Spectracomp vs Multicomp

[chris7273]

I have just bought a spectracomp and I really like it. It’s my first comp  and I use it before a C4 synth to get a better reaction. And it works !

I use the default TonePrint. 
 

one question : the document with all the parameters link is dead. Where can I find it ? 
 

thanks

[SteveXFR]

I had a SpectraComp and didn't like it at all. It sucks volume so you can't switch between on and off unless you use a boost pedal with it to manage the volume difference. 

I got rid of mine and replaced it with a Boss LMB3 which is much better  even though its a fairly basic limiter rather than a proper compressor. 

[dannybuoy]

On 04/02/2021 at 10:10, SteveXFR said:

I had a SpectraComp and didn't like it at all. It sucks volume so you can't switch between on and off unless you use a boost pedal with it to manage the volume difference. 

I got rid of mine and replaced it with a Boss LMB3 which is much better  even though its a fairly basic limiter rather than a proper compressor. 

Default preset boosts volume, and you can fine tune that to remove the boost via the app. If yours dropped volume, did you buy it used? Perhaps the previous owner meddled with it. I need to dive in and do that myself, just never bothered so far as it's never turned off!

Edited February 5, 2021 by dannybuoy

[SteveXFR]

2 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

Default preset boosts volume, and you can fine tune that to remove the boost via the app. If yours dropped volume, did you buy it used? Perhaps the previous owner meddled with it. I need to dive in and do that myself, just never bothered so far as it's never turned off!

I did buy it used. That could have been the problem. I tried a few tone prints and had the same problem with all of them. 

[chris7273]

Weird because there is a boost on every TonePrint that I tried. 
it will be an always « on » effect so I don’t care. 
any idea for the spreadsheet with all the parameters ? 
thank you

[sshorepunk]

Which is the default TonePrint?

[chris7273]

Spectacomp default 🙂

[SteveXFR]

3 hours ago, chris7273 said:

Spectacomp default 🙂

Where did they get that name from? 

[sshorepunk]

4 hours ago, chris7273 said:

Spectacomp default 🙂

Doh! Was looking in artist tone prints 

thx 

[Simon C]

This can nearly count as a 1 year anniversary for the previous post 😁.  I think this is the most relevant thread for this question, apologies if not.

 

Reading what you've written and what I understand from elsewhere, this is my synopsis of the TC Electronic Spectracomp, Hypergravity and Hypergravity Mini.  Is it about right?

 

Spectracomp

• It's aimed at bass players.
• There are loads of tone-prints available for bass or you can make / edit your own.
• There is one knob.  You can assign whichever parameters you want to it and the knob can handle multiple parameters.

Hypergravity

• It is aimed at guitar players
• It works well with bass, but there aren't any (maybe 1 or 2) bass toneprints available.  So you need to be handy with the editor and have a good understanding of compression if using it for bass.
• It's got 4 knobs with named functions but you can assign other functions to those knobs

Hypergravity mini

• As the Hypergravity but in small form and it loses the blend knob (it's not clear to me if blend is an adjustable or assignable parameter, so please chime in if you know).

 

The one toneprint I could find on the TC Electronic site was by Rudy Sarzo - but that's not my kind of music (or at least not what I play).  The other was in a TalkBass thread that looked like the bassist had put a load of effort in to producing it. 

 

https://www.tcelectronic.com/tcelectronic/artists/artist?artistId=rudy-sarzo

 

Thanks in anticipation,

 

Simon

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Simon C

[itu]

Spectracomp

- mainly to bass players

 

Hypergravity

- to bass and g-word players

- requires diving into the editor

- if you find the existing parameters of the Spectra, you can transfer them to HG

- versatility because of the 4 assignable knobs and a three position switch

 

Hypergravity mini

- like its big bro except:

 * three assignable knobs

 * no switch

 * smaller footprint, smaller knobs (usability)

 

I use compression or then the unit is off. I find the blend useless. For example rate is far more usable with a good comp like these tce units are.

[Simon C]

Thanks itu.  That’s helpful.

[Simon C]

….then I had a read and YouTube watch / listen of the Rudy Sarzo TonePrint.  It seems like he and I have more in common than I thought.  We both play a fretted bass with hot pick-ups (a G&L L2000 in my case) and a fretless with less hot pick-ups (a Sire V7 in my case).  His tone print is set to work for both of them, with just a tweak to the level (I think) when switching basses.

 

So I went to Anderton’s with both my basses and gave it a whirl.  I wasn’t totally convinced by Rudy’s, but the default was pretty good, if a bit bright on the top end on my fretless.  But there was enough in the 2 TonePrints to be confident I can get one that works for me.  So I’m now the owner of a Hypergravity (or at least will be after my missus has wrapped it up for my birthday😄).

 

I tried the mini one too.  But the knob I found myself fiddling with most on the bigger one was the “blend”.  I know I can reassign the knobs, but for reasons of OCD I wouldn’t.  So the big one it was.

 

In case you are wondering: Anderton’s were ok with me beaming Rudy’s Toneprint to the pedal (good of them), and I did remember to put them back to the default 😀.  And in case you are further wondering, neither Anderton’s nor Guitar Guitar in Epsom had a Spectracomp to try.

So my birthday has come and gone and I’ve put the  Hypergravity on my pedalboard.  I loaded Rudy’s TonePrint.  Listening in my music room it worked well with both basses.  The L2000 sounded a little fuller with the pick-ups in parallel without any knob adjustment ; with them in series it was a bit sizzly (a bit more listening and fiddling required).  By fuller I probably mean a little more sustain - which I wouldn’t have thought the L2K needed before using the compressor - and a little rounder.  The fretless needed more knob adjustment but the extra sustain really improved the sound (I think I’ve a tendency to “kill” the notes a little early on my fretless).  And it was easy to balance the volume between the two basses using the level knob.  I’m very impressed with it based on this 1st play.

 

Edited March 20, 2022 by Simon C
1st play through