Which compressor?

[ebenezer]

After a pedal for live use that doesn't suck the life out of my sound....maybe the cali 76?...what do you suggest.....cheers 

[itu]

https://www.ovnilab.com/

 

Some comps work better with other basses... try a few and find yours.

[admiralchew]

4 hours ago, itu said:

https://www.ovnilab.com/

 

Some comps work better with other basses... try a few and find yours.

Since Ovnilab stopped being updated another good site is https://www.compressorpedalreviews.com It's run by a Talkbass moderator and, while it doesn't go into the detail of Ovnilab, it offers helpful insights.

 

The Cali76 CB is great and it's easy to get some nice tones out of it. I view it as imparting a nice but subtle flavour to the tone. If you want something more colourful, the Diamond Bass Comp/EQ is a classic, while the Empress Bass Comp sits at the other end of the scale if you're after something crystal clear. BECOS make some brilliant compressors in small format, while the Caveman Audio is good if you want something and care less about the footprint. Broughton Audio's Omnicomp is outstanding too.

 

[Frank Blank]

Having heeded the superb compressor advice from the extremely knowledgeable @Osiris, I chose an optical compressor, the Effectrode PC-2A. Lovely piece of kit.

[Lozz196]

I remember being rather impressed by the demo on YouTube of the Aguilar DB599.

[BassAdder60]

Tried a few and then decided I just didn’t need one !

 

MXR, Boss, Ampeg all worked well but added little if anything so I stopped using one 

[ezbass]

There’s a new version of the Cali76 in the FS section at the moment IIRC. There is also an Empress for sale there too, which are also rather good to my ears. I use an MXR M87, which I find effective (no pun intended) and nicely transparent. 
 

A big comparison here…

 

 

[Osiris]

16 hours ago, ebenezer said:

After a pedal for live use that doesn't suck the life out of my sound....maybe the cali 76?...what do you suggest.....cheers 

 

If a compressor is sucking the life out of your sound you're over doing it 😉 

Take a read of this - https://www.ovnilab.com/articles/killedmytone.shtml

 

[fretmeister]

My favourite for a transparent, doesn't affect the normal tone at all is the Boss BC-1X.

 

It's so good I sold my Cali76 / Darkglass / Empress etc etc It just works in every setting, and doesn't do any annoying volume dip and swell that some compressors do with high output pickups.

 

For a dirty compressor that is really a tone changing machine my favourite is the Fairfield The Accountant.

[Boodang]

As always I’ll suggest the TC Electronic Spectracomp. For a few reasons but mainly because the tone print ability makes it so versatile. You can have two or three band compression settings as well all types of single band. Toneprints make it easy to set up but you can delve deep into the settings in software if you want. It’s versatility is like having many compressors rolled into one. 
My fav tone print is the Captain East which lets everything breath but adds a bit of punch to the signal. 

[Boodang]

The Aguilar TLC I like for heavy compressed sounds but for more transparent settings I think the spectracomp is better. 

[Boodang]

PS check out the review on ‘compressorpedalreviews’ of the Doc Lloyd photon death ray. 
I own this and would agree with the comments of big, wide, grunt & punch but not a versatile comp and not necessarily easy to get hold of. 

[Osiris]

7 minutes ago, Boodang said:

PS check out the review on ‘compressorpedalreviews’ of the Doc Lloyd photon death ray. 
I own this and would agree with the comments of big, wide, grunt & punch but not a versatile comp and not necessarily easy to get hold of. 

 

That review has peaked my interest in the Doc Lloyd Photon Death Ray although from what the internet tells me, they're not available in the UK and - I think - only available directly from the guy who makes them in the states? I'm not sure I'd want to buy one new as I usually don't care for optical compressors that much. But the description of the pedals inherent characteristics have me itching to try one...

 

 

[ebenezer]

Thanks folks, certainly food for thought.

[Boodang]

14 minutes ago, Osiris said:

 

That review has peaked my interest in the Doc Lloyd Photon Death Ray although from what the internet tells me, they're not available in the UK and - I think - only available directly from the guy who makes them in the states? I'm not sure I'd want to buy one new as I usually don't care for optical compressors that much. But the description of the pedals inherent characteristics have me itching to try one...

 

 

Yep, I got mine direct from Doc Lloyd (so had to add uk import duty) and then only after being on an email notification list of first come first served. He only makes about 20 at a time. Good luck finding one s/h (I’m not selling mine!). All I can say is that it’s worth it. 

