Experience with UREI LA-10

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dhublein
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Experience with UREI LA-10

Post by dhublein » Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:01 am

Anyone love/hate these. I can't find very much info about this particular unit other than it being the mono version of the LA-12. Would this be a good choice for vocal tracking? What else? I've really just started buying/using outboard gear in the last year and most of what I have currently has been really cheap stuff. So any and all suggestions, etc are helpful. Trying to put together a solid signal chain for vocals on the way in.

My current chain is a Ramsa 8816 channel strip > DBX 119 > Focusrite Sapphire 40
"Know what you're trying to do before you do it. Turning knobs at random isn't enlightening any more than throwing paint at a wall blindfolded will let you paint a nice picture."

-Steve Albini

getreel
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Post by getreel » Tue Jul 21, 2015 2:49 pm

I have an LA-10. I have never had a better, more versatile compressor for the money. It handles bass, vocals, guitars, and anything else I throw at it. I only wish I had another or an LA-12 stereo version. The LA-10 is a fantastic compressor IMHO. So I'm firmly on the love it side I guess you could say. Incidentally, I also run a Ramsa in our B room, an 8616. Good quality Japanese consoles. I also own an RNC and the LA-10 beats it up pretty good on most sources but the RNC is less colored on vocals. The RNC cannot handle bass well but the LA-10 does it with no problem.

dhublein
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Post by dhublein » Wed Jul 22, 2015 8:40 am

Ah I just purchased a RNC as well so this is great info. Thanks getreel! I like my Ramsa(not that I have another board to compare it to) but I think it does a nice job of coloring things a little and definitely smooths out the top end. I only paid $200 for it with a roadcase, so no complaints.
"Know what you're trying to do before you do it. Turning knobs at random isn't enlightening any more than throwing paint at a wall blindfolded will let you paint a nice picture."

-Steve Albini

getreel
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Post by getreel » Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:14 pm

I still use the RNC on vocals in Super Nice mode. I'll use the LA-10 on really strong singers with more dynamics but the RNC did that pretty well too before I got the LA-10. As far the Ramsa console is concerned, I do have several other consoles and have had many others to give a semi comparison. The Ramsa is a nice full sounding console with good preamps and excellent EQ. It has a warm but not too wooly sound and a lot of headroom. If you ever use it for mixing, you can push the stereo buss with a lot of level and it starts sounding a little more colored but doesn't break up in a bad way. The only issue I've noticed is the pres can't handle my Audix D1 or D6. I get a very papery sound with those mics and the Ramsa pres. 421s, 57s, and pretty much every condenser work fine. I'm sure it's some kind of impedance issue. I also own a Soundtracs Topaz which I do like the sound of and features a bit better but it was more expensive and not as solid feeling construction wise.

cgarges
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Post by cgarges » Thu Jul 23, 2015 9:33 pm

I have an LA-22, which is an LA-12 with the frequency-dependent dynamic control. Even flat, that thing is a beast of a compressor. It does bass and kick drum REALLY well and imparts a nice, kind of thick sort of tone to things, similar to the older DBX 160/161/165 units, but with much more flexibility in the compressor action.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

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