Is your UT&T LAB Compressor LED this slow?

[cokedawgfer]

Is it supposed to have adaptive release times like an LA-2A? If so, backing off the sidechain gain or raising the threshold would help. I would bet there's quite a bit of gain reduction happening that would get your attention on a plugin meter.

I sold off an Effectrode PC-2A because it had the same issue and I couldn't fix it without external attenuation (hot bass - vintage L-1000). Someone recommended the LAB to me, but I thought it was a change in the wrong direction for what I want. Broughton Omnicomp confirmed that.

I appreciate the full time controls on a comp - I'm just too used to them being available in a studio environment.

Yes, I’ll be going back to more knobs for sure. This one sounds great, tonally, but the compression, and lack of control over it, is not my jam

 

[butterfingers1]

Well, you can control the compression. And the Gain sort of makes up for the compression in a way I find. Experiment with boosting the Gain, even with Compression at noon, it changes more than the volume. Those two controls are more complex than one would think, articulation seems to react to an interplay between the two.

Overall this Union Lab compressor sounds really good, it’s really rich and luxurious. I compare it to the Empress, Diamond, Broughton, Origin Effects Cali76, and Fairfield Accountant compressors that I also have.

 

[wolffire99]

I do wish the compression range was more useful. With a passive P bass mine doesn’t squash articulation until around 11 o’clock and I find 9-10 o’clock to be the sweet spot.

 

[cokedawgfer]

Well, you can control the compression. And the Gain sort of makes up for the compression in a way I find. Experiment with boosting the Gain, even with Compression at noon, it changes more than the volume. Those two controls are more complex than one would think, articulation seems to react to an interplay between the two.

Overall this Union Lab compressor sounds really good, it’s really rich and luxurious. I compare it to the Empress, Diamond, Broughton, Origin Effects Cali76, and Fairfield Accountant compressors that I also have.

I’m very curious about that broughton. Does it have any tonal mojo? Or pretty clean?

 

[butterfingers1]

I’m very curious about that broughton. Does it have any tonal mojo? Or pretty clean?

It has what many call the optical compressor smoothness and “chewiness” that many players describe. But it’s less than the Diamond and Union compressors, so I would say the Omnicomp is a warm smooth clean.

The Diamond is a thicker and darker version of that tone, maybe punchier too, and the eq controls are really useful and well-thought out. The LED compression meter changes colour which is nice too.

The Union sounds richer than the Diamond but less dark, less punchy, no eq, also has coloured LED.

I also have the Empress, Origin Effects Cali, and Fairfield Acountant compressors, which are FET compressors. A little harsher and more metallic than optical one might say. The Cali sounds big and darkish/growly, Empress is clean but has a tone switch to modify mid-frequency presence and introduce a very subtle sparkly overdrive. The Fairfield is not designed specifically for bass guitar but it’s mostly transparent, a little thin and metallic and dirty, a little bit of bass eq boost somewhere helps.

 

[cokedawgfer]

It has what many call the optical compressor smoothness and “chewiness” that many players describe. But it’s less than the Diamond and Union compressors, so I would say the Omnicomp is a warm smooth clean.

The Diamond is a thicker and darker version of that tone, maybe punchier too, and the eq controls are really useful and well-thought out. The LED compression meter changes colour which is nice too.

The Union sounds richer than the Diamond but less dark, less punchy, no eq, also has coloured LED.

I also have the Empress, Origin Effects Cali, and Fairfield Acountant compressors, which are FET compressors. A little harsher and more metallic than optical one might say. The Cali sounds big and darkish/growly, Empress is clean but has a tone switch to modify mid-frequency presence and introduce a very subtle sparkly overdrive. The Fairfield is not designed specifically for bass guitar but it’s mostly transparent, a little thin and metallic and dirty, a little bit of bass eq boost somewhere helps.

Great response. Thanks! I’ve been gigging a cali76 (had both cb and v2) for about 10 years, huge fan. Had the V1 empress for the five years before that. Just looking for something opto, as i have a Trickfish VCA to cover that style.

Broughton sounds sweet! I had the newest diamond and didn’t love it. Maybe I just don’t like opto pedals (I do love opto plugins). But I’ll probably give the Omnicomp a try.