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Bass Compressor: EBS Or Maxon? Vote!

Bass compressor?

  • Total voters
    101
#23
MBRVMasterTone4 said:
Ok. So what do i need of my future compressor? In no particular order...

1. sound limiting (limiting on slap, pop, and other sounds that are louder then regular picking);
2. multiband;
3. tube simulator (if possible);
4. sound pump-up (Les Claypool style check this video )
5. quality
6. stomp box
7. to use on 4 string bass

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


Sounds kinda like an EBS Multicomp to me....
 
#26
IMO pretty much anyone who says "buy a Punch Factory" is someone that has never used a good compressor, and has no point of reference.

I'm sure there are exceptions, and I mean no offense to those few who actually have chosen the PF after trying other professional-grade comps.
 
#30
MBRVMasterTone4 said:
1. sound limiting (limiting on slap, pop, and other sounds that are louder then regular picking);
2. multiband;
3. tube simulator (if possible);
4. sound pump-up (Les Claypool style check this video )
5. quality
6. stomp box
7. to use on 4 string bass
Click to expand...


Hmmm... Multiband throws a bit of a wrench into things, as (a) there are only a few multiband pedals out there, and (b) they don't necessarily meet your other wishes. FWIW multiband is best for people who want a hi-fi (not fattened, colored, or otherwise effect-y) sound, and people who run up and down the fretboard very fast. Since you also want tube sim and an effect-y pumping sound, I would suggest forgetting multiband.

The EBS allows tube sim or multiband (not both at once), but it's not the best peak limiter, and won't really "pump".

The Maxon is great at peak limiting, but it is very clean, no tubiness or pumping. Very hi-fi sound.

The Demeter is a good limiter, and the fatness it provides is somewhat similar to the tubesim mode of the EBS, but it's hard to make it pump.

The Jacques Fat Burner is super fat sounding, a decent peak limiter, and can definitely pump, but it's practically the opposite of multiband in terms of hi-fi articulation.

The Orange Squeezer clones are great for a pumping effect, and depending on the way they're built they can even have a tube-like "fur" to the tone (note that I also mean some of them are built to sound super clean and clear); they're OK at moderate peak limiting, and since you play a 4 you won't hear any loss of lows.

I actually think an Orange Squeezer clone might be best for you; there are reviews of several on my reviews page, along with a section about OS clones in general. Otherwise, think about the descriptions I wrote above and see if any of them sound like what you want most.
 
#31
bongomania said:
Hmmm... Multiband throws a bit of a wrench into things, as (a) there are only a few multiband pedals out there, and (b) they don't necessarily meet your other wishes. FWIW multiband is best for people who want a hi-fi (not fattened, colored, or otherwise effect-y) sound, and people who run up and down the fretboard very fast. Since you also want tube sim and an effect-y pumping sound, I would suggest forgetting multiband.
Click to expand...

Great stuff. The multi-band and tube simulation was what ultimately led me to suggest the EBS, otherwise I might have made similar observations (Demeter being a strong candidate).

I'm interested to hear the new Indyguitarist/Wampler Ego Squasher and Visual Sound V2 Comp 66 (VisualSound has a really great noise-reduction circuit in their newest pedals) on bass. They both look to be fairly versatile candidates. I'd also be interested in seeing a Bi-Comprossor that adequately deals with the OS noise issue.
 
#32
I just looked up the Ego Squasher and it's just a modified Ross clone. I won't be even a little bit interested unless somebody else confirms no loss of low end. The Route 66 is also a Ross clone, and the V1 is already known to lose low end, so again unless somebody gets their hands on one of these V2s and confirms no low end loss, I won't bother. Also any comp that has a noise-reduction circuit built in is a disaster, a design failure from the get-go.
 
#36
MBRVMasterTone4 said:
Ok so now i'm confused. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Me too! :p Basically you have to decide between the following options:

1) Just pick something and try it out. Worst case scenario, you learn more about what you do and don't want! If you buy a pedal used, you won't lose much money when you sell it later.

2) Enjoy being confused. It's never-ending.
 
#37
+4 to the Black Finger!

Just used it on recording for the first time last weekend - cautiously and sceptically, given it's rep for noise - thinking, ok, this works fine for live, don't see any noise issues, what's it like in the studio?

And the verdict iiiiiiiiiiis:
Complicated. The bad news: for some settings, particularly extreme, squashed compression, I did find the noise distracting. However - altering the position of the power supply and swapping the unit around in the pedal chain made a difference there.

But the good news is that in 'normal' + lamp mode, as always-on compression with loads of tube-y warmth, it was absolutely immense and not at all noisy. Strange. But it made my Rick absolutely roar, particularly when we pushed the signal into the red. I wound up with one of the best recordings of my bass sound on multitrack tape, ever.

There seems to be a lot of variable experiences with the blackfinger out there. I'm a big fan of vintage-sounding & tube gear, so for me, it's great - I appreciate the arguments agin it, but I dig it immensely. I know there's a tendency to suggest that you stake your compressor flag in the ground with one unit and leave it at that (I think it's a sensible choice, btw), but if ever there was an argument for a second compressor, this has gotta be it.
 
#38
I've tried a few compressors in my search for the "perfect" one. I'm still not sure I've found it, but I now use the EBS MultiComp. It's very subtle, but it does the job for what I want it for.

I tried the Trace Elliot Dual Band compressor, the Boss CS-3, MXR M132 Super Compressor, Marshall ED-1 and a few other guitar compressor pedals that were completely no good at all, and the EBS stood out for me.

I'm not going to vote though, as I haven't tried enough to really say it's the best!
 

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