Can't find a compressor I like

[Ian774]

1/ maybe you don’t need a compressor
2/ maybe you’re not setting yours right?
3/ maybe you should look into the Cali76 Bass Compressor. Killer piece of gear.

 

[kyral210]

Maybe I've just got too high expectations, but I've been having a heck of a time finding a compressor that I simply just like. Below are a list of the compressors I've tried and why I don't like them:

Darkglass Hyper Luminal (x2):
- Always had audible (to my ears) artifacting in the compressed signal even in 4:1 ratios. The more compression I added, the more artifacting I could hear, which means the compressor is introducing noise in the compressed signal. I legitimately thought the first one was defective, so I sent it back for a replacement and it did the same thing. Ultimately Darkglass said it was "working as designed", so I got rid of it.

Empress Bass Compressor:
- Doesn't stay on when my pedal board turns on/off.
- Pops when I turn it on/off.
- Sometimes, when I'm digging in, it'll "pop" and I notice that my gain reduction also maxes out at -25dB reduction for a brief moment. This seems to be a lot worse with a very fast attack. For reference, I'm nornally running 4:1 ratio with about -4 to -6dB gain reduction during normal playing, so a random spike to -25dB seems massive and it's definitely not a cable pop.
- I really love the side-chain high pass filter though!

MarkBass Compressore:
- Compresses the low B too much for my liking. It's 'balanced' with the rest of the strings, but I like my B to be big and powerful - especially since many PA systems are rolling off at those frequencies already.
- Easily the cleanest and most natural sounding of the 3 compressors and, if it had the side-chain high pass of the Empress, it would be the end of my compressor search.

Anybody else have some recommendations of a compressor pedal I could look into? Am I just expecting too much from a compressor?

The Black Country Customs Custard Factory for me is incredible. No Pop when turning off and on, no artificial sounds in the compression, highly versatile, and affordable. Give it a shot!

 

[Obese Chess]

Have you tried inserting a Variable high-pass filter in front of the Compressore?

I have not, but that sounds like it would be more or less ideal to split off the low lows to bypass the compressor and then sum it back in again. Is there a pedal that does that? I've seen several high pass filters that just chop off the low end, but that's not what I'm after.

I would think you could conceivably use something like the Damnation Audio Dirtfixer or Dirtmixer with the Markbass in line instead of a drive pedal.

I will say I have a Broughton HPF set to around 30hz in front of my Compressore and despite playing super-downtuned metal I don't have any issues with it choking the low string like you are describing. Might be worth a look if you're satisified otherwise.

 

[filler83]

I have enjoyed the Keeley Bassist - simple and effective. That and the OvniFX Smoothie were the top of the ones I have tried.

 

[JazznFunk]

Get thee to the Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor.

 

[sethlow3]

I have enjoyed the Keeley Bassist - simple and effective. That and the OvniFX Smoothie were the top of the ones I have tried.

Yeah I went to the Keeley Bassist for simplicity and have been satisfied since. I tried the Cali and Empress and while nice for what they do, I wanna have the setup process as simple and quick as possible.

It’s much easier to set back to the way it should be after it makes it the load up and commute to the gig. Plus, it sounds great. I’m not trying to do 100 things with a compressor, just want my signal even between the four techniques I use and I’m satisfied. Unless you’re going for massive squash or some other reason, this is the point IMO.

 

[klokker]

Another vote for the BC-1x.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Get thee to the Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor.

Inexpensive on the secondhand market and has a blend which will solve 80% of your woes. I use its predecessor, the DoubleBack, which has the cooler graphics.

Riis

 

[MynameisMe]

Have you tried a Limiter pedal?
Here's a really good one for sale in the classifieds.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/boss-limiter-enhancer-lmb-3.1651449/

 

[40Hz]

You could try taking a spin over to TB member Scubaduba’s website. He’s done in depth reviews of somewhere close to a hundred different compressors last I looked. And these reviews are from a bass player’s perspective for a change. His site can give you the lay of the land regarding what’s out there. His site is one of my first stops whenever I’m thinking of adding yet another compressor to my small collection of them. Saved me from making than one inappropriate purchase decision.

Happy hunting.

 

[TheArchitect]

Maybe I've just got too high expectations, but I've been having a heck of a time finding a compressor that I simply just like. Below are a list of the compressors I've tried and why I don't like them:

Darkglass Hyper Luminal (x2):
- Always had audible (to my ears) artifacting in the compressed signal even in 4:1 ratios. The more compression I added, the more artifacting I could hear, which means the compressor is introducing noise in the compressed signal. I legitimately thought the first one was defective, so I sent it back for a replacement and it did the same thing. Ultimately Darkglass said it was "working as designed", so I got rid of it.

Empress Bass Compressor:
- Doesn't stay on when my pedal board turns on/off.
- Pops when I turn it on/off.
- Sometimes, when I'm digging in, it'll "pop" and I notice that my gain reduction also maxes out at -25dB reduction for a brief moment. This seems to be a lot worse with a very fast attack. For reference, I'm nornally running 4:1 ratio with about -4 to -6dB gain reduction during normal playing, so a random spike to -25dB seems massive and it's definitely not a cable pop.
- I really love the side-chain high pass filter though!

MarkBass Compressore:
- Compresses the low B too much for my liking. It's 'balanced' with the rest of the strings, but I like my B to be big and powerful - especially since many PA systems are rolling off at those frequencies already.
- Easily the cleanest and most natural sounding of the 3 compressors and, if it had the side-chain high pass of the Empress, it would be the end of my compressor search.

