Any Aguilar TLC Comp Users here? Impressions?

[vibrolucky]

I really like my Aguilar Tone Hammer, was thinking of getting the TLC Comp. Any users of those here?
What are your likes/dislikes about it?

I'm Using Fender Jazz Basses (Passive) into a MarkBass combo, also using the Tone Hammer as a DI/EQ. Thanks

 

[sunbeast]

I had one and it was the first compressor I ever really connected with after a half-dozen or so attempts with others. Sounds great (and is very transparent), is versatile in its range of adjustment, and quite simple to dial in (I wasn't really able to make it sound bad unlike most of the other compressors I've tried). The only critique I have is that I wish it had some sort of visual metering to show when you were passing the threshold, though I got pretty good at dialing it in by ear.
If you haven't already check out the website www.ovnilab.com where TB'er Bongomania has exhaustively reviewed most of the compressor pedals out there, and specifically their bass-worthiness!

 

[anavar]

i use an empress compressor into my Markbass head and the two work wonderfully.

i have only heard good things about the TLC comp though

 

[el murdoque]

I had one and it was the first compressor I ever really connected with after a half-dozen or so attempts with others. Sounds great (and is very transparent), is versatile in its range of adjustment, and quite simple to dial in (I wasn't really able to make it sound bad unlike most of the other compressors I've tried). The only critique I have is that I wish it had some sort of visual metering to show when you were passing the threshold, though I got pretty good at dialing it in by ear.
If you haven't already check out the website www.ovnilab.com where TB'er Bongomania has exhaustively reviewed most of the compressor pedals out there, and specifically their bass-worthiness!

I second both sunbeast's opinion and the ovnilab review.
Great compressor both for peak limiting and for smoothing out things.
Very subtle, very clean.

And multiple Aguilar pedals fit really well on a board.

 

[Merovign]

Very very clean. Does subtle to crazy limiting with ease. I think the gripe with a visual indication for gain reduction is moot since I have always felt that compression should be entirely dependant on ears.

If you are looking for old school obviously compressed to hell tone, it is not the best at it. An EBS Multi-comp feels better at doing that than the TLC.

 

[Roland GR 88]

Use one with the TH-500. As said before it's very transparent. Very quiet and does exactly what you want.
Works well with guitar too......

 

[ilansgroove]

I loved my TLC , had it since it came out until the Cali76 CB came out and replaced it.
It was a really great comp ... And I have searched for a compressor a long time !!! Had EBS , electro harmonics , personus and a couple more I can't remember .... Aguilar TLC was really the one that did it for me back then ... Transparent and not too squashy , dynamic ....really cool

 

[Pacodelivery]

I own an original run model with the annoying lip and besides the physical design I love it. It currently sits at the beginning of my chain and I use it as a pretty aggressive peak limiter (thresh min, slope max, attack noon).

For my low output bass, it nicely allows me two volume levels - one where I ease back and it doesn't kick in, and one where I can dig in as hard as I want and it responds beautifully.

Through a solid state I would call it transparent, but playing through my tube amp set clean, it sharpens the top end in a way I reeaaaaally like and makes me never want to turn it off (which is why I don't)

As a side note, I agree with the part in bongo's review where he says the attack doesn't really change all that much. I had never noticed much difference until I started using a Fairfield barbershop, and I noticed that the action was a little choked at the slower attack times. Noon is a nice balance for that.

 

[sunbeast]

I own an original run model with the annoying lip and besides the physical design I love it. It currently sits at the beginning of my chain and I use it as a pretty aggressive peak limiter (thresh min, slope max, attack noon).

For my low output bass, it nicely allows me two volume levels - one where I ease back and it doesn't kick in, and one where I can dig in as hard as I want and it responds beautifully.

Through a solid state I would call it transparent, but playing through my tube amp set clean, it sharpens the top end in a way I reeaaaaally like and makes me never want to turn it off (which is why I don't)

As a side note, I agree with the part in bongo's review where he says the attack doesn't really change all that much. I had never noticed much difference until I started using a Fairfield barbershop, and I noticed that the action was a little choked at the slower attack times. Noon is a nice balance for that.

