Compressor that just compresses?

[lomo]

Mosfed, thanks for that. Right, the TC Spectracomp does have a whole bunch of tone prints. I haven't yet figured out how to get them and use them -- I am a troglodyte when it comes to technology -- but perhaps I should look into that too. Glad you mentioned it. In fact, earlier this evening, I did try to go on the TC website to figure out how to get the tone prints (not specifically for compression), but I couldn't figure it out. I'll get back to that and see if I can figger it out.

To use the tone prints you have to load the toneprint app (free) onto a smartphone...then you select one of the compressor tone prints and with the volume on your phone turned up , hold the phone against your pickup and click download....you'll hear crackling that lasts for about 3 seconds....and it's done. If your IT dept can figure this out, you can surely find one that works for you. Otherwise, consider making the investment in a full featured comp that you can tweak to your taste. That involves a learning curve and some experimentation for sure, which you may or may not want get into. For me it's absolutely worth it. I love the Joe Meek Floor Q, but there are many-you'd want one with input and output gain (to give you total volume control), and controls for slope/attack, compression ratio and release. Then you can make it do exactly what you want, and change it for different applications if you like. I repeat...there's a learning curve here, and you have to want to make that investment to choose this route. Good luck.

edit-for the tone print loading, your bass obviously has to be plugged in/connected to the compressor

 

[micguy]

Thanks for the advice, Dirty. The TC Spectracomp has noticeable hiss, so I wonder if the MX87 has the same, or more, or less.

There's a thread about this somewhere on Talkbass - I don't remember what the parameter is, but in the editor you can easily de-hiss the Spectracomp - auto make up gain or something like that. The coloration is something that, by adjusting the parameters is also not "baked in" - the thing is VERY flexible. I'm not usually a compressor guy, but that is one compressor pedal that, given that I've tweaked it to my liking, I can get along with on occasion.

 

[Malafaia]

Seymour Duncan Bass Studio is a good (and budget) option.

 

[Fuzzbass]

OvniFX Smoothie. It has a tone knob that can color your tone, but can also be set flat. I'll add here that the tone knob is great for dealing with acoustically challenging environments. F'r instance: boomy room? Tighten your low end by tilting tone toward the treble side.

Another advantage to the Smoothie is parallel compression. That's the fancy term for being able to blend compressed and uncompressed signals. The Smoothie is already tonally neutral to my ears, but parallel is a great way to maintain tone and dynamics along with "smoothness".

 

[DavC]

if you want to use the TC .. take a few minutes and get it hooked up with the TonePrint editor software .. !!

if not , sell it and move on to a pedal that is more ' transparent ' ...

comp is usually first in your fx chain .. otherwise it will boost the noise from other pedals a bit . ! = hiss ... and some pedals are just noisier than others ... so - go read the reviews at onvilabs.com .. it is quite informative .. !! then you can pick a comp pedal that fits Your needs and budget .. !

 

[John Stephen]

Lots of good advice here. Thanks all. Will tinker with the TC, and if I can't get what I like from that, on to another! I'll report back after a while.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I had an MX87 on my pedalboard for a while, and I agree with the above assessment. I still like my rack-mount DBX 166XL that it replaced, and especially the control setup on the DBX unit.

It's like you've been reading my diary...

The M87 is a great compressor pedal, and I am very used to rack compressors. Definitely worth a look

 

[Tnavis]

Keeley Bassist.

When I first got my Keeley I questioned if it was actually doing anything, and then experimented with engaging it and disengaging it in a live band setting. I does exactly what I want it to do, without adding anything else.

 

[SaucyJackBass]

Keeley Bassist.

This

 

[John Stephen]

So for you TC users — when I turn the dial on it up, am I increasing the amount of compression, or just increasing the makeup gain, or both?

