Pulsar 1178 is a FET compressor plugin from Pulsar Audio that recreates the tonal colour and compression behaviour of the original 1178 hardware, and the pulsar 1178 crack search is one of the most common queries around it.
Pulsar 1178 at a glance
| Developer | Pulsar Audio |
|---|---|
| Type | Effects / Compressor |
| Formats | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX |
| Operating systems | Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.9 or later |
| Apple Silicon | Native |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| Copy protection | iLok |
| RAM | 4 GB or more |
| Disk space | 1 GB |
| Free trial | Available |
| Price on Plugin Boutique (October 2026) | €68.43 (regular €147.76) |
What Pulsar 1178 does
The plugin is built around topology preservation technology, which the developer says keeps the behaviour of the original device intact. A saturation stage offers four flavours, Tape, Warm, Triode and Clip, and the sidechain includes an EQ section that shapes the signal before it reaches the detector. Look-ahead is available up to 20 ms and look-behind up to 10 ms, and mid-side processing lets mono and stereo information be handled with separate settings.
An external sidechain input supports ducking, de-essing and filtering of the trigger signal, and the metering section shows gain reduction, input level and output level at the same time.
Key features
- Topology preservation and saturation. Topology preservation technology is used to emulate the original device, and a four-flavour saturation stage adds Tape, Warm, Triode and Clip colouration on top of the compressor.
- Mid-side and look-ahead. Mid-side processing lets the mono and stereo content of the signal be processed with different settings, and look-ahead up to 20 ms and look-behind up to 10 ms adjust the timing of the detector.
- Sidechain EQ and external input. A full sidechain EQ shapes the detection signal, and an external sidechain input supports ducking, de-essing and filtering of the trigger.
- Metering section. Gain reduction, input level and output level are displayed together, with peak meters for overall dynamics and RMS meters for loudness.
- Resizable interface. Draggable resize handles let the interface be scaled to the output configuration in use.
- Crack, keygen and serial variants. The pulsar 1178 crack, pulsar 1178 keygen and pulsar 1178 serial key are the strings most often paired with the name in searches.
Use cases
- Mix bus control. The fast, bright character of the compressor is positioned for taming unruly material on group and master buses.
Compatibility
Activation uses iLok, and the install needs 4 GB RAM and 1 GB of disk space. A trial is available.
Who it is for
The plugin suits mix engineers and producers who want FET colouration with a sidechain EQ, external keying and mid-side handling inside a DAW.
Pulsar 1178 compared with similar plugins
SSL Blitzer by Solid State Logic is also an effects compressor available as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX for Windows and macOS. The Pulsar 1178 is the FET-based option in this group, while the alternatives differ mainly in developer and format list.
| Plugin | Developer | Type | Formats | Systems | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulsar 1178 | Pulsar Audio | Compressor | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €68.43 (regular €147.76) |
| SSL Blitzer | Solid State Logic | Compressor | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €101.15 |
| Punch Evolved | Minimal System Group | Compressor | VST2 | Windows | €23.80 |
| Punch Compressor | Minimal System Group | Compressor | VST2 | Windows | €13.89 |
| Chandler Limited® Germanium Compressor | Softube | Compressor | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €74.38 (regular €246.93) |
Price and availability
Pulsar 1178 was listed on Plugin Boutique in October 2026 at €68.43, reduced from €147.76. A free trial is offered. Prices change often, so the store page shows the current one.
Pulsar 1178 FAQ
Does Pulsar 1178 run on Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes. Native support for Apple Silicon is listed, and the minimum macOS version is 10.9.
Is a trial version of Pulsar 1178 available?
Yes. A trial is available, so the sidechain and saturation modes can be checked in a session first.
Where can I download Pulsar 1178 crack for free?
Pulsar 1178 crack files circulate as x64 crack and x86 crack builds, often packed as .rar and .iso, and are typically shared through torrent and magnet link channels.
Is there a working serial key or keygen for Pulsar 1178?
A working serial is the string most often typed, and a keygen or serial crack is the usual search for activation outside the trial.