David Gnozzi walks through chaining an 1176 before an LA-2A on vocals, a classic serial compression move that still holds up in a fully digital mix.
The 1176 goes first with a fast attack and fast release, set to only grab the tallest peaks. That takes the load off the LA-2A so it stops clamping down so hard and reacts faster to sudden dynamic swings.
A less obvious detail: raising the 1176's ratio also steepens its knee. Gnozzi skips the usual ratio of 4 for this combo and pushes higher, since a steeper knee means the 1176 only triggers on genuine peaks instead of getting tripped up constantly.
He A/Bs a second, more dynamic vocal with and without the 1176 up front. Without it, the LA-2A clamps too much and lags behind the performance. With it, the result sounds denser, more controlled, and more natural.