Warm Audio WA-1B

A Scandinavian Icon, Reimagined for Today's Studios

The WA-1B pays tribute to a legendary optical compressor beloved by producers. Hand-wired to preserve the sonic DNA of its predecessor, it combines a generous tube section with an ultra-responsive optical cell to deliver that "forgiving" and musical compression, but with the speed and precision expected in modern workflows.

For Whom and For What Uses?

Designed for demanding engineers, the WA-1B excels on lead vocals, bass, synths, guitars, and acoustic tracks, while holding its place on an instrument bus. Its hardware bypass allows instant comparisons, and its analog behavior ensures tracking with no perceptible latency, whether during recording, mixing, or mastering.

Creative Control and Studio Precision

The combination of fixed/manual/combined modes offers several dynamic "personalities," from transparent smoothing to more pronounced pumping. The wide range of controls (gain, threshold, ratio, attack, release) enables a fine and repeatable workflow, while the switchable VU meter (input, reduction, output) with built-in calibration guarantees a consistent reference level from project to project.

The large-core Lundahl transformers and selected JJ and Tung-Sol tubes provide authentic harmonic density, solid low end, and silky highs. Professional balanced connectivity, sidechain insert on input and output, as well as extended frequency response ensure perfect integration into any hybrid or fully analog studio.

Technical specifications

Selected tubes	JJ and Tung-Sol	Impedance	600 ohms
Gain	from "off" to +30 dB	Frequency response (-3 dB)	5 Hz to 25 kHz
Threshold	from "off" to -40 dB	Noise floor	below -75 dBu at 30 dB gain
Ratio	from 2:1 to 10:1	Dimensions	230 x 480 x 90 mm
VU meter selection	input, compression, output	Weight	4.4 kg
Mode selector	fixed / manual / combined