The Technical Stuff
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Revision E was introduced in the early 1970s and was the first to accommodate European 220V mains
power with a voltage selector on the rear panel. Of all the revisions, model D and model E are
considered to have superior sound and are thus the most sought-after versions by audio engineers.
Another significant redesign occurred in 1973. The revision F output stage was modified to provide
higher output current capability by using a push-pull circuit design borrowed from Universal Audio's
new 1109 preamplifier. This new output stage replaced the original Class A circuit borrowed from the
1108 preamp. The meter drive circuit was also updated, with an operational amplifier instead of the
previous discrete circuit.
The classic transformer front end of the 1176 met its demise with the model G, in which an
electronically balanced input stage replaced it. The final update, the model H, simply marked a return
to a silver faceplate and the addition of a blue UREI logo.
The companies that Bill Putnam Sr. started—Universal Audio, Studio Electronics, and UREI—built
products that are still in regular use decades after their development. In 1999, Putnam’s sons Bill Jr.
and James Putnam re-launched Universal Audio. In 2000, the company released its first product: a
faithful reissue of the original 1176LN (revision D/E), which quickly garnered rave reviews, finding a
home in hundreds of professional and project studios worldwide.
In 2000, Bill Putnam Sr. was awarded a Technical Grammy for his multiple contributions to the
recording industry. Highly regarded as a recording engineer, studio designer/operator and inventor,
Putnam was considered a favorite of musical icons Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles, Duke
Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and many, many more. The studios he designed and operated were known for
their sound and his innovations were a reflection of his desire to continually push the envelope.
Universal Recording in Chicago, as well as Ocean Way and Cello Studios (now EASTWEST) in Los
Angeles all preserve elements of his room designs.
We here at Universal Audio, have two goals in mind: to reproduce classic analog recording equipment
designed by Bill Putnam Sr. and his colleagues, and to design new recording tools in the spirit of
vintage analog technology. Today we are realizing those goals, bridging the worlds of vintage analog
and DSP technology in a creative atmosphere where musicians, audio engineers, analog designers
and DSP engineers intermingle and exchange ideas. Every project taken on by the UA team is driven by
its historical roots and a desire to wed classic analog technology with the demands of the modern
digital studio.
