The LA3A compressor was the lesser-known cousin of the venerable LA2A. Both are optical compressors and both will cost you a pretty penny. However the LA3A was built upon transistor circuitry rather than a tube design, as the LA2A was. This gave it different sonic characteristics, being a much faster-acting limiting amp. It also lent itself to different physical design, being a bit smaller. Both of these differences have been carried over to Universal Audio's new emulation of the little blue monster.

Getting it's power from the UAD-1 DSP card, the UAD LA3A packs a wallop. In this video screencast we get to see it in action on some program material. Check it out to learn more.