Boodang Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 So, as a result of a recent thread about compressors, i started experimenting. This is what ended up sounding the best. At the start the photon death ray is an optical comp that basically works on raising the level of the higher notes and not taming the low. At the end of the chain (well pre reverb) I've got the TC with the Captain East toneprint which works it's magic on the lows. I compared this setup to just boosting highs and lows (using a pultec plug in) but it's not the same. I guess compressors have a dynamic interaction with the signal and it's certainly a different sound. And awesome, my new basic eq'd sound! Switching off either comp makes for a drop in tone and you just want to switch it back in straight away. I might have to experiment with more comp options, I can see an obsession coming on! Next will be the Rocket Airchild, a pedal version of the famed Fairchild 660, plus I'm interested in the Drawmer 1973, a Tri band comp which could be very interesting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 So two compressors in series? Interesting. That's, I think more unusual than the parallel signal path dual compressor route. Some sound clips would be good? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 The Spectracomp can do three band and a lot more if you plug it in via USB. It’s absolutely one of the most powerful compressors you can buy if you dig into the editor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 1 hour ago, visog said: So two compressors in series? Interesting. That's, I think more unusual than the parallel signal path dual compressor route. Some sound clips would be good? I'll do some clips later this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 1 hour ago, ped said: The Spectracomp can do three band and a lot more if you plug it in via USB. It’s absolutely one of the most powerful compressors you can buy if you dig into the editor. The TC is powerful but I like the way the optical comp works in tandem with the TC. It's like the best if both worlds, optical does the lazy high end stuff and then after the phaser/EF pedals the TC takes care of any low end transients but in a more limiting way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 2 hours ago, visog said: So two compressors in series? Interesting. That's, I think more unusual than the parallel signal path dual compressor route. Some sound clips would be good? I think because the comps I'm using are working in completely different ways they compliment each other. The PDR does the top end dynamics but in a very lazy optical way, and the TC I've set to be more aggressive in the bass region. But also I think the PDR works well at the front to bring up the treble before the pedals reduce them and the TC helps contain, but also focus, the low excessives that the phasers and EFs can promote. As I said, I'll do some comparison clips later in the week when I've experimented a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admiralchew Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 Loving the board! Loving two compressors as well. I also like to use one at the beginning and one at the end: the first as more of an effect and the one at the end (typically a big box unit) to tidy things up or give it a sparkle. The first isn’t always on but the latter, working in tandem with the preamp, is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 If you look up the source audio Atlas compressor you can run two compressors (in two places in your signal chain) in the same pedal... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 (edited) Putting two compressors in series is a great studio trick for any instrument with a mixture of transients and longer sustained notes. Vocals with plosives for example. A typical example would be to run a super fast 1176 style compressor to capture the initial transients (on average around 3-5dB of reduction) and then place a slower but more 'flavourful' compressor after in series, such as an LA-2A style compressor to do the leveling side of things. (I like to use a cheeky maximiser limiter in my mixes to lift things a bit too.) I'm a massive fan of multiband and parallel compression, something that I have had in my set up for.. i dunno, 25 years+. No, it's not to make up for poor technique, before anyone starts whining, I just like to send a more polished sound to my FOH engineer (when it is appropriate to do so) Edited September 23 by Dood Typo or three.. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted September 23 Author Share Posted September 23 55 minutes ago, LukeFRC said: If you look up the source audio Atlas compressor you can run two compressors (in two places in your signal chain) in the same pedal... As I'm on a compressor run at the moment I'll check that out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 Hasn't Stan the Man used several comps in series to get some extra sustain? Three? Even more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagman Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 I put my filters in between a VCA comp (Free The Tone) then an Optical comp (Diamond) It’s a nice option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 I’m a bit giddy with a mark bass comp first and after my preamp there’s a hyper luminal going to my foh. As the signal moves along I have a Basswitch Dual Band comp near the end of the board. It’s excessive but as I had them I thought I’d add them and honestly with a little touch of mild comp I’m getting a big sound with dynamics intact. I’ll pair it down but it’s actually fun. I can switch them on and off and generally leave the hyper luminal on all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 26 Share Posted September 26 (edited) For years I ran a punch factory at the start of my chain to subtly even things out going into the pedals and a cs2 at the end to take away any peaks from various pedals, all ending up in a noise gate. It worked well. Edited September 26 by gafbass02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted September 26 Share Posted September 26 When I used to use a full pedalboard I loved the EBS Multicomp as the internal jog wheels facilitate tackling the high and low end comp separately. They should stick those controls on the front really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrasho Posted September 26 Share Posted September 26 I put a light comp at the start of my chain and a light one at the end, within my HX stomp. Feels pretty nice whilst taming everything in between! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulo m Posted September 28 Share Posted September 28 Ive been using the Cali 76 for years now & ive stopped Squeezing the sound so much...( & i thought i was being moderate with it) i dont play @ high volume...but if you can hear it as they correctly put it Your using too much!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbobothy Posted October 7 Share Posted October 7 ... I was just chatting to a bass bud of mine this afternoon and he echoed what Dood mentioned above, a fast and slow comp in series. I've seen a few double comps boards of late so may start experimenting with my batch and see what I come up with!! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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