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Cali76 Compact Bass

#81
Zaphodz said:
Thank you for your reply. I have read many of your reviews as it happens, very illuminating, thank you.

So, I might deduce that the MB Compressore might be good for smooth warm tones and the Cali76 CB (and others mentioned) might be capable of yielding a punchier sound. In other words, they both have their place depending on what you're after. Dang! More reasons for more pedals :)
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Glad to hear my reviews have been illuminating. It's been a journey and I'm glad that my endeavor can be of help to others.

Yes, the CaliCB would probably be considered more punchy than the Markbass. Both are great compressors. If I could only have one and size wasn't an issue, I'd probably opt for the Markbass though. That's for me personally. YMMV of course.
 
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#83
Zaphodz said:
Hi, sorry to bump this older thread again.

My main bass is a MM Stingray 5 and I'm currently using the Markbass Compressore compressor and was wondering how you found the Cali76-CB compared to the MB (before your MB stopped working)? I bought an Origin Effects Super Vintage Bass Rig last year which has been superb, so am tempted by the Cali76-CB to pair with it. Any insight as to how the CB and MB compare and whether it is worth changing would be much appreciated.
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Zaphodz said:
Hi, sorry to bump this older thread again.

My main bass is a MM Stingray 5 and I'm currently using the Markbass Compressore compressor and was wondering how you found the Cali76-CB compared to the MB (before your MB stopped working)? I bought an Origin Effects Super Vintage Bass Rig last year which has been superb, so am tempted by the Cali76-CB to pair with it. Any insight as to how the CB and MB compare and whether it is worth changing would be much appreciated.
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The Cali is a complete other compressor in comparison with the Markbass to me. The settings of the Cali are really subtle. In the beginning I thought the Cali didn’t work correctly. Especially compared to the Markbass. There you can easily have unusual sounds. Not with the Cali. This one is very subtle. Now I can not miss the Cali anymore. You have to take time to get used to it. And the sound of the Cali is really natural. The Markbass colors your sound. But in a good way. But in my eyes it’s not the job of a compressor to make a impact on your sound. That the job of (my) Tube preamp.
 
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#84
Edwin Belgium said:
The Cali is a complete other compressor in comparison with the Markbass to me. The settings of the Cali are really subtle. In the beginning I thought the Cali didn’t work correctly. Especially compared to the Markbass. There you can easily have unusual sounds. Not with the Cali. This one is very subtle. Now I can not miss the Cali anymore. You have to take time to get used to it. And the sound of the Cali is really natural. The Markbass colors your sound. But in a good way. But in my eyes it’s not the job of a compressor to make a impact on your sound. That the job of (my) Tube preamp.
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Thank you for your reply. Interesting to get a few different insights into the nuanced differences with these compressors. For now, I think I'll stick with the MB Compressore, I'm not unhappy with it. Maybe an opportunity to try the Cali76 CB will come my way and I can see (hear) for myself. My interest was triggered by the quality of the Origin Effects BassRig Super Vintage that I got a while back, which is outstandingly good, IMHO.
 
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#85
Edwin Belgium said:
The Cali is a complete other compressor in comparison with the Markbass to me. The settings of the Cali are really subtle. In the beginning I thought the Cali didn’t work correctly. Especially compared to the Markbass. There you can easily have unusual sounds. Not with the Cali. This one is very subtle. Now I can not miss the Cali anymore. You have to take time to get used to it. And the sound of the Cali is really natural. The Markbass colors your sound. But in a good way. But in my eyes it’s not the job of a compressor to make a impact on your sound. That the job of (my) Tube preamp.
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IMO, the cali76 CB can be set for very heavy compression so personaly wouldn't call it "subtle" (although i don't use mine that way).
 
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#89
Goatrope said:
The big thing for me was the ability to put the dry signal back into it. The HPF functionality is also something that appeals to me. All that in this tiny package is a winner. It’s always on and I can see it being with me for a long time.

On the negative-side, I’ve found both the Cali 76tx and this CB to be the noisiest pedals on my board. They both added an underlying hiss that I can eliminate just by turning them off. At 18v it’s worse. In the real-world, at the gigs, it’s an inaudible non-issue.
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Thanks for your post. As someone tormented by tinnitus, I appreciate the warning about hiss, even if others may not be bothered at gig volume.
 
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#90
Indiedog said:
Scuba! You sooooo deserve another round of “Thanks” for this amazing thread and all the research you have done and presented on Compressors for the gang here.

I personally have benefitted from this thread…after all, I bought a Cali 76 because of you!
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Thanks. I really do appreciate that.
 
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#91
johnk_10 said:
IMO, the cali76 CB can be set for very heavy compression so personaly wouldn't call it "subtle" (although i don't use mine that way).
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I think I understand you. Indeed a heavy compression is possible but never a overkill. The MB is a other beast. With subtle I mean that with the combination of DRY and/or HPF is it possible that you almost can’t hear the compression but feel it. And the Cali can be dial in that way that’s only visual on the VU meter. The only thing I miss on the Cali pedal is a threshold knob that filter out some noise when you don’t play. That’s a big benefit on the Markbass. All the way I like both in there own way. I would not buy the Cali (for the price) if my Markbass wouldn’t die so quick …
 
#92
I adore my Compressore, goliath that it is. I don't find it overly dark... more like mellow and warm. It definitely imparts tone magic, both at subtle and not-so-subtle settings. The gain knob is delightful. At subtle settings, it enhances my tone in a lovely way. If I push the gain, it introduces sweet, but unobtrusive harmonic distortion thanks to the tube. It also plays nice with the other devices on it's block.
 
#93
I had the Mark bass. I liked it but wasn't what I was looking for. It does color the sound and because of that I wasn't using it. I use the Cali76 TX. Large pedal but love its functions. I think their smaller Origin cali 76 bass version pedal is great also and may get one. If willing to carry around a larger unit than there are other options to. Like the Golden Age 3A Jr. A little heavier and semi large but for 349. Its a great clean comp. A copy of the Older 3A Teletronix.
 
#94
Question for all you Cali76 owners:

My Cali on my board is producing some overdriven distortion/fuzz (not a ton, but enough to not sound clean) to my clean signal. Even when I’m running it solely on its own. Thoughts as to why this is happening? I’m running it first in my chain.

Thanks in advance for any guidance!
 
#98
Hey, Scuba! It’s confirmed solely from the Cali76. I was admittedly too lazy to disconnect my other Cali from my other board, but it was whisper quiet on the board with what sounds like a defective Cali. Same settings and all.

Also, the only time I can get the Cali unit not to break up is if I put the “In” signal so low as to not to trigger compression.
 
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