Best LA-2A Emulation?

[bmanic]

I've been liking the Native Instruments LA2A quite a lot recently. Especially on the classic target, DI bass or upright bass it seems to be the most "stable" of the plugins. That is, it works exactly as an LA2A should, it keeps riding the levels keeping the bass firm and steady.

I had huge trouble getting the IK LA2A to do the same thing and I could not get the Cakewalk version to do it either, though I do suspect that fiddling a bit more with the HF knob thingy might have helped.

I still think the UAD classic LA2A is very nice too. It just lacked the tube thingy but the actual compression worked very favorably! I'm sure the new and improved UAD LA2A plugins are a big step up but unfortunately I haven't had a time to check them out.

Cheers!
bManic

[lacandon]

Which upcoming from Quinto do you mean? I can see no LA2A Emulation on the Sknote Homepage.

the la 2a in bus.2 will be updated with its own interface and more colour will be modelled the same as the 1176 (the distortion)plus lot of mega stuff witch nobody did or will do the man is rocking !

[lacandon]

I've been liking the Native Instruments LA2A quite a lot recently. Especially on the classic target, DI bass or upright bass it seems to be the most "stable" of the plugins. That is, it works exactly as an LA2A should, it keeps riding the levels keeping the bass firm and steady.

I had huge trouble getting the IK LA2A to do the same thing and I could not get the Cakewalk version to do it either, though I do suspect that fiddling a bit more with the HF knob thingy might have helped.

I still think the UAD classic LA2A is very nice too. It just lacked the tube thingy but the actual compression worked very favorably! I'm sure the new and improved UAD LA2A plugins are a big step up but unfortunately I haven't had a time to check them out.

Cheers!
bManic

The original is nice and smoother but the difference with the new one is day and night , also the new one distorts way too much not sure if la 2a is used excatly for that but is good emulation

[AC222]

The update for StripBus is a huuuuuuge one. Sta-level, new 1176, 2500... you'll like it. But the amount of work is enormous...

Oh... and the new interfaces..

Quoted from Quinto at gearslutz

That's awesome!!!!

[gmitch]

Shouldn't be the Stripbus emu the most authentic, because it covers all the idiosyncracies of the original?

YEP!!!

[bmanic]

I've been liking the Native Instruments LA2A quite a lot recently. Especially on the classic target, DI bass or upright bass it seems to be the most "stable" of the plugins. That is, it works exactly as an LA2A should, it keeps riding the levels keeping the bass firm and steady.

I had huge trouble getting the IK LA2A to do the same thing and I could not get the Cakewalk version to do it either, though I do suspect that fiddling a bit more with the HF knob thingy might have helped.

I still think the UAD classic LA2A is very nice too. It just lacked the tube thingy but the actual compression worked very favorably! I'm sure the new and improved UAD LA2A plugins are a big step up but unfortunately I haven't had a time to check them out.

Cheers!
bManic

The original is nice and smoother but the difference with the new one is day and night , also the new one distorts way too much not sure if la 2a is used excatly for that but is good emulation

You need to feed it lower levels if you feel it's distorting too much! The threshold/peak/gain reduction knob is there for a reason!

Run it with -24dBFS average levels, peaks at -12dBFS or so and you get a really nice sounding compressor. You can even go lower than that and still get plenty of compression. Or you can drive it way past 0dBFS and really saturate the hell out of it. Love it!

Cheers!
bManic

[lacandon]

I've been liking the Native Instruments LA2A quite a lot recently. Especially on the classic target, DI bass or upright bass it seems to be the most "stable" of the plugins. That is, it works exactly as an LA2A should, it keeps riding the levels keeping the bass firm and steady.

I had huge trouble getting the IK LA2A to do the same thing and I could not get the Cakewalk version to do it either, though I do suspect that fiddling a bit more with the HF knob thingy might have helped.

I still think the UAD classic LA2A is very nice too. It just lacked the tube thingy but the actual compression worked very favorably! I'm sure the new and improved UAD LA2A plugins are a big step up but unfortunately I haven't had a time to check them out.

