About Raèld i2a
Raèld i2a is modelled on the classic tube optical leveling amplifier, in three versions of the hardware: the earliest gray-green unit, the 1960s gray and the silver reissue. It is built from the circuit: the input transformer, the electroluminescent panel and photocell that do the leveling, the two tube stages and the output transformer. All of its timing comes from the optical cell. It catches quickly, lets go in two stages (fast at first, then slowly), and remembers: after long or heavy compression it lets go more slowly. That gives the smooth, program-dependent leveling these units are loved for.
Installing
- Close your DAW.
- Unzip
Raeld-i2a-2.0.0-Windows.zipfrom the download page or your purchase email, runRaeld-i2a-Setup.exeand follow the steps. It replaces version 1.0 if you have it. The plugin goes intoC:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3; choose "Plugin and standalone app" to also get the standalone app. - Open your DAW and rescan plugins. DAW plugin lists show it without the accent, as "Raeld i2a", so type "raeld" in the plugin browser.
Requirements: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) and any VST3 host, or the standalone app.
Getting started
- Two knobs do it all. Turn PEAK REDUCTION until the needle shows the amount you want (3–6 dB on a vocal), then set the level with GAIN.
- GAIN never changes the compression; 50 is unity, and each step is 0.8 dB.
- COMPRESS or LIMIT: COMPRESS is the gentle curve; LIMIT is firmer.
The three models
MODEL changes the whole unit: its cell, its tubes, its noise and its faceplate. The change is a short crossfade, never a click. The inscription on the faceplate tells you what each one does, and hovering over it gives a starting setting.
| Model | Sound | Best on |
|---|---|---|
| EARLY: the earliest unit | Warm, dark, silky. The slowest, softest leveling, with a darker, warmer top; it lets the start of each word through. | Vocals, bass, strings, slow ballads |
| GRAY: the classic | Smooth, rich, classic. A full midrange and the famous two-stage release. | Lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, mix bus |
| SILVER: the reissue | Clean, quick, open. Quicker to catch and to let go, the cleanest and quietest, with an open top. | Modern vocals, drums, percussion, mix bus |
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | The output level, 0–100. 50 is unity. |
| PEAK REDUCTION | How hard the optical cell is lit, so how much it compresses. |
| LIMIT / COMPRESS | The toggle switch: COMPRESS is gentle (about 2.3–3.2:1); LIMIT is firmer (about 4.7–5.9:1). |
| HF EMPHASIS | The screwdriver trim. At FLAT the whole spectrum pushes the cell equally. Turned up, the highs push it harder (up to a broadcast pre-emphasis curve), so bright, sibilant sounds are leveled more. |
| METER | Gain reduction, or the output with 0 VU at +10 or +4. |
| MIX | The leveled and the untouched signal blended, in time, for parallel compression with no comb filtering. |
| POWER | Off: the unit is out and the signal passes untouched (crossfaded, in time); the lamp fades like a filament. It isn't saved in presets. |
| MODEL | EARLY, GRAY or SILVER. |
The strip along the bottom
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| < PRESET > and SAVE | Step through or pick factory and user presets; save your own. |
| SIZE | 90–200%; the window keeps its proportions and reopens at the size you left. The menu also turns on circular knob drag. |
| NOISE | The model's own analog noise floor (off by default). |
| LINK | One optical cell for both channels, which keeps the stereo image. Off: each side levels on its own. |
| MONO | Hear the output folded to mono. It isn't saved in presets. |
| BYPASS | The untouched input, in time and crossfaded, so it never clicks. |
Knobs
Drag up and down (Shift for fine control), use the mouse wheel, or click and use the arrow keys. Double-click resets. A readout shows the value while you adjust. The selectors click into each position.
Presets
| Preset | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Init | Gray, COMPRESS, PEAK REDUCTION 30, GAIN 50 (unity). |
| Vocal Smoother | The classic: 3–6 dB of smooth leveling on a lead vocal. |
| Bass Leveler | LIMIT evens out every note of a bass, firm but natural. |
| Gentle Mix Glue | 1–2 dB on the mix bus for cohesion without squash. |
| Acoustic Guitar | Smooths strumming dynamics while keeping the attack. |
| Sibilant Vocal Tamer | HF EMPHASIS makes the esses push the cell harder, so a sibilant voice is leveled most where it's brightest. |
| Parallel Opto | Heavy leveling blended under the dry signal: density without losing life. |
Tip: put the Raèld I76 before the i2a on vocals. The I76 catches the fast peaks, the i2a smooths the overall level.
Coming from Raèld i2A 1.0
Version 2.0 is a free update: it replaces 1.0, keeps its plugin ID and activates with your 1.0 license key, so your sessions open in it with their settings translated. Gray stays GRAY, Silver becomes SILVER, and Vintage becomes EARLY. PEAK REDUCTION, GAIN, COMPRESS/LIMIT, EMPHASIS, MIX and LINK keep their values. 1.0's meter OFF becomes GR. Your 1.0 user presets are translated the first time 2.0 opens; each original is kept beside it as .raeldpreset.v1. The sound is new, so a session may need a touch of PEAK REDUCTION to get the same amount of leveling.
Specifications
Measured on the gray model at 48 kHz, PEAK REDUCTION 50, GAIN 50, unless stated. 0 VU = −18 dBFS.
| Threshold (1 dB of reduction) | COMPRESS −12.6 VU, LIMIT −10.8 VU |
| Ratio | COMPRESS 2.3:1 rising to 3.2:1; LIMIT 4.7:1 rising to 5.9:1 (a soft knee) |
| Attack (to 63%) | 10.6 ms to 4 dB of reduction; faster when hit harder (2.3 ms to 20 dB) |
| Release | Its first half in 62–148 ms. All of it takes 0.8 s after a short, light burst and up to 11 s after 20 s of heavy reduction. |
| Distortion (no reduction) | 0.235% at +10 dBm, 0.685% at +16 dBm; mostly 2nd harmonic |
| Frequency response | −0.21 dB at 20 Hz, within 0.1 dB from 30 Hz to 20 kHz, at 44.1–192 kHz |
| Noise (NOISE on) | 75 dB below +10 dBm |
| Latency | 93 samples at 44.1/48 kHz, 85 at 88.2/96 kHz, 0 at 176.4/192 kHz. Reported to your DAW automatically. |
| CPU | About 1.4–2.5% of one core, stereo (any model, any rate) |
| Formats | VST3 and a standalone app, Windows 10/11 64-bit; mono, mono-to-stereo and stereo tracks |
Mono and stereo
Raèld i2a runs on mono, mono-to-stereo and stereo tracks; your DAW picks automatically. On a mono-to-stereo track the mono source feeds both sides. The MONO button in the strip folds the output to mono, to check how a mix holds up on a mono speaker. It isn't saved in presets.
Activation and support
Open the plugin, click ACTIVATE and paste the license key from your purchase email, or your Raèld All Access key. A key works on 3 computers. Without a key the plugin runs as a demo, with a short moment of silence now and then. See support, or email info@raeldaudio.com.
Raèld i2a is modelled on vintage optical leveling amplifiers; it is not affiliated with or endorsed by any hardware or software maker, and no other company's names, artwork or code are used. Its models are built from published circuits, specifications and measurements, not copied from any other plugin.