Cheap Compressors?

I've always liked the ART Levelar. It's a tube compressor and can be set for wither compression or limiting. IMO, it's the best compressor out there for the $'s.

Not in production anymore but they seem to pop up on eBay often enough. I would say one could be had for about $40 to $50.

 

The Behringer BLE100, which was "inspired" by the Boss LMB-3, can be had for $20. It is probably more a limiter than it is a true compressor but it works just like the Boss and it is an incredible value at $20. Lots of posts around here on the new Behringer pedals.

 

what is "cheap"?

i find the aphex pucnh factory to be a good deal at $140, its really worth it

 

I can only tell you what NOT to get...

I spent money (not much) on a DOD Bass Compressor... the only thing its good for is boosting your signal and dirtying up your sound.

Later got an EBS Multi-Comp. HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE diference.

 

Bearhinger (spelled completely wrong) was a horrible experience.

I had it set to how it should be, trust me i knew my stuff for this and read up on everything, even tuned in the threashold and stuff liek that to ratios which the pros do...

so i had that going between my amp to cabinets.
Hartke 4000 head and
hartke 4x10 and 1x15 cabnets

With this compressor on, something blew my 1x15 cabinet in conjunction with the amp itself...

no good...

 

you put the compressor between the power amp and the cabs?

or between the pre amp and the power amp?

a pedal its not designed to handle that much signal (the one from a power amp) so im assuming it clipped a LOT sending to the cabs a square wave and blowing something

 

I second the ART levelar. Great for the $, though not my first choice for bass. The compressor side of the Rt. 66 pedal is great (my go to bass comp). The bluemax was ok back in the day but now you can get a RNC for $25 more. The RNC is the best comp for under $1k, though sometimes, the RNC & ART will click when it clamps down, depending on your settings.

 

Boom! Don't put anything but a speaker cable in between your amp and your cabs, unless you want to fry them.

Pedals go between your bass and your amp, or sometimes in the effects loop.

 

Whoa; I'll BET that was a bad experience!

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Verb: Since I gather that you want to learn about compression by playing with them (The best way to learn about them, I think..), Don't forget that these guys are all talking about natural, open, transparent, 'studio-compression' - don't forget about 'the other kind' of compression, like what Tony Levin uses. That would be the kind that ssskkkkkkkwishhhes your signal into more of a wall-of-sound, kind of synthesized dynamic.

I use the Boss CS-3 for this. I set the knobs level=12:00, tone=2:30, attack=2:00. Sustain you have to set for your bass (and for the song style, somewhat); I use between 10:00 (I use this for slap, but you could use it all the time for more natual-sounding dynamic - but the CS-3'll never be really open and natural sounding like a nice optical or something) and 1:30 (which for my bass, is a horrendous amount of compression - but I LIKE it. I'd use this mainly for clicky-squished fretboard tapping or maybe a 'dub-tone' sort of neck-pickup sound).

Joe

 

SteveC:

He did say "cheap" and $20 is pretty cheap. I didn't realize he needed it to be "roadworthy", but these things aren't as flimsy as some people make them out to be. You might not want to jump off your cab to engage it, but it isn't going to break just from looking at it (or even normal use). You get what you pay for, so it is certainly not top line. But if you are looking for cheap, it doesn't get much cheaper than $20.