Smasher is an unprecedented custom modification of the classic Urei 1176 compressor circuit, a unique formula that we came across while fine-tuning other algorithms.
The original 1176 compressor hardware offered a choice of four ratios, but studio engineers soon discovered that pressing them all at the same time resulted in a distorted, explosive, and highly compressed sound. It is this “All Buttons In” or “British” mode that Smasher carefully designed to recreate.
Staying very close to the original layout, the modifications we’ve built into Smasher will add definition to the transients and make your tone more aggressive. We love using it to enhance the atmosphere in drums, but there are many other creative uses as well. Smasher won’t work on every track, but where it works, it works magically.
Smasher excels with rough and gritty sounds reminiscent of bands like Vulfpeck, The Whitefield Brothers and The Black Keys