 

[onda'bass]

Get an FEA

 

[red_rhino]

That involves a learning curve and some experimentation for sure

This point applies to compressors in general too, particularly if you're new to using compression. Understanding what compression does, and how to use it properly, is a wickedly subtle thing. It takes a lot of experimenting, and some frustration in the process.

OvniFX Smoothie. It has a tone knob that can color your tone, but can also be set flat. I'll add here that the tone knob is great for dealing with acoustically challenging environments. F'r instance: boomy room? Tighten your low end by tilting tone toward the treble side.

Another advantage to the Smoothie is parallel compression. That's the fancy term for being able to blend compressed and uncompressed signals. The Smoothie is already tonally neutral to my ears, but parallel is a great way to maintain tone and dynamics along with "smoothness".

Finding a compressor that suits your use case is also part of the learning curve. Some people want complete control over every possible parameter, others just want a simple interface that can dial in a sound quickly. I fall somewhere in the middle, and for that, the Smoothie gives exactly what I need. It sounds great too.

But before giving up on the TC, I would follow @lomo 's advice and spend some time trying to get what you want from it. If that doesn't work out, there is no shortage of enablers on TB ready to convince you that the compressor they use is the best one ever.

 

[themarshall]

A compressor does not have to boost the volume. The reason for the gain control on it is to make up volume lost since all a compressor does is turn DOWN music. Just set the makeup gain back to the same level as the input gain and you have no boost. Without a makeup gain control, the output level would ALWAY be lower than the input level.
To understand a compressor we have to ignore what we have been told- That it lowers loud notes, and raises quiet ones. ALL it does is quiet peaks in a predictable, and adjustable manner, a separate pre amp AFTER the compression raises the level back the the original, or other level.

I agree with this ...

Also if you run with compression on all the time then you simply adjust tone and volume to work with compression on

If it is only "turning down" it's a limiter. A compressor brings the quiet things up and the loud things down, compressing the dynamic range.

 

[Frank77]

So for you TC users — when I turn the dial on it up, am I increasing the amount of compression, or just increasing the makeup gain, or both?

It depends how it is set up in the tone print that is currently in the pedal's memory - you can choose what parameter is controlled by the knob.

I'd recommend a different comp, especially if you don't like to fiddle with smart phones or computers. I had a Spectra Comp for a few days and thought the editor was absolute garbage.

 

[Frank77]

Get an FEA

They're fantastic (love my opti-FET!), but not exactly transparent, tone-wise...

 

[Thumpin6string]

In my mind, I don't think of a compressor "coloring" my tone, but I do want one that sounds the best. After going through a truck load of different compressors, this was the most adjustable and best sounding to my ears.

 

[clockworkcorpse]

When I wanted a compressor for bass, I tried the aguilar tlc pretty early on, and I still use it. Does not alter tone, and has a few knobs to play with.

I am trying to play without it, as I do not have room for pedals and I have to set up/tear down instantly on the stage I spend the most time on, so I am using bass-tuner-amp, and use a battery even for the tuner.

 

[Jephmo]

I'm currently using the Xotic SP. I play with a pick and tend to play pretty evenly but this helps level things out a bit.

Been through a slew of compressors (JHS pulp n peel, MXR M87 and Dyna Comp) and found this one worked best for me.

 

[MynameisMe]

You want a compressor that doesn't color the sound.
The Empress compressor does this well.
It is as transparent as you want it to be.
The mix knob also allows you to blend in as much natural bass sound as you want.

 

[AceOfBassFace]

I have the MXR M87 and it's great for fingerstyle. Doesn't colour the sound, at least to my ears.

Not the best for slapping IMO - the low end spike your bass sends to the compressor when you slap causes the compression to kick in a bit too much and sucks out the volume. Slow attack w/ fast release helps this a bit and makes your notes a bit punchier overall.

I have the input (which acts as a threshold) set on the low side so only my loudest notes get compressed, sort of trying to emulate the 'give' of a tube amp when playing through my my solid state rig. I don't use it at all if I'm playing through my tube head.