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Best Compressor Pedal

#101
Okay, so I'll reply to my own post. I got the TLC today and just spent about two hours running it through the paces. It is extremely transparent compared to the Milk Box and less so compared to the Diamond. The controls are great and it was quiet easy to dial in a tight punchy tone.

So with the MM SR5 into the Tone Hammer, it is exactly what I was looking for. The MM tone is there with the TLC on - warm and punchy. Interestingly, the Sadowsky sounds much better through the Diamond IMO. The Diamond magic seems to work better on all my single coil basses.

So thanks to Bongo and others for the thumbs up on the TLC.
 
#104
bezo420 said:
What is the best compressor pedal for a bass? I am using a Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone, but I don't feel it is doing the job. I got it for guitar, and it works great for guitar, but I need something for my bass board. What do you guys recommend?
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The "best" it´s a subjetive thing. It deppends a lot of what are you expecting from a compressor. I could say you that the Aguilar TLC is my "best" ´cause it offers all that I´ve searching for in a compressor, but I don´t know if TLC it should fit/like you.:cool:
 
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#110
Tele,
I let it go because I seem to have better dynamic control with no comp at all. I think if I were recording more than I am playing live I would look for another. With metering and 2 different modes it is versatile and very transparent.
Just a great piece.
 
#111
I've tried so many different compressors and even though there are some with literally thousands of dialing opportunities, I noticed that most of all that is lost in the mix. After a 5 year long crusade, I am sticking to my EBS MultiComp. Put it on Tubesim Mode, all dials on 12 o'clock and DONE. Love it.

Live, I don't even use any pedals. I go straight into the Ashdown ABM, add a bit of the valve drive, compression and here and then a bit of the octaver, it's funnny how my entire pedalboard is built into that amp. However, the EBS MultiComp is better, no question.

I've tried some Tube Compressors as well, including the Markbass but found it is not worth the extra power plug and huge size. I found the MXR one is okay but rather boring at the same time as well... Boss was rubbish, so was the TC Electronics. It just wasn't ALIVE.

Sorry for popping in like that, just felt the need to say all this. Go on, Gentlemen :D
 
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#112
Gazonga!!! I laughed so hard when I saw your Avatar!!!! Love it. Sorry for the derail fellas. Back to the best compressor...

I also found the Markbass was too big and bulky however I thought it sounded good. My guitarist and I both have Empress compressors on our boards in our cover band. We really like the transparency.

I also use the TLC in my original band because I really like what it does to the tone of my bass when ran from the TLC into my SFT pedal set to a B15 kind of low gain.
 
#113
MuthaFunk said:
Gazonga!!! I laughed so hard when I saw your Avatar!!!! Love it. Sorry for the derail fellas. Back to the best compressor...

I also found the Markbass was too big and bulky however I thought it sounded good. My guitarist and I both have Empress compressors on our boards in our cover band. We really like the transparency.

I also use the TLC in my original band because I really like what it does to the tone of my bass when ran from the TLC into my SFT pedal set to a B15 kind of low gain.
Click to expand...

I believe this must be my favorite picture in the whole wide world, yes ;-)

Yes, I agree that the Empress stuff is GREAT but in the MIX there is literally nothing left of that difference. At least not to the ears of me and our sound guy. People wouldn't notice anyway... :D

I have to disagree on the TLC though, it didn't sound nice to my ears but then that always depends on the rest of the gear as well, doesn't it? Good to hear someone could make a good use out of it.
 
#114
I have wasted tons of dough on trying different comp pedals. Lots of love here for the EBS and I dug it but I felt my active basses ran too hot into it and it didn't like it, just my opinion. I have an FEA dual band now..it's too big..there are too many knobs...the markers on the knobs suck you can't see where they are set at...it's heavy..and yet it is by far the best GD compressor I have ever used for bass. So natural and doesn't crush my B string where most others fail at. With dual band I can switch from fretted to fretless and take off the high compression and it sounds so organic and thick without killing my dynamics. There are a bazillion of em out there but my FEA is on my board and set and it ain't ever coming off!
 
#116
Gazonga said:
Yes, I agree that the Empress stuff is GREAT but in the MIX there is literally nothing left of that difference. At least not to the ears of me and our sound guy. People wouldn't notice anyway... :D

I have to disagree on the TLC though, it didn't sound nice to my ears but then that always depends on the rest of the gear as well, doesn't it? Good to hear someone could make a good use out of it.
Click to expand...

Well. It makes me thinking that probably you expect hearing the compression like an strong effect. This is the main reason that you said before that some of them they are lost in the mix. In that sense the Multicomp it works nicely, ´cause the Attack and Release times they are setted from the factory so well to hear his gain reduction more like an strong effect that for instance Aguilar TLC or Empress that they seem to be a subtle (but effective) when they are reducing dynamics.

There´s nothing wrong in it. It´s simply a taste choice.:thumbsup:
 
#119
Jaycephas said:
Okay, so I'll reply to my own post. I got the TLC today and just spent about two hours running it through the paces. It is extremely transparent compared to the Milk Box and less so compared to the Diamond. The controls are great and it was quiet easy to dial in a tight punchy tone.

So with the MM SR5 into the Tone Hammer, it is exactly what I was looking for. The MM tone is there with the TLC on - warm and punchy. Interestingly, the Sadowsky sounds much better through the Diamond IMO. The Diamond magic seems to work better on all my single coil basses.

So thanks to Bongo and others for the thumbs up on the TLC.
Click to expand...
That's very interesting. I play a stingray 4hh and was looking at getting the diamond. Would I be better off with the tlc?
 
#120
Jaycephas said:
Okay, so I'll reply to my own post. I got the TLC today and just spent about two hours running it through the paces. It is extremely transparent compared to the Milk Box and less so compared to the Diamond. The controls are great and it was quiet easy to dial in a tight punchy tone.

So with the MM SR5 into the Tone Hammer, it is exactly what I was looking for. The MM tone is there with the TLC on - warm and punchy. Interestingly, the Sadowsky sounds much better through the Diamond IMO. The Diamond magic seems to work better on all my single coil basses.

So thanks to Bongo and others for the thumbs up on the TLC.
Click to expand...

Maybe the explanataion it be how it affects the Theshold settings to the differents volume signals from each pick up.
 

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