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Compression...Did I Just Discover A Favorite Type?

JimmyM

JimmyM

Apr 11, 2005
127,255
125,176
Plymouth NC
Disclosures
Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
#1
Long story semi-short...was always ambivalent about compression, did use it from time to time, but abruptly stopped in 2008. Recently joined a working blues/jazz band, a very entertaining and fun one, but they're serious players who demand A games out of each other and themselves. My game is a solid B+, but while I can totally lay down the fat, nobody will ever confuse my jazz chops with Victor Wooten's, especially when the speed is required. I'll never be lightning fast, but I can sort of hang though my dynamics get a little wild at my top speeds. Yet this is a band where I really need dynamics, and I'm working a lot at close to my top speed. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about using a comp again, but wasn't into anything I owned.

Coincidentally, an Ampeg Opto Comp showed up a week ago as a little holiday bonus. Liked it enough at home to give it a shot with the band last night, seemed to give me lots of dynamic range while subtly affecting upper and lower tangents, all without sounding like it was being compressed to my ears. Don't know for sure if it'll stay yet, but on light settings, it was doing what I wanted. I'm an endorser but my pedal collection is Cutthroat Island, and I would rather do without a comp than use one I don't like, even if I have a clear use for one. And not even Ampeg pedals are safe from being axed. Besides, it was created before Yamaha bought Ampeg, and it's not like it'll hurt their feelings if I drop it. So please don't construe this as a "plug thread." I have a legit question.

Now I certainly haven't tried every comp out there, including a lot of the high end pedal comps available these days, but other than occasional high end tube compressors, my favorite compressor for recording has been a Waves RCL plugin set to optical mode. Sure, it's a digital recreation of an optical comp, but it's really good, and the Opto Comp reminded me a lot of it. But I don't know that I ever owned an optical comp before, and the RCL is to my knowledge the closest I've gotten to one in the past.

So is my liking the Opto Comp and RCL set to opto a result of liking optical comps in general, or have I simply found two comps I like with the method of compression being unrelated to why I like them? Stop me before I spring for an LA-2A! :D
 
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#2
Hey mate!

I am a big compression fan, at its best you barely notice it being used and it is there to even things out. It doesn’t matter how good you are there will be an unevenness to your notes, human nature, is it recognisable to most, maybe not, but when you put it in the genre you are now playing its now become an ‘issue’ (not trying to demean). Similarly if you are sloppy, compression is no magical cure.

It always astounds me when people say that it’s fine for studio work be producing records etc to use compression across the board on instruments, but not live.
Why?
It’s paying folk wanting to hear as balanced a sound as possible and considering how much we spend on gear, a relatively cheap little device can just help it all mix and sit together.

Back to your pedals - I been through a whole heap, and I know what I like, you may have found you like optical compressors more and the only way to test would be to get a load of others, FET, BUS, Multiband etc. and sit side by side, then when you have your fave category go through a load in that.......

personally - you have found one that works for you - name on the tin does not matter - use it.
Sounds like my pre amp journey - went through a load - what did I like best the original Hartke VXL Bass Attack I got for £40!
 
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#3
My guess is that with a double blind listening test, anyone would be very hard pressed to tell the difference between an optical or VCA controlled pedal compressor.
I own or have used a number of high dollar rack and pedal comps and believe the designer's goals and implementation play a far greater role in how it "feels" and sounds than optical vs. VCA.

A digital recreation would blur this test even further IME.
I really can't tell the difference in a busy mix.

Lastly, the sound I hear coming from old Urei comps (be it LA or 1176 series) is based more on the transformers and design than anything anyone can copy with chips in a pedal.
And again, I don't think you could tell much difference onstage in a busy mix with an LA2A vs. a high quality pedal copy.
 
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#4
Cuzzie said:
Hey mate!

I am a big compression fan, at its best you barely notice it being used and it is there to even things out. It doesn’t matter how good you are there will be an unevenness to your notes, human nature, is it recognisable to most, maybe not, but when you put it in the genre you are now playing its now become an ‘issue’ (not trying to demean). Similarly if you are sloppy, compression is no magical cure.
Click to expand...
Not demeaning when I said so myself. But I ended up liking all those little slight variations, and they were never much of an issue, so that's why I went without.

