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1590A Compressor Decision - Please help!

jcerio

jcerio

Supporting Member
Jul 27, 2006
826
692
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Syracuse, NY
www.rhythmmethod.net
#1
I really could use some advice. Due to back problems (and age) I've lightened up and downsized all of my gear, including my pedal board. I'm currently using all 1590a effects, and I'm very happy with everything I've found so far from Mooer and One control. I did try an Aroma (Tom'sline Engineering) ABL-3 Bass Limiter and I'm really not as happy with it as I was with my old BBE Opto Stomp. The threshold and attack knobs on the ABL-3 are very finicky and the jacks are starting to loosen up. That's what you get for buying a $20 pedal I guess. I had the original BBE Opto Stomp with the Blue LED and true-bypass switching and it ruled. No loss of bottom end, nice and smooth, very transparent. I never had any of the clicking reported by @bongomania either. It was my only always-on pedal. I'm looking for something to replace the BBE in a 1590A format. Any suggestions? There seem to be some good choices, but I'm having trouble deciding. I'd like something simple and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. I think my budget could be up to $150 USD. Here is what I'm looking at so far:

TC Spectracomp - the volume control thing kind of bugs me. In every demo I've seen it seems to make everything louder. That'snot what I'm after. I'd love to know if there is a TonePrint that's comparable to my old BBE.

XVive B1 Bass Squeezer - the demos look ok. Not sure how transparent it is.

Xotic SP - I like the demo of this one. Love the blend control.

Broughton Monocle - Can't seem to find any online demos or pricing information anywhere. But it seems to be reviewed vary favorably here on Talkbass.

One Control Lemon Yellow Compressor - they claim that it can be used on bass, but I can't seem to find an online demo.

Any other ideas?
 
#2
Broughton Monocle is the one you want. Contact @Azure Skies to order. It is one of the best comps I've ever tried.

Also, I'm sure you already knew this but online demos are basically useless when it comes to comps. You are far better off speaking with people that have used the devices than watching anything on YouTube about them. It is just the nature of the beast.
 
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#3
I think you have all of them covered besides the Fairfield Accountant, which I love but is not the most transparent compressor - it's a little dirty/crunchy and some settings add noise. Of the ones you listed, the Broughton gets great reviews but I don't know it firsthand; I'll say the Xotic SP is very nice though, pretty transparent, obviously blendable, and has internal switches that adjust the attack/release envelope.
 
#6
I've never used the LMB-3. I have the ABL-3 and it's OK. The controls are really sensitive - it seems to go from nothing to squash really quickly about 2/3 of the way up on both the threshold and attack knobs. It's built like a tank but I've only had it about 5 months and it's exclusively been on my pedalboard and the output jack has already loosened up to the point that the cord pop out while playing. It doesn't have an enhance or ratio control. Just volume, attack, and threshold.
 
#9
I have the One Control Yellow on deck for testing. It's equivalent to the Aroma, is all I can say here.

Huge +1 to the Madbean and a couple of other DIY options, which seem to me to be some of the best values in micro comps currently. Broughton still hasn't sent me one of his for testing. I love the Accountant, but as mentioned it is not the cleanest sounding design. The Xotic may be one of the best micro options for a clean simple sound ready to buy from a normal retailer.
 
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#12
jcerio said:
@bongomania can you give me some guideline on reviewing compressors so i can do as thorough of a job as possible on NPD?
Click to expand...
First thing, be skeptical of anything the manufacturer tells you about how unique or special their pedal is, because they will say all kinds of nonsense. Generally speaking, in most cases, we are looking at a Honda Civic with a custom paint job, where the seller touts it as the latest from Lamborghini.

Next, test with headphones, not an amp, and use the most transparent and high-headroom listening system you can. The idea is to hear only the compression and tonal effects of the pedal by itself.

Use a wide range of inputs: guitar, bass, high output, low output; with a wide range of playing techniques. Most compressors have a range where they work OK, and sound about the same in that range, so you discover the more interesting stuff by pushing them outside that range.

Remember that dynamic volume changes can dramatically impact how we hear the relative strength of highs and lows, and we can be fooled by peaks in the low mids or high mids, so our ears can easily mislead us when it comes to actual frequency response.

Lastly, spend ten years studying and comparing compressors.... ;)
 
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#14
the Wampler Ego Mini is out of your range (it's a pretty recent release, not many used yet) but worth mentioning in this thread, the full size version is a really solid comp based on my 15 minutes with it, I'm sure the mini follows suit
 
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#17
bongomania said:
... The Xotic may be one of the best micro options for a clean simple sound ready to buy from a normal retailer.
Click to expand...

I run the Xotic SP Comp on my PT Nano, and it replaced an old-school BBE OptoStomp. I dig it both for the subtle compression/blend, AND the fact that it can do a clean signal boost well enough to drive a touch-sensative dirt pedal that would otherwise be flat with a passive bass.
 
#18
jcerio said:
I've never used the LMB-3. I have the ABL-3 and it's OK. The controls are really sensitive - it seems to go from nothing to squash really quickly about 2/3 of the way up on both the threshold and attack knobs. It's built like a tank but I've only had it about 5 months and it's exclusively been on my pedalboard and the output jack has already loosened up to the point that the cord pop out while playing. It doesn't have an enhance or ratio control. Just volume, attack, and threshold.
Click to expand...

Lack of the enhance control is no worry to me, and I didn't even notice the lack of a ratio control when I looked it up yesterday. If the ratio is set similarly to the LM-2B I could get into that...
 

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