Cheers!
bManic

The original is nice and smoother but the difference with the new one is day and night , also the new one distorts way too much not sure if la 2a is used excatly for that but is good emulation

You need to feed it lower levels if you feel it's distorting too much! The threshold/peak/gain reduction knob is there for a reason!

Run it with -24dBFS average levels, peaks at -12dBFS or so and you get a really nice sounding compressor. You can even go lower than that and still get plenty of compression. Or you can drive it way past 0dBFS and really saturate the hell out of it. Love it!

Cheers!
bManic

Thanks for this info dude , btw the grey face do it(the distortion) the original one is slow as pony ,i heard that the cakewalk emulation is good like the uad one but i am on snow leopard here and can't taste it.

[Milos]

Fix for 10.6.8


System/Libary/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist
Make a copy of it onto your desktop


Open it in a plist editor or text editor and change both the strings with 10.6.8 to 10.7.5
then save it. Then drag the edited version back into the CoreServices folder

Install the CA-2A and enjoy

Finally , just change your system SystemVersion.plist back again

[electro]

I want to hear a proper LA-2A drum shootout with all plugs properly gainstaged and Hardware LA-2A included. Compression should be extreme and suitable drum .wav file used.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I want to hear a proper LA-2A drum shootout with all plugs properly gainstaged and Hardware LA-2A included. Compression should be extreme and suitable drum .wav file used.

What drums would you use an LA-2A on? Every time I've ever put any LA-2A clone on a drum track I promptly removed it in favor of a better alternative. I just don't see it as a drum compressor. Bass, vocals, guitars, some keyboard tracks? Yes to all. Drums? Never did anything for me. Just curious...

[electro]

Transient audio like drums are best for illustrating differences. Its also the best source for testing Tape plugs.

[theodore_whitmore]

Acoustic guitar strumming would be a better source to test an LA2A with. Strong transients and harmonically rich. A good LA2A emu should be able to tone down the sustain of an acoustic so that it fits in the mix better, without giving the sense that it has lost much body and warmth. My 2p.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Transient audio like drums are best for illustrating differences. Its also the best source for testing Tape plugs.

An LA-2A emulation that sounded great on drums probably wouldn't sound like an LA-2A. I'd want to hear an LA-2A roundup on some dynamic, sloppy, bass playing. Or a dynamic vocal performance. Or an acoustic guitar part. That's where you'd most want to reach for an LA-2A.

Anyway, I have the old UA version, the new UA versions, the IK version, and could probably even demo the Cakewalk version. If anyone has access to the hardware and some audio they want to test, I'd try and help with a test if needed.

[Eddie TX]

FWIW, I have four LA-2A emus: Waves, NI, IK, and the Cakewalk version (yes, I have too many plugins). IMHO, they all do a good job of leveling out a guitar or vocal track, and my preference changes depending on what day it is ... and oh yeah, the style of song.

The sonic differences are subtle, I find. Generally I think the Waves is the most aggressive-sounding, with just a touch of that CLA bite which some may find harsh but can be well-suited for rock. The other end of the (narrow) spectrum is represented by the NI VC2A, which is smooth and silky. The newest IK version is rich and detailed-sounding to my ears. I find myself reaching for it a lot lately. The CW plugin is good but maybe just a tad lean. Again, these aren't night/day diffs, and my opinion is subject to change.

Feature-wise, give points to NI for the HPF on the detector and the handy wet/dry knob. Kudos to IK for the M/S function. And score one for CW and Waves for the RC37 screw, which can change the sound drastically.

My favorite GUI belongs to the IK -- large and clear with smooth control and meter action. The others are OK, but for some reason most Waves plugins I own have jerky controls, and the CLA-2A is no exception. This may be just a quirk of my setup. Anyway, I hope this helps. But remember, YMMV.

Cheers,
Eddie

[cosmosis]

Isn't the free Optron 3A by Phoenix In flight based on the la2a? Anyone compared it to others?