You'd think that "LA" in the Teletronix LA-2A model designator stood for "Legendarily Awesome," what with the optical compressor's long and celebrated history. As Chris Shepard can attest to, the unit's working lifespan is far from over.

Chris's Chicago Recording Company has a pair of Teletronix LA-2As (these ones bearing the UREI stamp) in their Studio 5 racks. Like any good parent, Chris can tell these twins apart with little effort.