Anybody else have some recommendations of a compressor pedal I could look into? Am I just expecting too much from a compressor?

What are you running in front of it? It sounds like you are overloading the input

 

[TheArchitect]

Get thee to the Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor.

This is what I use on my pedalboard. I like it a lot. I do record with it but I also use a DI and use an 1176 clone or an LA2A clone for compression when recording. You may consider the pedal equivalents of those as well

 

[carsonchilders]

I also have a lot of gripes with compressors but I love the subtle thickness of the Union Tube and Transistor LAB.

 

[Harper]

Maybe you don't need one?

 

[eddododo]

I have not, but that sounds like it would be more or less ideal to split off the low lows to bypass the compressor and then sum it back in again. Is there a pedal that does that? I've seen several high pass filters that just chop off the low end, but that's not what I'm after.

I used a boss LS2 w a rolls mini crossover, but there are better more elegant ways.. I personally just designed and built what I needed, but obviously not everyone has that skillset.

 

[Aloe]

MarkBass Compressore:
- Compresses the low B too much for my liking.

that's the reason, I parted with mine, a multi-band is really great for low B.

this said, it's been a few years, I don't use a compressor pedal.

 

[RobD_BritBass]

You could try a great eastern effects XO, it'd let you put the markbass in a loop and control the amount of low end that gets fed to the compressor and add some parallel compression?
Or a simpler loop blender pedal.
I love the compressore, but the size of it makes it less suitable for my main pedalboard, so I've got a couple of other options, currently the lusithand Alma is on there and doing a great job, but I rarely use a low B so I can't say too much about how well that works.

 

[dune]

Love the Empress. Haven't turned it off since it arrived.

 

[eddododo]

Maybe I've just got too high expectations, but I've been having a heck of a time finding a compressor that I simply just like. Below are a list of the compressors I've tried and why I don't like them:

Darkglass Hyper Luminal (x2):
- Always had audible (to my ears) artifacting in the compressed signal even in 4:1 ratios. The more compression I added, the more artifacting I could hear, which means the compressor is introducing noise in the compressed signal. I legitimately thought the first one was defective, so I sent it back for a replacement and it did the same thing. Ultimately Darkglass said it was "working as designed", so I got rid of it.

Empress Bass Compressor:
- Doesn't stay on when my pedal board turns on/off.
- Pops when I turn it on/off.
- Sometimes, when I'm digging in, it'll "pop" and I notice that my gain reduction also maxes out at -25dB reduction for a brief moment. This seems to be a lot worse with a very fast attack. For reference, I'm nornally running 4:1 ratio with about -4 to -6dB gain reduction during normal playing, so a random spike to -25dB seems massive and it's definitely not a cable pop.
- I really love the side-chain high pass filter though!

MarkBass Compressore:
- Compresses the low B too much for my liking. It's 'balanced' with the rest of the strings, but I like my B to be big and powerful - especially since many PA systems are rolling off at those frequencies already.
- Easily the cleanest and most natural sounding of the 3 compressors and, if it had the side-chain high pass of the Empress, it would be the end of my compressor search.

Anybody else have some recommendations of a compressor pedal I could look into? Am I just expecting too much from a compressor?

I have the Empress and I used the Markbass for years..

I love both, but I agree with some of the gripes, but allow me to assist if I can. First off, the empress pop is a perceived pop. The problem is actually that it lets you dial in too fast of attack, honestly. If what you like is a fast attack, then the Empress is going faster than most, to the point that the extreme has been unusable in my experience.. in other words, a typical ‘fast’ setting is more like 10oclock. Conversely, if you want a fast clamp peak limiter, then you need the threshold to be way lower, AKA lower the input gain a LOT, and catch only the highest peaks of slap or whatever. I find this does NOT tend to pop. In other words, the fastest attack on the empress is not really suitable for general, on-80%-of-the-time chewy compression. If what you want is a heavy squish, then what I do is attack somewhere between 11:00 and 3:00, ratio on 4 or 10:1, adjust release til it sounds nice, and then dial in some clean. You want the compression to be a bit too much, and then only dial in a touch of clean
I’m afraid I don’t at all understand the complaint about the power…?


For the markbass, I LOVE THAT COMPRESSOR. To me, it has the best response curve on all of its controls, and the only complaint I have is indeed the lack of HPF/sidechain. I’ve considered modding on, or else doing something like a clean blend bass boost.


All that said, the FEA compressors may scratch your itch a little better, in that case. There are also some random comps that I found weirdly good, like the Walrus one..

but here’s what I actually think, since you didn’t like the empress.. I think you’re fighting them too much! I’m not going to bother with the narrative others have shared that you just don’t need one, because where’s the fun in that… But for one is full featured as the Empress, It should have everything you need provided. You don’t have some special need outside of its feature, which it doesn’t seem like you do. Rather, it seems that you were budding up against how it works versus your expectation of how you want it to work, and you need to perhaps take a step back and let it work how it wants to work. The way I make subtle and tricky things like compressors work for me is to figure out what I want conceptually, then try to find it, THEN moderate it a bit (do less) then just play for 10 minutes. Let your fingers learn how to play the new instrument, and then turn it off, see how you find your dry sound, and then go exploring more.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

When I have experienced similar issues with bass gear, I eventually come to the conclusion;
Perhaps I don't really need one?