Ebs compressor and mxr m80 di +

[brattbugg@sbcgl]

I use the mxr in my chain not as a di. I've been placing the ebs before it. I use moderate distortion occasionally. How would placing the multi comp after the distortion change the sound of the distortion? Would it help to even out the levels between clean and dirty ?

[VincentSalizeri]

Bongomania, where art thou? Your knowledge is needed!

My 2 cents: Compression is traditionally early in the chain. If your distortion is sensitive, it will sound more even with the compressor in front. With lower levels of distortion the dynamics affect how much of the signal gets clipped. Quiter notes mean less distortion and louder notes mean more.

The compressor evens this out and you will likely get a more equal amount of distortion no matter how hard or soft you hit the strings. The downside is that using dynamics to vary the amount of distortion sounds pretty cool sometimes.

With the distortion first, it will still tighten up dynamics but the distortion will be more responsive to how you play.

[bongomania]

Compression after distortion is usually not a good idea.
1) Distortion is already compressed, so adding a compressor is a recipe for zero dynamics.
2) Distortion gets its character from the shape of its waves, and compression softens the peaks of those waves, changing and usually dulling the character of the distortion. I've even had situations where the comp acted like "anti distortion", making it sound like the dirt pedal wasn't even switched on.
3) Distortion relies heavily on upper harmonic content, and this is part of why it sounds louder. If you cut the signal peaks with a comp, to where the loudness of those upper harmonics is closer to your clean tone, by that point your lows will sound weak and gutted.

All that said though, try it and see. No harm can occur.

[brattbugg@sbcgl]

Thanks.

[crguti]

good points Bongo.
I have noticed the same when I use the EBS MultiDrive and EBS MultiComp.