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Compressor suggestions wanted!

D

Diaz

Oct 18, 2013
41
1
37
Mexico
#1
Hey guys. I'm looking for this kind of compression:


at the 0:40 mark
(slightly nsfw vid)

I was thinking of parallel compression options to get that squished sound without completely losing all my dynamics. Judging by what i'm listening to, it's not too bad if the pedal makes me lose some super low or high frequencies. Fast attack, slow-ish release?

Should i be looking for a very fast attack compressor? Already read a bunch of ovnilab reviews, it seems the Wampler and Xotic are the closest bets but there doesn't seem to be any bass demos with the Wampler (a friend could lend me the Xotic one to try it).


Am i completely lost?
 
#3
I love my MXR M87 Bass Compressor. Small footprint, helpful LED's that "show" you how much compression you're getting and more parameters to adjust than the average two knob comp pedal (Attack, Decay, Ratio, Input and Output).
A slow attack lets the initial peak of your playing shine through while compressing the decay of the note. Giving you sustain and control without losing all of your dynamic punch. A fast attack immediately evens out your playing from the instant you play. Leaving you with a smooth, flat sound.
 
#4
@Lebowsky I've been through ovnilab's reviews and recommendations :)

I'm thinking of a compressor with a mix/blend knob, a fast attack (or, if possible, an attack knob), slow-ish release (so the whole note shines through), and a decent ratio for a squishy sound.

The Walrus one, Wampler, Xotic, Barber and Empress seemed to do what i'm looking for.
The Empress is too expensive for me right now, the Walrus has troubles with daisy chains so i was considering the Wampler, Xotic and Barber.

But again, i'd love to hear what you guys have to say about it :)
 
#6
Lebowsky said:
I'm first!

ovnilab.com
Click to expand...

+1. OP, checkout www.ovnilab.com EDIT: Oops - I see you already have, sorry.

Long story short - out of all the petal compressors I've tried, I liked the MXR M87 best. With that said, I use the little nano Xotic SP compressor. Note: The Xotic SP is a little noisy (similar to, but not as bad as the BOSS CS-3) with the toggle set to high, and its clean and very musical when set to low - the blend knob works very well too.

EDIT: Also, (as of resent) I use the Xotic EP Booster (before) in conjunction with the Xotic SP compressor (this gives more compressor input control).... and it should be noted that I'm using the compressor more as an effect rather than a transparent leveling device. PS: The Xotic EP Booster is a totally awesome little nano booster and I highly recommend it (note: I also turned off the internal +3dB rocker switch inside mine).
 
#8
Another plug for the MXR M87. It helps even out my changing techniques, sketchy playing and sub-$1000 bass--without being otherwise noticeable. Which for me is exactly what I want from it. Your mileage may vary. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Frequent heartburn may be a sign of a more serious condition. See your doctor.
 
#9
Save the trouble and time and get something nice! The MArkbass Compressore or the MXR M87 allow a lot of control for getting the perfect compression you need, and lights to guide you! I wasted too much time with other budget comps and wish I had just gotten the MB from the start, killer comp!
 
#10
You might want to re-think having a long release time. In my experience it doesn't increase sustain the way you think it would.

When your signal goes over the threshold, the compressor starts to squash by the ratio. With a long release, the compressor is still squashing long after the signal has dropped below the threshold, reducing the volume of the tail of your note more.

A shorter release time actually sustains better - it keeps the tail of the note more constant in volume.
 
#11
However a long release time will give a smoother, more even-sounding tail to the notes, while a short release results in "pumping and breathing". The trick is in finding the sweet spot between extremes to get the specific desired results.
 

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