[Osiris]

2 minutes ago, Boodang said:

Yep, I got mine direct from Doc Lloyd (so had to add uk import duty) and then only after being on an email notification list of first come first served. He only makes about 20 at a time. Good luck finding one s/h (I’m not selling mine!). All I can say is that it’s worth it. 

 

I find optical compressors are often too slow and can be a bit grabby (if that makes sense?) for what I want from a comp. Do you find the PDR to be have that very slow attack characteristic? 

[Linus27]

I play fretless and it was suggested to me to try an optical compressor as they are very effective. The Ampeg Optical compressor has great reviews and so I gave it a go and I am very happy. No idea what it is doing but it seems to just sprinkle some loveliness to my tone. Its also very easy to use. 

 

Saying that, everyone raves about the Cali76 and I wouldn't mind giving one of them a go at some point but I am very happy with the Ampeg Optical Compressor.

[Boodang]

17 minutes ago, Osiris said:

 

I find optical compressors are often too slow and can be a bit grabby (if that makes sense?) for what I want from a comp. Do you find the PDR to be have that very slow attack characteristic? 

The PDR has a three position threshold switch. With a high threshold it can feel a bit slow and grabby but in mid or low threshold it doesn't feel like that. There can be a bit of 'pump' when pushing the amount of compression but the mix control sorts that out. Basically I use in low threshold, mix and comp at 12o'clock and it adds a nice amount of punch.

[Osiris]

1 hour ago, Linus27 said:

I play fretless and it was suggested to me to try an optical compressor as they are very effective. The Ampeg Optical compressor has great reviews and so I gave it a go and I am very happy. No idea what it is doing but it seems to just sprinkle some loveliness to my tone. Its also very easy to use. 

 

Saying that, everyone raves about the Cali76 and I wouldn't mind giving one of them a go at some point but I am very happy with the Ampeg Optical Compressor.

 

My guess would be that the Ampeg, or any other optical compressor, would be what a better choice for fretless, see the comment from the somewhat lovely @Frank Blank above for his approval of an optical circuit and he's a fretless player too. 

 

The Cali76 is an excellent unit but is a FET based design which have a faster, more modern and slightly aggressive mode of action so possibly not the first choice for fretless. But these are generalisations and you may find the Cali works well for your needs, although it'll feel very different to the Ampeg.

 

[Linus27]

6 minutes ago, Osiris said:

 

My guess would be that the Ampeg, or any other optical compressor, would be what a better choice for fretless, see the comment from the somewhat lovely @Frank Blank above for his approval of an optical circuit and he's a fretless player too. 

 

The Cali76 is an excellent unit but is a FET based design which have a faster, more modern and slightly aggressive mode of action so possibly not the first choice for fretless. But these are generalisations and you may find the Cali works well for your needs, although it'll feel very different to the Ampeg.

 

 

Thank you and it was actually your good self who recommended I try an optical compressor for fretless and it has worked really well

[Boodang]

All this talk of compressors made me put my photon death ray back on my board which is where it will still stay as I'd forgotten how much I like it. I've also realised you can have more than one comp on your board so I'll still be using the Spectracomp for some stuff. 

So, for those interested, I got re-acquainted with the pdr last night and here are my thoughts; it's optical plus has the logarithmic 'human ear' side chain filter, consequently it definitely applies more compression the higher on the neck you go. D & G strings light up the death ray led way more than the E & A. As mentioned in the ovni lab review, if you want to tame errant low end dynamics, this won't do it.

The three position threshold switch is where the action is. On high, it doesn't kick in much but still changes the overall tone with a warmth to the bass frequencies. Mid allows the low notes to bloom before kicking in with the high register activating the comp much more, high end air is how I would describe it. Although the bass notes isn't activating the comp as much as the high, the overall tone in the lower register sounds bigger. On Low threshold the low notes activate the comp all the time and here you need to back off the blend to about 50% otherwise it sounds a bit strangled, but at this blend setting you just get a tight sound overall. This was with 75% comp, so backing off that a bit releases the stranglehold somewhat and you still get a tight sound.

Mid was at 75% comp, 75% blend, and is my fav setting and always on.

A great pedal but only if you take into account the limitations of an optical comp that won't tame big low spike dynamics.... potential not great in a slap setting. 

[Frank Blank]

21 hours ago, Osiris said:

My guess would be that the Ampeg, or any other optical compressor, would be what a better choice for fretless, see the comment from the somewhat lovely @Frank Blank above for his approval of an optical circuit and he's a fretless player too.

