Teletronix® LA-3A Audio Leveler
-
A refresh for a legendary solid-state electro‑optical compressor.
If you took the gentle optical compression of the Teletronix LA‑2A, and fused it with the solid‑state clarity and punch of the UA 1176, you would have the Teletronix LA-3A — a "secret weapon" compressor with a unique character capable of moving sounds right to the front of your speakers.
Now featuring improved user interface graphics and sonic appointments, the refreshed Teletronix LA‑3A Audio Leveler for UAD hardware and Apollo interfaces takes its rightful place alongside the pillars of classic compression hardware.Now You Can:
Easily shape signals with the definitive solid‑state optical compressor
Add energy and harmonics to vocals and acoustic guitars
Make snare drums pop out of the mix
Add grit and texture to bass guitar and soft synths
Sculpt your sounds further with new HF Emphasis sidechain filter and parallel Dry/Wet Mix
Mix with artist presets from Mark Needham (Imagine Dragons, Fleetwood Mac), Damian Taylor (Björk, The Prodigy), and Eric J Dubowsky (Flume, Odesza) and more
LA-3A History
The Teletronix LA‑3A Audio Leveler made its debut at the 1969 NY AES show, and marked the departure from the tube design of the Teletronix LA‑2A. The LA‑3A incorporated components and design concepts from UA's solid-state driven 1176LN Limiting Amplifier, while also harnessing the LA‑2A's optical compression design, giving the LA‑3A its own distinctive sound and expanded versatility.
Faithfully Capturing a Classic
Immediately embraced as a studio workhorse, the LA‑3A is still widely used today. Engineers and producers the world over favor the LA‑3A for its unique compression characteristics and sonic signature. Modeled from a unit in UA’s vintage collection, the Teletronix LA‑3A Audio Leveler plug-in faithfully captures the rare hardware, working magic on vocals, guitars, and even drums.
New Modern Features
By adding the hardware’s original HF Emphasis sidechain filter, you can now easily use the Teletronix LA‑3A plug-in punch up your drum bus without triggering the threshold of the compressor with the kick drum. Plus, a new Dry/Wet Mix control lets you easily add parallel compression on an instrument bus, allowing you to season your productions with legendary Teletronix LA‑3A attitude.
“The Teletronix LA‑3A plug-in adds juicy, chewy tone to vocals, bringing them forward in a relaxed, yet commanding way. ”
– Damian Taylor (Björk, The Prodigy, The Killers)
“I love the updated Teletronix LA‑3A Audio Leveler plug-in. It's a top contender for not just tracks and auxes, but my stereo bus as well. And with the new sidechain filter, it's even more useful.”
– Jeff Balding (Taylor Swift, The Eagles, Dan+Shay)
“The UAD LA-3A plug-in is one of our favorite sound design tools. We use it to destroy reverb tails for interesting atmospheric effects.”
– The Glitch Mob
“The Teletronix LA‑3A plug-in gives you smooth optical compression, but with the aggression of a transistor circuit. It's perfect for shaping rock vocals, acoustic guitars, even orchestral instruments.”
– Joe Chiccarelli (Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey)
“I love the Teletronix LA‑3A's compression on electric and acoustic guitars and background vocals. Now I can love it all over again with a beautiful new interface!”
– Chris Zane (Passion Pit, St. Lucia, Holy Ghost!)
“An industry standard, the Teletronix LA‑3A plug-in will make guitars pop, level out bass, and do it all with the vintage tone of the original.”
– Richard Chycki (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater)
“The LA‑3A plug-in has a sort of liquid buoyancy that I like, especially on guitars and vocals. ”
– Chuck Zwicky (Prince, Soul Asylum, Reggie Watts)Customer Reviews
J. Manness
August 5, 2020
More subtle than an 1176
I've used it on bass and trumpet so far and it's easy and forgiving to abuse. If I don't like the aggressiveness of the 1176, the LA-3A seems to be the solution....
Read MoreJ. ALMANZA
July 18, 2020
Teletronix® LA-3A Classic Audio Leveler
Very nice and musical leveler. I find it faster than the LA-2A. Very useful for some parts in the song. Very good quality.
Read MoreO. Gonzalo Mallén
July 14, 2020
Good but...
I’m happy with the plugin, does the job really well, but is too small. I hardly see it from my sweet spot, please update the size for big screens....
Read MoreM. Röhm
July 11, 2020
LA-3A - classic for electric guitars
The LA-3A is my favourite compressors for clean to crunchy electric guitars, sometimes I also prefer it on vocals to tube compressors à la LA-2A. My only wish would be that the GUI was a...
