These tonal variances go from subtle to more pronounced when set to 200% and depend on how hard you squeeze the sound. Aggro is the most obvious, mid-forward and punchy (almost FET-like), and airy adds a top-end air to the extreme upper register that can nicely open up a compressed source. Warm is the dustiest and most vintage-sounding of the group.

Smooth adds a mellow, even sheen to the sound. A second knob allows you to exaggerate its effect from 100 to 200%. The final control is a five-position tone control with a choice of flat, smooth, warm, aggro and airy. The mix knob and stereo option are also present in the Custom Opto. The default setting is 5, making me guess this is the standard classic knee / speed setting. Next up is a Speed control that allows you to tailor the combined attack and release characteristics to suit the music. Pimp my optoДЄdded to the standard FG-2A controls of Peak Reduction and Output Gain, the Comp/Limit control has been replaced by a variable Ratio knob (1:1 to 10:1).

Just as Team Slate did by offering multiple 1176 FET flavors spread across the FG-116, FG-116 Modern, and Monster offerings, Custom Opto takes the painstaking FG-2A model and crafts a whole new optical compressor experience that beautifully retains its sound and feel. Once I un-soloed the tracks in the mix, any subtle differences were nil. When I compared the vocals and bass soloed, I barely heard any sonic differences, from the deep reach of the low-end to the warm smoothness of the grab, hold and release. While there will be a difference in sound and reaction if you match knob for knob, when matched for reaction and proper levels (knob settings be damned!), the sound is as close as any two top-notch hardware units will be. I want to be one of those reviewers who retain their street cred by telling you that the hardware is better with more depth and analog air, but in this case, I cannot empirically do so. Slate Digital excels at accurate and detailed ballistic metering response on its compressor models, often more accurate than some hardware units. It is important to remember that these numbers are not decibels on the LA-2A and FG-2A, and you need to use your ears and the meters. On a Fender Jazz bass, I found that gain reduction of 25 on the hardware equated to 22 on the plugin. With the hardware at 30 gain and 30 reduction, the FG-2A was similar at 32 gain and 25 reduction on vocals. Once a vocal or bass track was playing, I adjusted the controls for a matched ballistic response and sound. To test it out, I started with test tones to dial in the correct gain reduction on the meter and the output level. Most of the time, there is a discernible familial sound among them all.ДЇor its model, Slate Digital chose the unit it found to have the warmth, speed, and sound it liked best. Over the years, I have found these sonic differences to be subtle unless a unit is very old or in rough shape.

The sound, settings and ballistics can vary from unit to unit, era to era. Does it sound anything like an original 60s / 70s vintage unit? My answer would be, I donвЂ™t know, and I donвЂ™t care. My 15-year-old Universal Audio LA-2A hardware reissue is, without exaggeration, the most used compressor I own, finding its way onto almost every vocal and bass tracking session and mix. Finally, a stereo switch lets you decide if the threshold is independent (wide and open) or equally reactive (gel and glue) on the left and right signals. The FG-2A adds a highpass filter so low-frequency content can pass through the threshold without getting clamped down, and a mix knob provides parallel compression. I find the compression setting to offer slower, less obvious compression, while limit mode is snappier and can induce pumping. An optical compressor by nature is relatively slow compared to its faster FET and VCA cousins. The compression knee gets harder and faster the more you hit the threshold. Compression sits at around a 4:1 ratio while limiting is inf:1. The final control is a compress / limit switch that alters the unitвЂ™s ratio and reactive compression curves. A large meter lets you see how many dB of gain reduction you are applying to your signal, and the reaction time. A gain knob then allows you to seat the results in your mix-thatвЂ™s all there is to it. A peak reduction (threshold) knob clamps down on incoming transients, reducing their level. With just three controls, the LA-2A was and is one of the easiest compressors to use.

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