It always astounds me when people say that it’s fine for studio work be producing records etc to use compression across the board on instruments, but not live.
Why?
It’s paying folk wanting to hear as balanced a sound as possible and considering how much we spend on gear, a relatively cheap little device can just help it all mix and sit together.
Click to expand...
It can also do the opposite :D But theoretically, yes, that's the idea.

Back to your pedals - I been through a whole heap, and I know what I like, you may have found you like optical compressors more and the only way to test would be to get a load of others, FET, BUS, Multiband etc. and sit side by side, then when you have your fave category go through a load in that.......

personally - you have found one that works for you - name on the tin does not matter - use it.
Sounds like my pre amp journey - went through a load - what did I like best the original Hartke VXL Bass Attack I got for £40!
Click to expand...
I used to have one of them and it was a good little pedal, but someone stole it out of my house along with a few others.

Anyway, the last thing I want to do is go down the comp vortex. Took me years to get out of the fuzz vortex, and I'll never go down another pedal vortex like that again.
 
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#8
ugly_bassplayer said:
Ive been down the compression vortex. It was horrible, littarally, the FOH guy from our band wasn’t a huge help either....enough on that.,....... And expensive....from empress to name it......
Now I just got a Boss LMB-3 to test out after years of not using a comp at all. We’ll see\hear what happens.......
Click to expand...
The LMB-3 is a terrific and not too expensive little limiter as long as you stay away from the "enhance" knob :D Was thinking I might try it when the Opto Comp arrived, but I liked that the Opto Comp also did valleys while the LMB-3 only does peaks.
 
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#14
My compression journey has me at being a "leave it to the FOH" kinda guy, after trying compressors in my live rig off and on for years. I never feel like I'm missing it in regards to my onstage sound coming from my monitor/amp, plus it's usually getting some comp in the monitor mix on bigger stages. Part of my reasoning is that if I send FOH an already compressed signal, very often these guys/gals are working fast and usually just slap on their go-to settings on things as a starting point. That can lead to "over-compressed", lifeless bass if your bass signal is already noticeably compressed. And, in a live room with all the variables, I wouldn't blame the FOH guy for not digging deeper to see if the bass is getting compressed too much. They're probably just happy it's not being unruly.
 
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#15
pbass2 said:
My compression journey has me at being a "leave it to the FOH" kinda guy, after trying compressors in my live rig off and on for years. I never feel like I'm missing it in regards to my onstage sound coming from my monitor/amp, plus it's usually getting some comp in the monitor mix on bigger stages. Part of my reasoning is that if I send FOH an already compressed signal, very often these guys/gals are working fast and usually just slap on their go-to settings on things as a starting point. That can lead to "over-compressed", lifeless bass if your bass signal is already noticeably compressed. And, in a live room with all the variables, I wouldn't blame the FOH guy for not digging deeper to see if the bass is getting compressed too much. They're probably just happy it's not being unruly.
Click to expand...
Yep, had that happen. But my new band does a fair amount of vocals-only PA gigs, so it's relatively risk-free for me to try it again.
 
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#16
I really like the compressor that is built into my SVT 5-Pro. It is binary, that's all I know - stay on or get off. On!!

download-12.jpg
 
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#17
For compressor I rely on fellow Tbass member Bongomania and his amazing site:
Compressor Reviews
In the bass world, he's THE EXPERT.
On his recommendation I bought the Keeley GC-2 pedals and it works amazingly well.
It does the job perfectly and it only has three knobs.
I am at a point in my life where I like my stuff simple. The fewer knobs the better.

In the past I also used the formidable Markbass Compressore.
 
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#19
I don't know that specific Ampeg pedal, but your description makes it sound verytasty.

Over years I too have been ambivalent about using compression in my signal chain. This year I built a home studio and went down the compression rabbit hole.

After much experimentation, my favorite form of compression has been the optical type.

You don't need to spring for an LA-2A, especially if you plan to take it out gigging all the time. There are several good clones in rack-mount form, such as the Klark Teknik KT-2A, which I love and use as my main compressor for recording.

There are lots of other 2A clones as well.

For other pedal options I recently became aware of the Effectrode PC-2A tube compressor pedal. It is supposed to be a true analog optical compressor in pedal format, which I didn't think existed. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to get one soon.

Good luck!
 
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