Overloud - COMP LA Opto Compressor - 2A and 3A version in one plugin!
 

Overloud has just released their new classic Compressor combination:

Overloud Comp LA is the revolutionary simulation of two legendary optical compressors into a single plug-in. The 2A version is tube-based and delivers a warmer, harmonically rich tone. The 3A version is solid-state based and has a faster attack, cleaner tone.

Built-in Mid-Side processing
Built-in Parallel Compression
User-controllable harmonic generation amount and metering
LF sensitivity (R37) control
User-selectable Ultra Oversampling mode
Meter calibration at 4 different sensibilities

https://overloud.com/products/comp-la

Wat do you think?

Cool

This could be big rockout

I'm having me a gear-gasm! wworried

Wow cooge

Good, I'll for sure test this.

We will have to compare it with OPTO32 (TimP Nebula)

Please let us know how it stacks up! I'm extremely curious about that. I've been on the fence on getting nebula solely for the 1176/la2a from tim p, but that nebula price tag is pretty steep.

Well, I've played around with the demo a little. I've had the pleasure last week to work on some vocals with the original hw and the new diy clone from Analog Vibes (which is scarily close if not to say indistinguishable to the original), but the software here didn't do any of the instant mojo and subtle but clearly audible high frequency shimmer and the widening of the soundstage the hardware had shown. Will also compare to TimP and Blackrooster etc. But first impression is, no, not yet there.

I've got the BRA LA-3A and will run a comparison as well.

Testing as i type ... if i like em : video ;)

First point : notice that default is wet dry at 50 %

Second : the Screw emphasis is the opposit of the original unit !!

The more you go clock wise , the less senstive to lows it is , while on the original if i recal well (please guyz verify this also) , when you go clock wise it's more sensitive to lows whiff all the way left it's focuses on high (witch can give that high freq taming we love)

Testing it on a rimshot based drum loop ... so it's unforgiven with a cliky attack ...the question is the R37 screw : is the 12 oclock position is the original unit position like it's supposed to be :

Ok my first finding , on a bass gtr , te LA3a is better at compressing than the CLA 3 witch i already find great giving its age !

Guyz you also have oversampling in pref and it's not taxing the cpu at all


1) Intro and plugin tour

2) Use on bass (versus CLA) @ 9 min

3) On GTR (versus CLA) @ 14 min 32

4) On master Bus @ 24 min 37

5) Balancing a beat (snare / kick drum balance with built in sidechain) @ 24min37

6) Conclusion part I @ 35 min 28

7) Mid / Side on the master Bus @ 37 min

8) Conlusion Part II



Thks for watching ,

Even the Klark Teknik LA-2 hardware clone has this filter "wrong"... They are simply using it as a sidechain filter in the low end (and they should stop calling it R37).

The R37 adjustment screw in the original LA-2A does nothing to the sensitivity of the lows. It is all about making the unit more sensitive to the highs.

From the manual:
Side-Chain Pre-Emphasis (R37)

The LA-2A was designed for use in broadcast applications. The audio signal in FM broadcasting undergoes pre-emphasis and results in a 17 dB boost at 15 KHz. Due to this increase in signal level, transmitters are subject to over-modulation.
The LA-2A provides a control (R37) which controls the amount of high-frequency compression.
This potentiometer is factory set for a “flat” side-chain response (clockwise).

Increasing the resistance of this potentiometer by turning it counter clockwise will result in compression which is increasingly more sensitive to the higher frequencies.

PS. The plugins of today does not have to take FM broadcasting into concideration, and I wish the plugin vendors could just label it with the correct name/function... If it is a low end sidechain filter, just label it that way.
We don't have to be "that" correct in our hardware emulations IMHO...

Or they could implement the R37 in its proper function...

Thks , yep i know the design , i was more into the result witch is basically for me like a Tilt Sidechain , but thks love getting precises infos like this on why it was designed like this ... do you see people playing with the screw or usually it's a"set and forget" ? need to check the one we have ...

Talking about the plugin i really like the layout and how they handle M/S ...but not ind L/R ? this could be usefull ...the way it's handke with IK tracks stuff is sometime not great , leading me somtiume in forgetting to tweak one side lol

Next in line : summit TLA 100 A softube

I do find that the LA3A is indeed in a smiley curve witch tightened the bass in fact ...now i have zero exeprience with the REAL LA3A so can't say if it's like that or not

The harmonics control & metering is exellent and i wish they implement this to over previuos gem sepcially the Gem 76

It feels like there are gonna be some intense discussions on this one like with the Blackrooster VLA-2A ! :lol:

Will we ever see a native LA2A emu which will get massive praise ?

Can you please explain what this mean in case of one channel compressor?

I'm not a 3A user .. However, the 2A so far sounds good for upto 5 db GR, more than that and it start showing some bumping (on vocals). In comparison to other plugins such as Softube TLA-100 and Arturia TUBE-STA they did better job IMO than this Comp-LA.

I'll compare it later to Kush Ar-1.

don't pay attention to GR values ...i know from exeprience that overloud VU is not at all like others when it comes to GR detections , to get the same amount of ompression i usually get softer ...or this might be their detections circuit that is faster to react ..

Always a TimP guy in one of these threads... lol

Always a bgood complaining only with the Nebula mention, although we have mentions to many others companies, like Black Rooster, Cakewalk and Waves.

Omg... relax, mate

... wait, who’s talking about cakewalk up in here?

I'm relaxed, but you should say that to yourself next time you see a Nebula mention. lol

Jeezo posted a photo of the Cakewalk 2a in probably a comparison he made. But there was many companies mentioned, like Arturia, Softube, Kush and even hardwares like KT, Analog Vibes.

Anyway, all good to me.

Peace.

Yes I try to match them by ear more than numbers, the 5 db GR is a roughly value.


BTW I tried it against Waves CLA-2a and I liked the COMP-LA much more, it just sounded a bit bigger and more open.

But still not something special that I must buy, mainly because I already have a few others opto compressors.

The thing is the M/S that always leads to make me use Fairchild or other stuff on busses (for vocals ) while i would love an L/R M/S LA 2A or CL1B !!

Testing on master bus , the Gem 3A is def more grabby and get tha snap i like , starting to really feel it .... GM Grabber is right , they designed only a sidechain while in original design it's really just playing on High freq , doing nothing to lows .... the CLA got it right ... but i'm ok with that , they went in another to implement something that can leads to the same results ... specially effcient on bass heavy material to get back just what you need ....

Black rooster’s la3a + LA2a (the paid collection) = done

They sound as close to my actual ones it seems like cheating... but, man, there are sooo many now...

Make some new sh|t y’all!!!

Like, I’d dig having 7 different STA-Levels, Gates, Manley comps... but 1176 and elops? While this is an interesting take, I say: enough!! Lol

I hear you. A bunch of LA2A and 1176 emulations are released every year and the UAD collections are already everything I expect from a plugin.

The BRA 2a and 3a are really that close to the hardware? I'll check that out.

The standard OS is 2x and the Ultra is 4x .. right?

Their 3a is

The 2a... it sounds like a really good elop, it doesn’t sound like what I expect an LA2a to sound like... but, I got all sorts of bashing for saying that when it came out lol

I think he also coded the bxOpto which is an amazing opto comp...