Boss compressor and limiter

[wtf_is_a_bass]

I was just curious about the differences between the boss lmb-3 (bass limiter enhancer) and cs-3 (compression sustainer)

 

[enim]

a limiter is just like a cap, it stops anything louder than a certain point, basically giving you full dynamics until point X, when you stop getting louder, even if you play louder.

Good for recording, in my experience. Set the limiter right before the clip point of the mixer/computer/microphone, so you dont get clipping.

Compressors make soft sounds louder, and loud sounds softer, so that they sound similar. Like, if you were doing two-hand tapping, and you can left hand tap harder then you can right hand tap, a compressor would even that out and make it sound in the same dynamic range.

I never got, however, how coompressors are also sustainers. I cant figure out how to make it work on my ME-50B, so, i just dont know there.

 

[bongomania]

Compressors respond to the volume of the signal you put into them. They turn down the output proportionally to increases in the input. Most compressor pedals have a makeup gain stage at the end (with a "level" knob), which just turns up the overall volume of the whole signal post-compression. That's how they appear to make soft sounds louder- you just turned the volume way up! That's also why many compressors (especially cheap guitar ones labeled as sustainers) seem noisy.

They work as sustainers because your strings will continue to vibrate longer than we can normally hear them. If you crank the volume, you can hear more sustain. The compressor smashes down the level of the louder part of your notes, and then "lets up" gradually as your note dies off, allowing the full signal through that last cranked gain stage.

 

[wtf_is_a_bass]

Thanks guys!