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EBS MultiComp True Dual Band Compressor
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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100% of reviewers
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$190.00
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9.4
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Description:
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The EBS MultiComp is a high-performance, true dual-band analog compressor pedal. It gives discerning bassists a choice between rack-quality solid state, tube simulation, and multi-band compression modes in a stage-ready pedal format. It has a compression level knob, gain level knob, and an active/passive signal switch.
Analog compression for bass guitar
Solid state, tube simulation, and multiband modes
Compress/Limiter level control knob
Gain control knob
Active/passive bass signal switch
Preserves entire frequency range of signal
Noiseless switching
Specifications:
Nominal input level: -8 or -20dBv (active/passive)
Input Impedance: 200 Kohms
Bypass Bandwidth (+0/-2dB): 20-20kHz
Gain range: 0-15dB min.
Compressor Ratio (min/max): 1:1-5:1
Threshold: -25-+6dB adjustable inside
Attack Time (80%):
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Author
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Treb
Registered User
Registered: May 2000
Location: The Hague, The Netherlands
Posts: 127
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Review Date: Tue May 29, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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ease of use, sound, three compression modes
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Cons:
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no strain relief of battery clip wires
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One wire of the battery clip in my MultiComp broke off the PCB while changing the battery even though I was careful. There is no strain relief for these wires. I emailed EBS about this and got a reply stating they were aware of the problem and looking into it. They advised me to buy their AD-9 adapter instead of using batteries.
I managed to resolder the wire, but bought a power adaper soon after that.
I only use multiband and tube sim modes. Tube sim adds a nice touch to fingerstyle playing. Slapping sounds great in multiband mode. For further sound sculpting in multiband mode, fiddle with the trim pots inside the casing and see how they affect the sound. Turning a trim pot clockwise increases sensitivity (i.e. lowers the threshold).
The MultiComp isn't a noisy pedal though crancking up the gain introduces hissing, which doesn't come as a surprise and I consider normal. In normal use I don't the gain knob at all.
Can't really comment on battery life, I only changed the battery once.
Good:
Very transparent compressor that really thightens my bass sound. Monkey proof, impossible to get a bad sound out of it. I never play without it.
Bad:
No strain relief on battery clip wires.
Ugly:
Advice to buy the EBS AD-9.
They'd better fix their flawed design. Back to the drawingboard guys!
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I prefer having the smile on my face, not on my EQ.
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4-string
Registered User
Registered: July 2006
Location: Norway
Posts: 1438
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Review Date: Thu February 28, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent sound, very sturdy
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Cons:
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None
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This unit is subtle, but still makes my basses sound so much better. In all honesty, I can't really tell that much difference between the three modes, but I use Tube or Multiband. The latter seems to be especially suited for slap. The pedal is on all the time, I never play a note without it. 
Unlike many other compressor, the EBS doesn't clip your signal, it just makes the sound better, more even, more punchy.....it's a fantastic pedal, period.
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Out of time - out of tune
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Soulman
Registered User
Registered: April 2006
Posts: 31
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Review Date: Thu July 10, 2008
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Easy to use controls, like a rack unit.
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Cons:
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Doesn't like high gain instruments, no headroom.
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It's really a great pedal.
It's prob the best they make and I am an owner and have owned and used all the mxr-sized EBS stompboxes.
I run this into my Avalon M5 (not the U5 ladies and gentlemen) and it's quite a treat.
It doesn't affect the bottoms like a dbx and doesn't reduce the bass like an Ibanez CP9 (and they're happily being used in my setup, it's not them we're reviewing...)
I set an Aphex Bass Exciter in front but I have to reduce the gain on the Exciter or the EBS clips.
You can adjust the output gain to compensate, like a rack unit.
There is a huge difference in the MODE settings, and you need to pick which one for the style: MULTIBAND for slap, TUBE for vintage and NORMAL for, like normal stuff (like what other pedals all sound like.)
I go between MULTI and TUBE, but prefer MULTI because I like the all-round feel of that setting.
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Learn to use a soldering iron.
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ctothej
Registered User
Registered: January 2010
Location: Rapid City, SD
Posts: 26
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Review Date: Fri February 12, 2010
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $200.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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3 Modes, little noise, true bypass, good coloration of tone
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Cons:
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low ratio, internal trim pots, slow attack
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The EBS multicomp is a pretty sturdy little box. I agree that the battery wires are a little tight, havent noticed this with my other EBS pedals tho.
I like tube sim and multiband modes...tube sim adds just a hint of warmth and mid range enhancement. Its not a substantial effect, but just slight pleaseant additive to your tone if you allready like it.
I like this pedal for fingerstyle playing. I have a light touch and this pedal keeps things even and keeps it even when you dig in a little bit. Really nice sustain. I really like the light that gets brighter when the compression kicks in...very helpful in dialing in your settings. It does add a little noise IMO, its very slight tho, and i dont think its just the result of normal compression raising the noise in my chain. You wont notice it playing with anyone else.
I keep fiddling around with the internal pots on multi, and hate having to open up all the screws to do that. I do like pedals with minimal controls, but find myself getting back in there all the time. Mostly because I was trying to get a good slap setting out of this pedal, which I have been unable to do. THe reason for this is the attack of this pedal is preset at just a few milliseconds. Im not sure how many but the attack is not fast enought to catch the start of the notes when slapping...so the initial peak comes through really loud before the comp kicks in, which doesnt help if your trying use this pedal to limit. If you look at the wav file of my slap playing, you will see these tall thin peaks at the inital hit of the note...the kind of peaks that cause clipping.
But thats not really what its designed for - the ration only goes to 5:1 which isn't very hard compression anyway. This is not one of those effect compressors, but if you just need a little compresion and eveness/mid range warmth, check this guy out. I have this pedal always on for finger play with compression around 2oclokc...tube sim mode seems to sound the best to me when this baby's constantly working.
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Punanius
Registered User
Registered: March 2007
Location: Osaka, Japan
Posts: 21
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Review Date: Mon June 6, 2011
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $180.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Best compressor I've used.
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Cons:
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I won't play without it.
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This bulletproof beauty is fantastic: clean, subtle, great range of control. I usually just set the knobs to 12 o'clock and forget it's even there--until someone (read: erratic guitarist) unplugs it. Then I can really hear the difference it makes in my sound.
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Lefty Union Member #107
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