 

The equally lovely @Osiris put me on to optical compression. I knew very little about compression at all really but after a few hours chat and some demos he saved me £££s and a lot of frustration by calmly and patiently explaining optical compression until I pretended I understood him. I began the hunt for an optical compressor and very luckily, @Osiris' first (I think) recommendation was the  Effectrode PC-2A. I play in an acoustic duo, I play fretted and fretless basses built by our own resident genius @Jabba_the_gut. TBH I'm still not really sure what the hell the compressor is doing, really, I just know there is something missing when it's not on. @Osiris can define in technical/science terms what it does but as far as an description as to exact changes in tone... I dunno. I turn the peak and gain knobs down so I cannot 'hear' any tonal change but still it's quietly doing something mysterious that I can't do without. It is good with the fretted bass but, lord, with the fretless... I play through the compressor and a preamp straight into a QSC powered speaker, the PC-2A adds this organic warmth that it really is difficult to define, which is why I'm going round in circles repeating myself. I wouldn't play either bass without it but for fretless it's a must have.

[Stub Mandrel]

Going to upset the applecart. I am at the point of using pedals again after two years off.

 

My compressor is a TC Electronics Forcefield - basically a Behringer in a bulletproof metal box. The need was chiefly for something that allowed me to slap (very occasionally) without having to turn down my volume and lose quieter passages. What I it was something that mysteriously adds harmonic richness without losing my lows, in a way that just playing with tone controls or pickup balance doesn't. Very odd. I use it on a very neutral setting, and it has a sort of 'better knob' effect. If I turn up the compression past 12 I have to back off the level a fair bit.

 

It's far too good for a cheap and cheerful effect, and has effectively prevented me from investing in a Spectracomp (although I know that's a different animal).

The compression built into my Joyo BadASS is great too, such a shame that's only a 50W amp 😞

[Osiris]

39 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Going to upset the applecart. I am at the point of using pedals again after two years off.

 

My compressor is a TC Electronics Forcefield - basically a Behringer in a bulletproof metal box. The need was chiefly for something that allowed me to slap (very occasionally) without having to turn down my volume and lose quieter passages. What I it was something that mysteriously adds harmonic richness without losing my lows, in a way that just playing with tone controls or pickup balance doesn't. Very odd. I use it on a very neutral setting, and it has a sort of 'better knob' effect. If I turn up the compression past 12 I have to back off the level a fair bit.

 

It's far too good for a cheap and cheerful effect, and has effectively prevented me from investing in a Spectracomp (although I know that's a different animal).

The compression built into my Joyo BadASS is great too, such a shame that's only a 50W amp 😞

 

That's actually quite common for some compressors, it's the same thing that the strangely alluring @Frank Blank describes in his post preceding yours. They add a certain something to your tone that isn't compression as such but still enhances your tone. But not all of them do it, the 1176 rack unit and the Origin Cali76 are probably the most famous examples of ones that add something, as is the Diamond. And on the other side you have things like the Aguilar TLC which are ultra-transparent and neither add nor take away from your tone. Personally, I prefer something that adds its own character, and as you have observed, it's something you can't really recrate any other way.  

[krispn]

Just chime in after some great suggestions. Well all have different needs and wants, preferences and things we see as pro’s or cons. As @Osiris says if it’s overly noticeable you either want that effect or you’ve set it ‘wrong’.
 

I currently have three comps on my boards and it’s an overindulgence but…

 

Hyper Luminal sitting right after my preamp and before the DI signal for the FOH output. BUS setting with very little compression but just enough to catch anything overly unruly. I think I have reasonable control of my right hand technique and this still allows my dynamics etc. Nice thing about the HL is the onboard control with three types of comp and deeper setting to tailor the unit for each ‘type of comp’ so three setting (pre sets?) in the one unit. 
 

Markbass Compressor- recently acquired and I love it. It’s equally effective as a characterful tube stage as it is a wonderful easily tweak-able comp.  I have it set up to barely grab peaks but just find the whole signal chain sounds better with it in line. It’s now first thing on the board. If you want tube character it sounds as good and better than almost any ‘tube drive’ units I’ve tried or those amps with the tube pre which doesn’t really do much. Honestly I feel this is a sleeper pedal for folks wanting tube character without fizzy drive, thickness with out loss of top end and a wonderful actual tube doing the work compression. It’s a big unit and needs 12v 600 mA power but if you have space and the right power it’s a winner. 
 

Basswitch Dual band comp - @Osiris has had a play on this and finds it similar to the Boss LMB but with a slightly different flavour. Very punchy and simple to dial in - some pre set things going on under the hood so the four controls make it really simple to set up quickly. Again I’ve it set up to be not so grabby and much like gain staging drive units I can have all three compressors on without tone suck and all just adding in a wee touch of ‘more’.