OLA5 Opto Compressor

DIY Recording Equipment

Classic opto leveling with new features and your choice of Modern or Vintage signal path.

Classic Opto Leveling, Upgraded Signal Path. 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.

With the OLA5, we've painstakingly recreated 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. As with the EQP5 Equalizer Kit, you can choose between the Modern output stage for more transparency or the Vintage output for a thicker, more colored sound. If both outputs are installed, you can switch between them without any soldering. The vintage output includes our 2523 transformer which is based on the 2503 output transformer found in vintage API consoles. You can complement the transformer with our RED-25 DOA, or use your own DOA (the vintage output requires both the DOA and transformer to work).

A Challenging, Rewarding Build. The OLA5 is our most complex kit yet, with over 150 parts, and as such we recommend it for intermediate-to-advanced builders. Like all DIYRE kits, the OLA5 comes with detailed, step-by-step directions and email support.