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Why do I keep feeling like I should get a 'better' compressor?


Painy
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I'm currently using a Palmer Deepressor which I actually really like. It doesn't overly colour or squash my sound other than a little pleasant thickening and added punch, it doesn't add any noise to speak of and it smoothes things out nicely.
The trouble is, as I'm learning more about compression I'm getting GAS for something with more control and with metering (MXR M87 maybe?) - even though the compressor I have is doing the job perfectly already (not to mention I'm a little bit skint right now after just buying an MXR Bass DI+).
I guess my question is, am I really likely to gain anything much over what I have already by having that extra control?

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Shame there isn't such a thing as an effects pedal library where you can borrow different effects to try before you buy - although I suspect that would bring the industry to its knees if they couldn't seem you all those pedals that turned out not to be what you wanted after all!
I think it is the fear that I'd just end up spending ages trying to recreate the sound I already have vs the lure of all the fun I could have doing it.
Think I may just have to save up for a really good, versatile used compressor.
Any recommendations other than the M87 with lots of control that would be good to experiment with?

Edited by Painy
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[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1474902529' post='3141385']


You've probably seen it, but this nerd-out compressor site is a great resource for reading up on comps from a bass perspective and has loads of reviews. http://www.ovnilab.com/

[/quote]

Where do you think all this compressor GAS is coming from :D?

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[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1475300517' post='3144820']


I went from the MXR to this, haven't looked back. And they are amazing on guitar too if you have one.

http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/empress.shtmle
[/quote]

Really like the look of the features on that and the switchable meter in particular looks brilliant!
Might take a while to save my pennies though, not to mention that whilst googling it I also came across their ParaEQ pedal which looks amazing but is similarly quite expensive.
GAS is such a cruel mistress!

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[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1475336214' post='3145174']
Compressor addiction is real though. You don't need a better one. You need more of them!
[/quote]

I actually quite fancy a little collection - although I'd probably need most of them to be in a significantly cheaper price range than the Empress to make up numbers!

You're right, the addiction really is real though and compression has fast become my favorite 'effect'. I didn't bother with compression at all until about 18 months ago as my only previous experience of compression was the SMX in the old Trace head I had about 12 years ago and I had no idea at the the time what it was supposed to do or how to use it. Basically I couldn't really tell what it was doing until it was so squashed that I didn't like what it was doing so I just never bothered.
Wouldn't be without it given the choice now though! :)

Edited by Painy
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I recently got a Keeley Bassist Compressor. Small footprint on my pedal board, simple controls, transparent sound, gets the job done perfectly. Was tossing up this between an MXR, but I'm glad I got this because of its simplicity. Metering would've been handy, but whatever. I don't need lights to tell me how it sounds.

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[quote name='rhythmbug' timestamp='1475353093' post='3145362']
I recently got a Keeley Bassist Compressor. Small footprint on my pedal board, simple controls, transparent sound, gets the job done perfectly. Was tossing up this between an MXR, but I'm glad I got this because of its simplicity. Metering would've been handy, but whatever. I don't need lights to tell me how it sounds.
[/quote]

I have looked at the Keeley Bassist before and it's a really nice sounding compressor. To be fair though my current compressor sounds really good to me and does what I want it to do too, this is more about learning more about the different adjustable parameters and how they each affect the sound.

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