Universal Audio 2-LA-2

No but I'd like to know experiences with it as well, some soundbytes would be awesome!

How did it compare to an LA2A? I've seen people saying that it sounds more like the LA on the LA610, but I imagine those people ate listening with their eyes and not their ears. The circuit doesn't look like the LA610 from an amateur prospective. I expect that it'll be here early next week and I have 30 days to evaluate, so it'll be put through it's paces nicely.

I think that it's the transformers that are different, not the optos. According to this video, they have LA3A transformers. They also say that there is fast and slow T4's, but they didn't end up putting in the fast setting, so it only has the standard LA2A slow T4. When I get it in, I'll pop the top and have svart and unit7 take a peek at the guts. I'm sure that they could get an idea of what it looks like in there.

I picked it up from Guitar Center, so I get the 30 days to play. I just gotta decide if the hardware is $3000 better than my Waves and IK LA2A emulations.

I have to imagine that this unit is actually pretty good and just got a bad rap because it looked like the LA610 and not a vintage Teletronix unit.

Here is some info and pic that I found on the UA site. Not sure if you can tell anything from here...

Replacing Tubes: 2-LA-2

These units require changing four 12AX7 tubes at locations V3/V4/V8/V9, two 12BH7 tubes at locations V5/V10, and two EL84 tubes at locations V2/V7.

Locations V2 and V7 are not marked on the main board (these are location designators listed in the schematics). The EL84 – V2/V7 sockets are located to the left of the T4 cells at locations T7/T9.

www.uaudio.com/media/blog/2012/05/tube_14.jpg

Info is from here...

www.uaudio.com/blog/support-report-tubes/

The 12BH7 is a good sign. Those were used in the original as the output driver, whereas the LA610 did not use them and suffered for it. The EL84 is different from the original LA2A, I assume they use it to replace the more rare 6AQ5 that was in the sidechain of the original LA2A since they are similar.

Don't get too hung up on comparison. The originals had 10-20% components and could vary wildly in their sound. The LA2A is a vibe device, you aren't looking for a specific texture but just the overall vibe.

I have one also, modded by some guy in NYC to match the LA2a spec. They are seriously awesome, modded or stock. They need at least 30 minutes warm up time to start sounding right. And with regards to the output driver tubes, an EL84 is a 6BQ5... really not that different to a 6AQ5. It's nice that this is used as 6BQ5/EL84 valves/tubes are readily available...so retubing doesn't become much of an issue. They're also the first to go south so you need to watch them and smell them. If they start glowing more red than orange, it's time to replace them. If they start smelling like a VOX AC30, it's time to replace them... but then you can use the 'spent' EL84s for another 300 hours or so in your Vox amp! If you start hearing some guitar amp like overload when you turn the make-up gain past 5, it's time to replace them... unless you're looking for crunchy vocals.

UA should have marketed the heck out of these instead of canceling them. Usually found for $2500, they are one serious bargain!! But I guess selling full-size mono LA2aunits at $3700 a pop is more profitable.

Then let me save you some time....

When you get it installed, get a source or program material running into a pre or line source and get it to the nominal digital zero for average (-18DbFS). Then patch that into one channel of the 2LA2. set gain reduction at zero, set it to 'compress', adjust makeup gain so that it comes back into the system at nominal zero. Then start slowing bringing up 'peak reduction' until you can 'feel' it. Adjust makeup gain to keep the output at nominal zero. Now repeat the process with it switched to 'limit' mode.

You have just completed the learning curve of a 2LA2, same as any old LA2a. Favorite setting for me: for vocal, acoustic instruments or anything else is peak reduction at 3.5, compress mode, make-up gain at 4.5-5.5

There's really nothing else.

Regarding an LA2 'plug'. Take a picture of a bald man. Print it out. Take a black sharpie and color in 'hair'.

That's what a plug-in is like.

How is it as a la2a?

I don't know enough about it to answer. I'm under the impression that maybe the T4's haven't aged equally causing them to react differently.

I'm sure that it could be usable for mono sources and/or by trying to get the sides close enough tonally, but I'm looking for something quick and easy, ya know? Plus, my resale value won't be there if I need some cash quick, so it's gotta go.