Help me decide on one of these three compressors.

[Spirit of Ox]

I've narrowed down my choices to what I think would be the best 3 compressors of the money. I'm also open to other suggestions but not looking of a mega expensive boutique pedal. I want user friendliness, simplicity, and not too much tone coloration. Thanks in advance for any advice since I am not that experienced with compressors.

 

[RyanOh]

After trying several, I've been using the Keeley and find it to be intuitive and easy to get the compression I want.

Bassist Compressor - Robert Keeley

 

[Derek Williams]

I haven't tried any of those 3 so can't vote, but I can throw in my midrange favourites along with everyone else I'd go with either the Source Audio Atlas (not so simple, but very powerful and very customisable), or the Boss BC-1X (simple and great multiband).

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I've added the Keeley to the selection and I may add the Boss BC but would need to do a bit more research on that one.

 

[joel the bass player]

Sweetwater has the TLC for $99.00. No experience with it but for that price it would be at the top...

 

[Roland GR 88]

I like the Aguilar TLC. It's transparent and the range of control is pretty wide. It also works fine with acoustic and electric guitars and used prices are decent so naturally I have a second one for those. If you can get one for $99.00 as mentioned above it's a no-brainer.
If you haven't already gone here this is a great site to check out....

Compressor Reviews

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I like the Aguilar TLC. It's transparent and the range of control is pretty wide. It also works fine with acoustic and electric guitars and used prices are decent so naturally I have a second one for those. If you can get one for $99.00 as mentioned above it's a no-brainer.
If you haven't already gone here this is a great site to check out....

Compressor Reviews

I've been thinking this might be my top choice but originally the EBS would've been the one. I heard the EBS isn't completely quiet or transparent. Both companies make high quality products.

 

[lomo]

I have used all those and still have the EBS. If you want a comp to add a little spice/colour, I'd go with that. If you prioritize flexibility and transparency (and want the metering), I'd go MXR.

 

[And I]

The MXR does add some hiss that makes it not the best choice for the recording studio (where likely you will be compressed in the mix anyway), but it doesn't color the tone much if at all and is great for live / stage use.

 

[Scarey Larry]

I have the EBS and MXR, sorta. Like the EBS and liked the MXR but it kept breaking. EBS does have some noise as MXR did. Might pick up a Keeley sometime. Favorite compressor is a Smoothie.

 

[roller]

Darkglass Hyper Luminal. Used models are easily available for not too hefty a price.

I've narrowed down my choices to what I think would be the best 3 compressors of the money. I'm also open to other suggestions but not looking of a mega expensive boutique pedal. I want user friendliness, simplicity, and not too much tone coloration. Thanks in advance for any advice since I am not that experienced with compressors.

 

[WestyBassBob]

I have only used the Aguilar. It is decent for the price but I eventually sold it. I have owned Keeley reverb pedals and think highly of their products. Go with Keeley

 

[HelpImaRock]

I've added the Keeley to the selection and I may add the Boss BC but would need to do a bit more research on that one.

My vote is Keeley for analog, BC-1x for digital.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I'd go EBS out of those choices. Keeley is in second place. I've only briefly tried the Aguilar and it's described as "transparent". Why would you want a pedal that is transparent? Why use it then?

 

[eddododo]

I've narrowed down my choices to what I think would be the best 3 compressors of the money. I'm also open to other suggestions but not looking of a mega expensive boutique pedal. I want user friendliness, simplicity, and not too much tone coloration. Thanks in advance for any advice since I am not that experienced with compressors.

What are you looking to add? The three are basically a perfect example of 3 completely different uses for compression .

the Aguilar is pretty great at evening out big peaks and not making everything fat and chewy.

Any multi comp is generally used for a particular type of tone enhancement- less of a secret sauce kind of way and more of a 'I want the sound to behave a certain way'. There are two basic uses for that approach, at least in my view- 1 is to have an always-on smoothing of the lows, and to kick on the high band compressor when you want to slap or dig in, giving you a nice round bottom with an open atttack, then reigning in the attack when you slap etc. approach 2 is basically catering a response, usually when you find that the lows get TOO compressed, or even that the big lows compress the high end too much (on single band comps). Of course these can be used fairly conventionally as well, and it's nice to set everything the same and then barely tweak one or the other. I think the ebs is a good little unit and a little simpler as a multi comp of yesteryear

the MXR is a good option if you want a studio-esque range of compression, and/or want to explore compression by trying a lot of different settings. This unit itself is just pretty darn good, and can't really be beat for the price. It does a good job of regular old smooth fattening, it does good moderate peak limiting, the range of attack and decay are both pretty good.. it's not the craziest fat colorful compressor on the market by any means, which can be a pro or con.

all of the units you mentioned are pretty tonally transparent..

So your choice should be off of what you want to get out of it-

-subtle effective surgical compression

-Freedom and control to enhance the behavior of your bass

- good all around compressor with range of common options, a stellar introduction

 

[Ballin'bass]

They're selling the aguilar TLC for $100 on Sweetwater right now! It's the craziest deal I've ever seen! Brand new too. If I didn't already have one, I'd have ordered one.

Everyone should get one while it's at that price, That's $150 off....insane. And I think it's one of the best compressors out there, period.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I have used all those and still have the EBS. If you want a comp to add a little spice/colour, I'd go with that. If you prioritize flexibility and transparency (and want the metering), I'd go MXR.

Is the EBS noisy? I've heard it can be. Do you have the newer or older model? I can find the older for around 100. The Aguilar is 100 brand new but not fully sold on it for some reason.

 

[pbass2]

I'd go EBS out of those choices. Keeley is in second place. I've only briefly tried the Aguilar and it's described as "transparent". Why would you want a pedal that is transparent? Why use it then?

If you're just looking for compression or limiting, but don't want to color the tone (i.e. adding "warmth" or affecting the EQ, etc etc).
Hard to find pedal units that are actually "transparent". Which is why you don't see stomp boxes being used for compression in the studio much (like basically, never).

 

[WestyBassBob]

They're selling the aguilar TLC for $100 on Sweetwater right now! It's the craziest deal I've ever seen! Brand new too. If I didn't already have one, I'd have ordered one.

Everyone should get one while it's at that price, That's $150 off....insane. And I think it's one of the best compressors out there, period.

That's crazy considering I just sold mine for $150!

 

[Spirit of Ox]

So I just bought the Keeley. I haven't heard one bad thing about that unit and got an open box deal for 142. Now I might buy an Aguilar just for $100 sale price and use it at home. I'm still curious about the EBS but would have to try one in person.
Thanks for all the advice. I think the Keeley will be the best choice for me right now.