Compressor comparison (with sound samples)

[kesslari]

I'm curious...
I just added a couple of compressors to my stable.
I recorded the same 2 brief bits using 3 different compressors (all with a pretty light compression setting). One is a short legato line, the other is a short groove with some ghost notes. I wasn't super scientific about it and did not user a looper to play the exact same recorded bit through each, so there are differences caused by whatever inconsistencies I caused.
Please choose your favorite of each (one legato, one groove).
If you want to go out on a limb, add what compressor you think each (or your favorite) samples are.
I'll do a reveal in a couple of days but want to let this gather some data and opinions first.

The link should take you to all 6 samples. If it doesn't work let me know please.

 

[Jim C]

Must be me; can't get the samples to play but would like to!

 

[kesslari]

Click on the icon. It should work...

 

[Fuzzbass]

I clicked the icon to open the Soundcloud page and see "This playlist has no tracks". Do I need to be logged in?

 

[kesslari]

I clicked the icon to open the Soundcloud page and see "This playlist has no tracks". Do I need to be logged in?

Try again please. I originally posted the playlist as "private" and immediately realized that didn't work. So I made it "public", but apparently I also had to set each track to "public" separately.

 

[JRA]

well, you sound so good = what difference does it make?

(the listening system is working fine for me.)

you can see my votes: i didn't care for 1c compared to the other two choices. TBH: they'd all work in a context. hope you get some actual, righteous feedback!

 

[Pauly 4001]

They do all sound great and I'm going to go out on a limb and say I hope at least one of those clips was recorded through a Boss CS-2 since I bought one yesterday. How about clip number #3 as being a CS-2 since that's what I'm hoping it will do for me.
How's that for a fatuous response?

 

[Liko]

They'd all work, personally I'd prefer a brighter tone all around but fretless is fretless.

From what I heard, I like B on both. C was too muffled, and A sounded overcompressed which gets you more artifacts both from your playing technique and the circuit.

 

[Jim C]

Really only focused on the #2 samples as that's closer to my thing. Think 2A was awesome and punchy.
Not positive they all are volume matched but if not, it's not off by much.
Thanks for this

 

[Vinny_G]

I voted (a) in both samples, which I find more articulate and focused. But I like compressed sounds, anyway. I have an idea of the compressor used, but honestly it could be anything.

 

[kesslari]

I'll do the reveal tomorrow.

 

[2milehighspike]

Nice playing! I also liked A on both. Nice punch and sounds like my new Empress!?!?

 

[Matthias]

A seems to colour the sound the least (Empress maybe?), C the most.

 

[BOOG]

It may be my inability to clearly articulate what I’m hearing or my comparably inexperienced ears but, to me the ‘b & c’ samples have a slight harmonic undertone compared to the ‘a’ samples. My preference’s were 1a and 2a.

Thanks for sharing! Not surprisingly, you sound great! Looking forward to seeing the reveal.

 

[kesslari]

This was VERY interesting to me, and answered a question I've been pondering - "do I sound better with compression?" I've been thinking "I don't really think so... but that's almost sacrilege, maybe I'm missing something, but I really like the way I (and my gear) sound without compression as much as with it." I'll also post the settings in my next post.

All samples were my Zon bass, Mesa WD-800 head DI into a Focusrite Scarlett Solo.

Samples 1a and 2a were with no compressor.
Samples 1b and 2b were the Doc Lloyd PDR.
Samples 1c and 2c were the Effectrode LA-1A.

The "no additional compression" (beyond what the bass-amp-interface combination might combine) was the winner for both legato and ghost note styles of play.

The LA-1A got nearly as high marks for the ghosted groove, not so much for the legato motif. I was surprised by that.

And the PDR did OK for legato, not so much for the ghosted groove.

Posting the current results so that the reveal doesn't skew things.

 

[kesslari]

Maybe it’s my settings. I noticed that I had the PDR blend up a hair higher than usual.

 

[Vinny_G]

I recorded the same 2 brief bits using 3 different compressors (all with a pretty light compression setting).

Samples 1a and 2a were with no compressor.
Samples 1b and 2b were the Doc Lloyd PDR.
Samples 1c and 2c were the Effectrode LA-1A.

So you lied.

 

[kesslari]

So you lied.

Yet here we are...

 

[2milehighspike]

Interesting! I thought both samples of B and C sounded muffled for lack of a better word. While both A samples really do sound like my new Empress Bass comp thru my WD800. The Empress to my ear at least is very transparent, and the color switch does shape the tone and adds harmonics. I used the MXR 87 but i pulled it because it compressed too much and sucked tone. See if you can try an Empress, I’d like to hear your thoughts.

 

[Vinny_G]

Yet here we are...

Congratulations, you're able to get a compressed sound without a compressor, and an uncompressed sound with a compressor.