Best compressor for active basses

At that price point I'd look for a used empress, diamond or get a new Keeley bassist or onvi FX smoothie.

Personally, the empress was easiest to use when I first started using a comp due to the led's. The diamond is great but you need to use your ears more (and mine were not ready) no real experience with the bassist (yet) and the smoothie is simply amazing for $200. But my not be "flat" not that its coloring your tone, but it is not completely flat imo.

You can't really go wrong with any of those.

Good luck

 

You should take a look to MXR. The Input knob it´s really works so good for adjusting the different output signal basses, so you´d not having issues with it.

 

Yeah the MXR M87 would be a solid choice for the requirements given.

 

Gig-reliable for your requirements? Probably the Aguilar TLC.

 

Another vote for the Empress. It's just a great comp and will do everything you're looking for, including rock solid reliability.

 

The empress compressor meets all of your requirements except for price. It has great easy to use features that result in a very transparent sound. It certainly levels the frequency spectrum in a way than other pedals & amps like - both what goes in and what is after it respond well. It works well to subdue a peaky filter or to push a drive pedal into warm break up. Even at high ratio settings it still remains fairly transparent.

Here's a funny statement: it's a dynamic compressor - lol. The mix control really helps this pedal shine.

 

I recently purchased an MXR M87 and have had no issues.

 

no gamble with MXR , you are reading OLD version issues. I've had no problems with mine. It's the best fit for your requirements,as many have said. Buy it from a store near you,then if you have problems just swap it out. I say this because I'm new to comps and I really really love my MXR and how the ten LEDs show at a glance what is going on.

 

I play all active 5 string basses I found the MXR to have too sensitive adjustments just a hair was a huge change and it killed and squashed my B string I dumped it although I love MXR and never ever had an issue with any of them. My favorite pedal board larger size is any of the FEA compressors they are just as good as it gets IMO. Totally quiet, musical on every note, easy to get what you want.

Other than that I am 100% +++ with the empress, diamond or get a new Keeley suggestions. My bud just got a new Keeley and is in love with it. Says by far the best of the smaller size and may be as good as the bigger ones.

 

I would highly recommend the EBS Multicomp. I have it and love it. It's small, easy to use, quiet and doesn't color your tone.

 

Look at FEA if you not in a hurry and add $50-60, I use one w/active ele's works great, dead quiet. Best comp I ever used, you wont be sorry.

 

Never had an issue with mine.

 

I agree with others' suggestion to try the Empress if you can find it used at your price point.

But the Aguilar TLC I owned about 2.5 years ago lacked headroom. It would clip when I played through it hard with a hot active bass. My TLC had a warm and musical sound, but low headroom. Maybe the current version features more headroom, but I have not tried it.

 

+1 for the Empress... If you can find one used, it's the way to go.

Sorry, I have no other suggestions in your price range.

 

Your ceiling for new at $200...frankly, let me/us advise to you adjust that. Not to pay more for new, but to consider used pedals that would be more than that when new. Why? Because I've gotten 30-60% off on pedals of various price ranges only because the sellers wanted to move 'em. So far, never gotten a lemon, and nearly every pedal I own is used. ~10 pedals total.

The Diamond and Empress are snazzy. And reliable. And you probably won't find very many used for sale because people love them. But if you do, grab one of those.

Re: the Boss CS-3, I own one (M.A. Opto Plus modded) and only use it on bass for re-leveling after picking and/or using a hard phaser or envelope filter. It's too much to be a regular compressor, but worth keeping in the arsenal.

 

How can I know if my TLC is the current version or not?

And what settings are you using?