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Mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge’s massive hardware arsenal includes racks and racks of the most coveted compression units in music history. CLA Classic Compressors are models of his hand-picked favorites—the very best of the best—and they are now available for your DAW.

Over the course of a career spanning almost three decades, Chris Lord-Alge has worked alongside such artists as U2, James Brown, Green Day, Tina Turner, Nickelback, Rod Stewart, Santana, Steve Winwood, Celine Dion and many others. At the heart of his sound is a command of compression that gives each and every track he mixes its radio-ready punch. During the development process of CLA Classic Compressors, Lord-Alge worked closely with the Waves R&D team, resulting in impeccable models of four compressors considered true classics by audio engineers the world over.

CLA Classic Compressors consist of four plug-ins: the CLA-2A, the CLA-3A, the CLA-76 Blacky and the CLA-76 Bluey. These classic models grant users access to the same tools that Lord-Alge has used to help define hard-hitting rock and pop over the last several decades.

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Waves CLA-2A Compressor/Limiter

Modeled on the world’s first electro-optical tube compressor, the CLA-2A emulates the original’s smooth, frequency-dependent behavior that has made it a favorite of engineers everywhere. Like the mid-60s classic, the CLA-2A sounds great on guitars and bass and particularly shines on vocals. Topping it off with Lord-Alge’s personal presets and the zero-latency only a Native plug-in can provide, CLA-2A offers users a model that far surpasses its inspiration.

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Waves CLA-3A Compressor/Limiter

Based on the early 1970s solid-state unit known for its unique and highly transparent compression curve, the CLA-3A delivers the quick response and the subtle harmonic distortion for which the original is world-renowned. Just like the original, the CLA-3A is ideal for bass, guitars and vocals. Unlike the original, users can fire up as many instances as their systems can handle.

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Waves CLA-76 Compressor/Limiter

Inspired by two highly-desirable revisions of the famed mid-60s Class A line level limiting amplifier, both versions of the CLA-76 (“Blacky” and “Bluey”) offer the super-fast attack that made the originals studio legends. With an exclusive “All” control that recreates the original’s explosive “All-Ratio-Buttons-In” mode, plus modeled pre-amp distortion for extra edge, the CLA-76 delivers some of the most powerful drum sounds imaginable.

The Waves Chris Lord-Alge CLA Classic Compressors are available now with an MSRP of $800 Native / $1600 TDM. Waves Mercury owners covered by Waves Update Plan receive CLA Classic Compressors at no additional charge.

Discuss CLA Classic Compressors in our Effects forum.