Which compressor?

[lee650]

Plenty to think about, but as someone succinctly put, if a comp is "taking away" from your tone, then it's possibly not set right.

 

It also depends on what you want/need from a compressor, dynamic control as a bandage for technique, general smoothing, tone improvement. There are so many different types of compressors all have their strengths and weakness.

If you want transparent compression that doesn't really add much to what you have then

 

Empress bass comp

Aguilar TLC

Keely bassist

Mxr bass comp

EBS multi comp (on normal mode)

 

Ones that add a bit of "special sauce" and add a subtle fatness and Sheen

 

Diamond BCP1

Cali76CB (and the big ones)

FEA optifet 

Effectrode PC2A

Markbass compressors

EBS multi comp (on tube sim)

 

Not an exhaustive list, a shameless plug, but I'm selling an FEA optifet, which is optical, and has that syrupy warm lazy feel, that loves  p bass and flats, but can be relatively clean and bright, depending on the internal switching.

 

For ease of use and sound quality, for me the EBS multicomp has always been a fave.

[nilorius]

The only one compressor i have bouthg is Boss bc-1x. I feel very good with it. I have tried some other befoure buying bc-1x, but deciedid for bc-1x.

[Frank Blank]

I have recently upgraded from the Effectrode PC-2A to the Effectrode Levelling Amplifier…

 

Lovely

[StingRayBoy42]

I like my EBS multicomp.

I don't really know much about compressors (I'm a Bass player) - the EBS is super simple to use, it's easy to get a good sound out of, it doesn't do too much, it gives my sound a nice bit of punch and it was a decent price (about £60 used IIRC).

For someone who want their compressor simple, it's fantastic.

[ezbass]

25 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

I have recently upgraded to the Effectrode Levelling Amplifier…

Cor, that looks flash, not to mention super spendy.

[Frank Blank]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

Cor, that looks flash, not to mention super spendy.

I’ve only got two pedals so why not have top drawer?

[ezbass]

31 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

I’ve only got two pedals so why not have top drawer?

Why not indeed? 

[Gank Bass]

The jam pedals dynassaur has a t rex on it with LED eyes, not sure why it's even up for debate 

[Si600]

I'm using a TC Electronics Nova Dynamics if that's any help.  No longer manufactured unfortunately, but worth looking for SH if you can.  IMHO anyway.

[nilorius]

45 minutes ago, Si600 said:

I'm using a TC Electronics Nova Dynamics if that's any help.  No longer manufactured unfortunately, but worth looking for SH if you can.  IMHO anyway.

I'm using Boss BC-1X. Great.

[DaleASmith]

No love for the EHX Black Finger on here? It’s definitely a character compressor and can get super squishy, but on the lighter settings it’s a nice tube stage.

[Danage]

On 11/09/2024 at 17:25, 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 

This might sound ridiculous but I have great success with the TC Electronic Forcefield Compressor 

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, Danage said:

This might sound ridiculous but I have great success with the TC Electronic Forcefield Compressor 

 

Me too, as well, also.

 

[SumOne]

My favourites:

• SA Atlas is good for doing more extreme stuff and nerding out with a Laptop. I do kind of miss it as I haven't found other compressors that can be used as such an extreme effect, but I didn't find the hardware layout to be very good live (alt buttons and all that) more of a thing to muck about with a Laptop (and if doing that, could possibly just use VSTs).
• Cali 76 always sounds good. Doesn't go as extreme as the Atlas, but you know it'll be useable live and reliable in almost any setting.
• FEA Opti-FET is very good, they aren't that easy to get hold of though and mine developed a fault - or at least was more sensitive to ground loop than my other pedals.
• Markbass Compressore is good, quite big and 12v power needed though.
• Boss LMB-3 worked well for me - basically only used to tame big peaks, I couldn't get so many different compression effect types from it as things like the FEA or Atlas - but for what it does, it does well.

 

I didn't get on with:

• MXR M87 (not bandpass, and no HPF or clean blend, I find at least one of those things is usually needed or it squishes lows too much),
• Earthquaker Warden (on higher settings did that first note pumping thing that optical compressors can do).
• Pigtronix Philosopher was alright, but more of a specific effect to add sustain than than what most people would usually expect from a compressor.

 

Some say there is no need for compressors or they all do the same thing but I've found them to be very useful - especially live, and they are one of the more variable types of pedals and you can only really tell playing them (e.g. A youtube video can never show you how it subtly is changing your playing dynamics, you need to feel that) so it is a deeper and more complex rabbit hold than, say, fuzz pedals.

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 09:30 by SumOne