goblin Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I think the thread title sums this one up, but yeah I'm after a multiband compressor for not a lot of money (skint / tight 19 year old syndrome). Has anyone got any suggestions? I can probably go to £60 tops, second hand. So far I've seen the Ashdown ones but I've tried them too and don't really likey, and then there's the Digitech X Series Bass Squeeze, but I have no idea about these. Cheers muchos in advance for any advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 If you can stretch a little more, I'd look into a second hand EBS Multi Comp. They're very highly regarded, very useful and sound nice and smooth. I almost got one myself but I heard they don't squeeze the f*ck out of your sound as much as the aguilar lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I've heard mixed reviews on the Digitech squeeze thing. I would recommend the old Trace Elliot SMX pedal (pick these up on eBay for not a lot), but I think the same guy designed both the TE pedal and the Ashdown one so that's probably not much good to you. Sorry 'bout that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Again, it requires a bit of a budget-stretch (and I believe it's actually three-band), but the TC Electronic Nova Dynamics is rather lovely and it includes a gate too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bottomfeed Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) [quote name='chrismuzz' post='1206663' date='Apr 21 2011, 02:31 AM']If you can stretch a little more, I'd look into a second hand EBS Multi Comp. They're very highly regarded, very useful and sound nice and smooth. I almost got one myself but I heard they don't squeeze the f*ck out of your sound as much as the aguilar lol [/quote] +1 on the EBS multi-comp... a great pedal, versatile & quality sounds... Edited April 21, 2011 by bottomfeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I have the digitech. It's OK but you don't get much control. Someone bought it me thinking it was what I wanted, but I ended up using it to give me a very clicky sound for certain sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan670844 Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 [quote name='paul_5' post='1206664' date='Apr 21 2011, 02:31 AM']I've heard mixed reviews on the Digitech squeeze thing. I would recommend the old Trace Elliot SMX pedal (pick these up on eBay for not a lot), but I think the same guy designed both the TE pedal and the Ashdown one so that's probably not much good to you. Sorry 'bout that.[/quote] +1 Go for the Trace Smx they are the muts, many still use them live. The problem with the ashdown is headroom, and I think they spent all the money on the case and not on the important bits inside.......... The trace is a 18volt monster which can take anything you chuck at it so it compresses evenly and its not to harsh, its only good for live work though its far to noisy for recording. Its great for tightening up the low end, best settings are low compress halfway up and leave the high off. This gives a very tight punchy sound, with great definition and clarity. I only use the high band as an effect, to bring out notes add a bit of sustain etc. Just remember green light good red light bad. Green light comes on when you are feeding enough signal into it, red when you are not, you can't really overload it, not from where it should be in your signal chain anyways. If you like what the smx does and you have coin go for a FEA labs dual band, its the modern hard fi equiv of the trace. The SMX and the FEA are really the only stomp squashers I would use they work on just the right freq. The EBS you can get to work pretty good, but you have to fiddle with the trimmer pots to get it working great. The Mark bass compressore is ok, but don't pay attention to the valve it don't do much as its LT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 [i][b]Good[/b][/i] multi band compressor for £60 Nope, doesn't exist. Unless you luck out on a Trace, and even then I think that is not really good, but rather passable live. Its too noisy and lacks any real control over the operation. Then again there aren't really any good compressors for £60 either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 looks like I godda stretch the budget then. I've looked at the Trace Compressors, there's one on here for £120 but that's pushing it to be honest. I'll keep my eyes open Cheers guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 [quote name='51m0n' post='1206884' date='Apr 21 2011, 11:21 AM'][i][b]Good[/b][/i] multi band compressor for £60 Nope, doesn't exist. Unless you luck out on a Trace, and even then I think that is not really good, but rather passable live. Its too noisy and lacks any real control over the operation. Then again there aren't really any good compressors for £60 either...[/quote] Of course, a very good point. At this sort of price (and with the lack of fine control that comes with the price-point), it's very much a question of try-it-and-see. The TC works really well for what [i]I[/i] want, but without individual control over what the three bands are up to, that's purely the luck of the draw. Likewise, some love the Akai Hexacomp, but I really struggled to get a sound I liked from it (apart from with one particular bass). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaker Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Hi Goblin Dropped you a PM Shaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Plus one to the advice above - it's worth saving a little longer and getting something that will properly do the job. I am deeply in love my with MultiComp - scored one for £80 in mint condition on this forum, but also I've heard lots of great things above the TC NovaComp. For me, it's a pedal that I never turn off and has become an integral part of my sound, so it was definitely worth spending the extra on. Hope that's some help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Responded to Shaker And yeah I get what you mean, I'd love something like an EBS or Trace, but my budget is silly (I don't think getting a John East fitted to my fretless has helped this week though ) Really I've got until the end of the month to find something and then it becomes desperate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 [quote name='paul_5' post='1206664' date='Apr 21 2011, 02:31 AM']I've heard mixed reviews on the Digitech squeeze thing. I would recommend the old Trace Elliot SMX pedal (pick these up on eBay for not a lot), but I think the same guy designed both the TE pedal and the Ashdown one so that's probably not much good to you. Sorry 'bout that.[/quote] Digitech: good as an "effect", not good as a compressor. What I mean is you can set it to alter your sound dramatically... but what I want from a compressor is to simply tighten up, compress dynamics. For that I found the Digitech not to be very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 Pretty much got it sorted now Going for an SMX, cheers for the advise all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='1206799' date='Apr 21 2011, 10:05 AM']Again, it requires a bit of a budget-stretch (and I believe it's actually three-band), but the TC Electronic Nova Dynamics is rather lovely and it includes a gate too.[/quote] Yes - one of these! - I've owned several multiband compressors and found that the third mid band of the Nova is that extra bit of control that the Multicomp doesn't have. Oh - and the pedal is actually TWO pedals in one box. Each individual pedal gives you the option of a multiband Compressor, or a full band compressor or a noise gate. You can run both at the same time. Both halves alos feature 'Parallel compression' that will aloow you to mix a dry signal in too which will give you a nice big fat sound. Highly recommended. One of my students picked one up for £80 this week - I believe it's new too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 [quote name='goblin' post='1207800' date='Apr 22 2011, 01:34 AM']Pretty much got it sorted now Going for an SMX, cheers for the advise all [/quote] Oops - sorry - didn't see the lat post of the thread before mine - oh well - I'll leave it for the sake of information! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 Hehe, cheers anyway It may become useful in the future if I ever decide i need / want a new compressor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 [quote name='51m0n' post='1206884' date='Apr 21 2011, 11:21 AM']Then again there aren't really any good compressors for £60 either...[/quote] A bit harsh - I got a used Phonic two-channel 19" rack unit off here for less than £60, and it has all the controls that you eloquently described at your memorable lecture! Of course, figuring out what to to with them is a lot harder than twiddling a single knob and convincing yourself that it sounds right :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ficelles Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Ok I know it's neither multi-band nor cheap, but has anyone tried that T-Rex Squeezer valve compressor pedal? Sure looks good... ficelles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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