Its weird because I was able to hear the change the Attack pretty well- try setting a really heavy compression then adjust the attack and you can really hear the difference (the sort of "dip-and-swell" that happens with a slow attack setting). I dig the slow attack for allowing my original attack peaks through (makes my playing "pop" more). It is definitely less apparent than on the Cali76-CB I replaced it with, but the Attack/Release are tied to the same control on the Cali...

 

[Pacodelivery]

@sunbeast what you said about the attack control has me thinking about something I've been wondering for a while.

how much does the performance of individual compressors vary depending on what's around them? For example, I've played my TLC through a markbass f1, a PA I use (with a butler bass driver as my pre) and Traynor yba200. With the first two, I know why people call the tlc transparent. But with the Traynor, it's anything but. That top end gets so sharp, so pretty, it's VERY noticeable.

I've only really ever used it with one bass, though, a custom Tbird with passive wilkinson pickups and flats. Maybe that's why I've never noticed the difference the attack control makes?

What's y'alls setups? Do you notice any difference between them? I'm interested in this now.

Makes me want some sort of chart of how things combine; vca comps like tube amps, Ross clones like roundwounds, that sort of thing.

Sounds like the sort of thing @bongomania might have thoughts about.

 

[bongomania]

Oh I have some thoughts, but honestly most of them boil down to "does it sound good to you". IOW yes there are pedals and amps and basses and everything else that work better or worse together than others; but no I don't think everyone would agree on which combinations are good.

Classic example: many people in this forum might agree that an active bass doesn't play well with the Zvex Wooly Mammoth; but JMJ has said he loves and prefers that combination.

Some combos (like that one) can be explained with an objective description of what's going on electronically; another example is different devices having different output levels or headroom. But a lot of combos can only be described with subjective and artistic language, making it even more difficult to codify which combos are "good".

 

[sunbeast]

@sunbeast what you said about the attack control has me thinking about something I've been wondering for a while.

how much does the performance of individual compressors vary depending on what's around them? For example, I've played my TLC through a markbass f1, a PA I use (with a butler bass driver as my pre) and Traynor yba200. With the first two, I know why people call the tlc transparent. But with the Traynor, it's anything but. That top end gets so sharp, so pretty, it's VERY noticeable.

I've only really ever used it with one bass, though, a custom Tbird with passive wilkinson pickups and flats. Maybe that's why I've never noticed the difference the attack control makes?

What's y'alls setups? Do you notice any difference between them? I'm interested in this now.

Makes me want some sort of chart of how things combine; vca comps like tube amps, Ross clones like roundwounds, that sort of thing.

Sounds like the sort of thing @bongomania might have thoughts about.

That totally makes sense to me- a tube amp has its own compression characteristics that I find can really emphasize attack to a degree (especially my Mesa Prodigy). I don't completely understand all the variables, but I know transformer saturation and also how quickly the amp "rejuices" after a transient spike can either emphasize or mask the attack. Also as I recall there is a bit of a built in mid-scoop on the Traynor specifically that might emphasize treble attack especially if the attack setting on your TLC is set slow (so that the transients are coming through uncompressed). It could even be a matter of input impedance- do you have any other pedals on when you use the Traynor, or is it usually just passive pickups straight to input? Sometimes just the active buffer from a pedal can add a ton of sparkle to passive pickups into certain inputs (my Mesa 400+ seemed particularly sensitive to that as I recall).

I play a Rickenbacker with flatwounds, and find that the Cali76-CB does a great job of emphasizing that attack sharpness at certain settings. I noticed it less with the Aguilar, but as Bongo said different rigs will react differently - I also think I tended to use heavier compression when I had the Aguilar than I do with the Cali (and the Cali has Clean blend capabilities too that emphasize attack)...

 

[Life of Brian]

I currently run my passive Fender Jazz and active Pedulla Thunderbass through the Aguilar Tone Hammer then the Aguilar TLC into my Mark Bass Litttle Mark III into a Mark Bass traveler 2x10. This is my go to set up and never changes. I get a solid warm sound. I do add an MXR bass envelope and Octave into the chain but the Tone Hammer/TLC stays on. That combo makes all my basses sound good in the mix and gives the passive fender "that" sound to keep up. It really helps the passive bass perform.