I try them lightly on bass guitar in compression mode, 'flat', and Analog off so as to compare them fairly with my other 'go to' bass guitar compressor plug-ins. A smart feature indeed but I had to try the 'All-Ratio-Buttons-In' mode on a stereo drum mix and as I expected: gnarly sounding just like using a pair of old 1176s!īoth the CLA-2A and CLA-3A also worked like the original hardware units. Without naming names, when set identically as possible to other 1176LN-modeled plug-ins, I found the CLA-76 on lead vocals to sound more 'forward' in character and more aggressive in the way it kept the vocal right up front and 'in your face.' Like the hardware models, the Bluey revision has a little more grit and distortion over the newer revision Blacky and you can switch between them and all the settings remain the same. You get mono and stereo emulations of four of UA's famed compressors: the LA-2 electro-optical-based all tube leveling amplifier (CLA-2A), the transistorized LA-3 unit (CLA-3A), and both the classic black-face ('Blacky') 1176LN and older blue striped ('Bluey') Peak Limiters (CLA-76).Īfter I installed the CLA bundle into my Pro Tools HD Accel rig, I went about comparing them to other plug-in compressors-and I have them all!

These are the very units that, during Chris' long career, have seen more gold and platinum hit record vocals pass through them than a 1,000 other compressors-hardware or software. I'm pretty excited about this one all right! WAVES in cooperation with 'hit mix doctor' Chris Lord-Alge have release the CLA Classic Compressor bundle modeled on Chris' collection of vintage Universal Audio compressors. Go To The Music Connection 'New Toys' Directory

Read Barry's Mix Magazine Feature Article On Compression and Compressors

Cla 2a mono