Had a gig last night. I just realized when I use the compressor, it robs my volume!! Is it supposed to do that? I ended up turning it all the way down! Anyone else have a similar experience?
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Ampeg PF-500 revelation......
- Thread starter DWBass
- Start date
It doesn't rob volume, it limits dynamic range by knocking the peaks down closer to the average RMS level of your signal.
I did not like it. I won't be using it anymore.
If it's variable , a tiny bit is good to keep your slapping peaks from being too loud.
But yeah , l prefer as little as possible.
As has been said, a properly adjusted compressor does not rob of you volume, but it does limit your dynamic range. When compression is applied, it may knock down the average level, but make up gain can be applied to bring the average level back where it needs to be.
Whether two or more parameters need to be adjusted separately depends on compressor and the type of controls it has. A one knob compressor pedal usually has a level control and a fixed threshold. Basically you turn up the level until you get the desired amount of compression. The output level goes up as you crank the gain.
With a compressor that has a threshold adjust, you typically reduce the threshold until you get the desired compression. The output level goes down as the signal gets more compressed and you have to compensate with make up gain. Make up gain may be labeled "Output Level."
I have never used compression live (as a bass player) as I depend on the pokey transients to feel connected to my sound. If the transient are levelled with compression, I have to turn up more to hear what I need, and then people start complaining that I am too loud.
I have played through rigs that felt too compressed, even though there was no compression added.
As an audio tech it's a different story. I don't generally like heavy compression; just gentle smoothing. But compression is sort of the gel that holds a mix together. Compression can make a huge improvement IMHO. For example, in some instances compression can make the difference between vocals sounding decent or awful.
Compression can also tighten up the low end. I have a Mesa M9 Carbine with a nice built in compressor. The lows from this amp tend to be really loose and sloppy with the compressor off. The sound is a lot tighter with the right compressor setting. FYI I bought the amp after I retired from playing out.
I have the Pf-500 and I've used it for years. Go light on the compressor and it will treat you well! It's just a single know and more isn't better. Sometimes I use a pedal instead. If I have FOH support, I work with the sound tech on the amount of compression to use.
I've had a PF500 for 15 years. Like others said, a little goes a long way with its onboard compression, which is pretty grabby and not particularly transparent. Once you get past the 9:00 range, you start shaving off transient attack and low-end bloom in a way that makes the amp feel smaller than it actually is.
The PF500 is a fun, old-school sounding head that lives somewhere between B15 warmth and SVT authority without fully committing to either. That's not a bad thing - t’s got that slightly vintage-voiced, rounded top and chewy low-mid thing, but with a quicker, more modern response than a B15. Power-wise, it punches way over its class - even at 8 ohms.
BTW - also as others mention - If you want to play with the kind of dynamics that allow you to stay tight during the peaks and valleys, just a little-compression is the rule.
The PF500 is a fun, old-school sounding head that lives somewhere between B15 warmth and SVT authority without fully committing to either. That's not a bad thing - t’s got that slightly vintage-voiced, rounded top and chewy low-mid thing, but with a quicker, more modern response than a B15. Power-wise, it punches way over its class - even at 8 ohms.
BTW - also as others mention - If you want to play with the kind of dynamics that allow you to stay tight during the peaks and valleys, just a little-compression is the rule.
Wow! Thanks for the info. I had the knob at 12 o'clock and was wondering what the heck was going on especially during slapping. I was basically disappearing! Never had amps with compressors before. I used a Markbass LMII for over 10 years. Now I have 2 of them. The Ampeg and the Bugera which is very Ampeg'ish. So basically, less is more. I'll most likely not even use it.
Yeah, I don't blame you. In 40 + years of gigging, never used it live.
I had a similar thing with a Carvin BX 1500 and it's single-knob compressor. It was better not to use it or just crack it open slightly, 7-8 o’clock if needed.
One knob compressors never seem to provide anything useful for my tastes. Never used the compressor on my pf800.
I avoided comps for years.... decades, actually. After trading into a good one, I now leave it on ALL THE TIME. Funny how that happened.
I haven't used the compressor on the PF-500 since I bought an Empress Compressor. Empress sounds great through the 500.
The compressor on the PF-500 is better than built in compressors I've used in the past on other amps. I never had the knob past 9-10:00... used it very lightly and it sounded decent, but not as good as the Empress.
The compressor on the PF-500 is better than built in compressors I've used in the past on other amps. I never had the knob past 9-10:00... used it very lightly and it sounded decent, but not as good as the Empress.
The older Red Line like the RL 1000 had a two knob compressor I thought was better than the one knob compressor they decided to use later.
The Empress is a pretty good Compressor - I have one on one of my main boards. But I think the Cali76 edges it out. I've been using that one lately. They are pretty close though. Of course, they are both miles better than the built-in compressor on the PF amps.
I use the PF-500 as my main amp, but I've used outboard rack-mounted compressors with other amps for many years. Depending on how they're set (which can get fairly complicated when your adjusting the threshold, ratio, attack, release, and output volume separately), you're basically reducing the volume of your loudest musical peaks (typically, the initial attack of the string by your finger/thumb/pick) so that you can increase your overall volume to give a smoother, more volume-balanced sound (hence, "compressing" your signal). So, simply, the more compression you add, the more the total volume of your signal is reduced, so you can turn up the volume knob more with less fear of having a transient musical peak damage something (amp, cab, ears).
If you're using a lot of compression (on purpose), and you're not happy with your volume after turing it up to the maximum, then you likely need a more powerful amp. If you're playing at full or nearly full amplifier volume with minimal or no compression, you're likely flirting with the possibility of equipment failure, especially if you're playing really aggressively.
If you're using a lot of compression (on purpose), and you're not happy with your volume after turing it up to the maximum, then you likely need a more powerful amp. If you're playing at full or nearly full amplifier volume with minimal or no compression, you're likely flirting with the possibility of equipment failure, especially if you're playing really aggressively.
I don't play loud at all (R&B, Funk) and as I mentioned, none of my previous amps had on board compressors. I won't be using it anymore. Actually don't really need it.
