Comp LA

Two Legendary Optical Compressors

Comp LA, the latest release in the GEMs series from Overloud, is the revolutionary simulation of two legendary optical compressors. Overloud has created spot-on simulations of both the "2A" and the "3A" and included them in a single plug-in. The 2A version is tube based and delivers a warm, harmonically rich tone. The solid-state based 3A version has a fast attack and clean tone.

At the heart of the original unit there is a photo-cell coupled with an opto-attenuator, which Overloud faithfully reproduces in Comp LA. The photo-cell provides a very natural dual-stage release which results in a very characteristic compression response, more transparent than that of other compressors (70 ms for first half of the release, 500 ms to 5000 ms for second half of the release).

As with every GEM in the series, Overloud has added more functionality effectively taking Comp LA's capabilities far beyond the original hardware:

Hyper-realistic simulation of the opto-attenuator and the dual stage release curve
Built-in Mid-Side Processing
Built-in Parallel Compression
User-controllable harmonic generation and metering
LF sensitivity (R37) control
User-selectable "Ultra Oversampling" mode
Low CPU usage: more than 500 instances on a Macbook Pro Retina
Multilevel undo-redo
A/B Comparison
Scribble Strips: take notes anywhere on the plugin panel
Meter Calibration: calibrate the VU meters at 4 different sensitivities

Beyond the Original Hardware

Two Models in One Plug-in
Select the 2A (Tube) mode with a harmonically richer tone, and the 3A (Solid State) mode with a faster attack time and a more transparent tone.
Harmonic Control
Control the amount of generated harmonics and increase or reduce their amounts compared to the original hardware's behavior.
Mid-Side and Parallel
Separately compress the Mono (Mid) and Stereo (side) elements of your track as well as dial in the amount of Parallel Compression without using external buses.