Passive/active button on pedal

Ghost360 · #1 04-07-2011, 02:38 PM

On the compressor pedal I just bought, there is a pass/active switch. My bass takes battery's, so I know it's active, but I'm pretty sure the only thing the battery powers is the "power boost", and I have it turned down all the way. Should I still use the active switch?

rratajski · #2 04-07-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost360

On the compressor pedal I just bought, there is a pass/active switch. My bass takes battery's, so I know it's active, but I'm pretty sure the only thing the battery powers is the "power boost", and I have it turned down all the way. Should I still use the active switch?

And what compressor would this be?
What does the manual say?

Ghost360 · #3 04-07-2011, 03:07 PM

It's the EBS black label multicomp. And It just says make sure you set the passive/actor switch correctly. But I'm wondering, if I'm not using the power boost in my bass, wouldent it be considered passive?

Swift713 · #4 04-07-2011, 03:18 PM

Trial and error would be an excellent way to figure this out. You're not going to hurt the pedal if you set the switch "wrong." It's probably just a 10db pad which will give you more headroom with a hotter bass.

ga_edwards · #5 04-08-2011, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swift713

Trial and error would be an excellent way to figure this out. You're not going to hurt the pedal if you set the switch "wrong." It's probably just a 10db pad which will give you more headroom with a hotter bass.

Besides, IMO active/passive switches are misleading. I have passive basses that are a lot hotter that my actives.

NortyFiner · #6 04-08-2011, 05:22 AM

If your active bass is running a hot EMG setup, yeah, you might want to use the active pad switch. Seems like 90% of the "my amp is clipping" threads start with active EMG's.

BassBrass · #7 04-08-2011, 08:01 AM

I get the best results, it seems, with a hot line into the "active" input of my amp...that's where the pad works best, so pedals are "passive" if they have a switch like that. Only pedal that didn't like this was a Source Audio bass envelope which I seem to have fried or something (they'll put a higher rated thing-a-ma-bob in when I have it repaired). I use an apex stomp in the send/return of the amp, and even it works best on "passive".