The Final & Ultimate LA2A Plugin - Poll!

[nanostream]

While we’re at it, what’s the verdict on Arturia‘s TUBE-STA? I slap it on bass tracks on occasion and like it. But I still haven’t compared it to NI‘s VC 2A, the only LA2A emulation I own (as part of Guitar Rig). It should be roughly in the same ball park, right?

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

While we’re at it, what’s the verdict on Arturia‘s TUBE-STA? I slap it on bass tracks on occasion and like it. But I still haven’t compared it to NI‘s VC 2A, the only LA2A emulation I own (as part of Guitar Rig). It should be roughly in the same ball park, right?

That is a Mu compressor. Not an Opto. Different topology.

[nanostream]

That is a Mu compressor. Not an Opto. Different topology.

Ah, thanks, good to know.

[Waynerama]

Looking at the votes for u-he Presswerk, there are at least 17 people on KVR who don't know what an LA-2A is.

MOST of the people on KVR don't know what an LA2A is.

Apparently, some also don't know what Presswerk is.

Well played

[martinjuenke]

I'm kind of surprised that that ACME Opto doesn't get more appreciation.
(Taking into account that many guys here and there are hyperventilating about this Ray who coded it....)

[martinjuenke]

Next surprise is for me:
The most expensive plugin seems to be the best.
Obviously price is still a good indicator for quality.

[martinjuenke]

Last one:
IK Multimedia is doing something right...
That eases my soul which struggled a bit being wooed into this super sale last year.

[Biome_Digital]

What about Arturia tube-sta?

[jamcat]

We get a lot of positive testimony for the task at hand. Even if the controls do not match up 100%, the experience is certainly there.

I see there is a button to set the release to adaptive, which is nice. I’m assuming the behaviour is modeled on the LA-2A. Also, the HP sidechain is a nice touch, which I’m guessing models the LA-2A’s R37 pre-emphasis.

But, the LA-2A has a fixed attack, so your variable attack is going to leave a bit of guesswerk for a user trying to accurately replicate an LA-2A.

And most concerning is yours has 3 selectable fixed ratios, while the LA-2A’s ratio is adaptive, and completely program dependent. So this to me doesn’t seem like it is really going to be an LA-2A experience where it counts the most. Unless the ADAPT button overrides the ratio, too.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

The LA-2A has a compress/limit switch. So two ratio options. Though, the difference isn’t huge between them.

[martinjuenke]

What about Arturia tube-sta?

AFAIK it's not an Opto thing.

[vitocorleone123]

Last one:
IK Multimedia is doing something right...
That eases my soul which struggled a bit being wooed into this super sale last year.

Are they, or do they just give away software for cheap so lots more people use it?

I don't know the answer.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Last one:
IK Multimedia is doing something right...
That eases my soul which struggled a bit being wooed into this super sale last year.

Are they, or do they just give away software for cheap so lots more people use it?

I don't know the answer.

IK has a few killer products: TONEX and the Tape Collections are best in class IMO. Their Leslie Collection is very good. I REALLY like Sunset Sound and FAME even if they are just glorified IR programs. MODO Bass is still incredible for what it does. Aside from that, I don't use their other products with any kind of regularity as I don't rate them too highly (talking mostly older T-Racks stuff and things like Sampletank/Syntronik). Even Amplitube feels bloated with mediocre sound compared to TONEX. But all of those great releases are somewhat recent so I give them credit for stepping up their game recently.

[jamcat]

The LA-2A has a compress/limit switch. So two ratio options. Though, the difference isn’t huge between them.

It’s not the difference between compress and limit modes that I’m talking about. I’m talking about the compression behaviour itself. There is no single fixed ratio in either compress or limit mode in an LA-2A. The ratio itself constantly varies, depending on the program material. Just like the release time. There’s an average attack time, but even that will vary.

You cannot model the behaviour of an LA-2A with a simple non-adapting 2, 4, or 8 ratio.

[Leo1999]

These perhaps came out after you compared SSL models, but did you ever test the Waves SSL EV2 or SSL’s new 4K plugin?

Both model the SL-4000 E, including its preamps. I use the Waves version as my front end for the preamp modeling. I’d like to try the SSL, but it is subscription only, though I think you get a perpetual license with certain SSL hardware.

It’s a great disappointment that bx doesn’t model the preamps, because it is a good model otherwise. IK doesn’t model preamps because it is actually a model of the Mynx X-Rack XR418 and XR425 units, which don’t have preamps.

Yes, I did. Actually, now that you said it I can remember Waves (the latest SSL model) being my second choice. But UAD saturation and compression took me over.

Let me put this more clearly: these days anyone can find fabulous SSL emulation from their favorite developer and it will work wonders. Now IMHO there are amazing SSL channel plugins out there. It's just a matter of personal sensibilities. Example: I tried the latest Softube Icons compressors. While the compressor action is really amazing I can not stand "Softube" saturation sound. There is something I can not describe but I don't like how their plugins saturate when you drive them. But other people love it.

To each their own.

I am very surprised 2 see someone sharing my opinion. I didn't dare 2 write it because Softube is considered a high quality plugin dev. I also don't like Softube's saturation at all, it simply doesn't make a signal sound good. I demoed their Neve emu cs a while ago and it's the same.