ThrillseekerLA mkII
Key Features
- Advanced opto cell emulation modeled after the classic LA-2A leveling amplifier circuit with a completely redesigned compression engine
- Three harmonic coloring modes (Interstage, Tube, Loudness) that add vibrant analog character without mid-range harshness
- Compress and Limit modes with two ratio settings: 3:1 for gentle peak taming and 10:1 for heavy limiting
- Automatic output gain compensation with simplified gain staging for fast, intuitive level matching
- Built-in dry/wet control for parallel compression, blending compressed signal with original transients
- Reworked sidechain filtering with compress/limit toggle for precise control over transient response
- Excels on mix bus, vocals, guitars, synths, and drum groups, adding depth and dimension while taming peaks
Description
ThrillseekerLA mkII is an optical stereo compressor from Variety Of Sound, designed for smooth leveling and vibrant mix bus coloring. Inspired by the classic LA-2A circuit, it pairs transparent optical compression with three harmonic coloring modes: Interstage, Tube, and Loudness.
The mkII edition arrives a full decade after the original, featuring a complete technical redesign with advanced opto cell emulation. Simplified gain staging with automatic output gain compensation makes dialing in the right amount of compression quick and intuitive.
Two ratio settings cover a wide dynamic range: 3:1 for gentle peak taming on vocals and guitars, and 10:1 for heavier limiting duties. A reworked sidechain filter and compress/limit toggle give additional control over how the plugin responds to incoming transients.
The built-in dry/wet knob enables parallel compression directly within the plugin, letting you blend compressed and uncompressed signal without extra routing. Users consistently praise ThrillseekerLA mkII for adding depth, dimension, and a sense of "3D" space to mix buses, vocals, and drum groups.
Available as a 32-bit and 64-bit VST2 plugin for Windows. A VST3 wrapper may be required for hosts that do not support VST2.
Video Preview
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ThrillseekerLA mkII available for macOS or Linux?
ThrillseekerLA mkII is currently Windows-only, available as a 32-bit and 64-bit VST2 plugin. There is no native macOS or Linux version. Mac users sometimes run it through a Windows VST bridge or wrapper, but this is not officially supported by the developer.
What is the difference between the original ThrillseekerLA and the mkII version?
The mkII is a complete technical redesign released 10 years after the original. It features advanced opto cell emulation based on Stateful Saturation 2.0, streamlined coloring options (Interstage, Tube, Loudness), automatic output gain compensation, a new compress/limit toggle, reworked sidechain filtering, and native 64-bit support.
How does ThrillseekerLA mkII compare to paid LA-2A emulations?
ThrillseekerLA mkII holds its own against paid optical compressors by delivering smooth, musical leveling with vibrant coloration options. While commercial LA-2A emulations like the Universal Audio Teletronix LA-2A or Black Rooster Audio VLA-2A offer more detailed circuit modeling and cross-platform support, the ThrillseekerLA mkII is widely praised for its unique "box tone" and mix bus glue.
What do the Interstage, Tube, and Loudness coloring modes do?
These three modes add different flavors of harmonic saturation to the compressed signal. Interstage emulates transformer-stage coloring, Tube adds warm tube-style harmonic distortion, and Loudness enhances perceived volume and presence. Each can be engaged independently or disabled entirely for clean, transparent compression.
