CLA-3A Compressor / Limiter: Transparent Compression Plugin by Waves

Waves models the CLA-3A on a unit that Chris Lord-Alge, a well-known studio engineer, considered a personal favorite. The plugin is designed to handle high-level transients and add punch, particularly on midrange instruments.

The solid-state design responds quickly to transients, while the release stays smooth. Waves says the plugin remains transparent even with significant compression, so it can tighten a signal without obvious coloration. For extra authenticity, the optional hiss and hum controls add subtle noise that mimics the original hardware.

A Limiter mode is available for increasing instrument sustain, which suits sounds that need to hold their level.

The plugin includes a Trim control for quick level adjustment and a Mix control that makes parallel compression straightforward. Blending the compressed signal with the dry signal lets you keep the natural dynamics of a source while adding density.

The developer lists zero latency, which makes the plugin suitable for both mixing in the studio and live use.

Custom presets by Chris Lord-Alge are included as starting points for common sources.