Good compressor for live use

Thrillhouse · #1 02-16-2009, 01:34 PM

I am looking to get a compressor for a rig I am piecing together. I wanted to hear some opinions/advice on a good rack-mount compressor. Price is not necessarily an issue, as long as it isn't an exorbitant amount.

bassman1185 · #2 02-16-2009, 01:41 PM

It depends a lot on what you're looking for. Bongomania has a whole site dedicated to compressors, so that's definitely worth checking out.

Personally, I love my Symetrix 501. It's pretty transparent, but it tames down my craziness a bit and adds some punch.

bongomania · #3 02-16-2009, 01:44 PM

Yep, check the links in my sig. That 501 is an excellent choice.

SteveC · #4 02-16-2009, 01:45 PM

I have had good luck woth my BBE Opto Stomp.

Jim C · #5 02-16-2009, 07:18 PM

And I like dbx units both live and in the studio.
Certainly any of the big names (Rane, Urei, Symetrix, Valley People, Klark Teknik, White, etc.) all make great units that will get the job done nicely.

KidBanjo · #6 02-17-2009, 05:45 AM

Thanks to bongomania's reviews I bought an EBS MultiComp a while back it's got a great tone and adds hardly any noise, makes any other compressor I've used sound like a bag full of snakes in comparison. The battery is a pain in the arse to change but lasts for ages between changes.
I tried a few others mainly cheep compressors and used to use a Digitech (which was awful) but the MultiComp was worth the extra money.

morewatts · #7 02-17-2009, 12:35 PM

Any opinion about SSL Compressor 4000?

RobertPaulson · #8 02-17-2009, 12:37 PM

I use a DBX 266XL Limiter/Compressor - works great.

bongomania · #9 02-17-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morewatts

Any opinion about SSL Compressor 4000?

Are you talking about the plugin or the actual channel strip?

knarleybass · #10 02-17-2009, 12:43 PM

I used to use a DBX 160X, I loved it, it was transparent and did the job very well.

Hammr · #11 02-17-2009, 12:45 PM

DBX 160A!

jimmothy.green · #12 02-17-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

I have had good luck woth my BBE Opto Stomp.

isn't the effect of the BBE Sonic Stomp something different than Compression? Has anyone run a sonic stomp or maximizer along with compression?

bassman1185 · #13 02-17-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmothy.green

isn't the effect of the BBE Sonic Stomp something different than Compression? Has anyone run a sonic stomp or maximizer along with compression?

He said Opto Stomp, not Sonic Stomp. The Sonic Stomp is a pedal version of the BBE Sonic Maximizer, but the Opto Stomp is the pedal version of the optical compressor in the BBMax bass preamps.

donstrenz · #14 02-17-2009, 04:45 PM

I love my dual band Rane DC-24. (Thanks Bongo for reviewing it and making me aware of this gem)

Jim C · #15 02-17-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Any opinion about SSL Compressor 4000?

Every SSL console or piece of outboard gear I've used is 1st class. Some of their gear is very pricey though and probably unnecessary for bass use either live or in the studio.

morewatts · #16 02-18-2009, 12:48 AM

I'm talking about this
http://www.gyraf.dk/gy_pd/ssl/ssl.htm

I have one of them but I don't know if it's a good solution for bass.
It's for use with balanced input/output and my bass signal is non-balanced.

It'd be better to put it in the effect loop of my SVT3?

thanks

bongomania · #17 02-18-2009, 12:53 AM

Well, that was designed for stereo mixes, not individual instruments. It may work fine though. The balanced/unbalanced thing is a problem. The loop of your SVT is probably not balanced. The only way to effectively connect a balanced-input compressor is to use a preamp which has a balanced output.

Alaska Bass · #18 02-18-2009, 01:08 AM

The BSS DPR402 is one of the top rated and most used compressors in pro audio today and is mainly used for instrument compression and limiting; it's two stage functions will allow for a smooth compression at a higher rate for the bass, while also allowing for limiting of any crazy transient peaks it senses.

Summit Audio has great equipment as well, although their full on pro line is more expensive.

dbx 160's or 160 A's as well as the 166's are good but a little less expensive.

The stereo 2-buss compressor from SSL mentioned earlier is an amazing piece of equipment but is not applicable to a mono bass signal. IF you happen to run a pedal in stereo, you could add it after the pedal/processor and it would bring your sound up to a whole different level, but realistically it is of limited use in most live settings.

Any of these units will top anything mentioned up until now, with the notable comment that the EBS multicomp is a great unit, but it is a pedal, not rack mount.

Alaska Bass · #19 02-18-2009, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morewatts

I'm talking about this
http://www.gyraf.dk/gy_pd/ssl/ssl.htm

I have one of them but I don't know if it's a good solution for bass.

You lucky dog! I am looking forward to building one myself in the next year or two. I've heard nothing but good about the kit. Did you build your own?

morewatts · #20 02-19-2009, 12:32 AM

Yes, I build it without many problems.

when you decide to build one advise to me and we can contrast opinions.

my email is morewatts at hotmail dot com

good luck!