FATSO Jr. / Sr.

The Empirical Labs EL7 FATSO's design and creative feature set gives users the warm and pleasing sound of magnetic recording tape, "class A" transformers, and tube circuits. Endorsed and scrutinized for accuracy by designer Dave Derr of Empirical Labs, Universal Audio has recreated the FATSO Jr. in this UAD Powered Plug-In, capturing the sonic nuances of the original hardware. Specifically, the FATSO is designed to musically integrate frequencies and transients — and increase the apparent volume of your source material — in the same way classic analog equipment does.

As part of the FATSO Powered Plug-In, UA has also worked closely with Dave Derr to model his never-before-available original concept of the FATSO, the FATSO Sr., at no additional charge.

Feature Summary:

• Recreates the warm, musical qualities of magnetic recording tape, tubes, and class A transformers.
• Licensed and endorsed by Empirical Labs, created by Universal Audio.
• Clipping, Warmth, Tranny and Compression Select allow for a wide variety of analog tonal shaping possibilities.
• Additional UAD Powered Plug-In exclusive, FATSO Sr., provides original concept developed by Empirical Labs' Dave Derr.
• FATSO Sr. features include Tranny Saturation, Sidechain Filtering plus Threshold, Attack and Release.
• Stereo or Mono operation with independent Left/Right controls.
• Requires UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card available from authorized dealers worldwide.

FATSO Jr:

• Input Gain operates as processor threshold and allows for clipping distortion.
• Output Gain operates as makeup gain/gain reduction.
• Warmth circuit and cycling button offers seven degrees of saturation simulating the softening of the high frequencies that occurs with analog tape.
• Tranny circuit adds frequency "rounding," low order harmonic clipping, intermodular distortion and transient clipping.
• Tranny/Bypass cycling button allows for Tranny enable/disable and independent channel Bypass of all processing.
• FATSO Comp cycling button offers seven compression options:
  • Buss - Slow attack, fast release, soft knee buss compression.
  • G.P./General Purpose - Medium attack, slow release, transparent compression.
  • Tracking Compressor - Fast attack, medium release "1176-type" compression/limiting.
  • SPANK - "SSL talkback-type" aggressive limiting, can also be combined with Buss, G.P. or Tracking.
• Warmth and Compression metering via horizontal LED meters.
• Distortion metering via the "0 VU" yellow LED light indicating 1% THD, red "Pinned" LED indicating 5% THD or more.
• Link Compress links or unlinks compressor sidechain between Channels 1 and 2.
• Link Controls links or unlinks Ch 1 and 2 controls for ease of use in stereo operation.
• Processing can be bypassed globally via the Power switch for comparison to the original unprocessed signal.

FATSO Sr:

• All of the FATSO Jr. controls plus...
• Threshold Lvl knob adjusts compressor threshold.
• Tranny Lvl knob adjusts transformer saturation.
• HP Side Filter enables high pass filter in compression sidechain, selectable between 60, 120, 240, and 480Hz.
• Attack cycling button manually adjusts compressor attack time between 0.9, 10, 30, and 100ms.
• Release cycling button manually adjusts compressor release time between 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5s.

{See video at top of page}