danny-79 Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 After a comp, was (possibly still am) looking for, as the title says, but read a "Not the best" review in BGM (issue, Jan 2011) it gave it a 3/5 If you have one what do you think ? and what are the alternatives out there ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiehoffmann Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 I don't know exactly what are you looking for in a compressor, but the best ones I tried are the MXR M87 and the Aguilar TLC. None of them are very expensive, both are easy to power and compact and don't affect the natural sound of your bass. Can't go wrong with them in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted November 20, 2013 Share Posted November 20, 2013 Pffft.... What reasons did they give for 3/5 exactly? Its definitely one of the better compressor pedals out there, true vari-mu tube compressor for a start, very unusual in a pedal. Probably the 'best' compressor pedal money can buy is the [url="http://www.origineffects.com/Cali76transformer.php"]Cali76 [/url]with output transformer. Its very expensive, closely matches a rack 1176 in action and circuit by all acounts and has excelletn metering. FEA do some great pedal compressors too, the OptiFET being the opposite of the Cali in that its all warm/dark and fat... The MXR M87 is OK, has reasonable metering, but unfortunately the lowest available ratio is 4:1, which is virtually a limiting action to me, for bass playing, far too obvious for a gentle leveller/'warmer-up-er-er' which is what I'm after. The Aguilar may sound great, but frankly it has no useful metering and so unless you really know what compression sounds like its pretty much a useless device IMO (same for absolutely any compressor with no metering at all on it, or a single LED, you cant tell what its doing properly because you cant hear subtle compression unless you have spent years playing with compressors) Go read all the [url="http://www.ovnilab.com/"]ovnilab compressor reviews[/url] fo rthe real info on the se devices. The[url="http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/markbass.shtml"] Markbass Compressorrrerererere[/url] does very well - I think he refers to it as 'pure gold'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Thanks for taking the time to write the reply's I have read the reviews and still in favour of the Markbass, as "Grand wizard" put it[b] "gentle leveller/'warmer-up-er-er' which is what I'm after"[/b] Is the tube a serviceable item ?(i.e will it need replacing now and again, sounds simple enough to change 6x screws) Not long ago brought the Markbass Octaver, and that's a nice unit, tracks nicely but that's another thred/topic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Dont know how servicable the tube is, how hard can it be really though? Apparently its an ECC81 which is equivalent to a 12AT7 (IIRC). I doubt very much you'd ever need to change it, depends on how high the plate voltage i to a certain extent I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefruitfarmer Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 [quote name='danny-79' timestamp='1385072667' post='2284282'] Is the tube a serviceable item ?(i.e will it need replacing now and again, sounds simple enough to change 6x screws) [/quote] The tube is an [url="http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=121"]ECC81 [/url] and they are easily available. I expect different ones would give a slightly different tone and respond differently too. If it is like rack valve gear then it should be quite easy to change the valve. I thought the compressore has a nice valve rasp to it on the utoob vids. With compressors I think it is like distortion pedals, in that it is a personal thing which one you prefer.There are some that give a clean volume reduction and some like the compressore that put some character in it as well. I want to play with that compressore to see how responsive it is to my playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I use a compressore, great pedal, lovely and warm, rich sound. i changed the tube because I had a NOS ECC81 lying around and wanted to see what a difference it makes. Quite a significant one actually. The compressore is unlike most tube compressors in that the valve is actually part of the compression circuit, so the behavior of the individual valve will make a difference. Changing the tube is a doddle, just 2 screws and a wiggle Most so-called tube compressors are just a solid state compressor with a tube pre-amp, including some notable rackmount ones. Not necessarily a bad thing. But I've not found one as warm and 'valvey' as these. For me the only thing missing is a meter or indicator light to let you know when its kicking in - it's very smooth so not always that obvious until you nail it! but even then it's fairly transparent, you just get a bit of a 'MwwaaAAAH' (thats the technical term) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 OK, I'm sold, gonna order it now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Spent quite a bit of time with the compressore now and still getting to grips with it, the only thing I don't like about it is how bright the blue on led is ! wow is it bright!(small piece of black tape with pin hole in it calms it down) don't know if its a feature, its meant to be bright so you can see its getting enough juice ? I run it off the supplied adapter anyhow, needs something like minimum-700ma 12-dc, the Harley Benton power brich has a separate 12vdc on it but its max 500ma so just use that for the 9v's Been moving effects around (as you do) just putting together a board that can use for every situation im in at the miniute, I don't currently have any drive/fuzz/overdrive in the chain, just an Boss ODB3 that ive put nearly... at the end of the chain being used just as a clean boost. How I have the chain at present is : Tuner-Octaver-Envelope-envelope-WAW-Compressore-Boost-Chorus--->amp the odb has been the last to be moved (being used as a boost), still not 100% happy with its placement so any suggestions please ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Geez squeezer is virtually the same as the compressore by markbass. But I'm a better form factor. Although the knobs move around a fair bit, not much resistance to them. But sounds nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny-79 Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 How do most people power there compressore,? the supplied adapter seems to be the best option, Ive got another thread open asking abut the T-Rex Jcy Lucy, two ouputs on that will combine to give out 600ma 12v it is recommended tat the compressore needs a minimum of 700ma So. how do you power yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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