The Differences Behind The Origin Effects Cali76

As one of the most legendary pieces of recording equipment in our time, the Urei 1176 compressor has influenced more than its fair share of gear makers. Since the compressor's creation in 1966, there has been no more famous offspring than that of the Origin Effects Cali76.

By minimizing the makeup of a studio-grade compressor into a pedal-size stompbox, the designers at Origin Effects have given the sonic gift of effortless compression to live and studio players everywhere. With 100% Class-A discrete signal path, extremely quick FET response and attack/release controls, the Cali76 follows the topology of the original with extreme detail.

While this pedal has been a favorite among studio musicians since the beginning, there is one question that often lingers about the effect itself. With three different options of Origin Effects Cali76, what are the differences between these amazing sounding pedals? Let's break it down.

Origin Effects Cali76-STD: While many might think that the original Cali76 pales in comparison to the pedals that follow it, the Standard version of this stompbox is an essential pickup for anyone looking to add compression to their live rig. Simply by using the Attack, Release, and Ratio knobs, a player can dial in a wide range of compression with priceless transparency and low noise. The Cali76-STD offers a simple plug-in and play set-up that will make it easy for newcomers to create great compression.

Origin Effects Cali76-TX: Building on the basic sound of the Cali76-STD, the Cali76-TX adds an Iron transformer-coupled output to the amplifier level out as well as adding a balanced line output with pad for feeding your studio interface or FOH.  This essentially turns the transformer versions not only into one of the finest compression pedals ever made, but a top-notch DI as well. While it will change your guitar's original tone, the saturation, gain, and compression work well together, as the pedal never pushes your sound too far out there.

Origin Effects Cali76-TX-L: The Cali76-TX-L is the same pedal as the Cali76-TX, but adds a Lundahl transformer instead. The difference between the iron-core transformer created in-house at Origin Effects, and the made-in-Sweden Lundahl transformer is that you are getting a more glassy, transparent sound with the Lundahl. Less saturation! If you primarily use your compression pedal in a live setting, the Cali76-TX-L is the right pedal to choose.