Author Topic: Recommend me a Compressor .... Please. (Read 346 times)

echo008 · « **on:** October 09, 2006, 02:02:26 PM »

I am getting the bug again to try out a compressor, and I am planning on buying a new one shortly, I was hoping to hear some recomendations.
The only compressor I used in past has been a Demeter Compulator, Great pedal very punchy solid and tight low end, (but I never used one with my Alembics before) but this time around I wanted to try something new...
I am looking Hard at the Analogman Bi-Comp and I am on his waiting list, but in the meantime I am thinking about picking up the Juicer.
See here if intersted:
http://www.analogman.com/rossmod.htm

The analogman stuff in my opinion is very high grade great sounding gear, I have a Chorus pedal with three way toggle switch that sounds absolutely beautiful, lush and rich chorus.

what are you guys using?

Thanks
- Tom

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** October 09, 2006, 02:45:05 PM »

Tom:

I have an Analogman Dyna-Ross - a reissue MXR Dynacomp modded to Ross specs. It removed the whooshy/wavy/breathing of the MXR. I like it. Well worth it in my opinion.

Bill, tgo

echo008 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 09, 2006, 03:34:30 PM »

Thanks Bill, At this point I am pretty much set with buying another Analogman pedal, but I have thought about checking out the EH Blackfinger as well as a few others. Has anyone tried out a Keeley on bass?
please keep them recommendations coming.
- Tom

hieronymous · « **Reply #3 on:** October 09, 2006, 04:13:46 PM »

I had an one of the new EH Blackfingers. I liked it - I liked the flexibility of being able to control the gain as well as the amount of compression. However, it was NOISY. It may have just been the place where I lived, but every now and again there would be this horrible buzzing noise that would come and go.

Right now I use a Compulator and something called a V-Comp by Custom Audio Japan. The Compulator is cool, but I wish it had an LED or something to show when and how much it was compressing. The V-Comp is cool - it's got a tube, as well as an LED to show when you're hitting it. Not sure if they're available in the States though.

hieronymous · « **Reply #4 on:** October 09, 2006, 05:48:29 PM »

Double-post! So here's a link to the CAJ V-Comp, or at least a page close to it.

Custom Audio Japan (it's listed as V-COMP on the left - sorry, no English, but at least you can see a picture!)

(Message edited by hieronymous on October 09, 2006)

olieoliver · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2006, 06:18:06 PM »

I personally don?t like compression on bass. You loose a lot of the dynamic value when your signal is compressed. Now don?t get me wrong, compression can be a good thing on bass but too many cats compress their signal more than they need. This gives you a bland-smooth-Jerry Springer-tone. The violence is there but staged. It happens but there is no excitement.
BUT on guitar it I like it somtimes. Especially when playing heavy metal.

Now I couldn?t imagine SRV or Buddy Guy with an extremely compressed sound, or (I may get a little flak for this) Steve Gaines, Garry Rossington or Allen Collins (IMHO 3 of the most underrated guitar players around).

BUT, I like the sound that Satch and Vai or EVH get with a ton of compression.

So To compress or not to compress that is the question.

echo008 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2006, 06:33:56 PM »

Ive never really used a compressor enough to judge, And I cant really say why I would want one now other than to experiment with it. The Compulator I found when I used it gave me a very tight, kick drum punchy tone, Im thinking of it as more of an effect I suppose than something to use all the time. What started me going was the Analogman stuff. Im thinking of just getting the Juicer for now. Although I like that Blackfinger can be overdriven to get a little edge.
hmmmmm.
- Tom

jbybj · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2006, 06:34:08 PM »

I tried a friends Keeley comp, I felt like it was a tone sucker. I have been very happy with the EBS multicomp. It has three modes, one of which is multiband. This box seems to coax the tone out of whatever I put through it. You have to really krank down on the threshold before it starts to suck. Probably 60-70% of the threshold range was useful, whereas only about 5% of the keeley's threshold was acceptable. My passive basses love it, and my Epic is very happy being squished by EBS

echo008 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2006, 06:39:18 PM »

EBS yes Ill add that one to my short list, Ive been going back and forth about using only Bass Specific compressors, but I think I would be leaving too many good units out.
- Tom

jet_powers · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2006, 07:35:43 AM »

Now correct me if my naivety shows through.... but I was under the impression that when music is mastered, that in essence, they compress the living s**t out of it. Amongst other things.

JP

adriaan · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2006, 08:04:10 AM »

JP,

It's not as black-and-white as all that. Record companies issue special mixes for broadcasting to make the music 'stand out' on the airwaves. Broadcasters again add loads of compression.

Listen to the BBC World Service - they invented the Optimod processor ages ago. It makes finding them on your MW radio quite easy - no matter how bad the signal, you can easily make out what the voices are saying - much better than most other radio stations. On the downside, music gets annoying, especially classical stuff. It did add lots of character to John Peel's programme, where he would inflict 30 minutes of the Jesus & Mary Chain (noise for noise's sake) on unsuspecting listeners worldwide.

Depending on what the engineer and the producer decide during the recording process, they may or may not add compression. During mastering, especially for a compilation of different recordings, they will either compare the levels and adjust accordingly (costs time and money) or compress the hell out of it (cheap).

hieronymous · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2006, 08:22:01 AM »

And whether or not the final result is (over-)compressed or not, during recording and/or mixdown, individual parts may be compressed to help them sit in the mix better, etc. Also, different instruments are often compressed differently.

And despite my writing this, I'm no expert!

jbybj · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2006, 11:31:59 AM »

You could spend days following compression threads on any mastering forum. Most good mastering engineers are constantly fighting the pressures of bands and record companies to over compress the material. Mastering engineers want it to sound good, bands/execs want the mixes to STAND OUT. The kind of compression that is the end result of heavy handed mastering and FM broadcast is extreme compared to what you can apply to your bass, to simply help it stand out, especially in a live situation. Appropriate, helpful, pleasing use of compression on an instrument, still allows for plenty of dynamic range. Not so with an FM rock song.

but I was under the impression that when music is mastered, that in essence, they compress the living s**t out of it

Time to find a new mastering engineer!

jet_powers · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2006, 01:07:15 PM »

Or learn a bit more about mastering!

bsee · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2006, 01:26:39 PM »

I recently picked up a Trace SMX on the used market. Great value since they are out of production as they can be had in the