Dynamics · one of the 47
EA-3A
The opto with an attitude problem.
Solid-state opto compression — faster cell, steeper ratio, mid-forward bite. Guitars, drum rooms and vocals that need to cut.
- 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-3A 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.
01PEAK REDUCTION
Slam It.
A steeper ratio that goes into limit when slammed.
02GAIN REDUCTION
Bigger Glass. True Needle.
GR or Out, and every value lands on its tick.
03GAIN · PEAK REDUCTION
A Faster Opto Cell.
About 1.5 ms attack, always 8x oversampled.
04PRESENCE
Mid-Forward Bite.
Made for guitars, drum rooms and vocals.
05REDUCTION HISTORY
Watch It Recover.
Six seconds of measured reduction, right below the meter.
Hear it · one instance · level-matched
Raw, then EA-3A.
Measured on this demo · method
Bench receipts · what shipped had to prove
- 13/13 battery checks green · auval PASS
- Measured +1.07 dB @ 2 kHz presence delta vs EA-2A — a different circuit, proven, not a reskin
- Aliasing ≤ −150 dBFS · bypass null
The face · v1.2.8 · VST3 · AU · AAX
What opens in your DAW.
The film builds EA-3A as hardware. This is the interface itself, exactly as it ships.
Walkthrough · 33 s · sound on
EA-3A in 33 seconds.
What it's doing, then the same passage with EA-3A bypassed and in — level-matched, on its own faceplate — and the quick facts.
Why it exists
solid-state opto compressor
The smooth opto is perfect until the source needs edge — then smooth reads as buried, and you reach for EQ to fix what compression flattened.
EA-3A keeps the opto musicality but moves everything forward: ~1.5 ms attack, a ratio that steepens toward limit, presence voiced into the transformer stage, and odd-order grit when you slam it. Same two-knob workflow as EA-2A — a completely different animal.
In the session
- 01Put electric guitars in your face without an EQ pass.
- 02Tighten a drum room while the presence region stays lit.
- 03Slam it for grit that reads as attitude, not distortion.
- 04A/B against EA-2A — same design, opposite personality.
Under the hood
What's inside EA-3A.
- Fast opto cell — ~1.5 ms attack
- Steeper ratio, into limit when slammed
- Mid-forward presence voicing
- Grittier odd-order color under drive
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-3A.
Which DAWs does EA-3A 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-3A add latency?
Where the engine needs lookahead or oversampling, EA-3A 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-3A before buying?
Yes, through the subscription: the 7-day trial covers every unit, EA-3A 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-3A license includes every update to EA-3A; 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-3A tonight.
All 47 units free for 7 days, or own EA-3A outright for $39.