmistakable squash, a compressor is one of those foundational tools that quietly makes everything sound more professional and dialled in.