LA2A on vocals - Compress or Limit?

[Kenny Gioia]

You really are running out of questions.

I use compress but if your arm isn't too tired (from typing) move the switch in the other position.

I'm just teasin' ya.

Good Luck

[bassmac]

up - down - up - down -up - down... too many choices.

[Sir Bob]

My thread memory says that the LA2A is best for vocals while the 1176 for instruments.

Also, my memory says that some producers like to run the vocal track through an LA2A without really affectuating gain just to get the tone of the box so to speak. Does any of this make sense?

[jbuntz]

LA2A is sometimes good on Bass, Guitar, Vocals etc.

1176 is sometimes good on Bass, Guitar, Vocals etc.

Just two different sounds. I think the LA2A is designed as a broadcast compressor. I could be wrong. But that would be a good reason why there's a limit switch on it.

[Bob Olhsson]

I actually prefer "limit" but it requires knowing how to tweak to find the sweet spot in the curve for the song on the fly while riding gain on the input. I suppose learning to record vocals using a Fairchild 670 was what got me into this more hands-on approach to using a limiter.

[Overdrive]

Compression all the time.

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

How about LA2A first, then followed by an 1176... set it right and you wont need to comp/limit the vocal during mix! and use a fader post preamp, pre compression to ride the levels.

Wiggy

[7rojo7]

I like both, depends on the singer and the song, like always. It's more important where you have your level, I can easily go into an LA2A 10dB, again it depends on the singer, for a barker it won't fly and you might need something faster, for a whiner the LA2A in limit with even the lower passages budging the needle back actually makes it sound like someone is singing. I prefer the UA175 because you can tailor it to each singer and it has a similar sound (tubes and transformers, optical etc...)
I liked using the LA2A in limit while doing vocal comps/tuning with a fader in front and back of it and an Eventide Harmonizer, set my monitor fader to 0 and put the vocals where I wanted them (playing off the sync head if I needed to advance them) the old fashion way. I actually hope I never have to do it again

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally posted by Bob Olhsson


I suppose learning to record vocals using a Fairchild 670 was what got me into this more hands-on approach to using a limiter.

I feel really bad for you. Having to slum it and all.

I convinced an artist to rent one for a session and we used it on just about everything we recorded.

It's been all downhill since. grudge