Add vintage optical compression to your mixes
The U2A is a unique LA-2A-style opto compressor plugin. It retains all the tone, bold minimalism, and beautiful nonlinearities that made the LA-2A famous while providing the control and flexibility that are necessary for modern music production. NEOLD’s U2A is great for vocals, bass, drums, and stereo buses.
Blend between different eras of optical compressors
Analog LA-2As can sound substantially different from one another depending on age, components, and condition. Everyone has their favorite era; while some 2A plugins try to address this by offering alternate models, the NEOLD U2A takes it further. Thanks to the unique “Aging” knob, you can continuously vary the character from that of a freshly serviced unit with a new opto cell to an age-old vintage device in its original, unaltered state.
Apply LA-2A style compression to more sources than ever
The U2A compressor modernizes the classic 2A design by adding a "Recovery" control for adaptable release times. It also features a "Drive" knob, which independently adjusts saturation, allowing for precise coloration without affecting the amount of compression applied. This makes the NEOLD U2A more versatile and easier to use than a classic LA-2A, catering to a broad range of sound sources.
Control your mix with advanced digital features
In addition to these unique features, the NEOLD U2A offers features that no plugin rendition of an LA-2A would be complete without. There’s an R37 sidechain filter control for adjusting the frequency emphasis of the compressor, a Mix knob to help you find the perfect blend of compression, A/B/C/D comparison options, and an extensive library of factory presets.
Get the sound of a hardware compressor in the box
Everything else about the U2A offers exactly what you’d expect from a real hardware LA-2A. The component-level modeling from NEOLD nails the gorgeous character and smooth response of the original HA-100x input transformer, T4B opto cell, and 12AX7 and 6AQ5 vacuum tubes. Whether using it for gentle compression, hard limiting, or just a bit of drive, the U2A provides the character you want with the flexibility you need.
