In this free video tutorial brought to you in with the support of Plugin Alliance, Pro Tools Expert team member Julian Rodgers demonstrates using the Acme Audio Opticom XLA-3 Compressor On Drums. See how this valve optical compressor can be unlinked to increase stereo width and used with the dynamics section bypassed to introduce colour and distortion.  

Opticom XLA-3

This compressor is a model of a hardware unit which, like the LA2a is a valve optical compressor. Unlike the LA2a this unit offers three attack preset attack and release settings. Fast, Normal and Slow all offer different time constants and different colour characteristics.

Being a fixed threshold compressor it is possible to run the input hot and to attenuate the output to drive the emulated valve stages for extra distortion and by unlinking the two sides of a stereo instance it is possible to create subtle stereo movement with appropriate program material.   

Watch the free video tutorial to see and hear this plug-in in use on a drum recording.