T-Rex Squeezer ques

EAdanikDG · #1 04-30-2010, 07:33 AM

Hi, i'm looking for a new compressor, and i'm really interested in the T-Rex Squeezer. I've just got a couple of questions. How fast is the attack speed, eg: can it pick up that initial spike? And can the threshhold go to infinity:1 or close to really squeeze like the name suggests? Thanks, Dan.

EAdanikDG · #2 04-30-2010, 07:02 PM

RickenBoogie · #3 04-30-2010, 07:05 PM

The Squeezer is full featured, with controls to set it up however you'd like.

EAdanikDG · #4 05-01-2010, 01:31 AM

But some compressors don't go to infinity:1, and let that initial spike through. The EBS Multicomp comes to mind.

MooseLumps · #5 05-01-2010, 01:33 AM

It's not the ratio that lets the spike through, it;s the attack time.
as I recall, it's not a good limiter.

Ovnilab.com

EAdanikDG · #6 05-01-2010, 01:34 AM

And I want it to catch that initial spike and be capable of limiting.

EAdanikDG · #7 05-01-2010, 01:40 AM

I know, i was talking about them seperatly. Sorry, I shoulda made it more clear. I've looked on OVNILAB, but didn't see anything about attack time or ratio.

bongomania · #8 05-01-2010, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseLumps

It's not the ratio that lets the spike through, it;s the attack time.

Actually that's not right. The attack time is important, but the ratio is how much compression happens after the attack time. If only a small amount of compression happens, then there is only a small difference between the levels during the attack period, and the compressed levels after it.

The Squeezer is supposedly able to do infinity:1, but I can't verify that.

EAdanikDG · #9 05-01-2010, 02:29 AM

How about attack time?

RickenBoogie · #10 05-01-2010, 07:59 AM

I don't know the actual specifications for each control on the Squeezer, but like I said in my first post, it does have a full set of controls, Attack, Release, Comp, (ratio), Threshold, and in and out Levels. I'm 99% sure you can achieve the "effect" you're looking for- I use mine mostly as a tone generator, and very mild compression, (about 3:1) which is approx. 8 o clock on the Comp dial. It'll go much tighter than that, and can be set to do almost anything, short of making coffee. Hope that's some help.

MooseLumps · #11 05-01-2010, 11:59 AM

I guess what I was trying to say was that you can have the squeezer set to a huge ratio, but with a slow attack time, you will still get a spike.
I did not mean to mislead.
I've not used the squeezer, so I suppose that I've not been very helpful. A full set of controls on a comp will help you get closer to limiting,
http://t-rex-effects.com/Admin/Publi...ser_manual.pdf

The manual says that the attack time goes to 0 ms, and the ratio can supposedly hit 10:1. Even if the ratio only goes to 6:1 0r 7:1, it's a pretty tight squeeze, particularly with a low threshold.

The specs look good... but that's all I can tell you. Perhaps Rickenboogie would wiggle the controls on his around and give you an opinion if you asked nicely. (Can't hurt to ask, right?)

In the end, the best option is probably to go to your local GC (or order form Musician's friend and utilize their return policy) and try it for yourself.

RickenBoogie · #12 05-01-2010, 12:19 PM

Sure, I'll wiggle my knobs, (I've got little Sharpie marks where I keep mine set, and you'd have to as well, since the knobs move so easily). What exactly are we looking for?

MooseLumps · #13 05-01-2010, 12:28 PM

My method for testing the limiting capability of a compressor
1: Set your bass output so that there is plenty of input signal, but that you aren't overdriving the pedal.
2: Set the Threshold to a fairly low setting... it needs to clamp pretty early.
3: Crank the Ratio to it's highest setting. Attack time to it's lowest, so that the comp kicks in as soon as it hears you and squeezes hard. The release should be set to it's lowest setting as well.
4: You should hear your bass signal get louder. Lower the volume of the makeup gain so that you are near your original signal level.
5: Play through the rig aggressively with the comp switched off. Any distortion? Any rattling or buzzing?
6: Switch the comp back on and play aggressively. The volume of your general signal should be about your regular volume. Any loud spikes? I like to use my JamMan to repeat a phrase without my playing so that I can listen more objectively.

Bongo probably knows a method that is not quite so quick and dirty.

bongomania · #14 05-01-2010, 04:24 PM

Actually, the labels they print on the faceplate may be misleading, so the only real test is the "brute force" method you described. Of course I wouldn't leave the threshold low in normal use, but for testing it's helpful setting it low just to see how much squashing or limiting is possible.

RickenBoogie · #15 05-02-2010, 10:01 AM

Ok then, so, with the threshold set low, compression pretty high, and then the attack set low, (slow), and release set high, in order for the volume to be close to unity, both the input and output levels need to be set higher than I like, (and this is where the Squeezer can be described as "noisey"), the squash factor is really high, and NO spikes get through. Of course, it also sounds overly "processed" and un-natural. If that's what the op is looking for, well, he'd need to hear for himself. Wouldn't work for me, but then I like a very mild compression, and just generally like the tone of this pedal. I will say, there are an almost unlimited number of tweaks available, but to my ears, they don't all sound *good*.

EAdanikDG · #16 05-04-2010, 02:04 AM

Thanks for all the help. I can't go to a MF or GC because i live in Australia

(here we have Allans Music and Billy Hyde Music) and because I live in one of the smaller towns in Australia, we don't have many effects pedals, let alone boutique(ish) bass compressors. In another city in Australia that's way too far to drive to, i've seen T-Rex Squeezers with a retail of $850 so i'll be buying from the USandA (so I still can't try it out.)