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Cali76 CBC confessions

MultiScaleMale

Gold Supporting Member
Jun 19, 2003
27,218
39,009
Maryland
Do you have a good enough ear that you can tell much of a difference when you use the HPF control or set the Att/Rel? I don't. Ooo, I think the Ratio needs a little tweak. Maybe I just need a compressor with a single "Compress" knob.
 
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Currently on TB, all compressor threads can ultimately be about Empress....

OP, if you can hear the full change at the extremes, isn't that enough to help you dial in what you want? Of course, simpler comps are, by definition, simpler. The single A/R knob as opposed to separate controls is already a step in that direction.
 
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Well, this was worth watching, at least until the point where the reverb was turned on. Good description of the interaction of the controls, when to use what. I only wish they would mention what approximate frequencies are on the HPF, but I guess just turn until you like. My biggest problem right now is that I'm only playing at home. The neighbors are pretty good about not complaining about me playing bass, and I keep the volume reasonable. At lower volumes compression is less of an issue and the differences are more subtle. I've simplified my pedalboard to the point that I now only have a TurboTuner -> Cali76 CB -> Noble DI. Will be adding a micro Thumpinator, should be here this week. (I'm counting on you USPS.) I like the simplicity, but figure I really should master the Cali76 since that's the most complicated piece of gear on the board. Ok, it's from the UK, so I'll call it the most complicated piece of "kit".

 
Well, this was worth watching, at least until the point where the reverb was turned on. Good description of the interaction of the controls, when to use what. I only wish they would mention what approximate frequencies are on the HPF, but I guess just turn until you like. My biggest problem right now is that I'm only playing at home. The neighbors are pretty good about not complaining about me playing bass, and I keep the volume reasonable. At lower volumes compression is less of an issue and the differences are more subtle. I've simplified my pedalboard to the point that I now only have a TurboTuner -> Cali76 CB -> Noble DI. Will be adding a micro Thumpinator, should be here this week. (I'm counting on you USPS.) I like the simplicity, but figure I really should master the Cali76 since that's the most complicated piece of gear on the board. Ok, it's from the UK, so I'll call it the most complicated piece of "kit".



The frequencies filtered out of the sidechain are 20Hz (most filtered) to 350Hz (least filtered). Turning the HPF control clockwise reduces the amount of these frequencies that trigger the compressor, making them relatively louder than frequencies above 350Hz.
 
I’m in the market for a compressor & I’ve narrowed it down to either the Empress or Cali76. Still undecided on which to purchase.

Probably can't go wrong with either. Read my reviews of both to help you decide based on your needs/wants/features: https://compressorpedalreviews.com
 
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Had some time to play around today with at least a little bit of volume (sorry neighbors). Here's my new strategy: 1) turn the dry all the way down 2) set the compression to where you like the tone, use big turns and then hone in on the more nuanced changed similar to an eye exam. Do you like 1 or 2, 1 ... or ... 2. Then when I get to not hearing any difference, split the difference. Now, dial in the dry to taste. I don't really try to set the volume to parity with the bypassed sound. There are some gooderer (sic) tones when things are turned up with some gain.
 
Literally the most complex bass compressor on the market. It may only have one knob on the front, but it’s a digital multiband compressor under the hood that when hooked up to the Toneprint Editor application allows you to tweak every parameter without training wheels.
I played around with the compressor in the TC Plethora and it doesn’t sound as good as the Empress or Hyper Luminal. I haven’t used the Cali yet.
 
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I played around with the compressor in the TC Plethora and it doesn’t sound as good as the Empress or Hyper Luminal. I haven’t used the Cali yet.

I can't vouch for the Plethora. But as for the standalone SpectraComp, unfortunately, how good it sounds is largely a matter of operator skill. If you don't know how to properly program a multiband digital compressor, you are not going to be very likely to get as good a sound out of it as you will get from a compressor which has had most of its parametres chosen for you by someone else.

My SpectraComp sounds great with my custom toneprint. If all you ever do is use the downloadable toneprints, you'll never be able to access the full potential of the unit.

The Cali76 Compact Bass, by the way, has a *minimum* compression ratio of about 5:1, which is an odd choice, to say the least. 5:1 is a fairly high ratio, and compressors really should always have the ability to go all the way down to 1:1 (no compression).