Easy Compressor for live rig

[BecDeCorbin]

Hi, I'm new around these parts. I've read all I can find about compressors and looked over Bongomania's compressor reviews, yet I can't seem to land on what I'm looking for.

For my live rackmount rig, I want to simply achieve smoother, more even dynamics/volume across the board. That's all I want, but I want it to deliver in spades.

I sometimes have a staccato tendency to my finger style and induce peaks that I don't want. I also want a unit that's in current production rather rhan something "vintage". I've been down that road before, only to find that my newly bought vintage unit had already pretty much used up it's useful life and has gone out of spec.

I could go for a pedal rather than a rack unit if it does what I want it to. Thanks for any assistance anyone would care to offer.

 

[FirewalZ]

Hi, I'm new around these parts. I've read all I can find about compressors and looked over Bongomania's compressor reviews, yet I can't seem to land on what I'm looking for.

For my live rackmount rig, I want to simply achieve smoother, more even dynamics/volume across the board. That's all I want, but I want it to deliver in spades.

I sometimes have a staccato tendency to my finger style and induce peaks that I don't want. I also want a unit that's in current production rather rhan something "vintage". I've been down that road before, only to find that my newly bought vintage unit had already pretty much used up it's useful life and has gone out of spec.

I could go for a pedal rather than a rack unit if it does what I want it to. Thanks for any assistance anyone would care to offer.

I have a similar story....I have a very simple/portable rig and my goal was to keep it that way, I wanted a good compressor for playing live that did not have a doz. knobs. I ended up with the Diamond, very simple, quick and easy to dial in what you need and sounds really good.

 

[tkonbass]

This > dbx 160A

IMO it doesn't get much simpler or better. I used a 160x for years when I used a rack and loved it. Personally I would still look for a 160x but since you said you wanted current production it would need to be a 160A.

I now use Diamond BCP-1's. I have one on each of my two boards. Great compressors.

(edited for clarity)

 

[BecDeCorbin]

Yeah, it's rather disheartening to lose the gamble that an older unit will still perform as it was meant to.

That's two for the Diamond...

 

[tkonbass]

Yeah, it's rather disheartening to lose the gamble that an older unit will still perform as it was meant to.

That's two for the Diamond...

And one for the dbx. The dbx 160A is still in production. A 160X would need to be picked up used.

I edited my first reply so it would make more sense.

 

[BecDeCorbin]

Noted, one for the dbx, thanks.

 

[DirtyDuke]

Smoothie or Cali76. Both very simple and get comps. The Smoothie is super thick and the Cali is well, amazing

 

[BecDeCorbin]

DirtyDuke, hoe long have you had your smoothie?

 

[bongomania]

Rackmount, simple to use, still in production: dbx 160A.

 

[bongomania]

Rackmount, simple to use, still in production: dbx 160A.

Lots more options in pedal land. The Diamond is a fine choice.

 

[BecDeCorbin]

I'm open to pedals also, I want whatever will give me the smoothest, most natural unsquashed even levels I can find. It looks like ther are more good pedal options than there are rackmount these days.

 

[DirkP]

Rack? Warm Audio WA76. A high quality clone of the 1176 for < 1.000,-. Classes above nearly all pedals and the old DBX. Besides the compression you get the classic transformer sound. But it needs a line-level signal as does the DBX! If I would chose an old DBX160 I would make sure that I get the version with a transformer or at least the place for a transformer on the board. Stay away from the newer DBX budget 19" compressors (166, 266 etc.).
Warm Audio comes with a clone of the LA-2, Golden Age Projects has released a clone of the LA-3 and comes with a LA-2, too.
I own some better compressor pedals like the Markbass Tube Compressor and the EBS pedal. Both sound good and the EBS is very easy to set up. But there is no comparison to the WA76. The 1176 is much much faster and just has that tone.

 

[BecDeCorbin]

Do you think the WA76 is relatively easy to get good settings, or does it take much fiddling and tweaking? I'm honestly too impatient to be a tweaker, so the easier to get good settings, the better I like it.

 

[DirkP]

Do you think the WA76 is relatively easy to get good settings, or does it take much fiddling and tweaking? I'm honestly too impatient to be a tweaker, so the easier to get good settings, the better I like it.

No tweaking artistry at all. Just like the classic 1176. Input-level (sets the threshhold for the compression), output-level for gain makeup and attack and release time. And 4 different ratios (1-4, 1-8 etc.)

Sounds good in all settings and has the classic all knob-in mode, too!
Much easier to set-up than the Markbass Compressore.
Tons of posts about it at Gearslutz!

 

[BecDeCorbin]

Hmmm, I'm intrigued. I think the WA bears investigating. I always chase that old school vintagey vibe...

 

[monkeyfinger]

I recently picked up a Keeley Bassist, the three knob version. I find that to be a nice simple to use comp that is very transparent. It uses adaptive attack and release system that varies the attack and release times automatically based on what you are playing. Let's say you are playing a series of 8th or 16th notes. You want fast attack and release times so each note stands out more clearly. When you play longer notes, you want more sustain. That usually means slower attack and release. Often times you set up a comp for somewhere in between. With this system, you don't need to worry about that. Just set the threshold, compression and makeup gain and you are good to go.

 

[BecDeCorbin]

First I've heard of the Keeley Bassist. I'm gonna check it out.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Hi, I'm new around these parts. I've read all I can find about compressors and looked over Bongomania's compressor reviews, yet I can't seem to land on what I'm looking for.

For my live rackmount rig, I want to simply achieve smoother, more even dynamics/volume across the board. That's all I want, but I want it to deliver in spades.

I sometimes have a staccato tendency to my finger style and induce peaks that I don't want. I also want a unit that's in current production rather rhan something "vintage". I've been down that road before, only to find that my newly bought vintage unit had already pretty much used up it's useful life and has gone out of spec.

I could go for a pedal rather than a rack unit if it does what I want it to. Thanks for any assistance anyone would care to offer.

I use a boss Cs-2 they are discontinued but they sold a ton of them so you can find them used. I typically just keep all 3 knobs at 3oclock. I play a stingray 5. It does boost the signal a bit which I like because it kind of doubles as a compressor and a clean boost.

Here's a video of Juan talking about it. He uses totally different basses (typically passive fender) and he likes it also.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Hi, I'm new around these parts. I've read all I can find about compressors and looked over Bongomania's compressor reviews, yet I can't seem to land on what I'm looking for.

For my live rackmount rig, I want to simply achieve smoother, more even dynamics/volume across the board. That's all I want, but I want it to deliver in spades.

I sometimes have a staccato tendency to my finger style and induce peaks that I don't want. I also want a unit that's in current production rather rhan something "vintage". I've been down that road before, only to find that my newly bought vintage unit had already pretty much used up it's useful life and has gone out of spec.

I could go for a pedal rather than a rack unit if it does what I want it to. Thanks for any assistance anyone would care to offer.

Although they are pedals.
2 faves:
MXR M87
Seymour Duncan Studio Bass
Also super (a little more complex)
Diamond
Empress

 

[Moosehead1966]

I can only speak to what I've played and owned. That said, I absolutely love my Empress compressor. Really transparent while being flexible and simple to use at the same time. The fact that it's built in Canada is cool too lol.

Marc