UK Sound 1173 Channel Strip Review

This is very exciting for me because about two or three years ago I came up with the idea to take a 1073 and an 1176 and put them together!

There’s loads of 1073s and 1176s and all this kind of stuff, people use them all the time, but I wanted to put it in one box. And most importantly as I wanted to make it affordable because 1176s are $1,500+. There are some cheaper ones that are made under $1,000 and then 1073s, good quality ones, run for about $3,000! There are a lot cheaper one’s, but there wasn’t really anything that did both of these things, which I absolutely love. (I use 1073s on everything!) And most of use use 1176s on pretty much everything as well! So I thought “well why can’t we just put those all in one box and make them one rack unit?”

A very good friend of mine Michael Stucker, a professor at Indiana University, basically builds equipment, he restores equipment- he’s just really smart… he’s a professor!

Next I went to my friend Mark Loughman over at BAE! BAE are products I have been using since their inception 17-18 years ago. I became friends with Mark because I already liked what he made! It wasn’t a case of a friend making a product; it was a product I loved and I sought him out! Long story short BAE make incredible mic pre’s, incredible compressors and everybody loves them. They’re some of the highest quality one’s out there! Compressors are easy to use and you’ll quickly learn how to use a compressor.

It was a challenge. How do we preserve that high quality sound and make sure that there’s input and output transformers inside of this thing? AND it really genuinely keeps the best aspects of a 1073 and an 1176?

I know what you’re thinking… Warren! Get to the point! Let’s hear this thing! Okay, we have one of the first production models and I’m going to record a song using one mic!

You can check out the 1173 here and purchase it from Vintage King!

The UK Sound 1173 is the result of a design collaboration between Los Angeles-based producer Warren Huart and gear designer Michael Stucker, produced and manufactured by UK Sound. The UK Sound 1173 brings the best of both worlds into a single unit, offering a Neve style 1073 preamp and Universal Audio 1176 FET compressor.

The 1073 has been a go-to preamp to many engineers for decades because of it’s ability to add clarity and punch to any source you run through it. An ideal choice for drums, percussion, bass, electric guitar, acoustic instruments and vocals.

The preamp allows you to choose between three different input types, DI, Line or Mic. Adjust the gain with the 12 step attenuator in 5 dB intervals for easy recallability. The front panel includes a dedicated DI input, phase flip switch and the ability to engage phantom.

Choose between High and Low impedance depending on the style of mic you choose or to simply change how the microphone responds to the preamp. Engage the high pass filter to clear out any rumble or mud from the bottom end of the signal, then use the preamp output control to send the perfect level to your A/D converter or tape machine.

The compressor channel works similarly to a classic 1176, with the ability to adjust attack and release. Choose between four selectable ratio controls and adjust the output to the A/D converter or tape machine. It features the recognizable FET compressor controls for input and output gain and the time-honored compression ratio options of 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 20:1. The “preamp out” works as the input to the compressor rather than having a dedicated INPUT knob. 

The 1173 has a side chain filter in the compressor section allowing lower frequencies to pass through without engaging the compression. Engage the true bypass switch to compare the signal pre and post-compression. The “!” switch engages the “all buttons in” setting commonly found on a classic 1176 too adds layers of excitement and depth to the signal.

As with BAE Audio, all UK Sound products are built in California with carefully chosen components. BAE Audio’s longstanding tradition of building vintage circuits makes Loughman and his team uniquely qualified to bring UK Sound to life as a company that applies that expertise in new and unique ways.