StTomp Box Compressor

I use the EBS MultiComp or the Trace Elliot SMX Dual Comp depending on the mood. The TE is no longer sold new here in the states but I think it may be in Europe. If not, they are always popping up on eBay. Check it out.

If you want higher quality and more control/features, you may want to consider a rack unit. I have little experience with them but that seems to be the consensus here at Talkbass.

guitar compressors don't handle the low freqs correctly and may sound muddy..

If you are only considering a stomp box, I would strongly suggest the trace Elliot dual comp if you can find one. As mentioned, they pop up on ebay regularly.

Why?

The frequency range of a bass is is very broad. Much more so than a guitar. This matters. The reason this matters:

The three basic controls of compression are:

Threshold: How high the signal level can get before compression begins.

Attack: how quickly the compressor reacts to the signal peak

Ratio: How much compression you want. For example a 5:1 ratio allows 1 db of output signal increase for every 5 db of input signal increase. Infinate:1 is, in effect, a limiter.

Some compressors such as dbx also feature a "release" function. This is not available on all compressors. This is simply when the compressor stops compressing.

OK. Back to the top and the note about bass having a broad frequency range.

Different frequencies have different dynamic character and are thus effected differently by compressors.

Higher frequencies peak MUCH quicker than lows.

So, if you have only one set of controls, if you adjust the attack for the highs, the lower frequencies are lopped off by the compresser in mid-peak, and you get that pumping, breathy sound that is very annoying.

If you adjust the attack for the lows, your highs will peak and decay before the compressor ever kicks in. With slapping and popping, this is very bad.

The Trace Elliot allows you to set the controls for the highs and lows independantly, and thus remove many of those concerns. I used one for a while and really liked it, despite it being a bit noisy.

Chas

Tech 21 NYC, makers of the beloved SABDDI, make a stomp unit called the bass compactor, which I use whenever I don't have my rig. It's very, very good, about $100.

I tried the Bass Compactor, and it was one noisy mofo. Boss makes a bass compressor pedal, the LMB-3. I've never played one, but it's less than $100 street.

Originally posted by Munjibunga
I tried the Bass Compactor, and it was one noisy mofo. Boss makes a bass compressor pedal, the LMB-3. I've never played one, but it's less than $100 street.

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That's odd, mine's very quiet. Anyway, try gear before you buy I guess. I have the boss as well, it's more of a limiter than a compressor IMO.

I second the "noisy mofo" comment. I tried a Tech21 Bass Compacter a couple of times and
couldn't get by the static noise coming out of it.

I just ordered the EBS Multicomp and I was wondering where to place it in my chain. I don't run my pedals through my loop, I keep everything in front of the preamp. Right now I go bass, tuner, octaver, wah, envelope filter, chorus then into the amp. Would I benefit more from putting the Multicomp after my tuner or after my chorus?

Thanks!

Originally posted by ZoomBoy
I just ordered the EBS Multicomp and I was wondering where to place it in my chain. I don't run my pedals through my loop, I keep everything in front of the preamp. Right now I go bass, tuner, octaver, wah, envelope filter, chorus then into the amp. Would I benefit more from putting the Multicomp after my tuner or after my chorus?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I would start by putting it after the chorus to allow the filters a chance to work on the uncompressed signal first. Fiddle with it by itself for a few though, a compressor requires some tweaking.

Check out the Carl Martin Compressor and the boutique Blackbox Oxygen.

SMASH ~

Thanks for your assessment of the Boss LMB-3. I've never had the opportunity to play through one, so I was curious. Especially since there's so little talk about them, and they are hard to find in stores. I guess I'll stick with my dbx 1066.

That Tech 21 was a huge disappointment for me. I took it back the day after I bought it. I'm a gargantuan fan of their other gear (SABDDI and Acoustic DI). Maybe I just got a scrotum.

Munji I think you did get a "scrotum".

I know you're leaning in the stompbox direction, but please consider a used dbx 163x compressor. It's a 1/3 space unit, and could attach to a pedal board or sit on top of your amp. It's incredibly simple (almost to a fault) with just a slider for the amount of compression, an output knob, and an LED meter. Excellent for bass, especially if you're just wanting to knock down your peaks. Also, you can find them for $50-$75 on ebay. Another 1/3 rack unit to think about is the Really Nice Compressor by FMR Audio. More control than the dbx, a little more expensive, but considered to be of the same quality as compressors costing $1000-$2000. Check 'em out.

I recently purchased the Carl Martin Comp/Limiter used, and was trying to muddle through the online instructions. This is my first comp, so please bear with me as many of you may be detecting some stupidity ahead.

For those of you who haven't seen one of these things, the CM Comp has four knobs - Threshold, Compression, Response, and Gain.

I've been tweaking around a bit and I've figured out (and have been able to detect audibly) what threshold and compression does. However, I am close to giving up on understanding what Response does. Since all the controls are interactive, I am finding that my sound changes significantly depending on my Compression and Threshold settings. Can somebody who owns one of these things explain in layman's terms what this knob is actually doing?

FYI, my target sound is a "thump" effect accompanying fingered notes.

Thanks millions.

I second the Trace Ellot SMX-compressor.
Picked one up on e-bay about 6-mo. ago.
With adapter box and instructions.
Great for bass
Will not record or play live without it.