• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Api comp pedal, expert speculation please

Do you think this would be a good bass comp?

  • Total voters
    25
B

BassFalcon

Nov 18, 2020
1,274
2,617
#1
Saw this announced, based on specs and features and company reputation, it looks interesting. To me it appears very high quality for an excellent price, but I'm no compressor expert. I'm curious about what the compressor intelligentsia has to say about this units potential for bass. Is there something about it that screams "not a good bass comp" or does it look like it could do very well as a bass comp. Thanks for your thoughts.
API TranZformer CMP Compressor Pedal
 
#2
Looks interesting to me. Part of the appeal would definitely be using the gain stages to color the sound to taste.

1s release time is awful long for the Slow release setting, but could have its uses.

Feature-wise, it's missing things that the Empress compressors have and that my Hyper Luminal has; I'm pretty spoiled having the sidechain HPF there to avoid triggering squeeze with occasional rumbles.

Still, not everyone needs a pile of bells & whistles. And if this sounds good, it's worth checking out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BassFalcon
#3
Real Soon said:
Looks interesting to me. Part of the appeal would definitely be using the gain stages to color the sound to taste.

1s release time is awful long for the Slow release setting, but could have its uses.

Feature-wise, it's missing things that the Empress compressors have and that my Hyper Luminal has; I'm pretty spoiled having the sidechain HPF there to avoid triggering squeeze with occasional rumbles.

Still, not everyone needs a pile of bells & whistles. And if this sounds good, it's worth checking out.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the opinion! After a little thought I decided to roll the dice and get in on the sale. Should be here by the end of the month. The transformer is appealing to me, the controls are rather simple and straightforward, and I like the idea of a few switches instead of extra knobs to help simplify things. Made in Maryland. Should be pretty good. I'm surprised there's not more interest in it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Real Soon
#10
I've done a little reading and don't quite understand the feedforward vs. feedback compressor. I believe that feedback applies the compression based on what has already happened vs the feed forward looking at what's coming and applying the compression based on that, i.e. sensor at the end of circuit vs. sensor at beginning. Is that a correct understanding? Thanks in advance.
 
#12
rhyharmel said:
@BassFalcon anything to report back? Looking forward to this one myself.
Click to expand...

havent got to spent a whole lot of time with it yet, but I was getting everything from no compression at all up to and including Tony levin "sledgehammer" levels. And it's all very usable thanks to the blend knob. Crank the comp but then only add in 5–10% still sounds great. I like the addition of some switches instead of knobs, just makes things simpler, which I like. Build quality is impressive. And you can tell it's got a transformer because it weighs like it does. It is darn near a solid brick. Overall, for my typically compressor averse self, I'm really liking it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pbass2, andronik, pfinn and 1 other person
#13
IMG_20220105_142048.jpg


Really don't get why there's isn't more fuss about this pedal. Input and blend knob, attack and type switches are soooo tasty, dig it !
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marc Helliwell, andronik, rhyharmel and 2 others
#14
HoochfromP said:
View attachment 4530088

Really don't get why there's isn't more fuss about this pedal. Input and blend knob, attack and type switches are soooo tasty, dig it !
Click to expand...
Right? I thought this one would really blow up once people found out about it, but it's just crickets. I love it, well built, exceptional sound, decent price, and most importantly to me, very easy to dial in any of the available great sounds. Maybe it'll catch on with all the compressor heads. If not, their loss.
 
#16
cnltb said:
I think it'll be good at what it does but maybe takes up too much room to be of interest to me.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, And that's a valid concern for sure. My entire pedalboard is just a pedaltrain pedal booster with an eventide blackhole and this API comp, both of which are large format pedals and take up about the whole thing, so for me, the size isn't an issue. I am considering adding a volume pedal but I don't think I'd want that on the board anyway.
 
#17
IMG_20220107_142253.jpg


It's not super-compact but doesn't take too much space imo. I'm def no compressor expert, dig what they do though, reason why i went through the usual suspects (FEA Opti-FET, DE-CL, Cali76, Broughton Apex & Monocomp, Effectrode LA-1, PC2-A, Photon Death Ray, Empress BC...). CMP is right up there. Provides extra thickness/punch depending on type switch, it's also perfectly tuned for bass imo - no extra hpf sidechain knob needed -, perfectly balances ease of use and setting accuracy as well. And such nice sounds to get from this (not that big) blue box ! Keeper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: andronik, Luke the Fluke, rhyharmel and 2 others
#18
For $280 I expect a threshold indicator and ratio control.
I have used API compressors in the studio years ago and they were good but no idea how this unit compares circuit wise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jimfist
#19
Sustain knob is the ratio control, providing gain reduction up to 20:1. Agree it may lack some metering. That being said the input knob is very progressive and makes it not too difficult finding one's sweetspot.
 
Last edited:
#20
HoochfromP said:
Sustain knob is the ratio control, providing gain reduction up to 20:1. Agree it may lack some metering. That being said the input knob is very progressive and makes it not too difficult finding one's sweetspot.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this.
Sustain knob? I guess they feel they really need to dumb it down for guitar and bass players.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BassFalcon

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back