uhhh....they're all good?...Each of those is awesome for different applications..the Gates and the Altec are vintage and have a definite flavor..the 1176 and La2a are sounds you hear everyday on your cd's and on the radio..what kind of info were you looking for?
that altec, isn't that the compressor that's used by one of the engineers of the beetles?
i'd love to get me a pair of 1176's one day, but it sure will take a few years...