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Cali76 TX tips


joescartwright
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I've had one of these big boys for a while now and still can't make my mind up about it. I have it set for pretty light compression, more to tighten everything up sonically in the mix rather than impose any sort of dynamic control on the signal. It definitely hypes the upper midrange a bunch and helps you cut through without being too loud but I find it really hard to get the same connection to the instrument with it.

If I plug a cable from the bass into the amp I get that lovely spongy P bass "flomp" on the attack and I struggle to get that same feeling with the Cali on, it sort of reminds me of playing an active bass if that makes any sense?

So... any tips from all you compressor pros? Or do I just ditch compressors and go out a-flompin'?

Cheers!
Joe.

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Don't flomp!!!

I have Cali76G, and I love it, sometimes I set the ratio past 12 to really get a good kick out of it. You may have done this already, but mess around with higher rates of compression, and the the other dials it is so worth it.

What voltage are you running it on, max it out to get the max effect.

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After using the big Cali for a while I got rid for a compact Cali. I just found on the big one I had to use very little input compression to preserve the attack and therefor ended up with hiss. The compacts parallel compression/dry blend solves it. great tone but keeps your attack.

https://fxpedalrental.com/origin-effects-cali76-compact-bass-compressor.html

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The big box cali is great but the bass specific features of the CB are really cool. I made the switch and while I miss the big footprint, well it does look pretty cool, the dry blend and HPF are kinda cool to play with. Be great if you could A/B the two. I was gonna get the big box TX but found a work arouond with a second pedal which had a TX in it. I'm really happy with how they sound!

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I tried a few comps last year to pair with a P-Bass and flats (going through an Aguilar Tonehammer to get a bit of flomp on!) and picked up an Effectrode PC-2A tube compressor. It has a real weight to the low end, or heft, as it's called around these parts, and it sounded absolutely perfect with that bass in that setting. It wiped the floor with the Diamond and Keeley in the little shootout I had anyway.

Fast forward a year and I'm now using a hotter output bass with an aggressive playing style and have moved to an RMI Basswitch Dual Band comp, which has a much more tight 'active' sound to it, like you describe. This works great for my needs right now, but for more mellow/soulful noodling with the P, the Effectrode is a much better fit. I want to A/B them both with a few more of my basses first, but I'm considering selling it, so shoot me a PM if you're interested in giving it a whirl. Review here:

http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/effectrode.shtml

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[quote name='Cuzzie' timestamp='1506085543' post='3376371']
Now now Krispn, you know you miss the 76G, despite the CB and the Hudson Broadcaster in tandem.

Keep the big box!

If you get some hiss get a decimator!
[/quote]


Honestly I’m really happy with my 76CB. The led metering is the only thing that’s missing but that’s what ears are for.

Edited by krispn
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The Cali76 TX knocked the Darkglass comp off my board, its a wonderful compressor and I prefer it muchly to the standard 76 I had, just make sure you run it at 18v otherwise the transformer is not in the circuit.

I have my ratio all the way counter clockwise, Attack fully clockwise, Release fully anticlockwise, Output to taste and Input so the signal is attenuating approx 10db.

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I just gave my Effectrode a try with a few basses and stand by my original comments. It does colour the sound and add quite a bit of low end, it's hard to explain but it does it in a different way to an EQ, like it accentuates the thump of the note attack. However it sounded so good with my Godin A4 fretless that it's most definitely not up for grabs! I've yet to experience some of the high end tube DIs like the REDDI or Noble but I reckon this little box delivers some tonal magic in a similar way they do!

It's definitely an overlooked pedal, I had never even heard of it when I was offered it in a trade, even though it's one of Ovnilab's top picks.

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I run my comp in the loop of a Basswitch - wonderful pedal if you have the space on your board, especially if you play DB as it has an input impedance selector so you really get the most from piezo pick ups.

dannybouy
I always considered the PC-2A to be like plugging into the 60's - like a good old studio console. I just heard it as a plush bloom to notes with great bottom and it just added a 'vintage quality' to my p bass. Now I have a better understanding of how studio's and studio gear works I think I meant the bass just sounded like it was 'mixed' to sit in the mix. Bloom and bottom for all the grooves! It'd be interesting to hear how that bloom worked with an upright.

Edited by krispn
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Yeah, maybe the effectrode sounds more up my street really. The cali is great, it certainly brings a lot of presence and midrange character at all settings, but it feels like if you have an accentuated, thumpy attack it's maybe a little on the grabby side.

Dannybuoy, if you fancy meeting up and trying the two out against each other I'd be down, I'm mostly near Nottingham at the moment so we aren't that far apart, PM me if you're interested!

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A quick update:

I bought a PC-2A yesterday to give it a try, no dice, that's going straight back! Had a rehearsal last night with no Cali on the board and definitely missed that midrange presence it brings. Sat down with it this morning and decided I'd have a fiddle with the jumpers on the inside of the pedal that control it's input sensitivity.

BOOM!

By having the input sensitivity set to minimum (the opposite of how it comes set up) you have LOADS more resolution on the input/comp knob on the front.
I can finally get it set up with that barely noticeable compression that keeps my attack intact but still get all the tonal goodness that the Cali brings and it's quiet as can be!

Cheers to all who got in touch, particularly you Cuzzie, and made me stick with the pedal. What a lovely bunch you all are!

Joe.

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