Stam Audio SA-23a+

Discontinued Stan compressor with all the classic LA compressor circuits built in.

LA-2A Slow and Fast, LA-3A & LA-4A in one.

The ultimate four-in-one optical compressor

For the first time ever, one unit can span the compression styles of two iterations of the Teletronix LA-2A, the LA-3A and the later LA-4.

We were highly praised for our exact individual replicas of both units, the SA-2A and SA-3A compressors. Customers around the world were finally able to access the renowned tone of the LA-2A, commonly used on bass and vocals, or the smooth mid-range of the LA-3A on guitars, or its unique transient response on drums. All at a price point that greatly opened up accessibility to these types of units.

At Stam Audio, part of what we believe in is moving our designs forward and producing the best possible product. However, if we measure success in being sonically identical to vintage units first produced in the 1960’s and 1970’s, how can we improve upon their designs?

The sound and function of the classic units, with innovative accessibility

We first decided to make one unit that contained both compressors, the SA-23A. Taking this idea one step further, we also envisioned the SA-23A+. This ambitious unit would allow the user to instantly switch between the circuits of a 1960’s LA-2A, the later 1970’s revision of the same unit, an LA-3A, and finally the LA-4. This was achievable based on the design of our SA-23A. While this design contained the circuits of the LA-2A and LA-3A, we could add a second T4B unit with a faster attack and release based on the late 70’s LA-2A. The LA-4 shared the same transformers as the LA-3A, so it was possible to include this model as well. Each unit has a selectable four-way switch which allows you to choose between all four designs, which have independent circuits inside. One unit, one price, four industry standard compressors.

We had two main challenges to overcome

Firstly, each compressor had to sound 100% identical to the original unit, respecting the original signal path and schematic. While technology has moved on a long way since the 1960s, it is the unique characteristics of the components in the original units that produced the sound that we all now associate with professional music production. Sourcing these components or identical alternatives is a big part of what makes Stam products superior to other replicas. Secondly, the unit had to have the distinctive appearance of an original Teletronix compressor. In order to achieve this while adding the switching functionality, we removed the +4 and +10 metering options, leaving the VU meter in standard Gain Reduction mode. This allowed us to utilise the original switches to select between the four modes. We also used several relays to ensure that when switching from one version to another, the transition is seamless.

Each unit comes with a Sowter input transformer, an auto-former and two output transformers, Philip capacitors, and Ohmite carbon comp resistors.

Like every fan of audio gear, we love seeing those pictures of huge studios filled with vintage equipment, but for us at Stam Audio, we like to see professional sounding units in the studios of every level of music creator. Commercially, it may have made more sense for us to release each revision separately and hence sell more units, but we hope to provide our customers with more for their money. We are also conscious that not every studio has unlimited rack space, and optimizing several units into one could be a benefit to many. If you are a studio owner, or dedicated hobbyist, saving your money up and trying to decide which vintage optical compressor is going to benefit your studio the most, Stam Audio says “why not all of them?”

You can now have the all three Teletronix compressors in four versions with the highest quality premium components available in the world, along with the finest transformers found on the market, all at a fraction of the price of one original unit, let alone three.