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Compressors


Kebabkid

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What compressors do people favour on bass?

I use a Keeley 2 knob on guitar but it didn't work very well on bass. I've heard good things about the TC Spectracomp Bass Compressor and the Wampler Ego gets great reviews for guitar, which I'm actually thinking of getting the Mini one for,  but is it any good on bass? And what about the Xotic SP Comp?

Thanks

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I tried a few then settled on this...

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Origin-Effects-Cali76-Compact-Bass-Compressor/1OKT?origin=product-ads&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn4PkBRCDARIsAGHmH3ez6AyrHdvGc52YUaXQTCwAwrU6X8pE6BNoYpq1y6M_IYNsbsGG2sEaAnCsEALw_wcB

A fantastic bit of gear, not cheap but totally worth it. The HPF makes a big difference to retaining  those lows, especially on a 5 string.

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I tried a few. Then found out that compressors are a bit like fuzzes. If your bass is active or passive, the comp (or that fuzz) acts differently. If your equipment contains both types, try several. When you have found the one (for each), keep it/them.

My passive bass compressor is a Daring Audio Phat Beam. It also includes an LPF - a dream with fretless. Not transparent at all, and like Fairfield Circuit's The Accountant, has good growl (this is purely subjective).

For active my choice is tce Hypergravity. Beware: not an easy machine at all. Its functionality is weird and slow, because the pots are actually 5-position switches. Toneprint is a must and setting the unit takes lots of time.

If you need really good help, start from: http://www.ovnilab.com/

Edited by itu
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On 07/03/2019 at 13:01, JellyKnees said:

I tried a few then settled on this...

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Origin-Effects-Cali76-Compact-Bass-Compressor/1OKT?origin=product-ads&gclid=Cj0KCQiAn4PkBRCDARIsAGHmH3ez6AyrHdvGc52YUaXQTCwAwrU6X8pE6BNoYpq1y6M_IYNsbsGG2sEaAnCsEALw_wcB

A fantastic bit of gear, not cheap but totally worth it. The HPF makes a big difference to retaining  those lows, especially on a 5 string.

+1 for the Cali, it's awesome IMO and always on! I also have the MXR M87 as a back up & battery powered option (Cali is mains only). Always wanted to try the FEA Labs DE-CL but $275 + shipping is a bit steep to take a punt on. Anyone using one?

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I've had like many on this forum an on and off love affair with compressors. 

I sit at rehearsals thinking that I REALLY NEED to squash my sound a bit and even out my playing. 

A quick look around the net for the latest compressor review and I get my credit card out. 

After as little as a few days I stop using it because I really don't like the way it messed up the musicality of my playing. 

Now I'm on dangerous ground when referring to subjective words like musicality. 

I've must of used or owned around 25 different pedal and rack types over the last 15 years. 

Then something wonderful happened. I bought a Union Tube and Transistor LAB compressor based on the LA-2A studio unit. 

All I can say is its the most musical, transparent and subtle compressor I've heard. 

The down side to it is the cost. Up side its a keeper. 

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I've had a few of the top tier compressors but I didn't like any of them as much as the Spectracomp. Multiband really is a godsend on bass if you play with a pick, slap, or just have an agressive playing style, as it can reign in the top end without adversely affecting the lows. I find with a single band comp, if I whack a string against the frets, it clamps down on the entire signal  and takes away the thump.

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I used to try and do 'complicated' compression on a pedal board. I had a Keely for a bit and also an MXR but I always found myself adjusting continuously. Fine when recording or even using the brilliant comp on my Behringer XR18, but on a pedalboard I always found everything too subtle. The Spectracomp saved me from that, one knob for more or less compression made it much easier to dial in live, I'm such a luddite. The comp on the Spectradive preamp/di is the same IIRC.

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I stick with the Multicomp. Just one knob to dial, the other one is just here to adjust the outpout level. I've just move the trimpots a bit because I'm using multiband and that's all.

Very efficient IMO and very quiet. The Spectracomp is good indeed but I couldn't have settled on a Toneprint nor make one myself. So it's Multicomp for me but understand those who like the Spectracomp.

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