Stam Audio are bringing accessibility to a once untouchable space.
Stam Audio are an audio company out of Viña del Mar, Chile, focussed on making good quality, decently priced reproductions of classic audio processing equipment and microphones, often with a few extra touches for easier integration into the modern studio.
The SA78+ is essentially a recreation of the renowned jFET Urei 1178 compressor, which is a stereo revision of the 1176. Like the original 1178, you can control the input and output for each channel together or separately. However, the ratio and attack and release settings are linked for both channels, making it ideal for stereo use.
I particularly like using it on drum busses or stereo overheads, but it can be used for various purposes. It has a different sound compared to the more common versions of the 1176 because it doesn’t have an input transformer, but uses an IC balancing circuit instead. Stam offers a deluxe version of this unit with an input transformer, but I’ll be discussing the regular version today.
Stam has made some modern adaptations to the SA78+. They’ve added XLR outputs on the back, eliminated the pigtails, and incorporated a slower attack modification of 15 milliseconds at the end of the knob, making it more suitable for use across a mix bus, especially when paired with a sidechain high pass filter to prevent triggering by bass frequencies. Additionally, they’ve included a wet/dry knob, a bypass switch, and a secret saturation-only option between the stereo and A/B switch.
The SA78+ is priced at 1,699 US dollars, much less than the original. Stam typically operates on a deposit system with a waiting period for the finished unit, but I believe the SA-78T+ is currently in stock and available for immediate purchase.
Head over to the Stam Audio Website to learn more and make sure you check out our full demo on Youtube!
