DIY RE OLA5 500 Series Optical Compressor

DIY RE OLA5 500 Series Optical Compressor

The Urei LA-4 leveling amplifier has always lived in the shadows of it's older siblings, the LA-2A and LA-3A. Despite possessing the distinctive, musical compression character its family is known for, the LA-4 was compromised by the muddy sound of early chip technology. The DIY RE OLA5 Optical Compressor painstakingly recreates the LA-4's leveling behavior, including cloning the original opto cell after finding that no modern substitute would do, but that's where the resemblance to the LA-4 ends. The OLA5's signal path is completely overhauled and upgraded. And the workflow hews closer to the LA-2A and LA-3A, while adding new features like a sidechain high-pass filter and parallel MIX control.

Modern Clarity or Vintage Tone

The OLA5 comes with both the Modern output stage for more transparency and the Vintage output for a thicker, more colored sound. You can switch between them without any soldering. The vintage output includes the 2523 transformer which is based on the 2503 output transformer found in vintage API consoles.

Features:

• Stepped controls (21 positions) for easy recall and stereo operation
• Anodized aluminum knobs and front panel
• Unique, custom opto assembly that replicates the original
• 10-LED gain reduction meter
• Switchable wet/dry MIX knob
• Pushbutton select switches
• Fully compatible with the 500-series format