UAD Studio Edition

The hardware LA-3 is my goto guitar tracking comp, and the software version does not disappoint!!! Excellent response and excellent quality. It goes on every guitar track I cut and then I freeze away. Guitars and snares grow in size and really stay put in the mix. A CLASSIC! Buy it now.

I was very excited to see that UA finally released the LA-3A for the UAD-1 when I puchased my first card. I had used the original hardware version and always wanted to own a few. I immediately purchased the UAD-1 version and was thrilled to find it dead on to the hardware and of course, plug-in quiet! It has that amazing transparency, smoothness, and adds a depth that you just don't find in other comps. It is the pinnacle of the Opto sound!

sound's a bit like LA-2A, but with faster attack (read "for vocals") and with bright middle range excitement.
good option for LA-2A users!

I thought i would take advantage of the extra october coupon and the 20% discount on comps to get the la3a.
When i first ran he demo i didn't see too much of a need for it to be honest, for the most part i have been running vocals through the 1176ln and considered it pretty much up to all the tasks i had thrown at it.
To cut a long story short the la3a is my prefered choice for vocals now.
It creates so much dephth and really brings out incredible detail, amazing on vocals with just a tiny bit of reverb.

It is however very colored, with even just a few db of gr it is obvious that the la3a is in the chain, but having said that i do not find it an unpleasent sound.
But if your looking for a cleaner vocal i would suggest the same amount of gain reduction via the 1176ln, but for depth the la3a rules.

Having the UAD-1 since 2001 I know all the plug-ins pretty well, and I couldn´t live without them...
On first sight, I thought the LA3A is not much different than the LA2A - but then came the day I used it on Vocals and... WOW - this is for me THE best darn thing for compressing Vocals!