Dynamics · one of the 47
EA-2A
Two knobs. A vocal that sits.
The tube opto leveler: PEAK REDUCTION leans in, GAIN warms up, and the photocell's memory rides the vocal like a hand on the fader.
- Formats
- VST3 · AU · AAX
- Runs on
- macOS + Windows
- Licensing
- iLok · no dongle
- Installs via
- Echelon Hub
Own it
Pick the units; we’ll show you whether a pack beats buying them one at a time. Flagships (the $149+ units): the Pick 3 includes 1, the Pick 5 2; each beyond that is +$49.
6 × $6.50, then EA-2A is yours · $39.00 total, no interest. Cancel or pay off anytime. USD.
Trial covers all 47 units, then $17.99/mo. Buy Now goes straight to checkout.
macOS (Universal) + Windows · iLok · New plugins drop Oct 30
Not today? so it’s easy to find again.
01GAIN
Push It Hot.
Gain warms up the tube makeup stage.
02GAIN REDUCTION
Reads Its Own Scale.
Every labelled value lands exactly on its own tick.
03GAIN · PEAK REDUCTION
Two Knobs and a VU.
Peak Reduction sets how hard the opto leans in.
04PHOTOCELL
Light Memory.
A two-stage release that slows after long reduction.
05CHARACTER / DETECTOR
The Rear Panel.
Mix, HF emphasis, SC filter and Auto Makeup.
Hear it · one instance · level-matched
Raw, then EA-2A.
Measured on this demo · method
Bench receipts · what shipped had to prove
- 12/12 battery checks green · auval PASS
- Two-stage photocell release proven — fast/slow pole ≥ 5× apart, slows with GR history
- THD 0.3–1% at 0 VU, monotonic with GAIN · soft knee ≥ 10 dB wide in COMP
- Aliasing ≤ −150 dBFS · bypass null
The face · v1.2.8 · VST3 · AU · AAX
What opens in your DAW.
The film builds EA-2A as hardware. This is the interface itself, exactly as it ships.
Walkthrough · 33 s · sound on
EA-2A in 33 seconds.
What it's doing, then the same passage with EA-2A bypassed and in — level-matched, on its own faceplate — and the quick facts.
Why it exists
tube opto leveler
Fast compressors read every syllable and chatter. What a lead vocal wants is slow, musical leveling that remembers what just happened — the photocell behavior engineers have chased for sixty years.
EA-2A models the light memory itself: instant first dB, lazy last dB, and a release that stretches after long reduction so held phrases bloom instead of pumping. The tube makeup stage warms as you push GAIN. That's the whole interface.
In the session
- 01Level a lead vocal 3–6 dB without a single audible grab.
- 02Let the light memory slow the release on held phrases — automatically.
- 03Warm the take with the tube stage as you make up gain.
- 04Flip to LIMIT when a performance needs a ceiling, not a leveler.
Under the hood
What's inside EA-2A.
- Photocell light memory — two-stage release
- COMP / LIMIT modes, wide soft knee
- Tube makeup stage + output iron
- Rear panel: Mix, HF emphasis, SC HPF
System requirements
- Version
- v1.2.8
- Formats
- VST3 · AU · AAX
- macOS
- macOS 11+ · Apple Silicon + Intel (Universal)
- Windows
- Windows 10/11 · 64-bit · VST3 + AAX
- Licensing
- iLok · machine, cloud or USB
- Delivery
- Echelon Audio Hub
Buyer's guide
Which compressor?
Seven ways to control dynamics in the rack. They overlap on purpose — the difference is the job.
Straight answers
Before you run EA-2A.
Which DAWs does EA-2A work in?
Pro Tools (AAX); Logic Pro and GarageBand (AU, macOS); Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, Studio One and Reaper (VST3). It ships as VST3, AU, AAX on macOS and Windows. The install guide covers where each format lands and how to rescan if a host doesn't see it.
What are the system requirements?
macOS: macOS 11+ · Apple Silicon + Intel (Universal). Windows: Windows 10/11 · 64-bit · VST3 + AAX. Licensing is iLok; no USB dongle is required.
Does EA-2A add latency?
Where the engine needs lookahead or oversampling, EA-2A reports its latency to your DAW, which compensates automatically, so it stays in time with the rest of the session. On a live input, check your host's low-latency or monitoring mode.
Can I try EA-2A before buying?
Yes, through the subscription: the 7-day trial covers every unit, EA-2A included, with nothing charged until it ends. Individual plugins and bundles don't have separate trials.
Do I need an iLok dongle?
No. The license lives on your iLok account and can be activated to your computer, to iLok Cloud, or to a USB key — your choice.
How do I install it?
Through the Echelon Audio Hub: sign in once, and it installs, updates and rolls back every unit you own or subscribe to.
Are updates free?
Yes. A perpetual EA-2A license includes every update to EA-2A; subscribers get updates and every new unit as it lands.
What if it doesn't work for me?
Perpetual licenses have a 7-day refund window from purchase, as long as the license is surrendered from your iLok account. On the subscription, cancelling inside the trial means you pay nothing. If something is broken and support can't fix it, we'll make it right regardless.
Ready when the session is
Run EA-2A tonight.
All 47 units free for 7 days, or own EA-2A outright for $39.