Read MoreS. Gasparyan
July 2, 2020
Best for Drums. but interface is too small)))
Like for all quick attack instruments..
Read More -
Key Features
Definitive solid-state optical compressor combining LA-2A gain reduction and 1176 clarity and punch
LA-3A Audio Leveler plug-in modeled from a unit in UA’s vintage studio gear collection
Easy to use and unique autoformer T4 gain reduction useful on a wide variety of sources
Featuring simple Gain and Peak Reduction controls with Compression or Limiting
Expanded features include original High Frequency Emphasis filter and digital-only Dry/Wet Mix parallel processing
Includes artist presets from Mark Needham (Imagine Dragons, Fleetwood Mac), Damian Taylor (Björk, The Prodigy), and Eric J Dubowsky (Flume, Odesza) and more
Requires a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator or UA Audio Interface, available from authorized dealers worldwide
-
Customer Reviews
Teletronix® LA-3A Classic Audio Leveler
J. Manness
More subtle than an 1176
I've used it on bass and trumpet so far and it's easy and forgiving to abuse. If I don't like the aggressiveness of the 1176, the LA-3A seems to be the solution.
b. koh
LA-3A
I tried this with Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Stem buss, etc, frankly speaking, i didn't like it at all. I prefer either LA-2A series (LA-2, LA-2A Grey and LA-2A Silver) or 1176 series (1176 AE, 1176 Rev A, 1176 Rev E) which kind of much easier to achieve exactly what i need for specific purpose.
If you already own the LA-2A and 1176 series, spend worthy time experimenting the variation of these series applying to different tracks and buss. You'll see the MAGIC!
You don't really need the LA-3A to do anything that the other two can't perform. I'm saying that LA-3A sounds bad but if the other two can perform the same, especially with much more ease of control, why bother about LA-3A which has limited control?
Well it's just my personal view, no offend.J. ALMANZA
Teletronix® LA-3A Classic Audio Leveler
Very nice and musical leveler. I find it faster than the LA-2A. Very useful for some parts in the song.
Very good quality.O. Gonzalo Mallén
Good but...
I’m happy with the plugin, does the job really well, but is too small. I hardly see it from my sweet spot, please update the size for big screens.
M. Röhm
LA-3A - classic for electric guitars
The LA-3A is my favourite compressors for clean to crunchy electric guitars, sometimes I also prefer it on vocals to tube compressors à la LA-2A.
My only wish would be that the GUI was a little bigger or resizable - on a Macbook Pro with retina display it is comparatively small.R. McKinley
Does the trick
Easy to use, sounds good
S. Gasparyan
Best for Drums. but interface is too small)))
Like for all quick attack instruments..
N. Pinto
LA-3A in your arsenal!
Sometimes overlooked wrt LA-2A, the LA-3A has properties that you are for sure looking for. Only downside: UI too small.
C. Gabbianelli
Corrupts Delay Compensation in PT
Consistently corrupts the delay compensation in my PT sessions. Pretty disappointed in UAD's lack of resolution to this issue after all of the money I've invested into using their hardware and software.
A. Paulino
Gui too small
the GUI is too small, please update the GUI, the sound is pretty good, but is too small, I can hardly see it on my screen and I have a 32 inches screen
n. kauffmann
Easy plug-in for guitar
Use it on guitar and it gels together multitracked guitar nicely.
Needs a little work on the graphic side though.J. Davis
Pro Sound in a plugin
The LA3A makes your mixes sound huge and powerful. The only complaint I have is the small size of the GUI, but that doesn’t affect the amazing sound.
Š. Kominko
As always, the excellent work of Universal Audio.
Excellent compressor.
E. Van Wonterghem
needs graphic upgrade . " ua should makeplugins with resizable GUI "
Does UA ever upgrade a plugin in time? . ordered but forgot the GUI is way too tiny in 2020 ..i cant find it on my 5 k screen ..next to a distressor, the LA3 have the same size as one knob on distressor .,soundwise i think the dbx is better sounding and more flexible.. at same price level.
F. Sparagna
Sounds aces... but please update the GUI
Fantastic plugin, but the graphics is outdated on both Mac and Windows.
N. Outhuijse
Love it!
Love it!
F. Lubrano
Great!
Great Job,nice sound!!
A. Richardson
Love it
It’s does what I need it too do
N. Jensen Stilborg
I dig it
Sounds great, quick easy to dial in. Great price for what it is. It's a must-have tool for rocking vocals.
M. Tjäder
Simple & effektive
Lives up to the hype! Very easy to use, this far I really love it on drums.
