Looking for my first bass compressor (4 options)

[Cave Puppy]

My kid has the Cali and loves it. I have had several compressors over the years and have settled on the Atlas because: it has attack, release, blend and threshold knobs, and because the light can be used as a gain reduction meter. If you set the Atlas to WYSIWYG (on the Neuro app) mode it acts as a stans alone stomp box with six awesome factory pre-sets. When connecting to a computer and the Neuro app you can see everything going on in real time. It’s a great way to learn about compression!

 

[themickster]

Looking for my first bass comp and have reduced it to 4 models…

1. Empress Bass comp (latest blue one)
2. Source Audio Atlas
3. Cali76 (blue one)
4. Helix floor (all in one alternative)

I’m looking for the overall best between these 4 units. I use passive and active basses. Need to control my attack since I hit my strings hard. Flea (slap) Geddy Lee/Steve Harris (finger style)

I like the HPF on the Cali76 but the Empress and Atlas also have cool options.

I would like to get your opinion so I can start with the right bass comp and build my 1st pedalboard.

Thanks for your help
Cool

The Boss BC-1X leaves the bottom end alone whilst keeping the harmonics in check.

 

[CoolMcCoolDude]

I figure the choice comes down to your tone goal for the compressor. Some folks want a bit of coloration, some folks want to be able to squash the dynamics entirely, some folks are looking for long sustain, and so on. And folks have different preferences, as to controls: some want a simple set of knobs, some want a knob for each of the standard compression parameters.

What I wanted from a compressor was to rein in the dynamics a bit, but preserve (in a live setting) my touch on the strings. And I wanted to be sure the low notes on my fivers didn't trigger too much gain reduction.

IME the Empress Bass Comp and Broughton Omnicomp do the job. Of the two, I have a mild preference for the Omnicomp; it sounds a little more natural and organic to my ear. (Guess I just like an optical compressor a bit better.) But I would suggest you consider the Broughton, also.

Exactly what I’m looking for to tame a little bit without loosing the string touch and feel. I like to attack the strings but play soft as well depending the songs and bass I’m using.
thanks
C

 

[Derek Williams]

Thats was a great review of the Empress comp… Now I have to check the Pecos…

I like and can relate to what the reviewer is saying and makes it a must try pedal now.

thanks
Cool

While you are looking at the reviews there, the Atlas review is also quite detailed and should answer some of your questions: https://www.compressorpedalreviews.com/post/source-audio-atlas-compressor-review

 

[2thAche]

My brother has a heavy right hand and he swears by the Cali. I learned bass on Geddy, Steve Harris, Entwistle but now alternate between heavy and cleaner styles. Personally don't want to go down rabbit holes of tweaking and just use an MXR M87 to keep things simple.

 

[60bass]

For your first I'd recommend the tc electronic SpectraComp. It has only one knob and it works very good. Doesn't squash your tone and it just plain works. One knob, turn it till you smile, and play on.

 

[sunbeast]

I’ve used all on the list except the Atlas at this point. I would also avoid relying on the Helix comps too if you’re already budgeting for something else (though they can be configured to work well with bass, it isn’t as straightforward as the other options could be).

Between the Cali76 CB and Empress I would personally choose the Empress for flexibility and sound. You can get some of the coloration/saturation of the Cali using the switch, or have a pretty neutral sound in the middle and I found it has more headroom than the Cali CB when run at 9V. I found that while I liked the tone of the Cali I sometimes found the color sort of distracting and it was always there (good when you want an aggressive sound, less so when you want something smoother)- I also found it lacked headroom with some basses and there was some grit that I didn't necessarily want all the time (it can be run with higher voltages for increased headroom, which I never tried).

The Atlas looks great and I’ve only really read great reviews about it, but it may be overkill to the point of frustration if you just want something simple.

 

[sleepingEB0]

Looking for my first bass comp and have reduced it to 4 models…

1. Empress Bass comp (latest blue one)
2. Source Audio Atlas
3. Cali76 (blue one)
4. Helix floor (all in one alternative)

I’m looking for the overall best between these 4 units. I use passive and active basses. Need to control my attack since I hit my strings hard. Flea (slap) Geddy Lee/Steve Harris (finger style)

I like the HPF on the Cali76 but the Empress and Atlas also have cool options.

I would like to get your opinion so I can start with the right bass comp and build my 1st pedalboard.

Thanks for your help
Cool

You want the generic Cali 76 not the bass one imo.
Bass compressors are ultra modern and the real industry is using regular compressors

 

[Lammchop93]

Empress

and if you want to throw one more into the mix, the new Walrus Mira checks a lot of boxes including the HPF

 

[_sky_]

I think the Spectracomp is really a good option. You Just need to spend sometime with the editor.

I have the spectracomp and I like it a lot.

 

[Derek Williams]

You want the generic Cali 76 not the bass one imo.
Bass compressors are ultra modern and the real industry is using regular compressors

wat

 

[kevmac]

Looking for my first bass comp and have reduced it to 4 models…

1. Empress Bass comp (latest blue one)
2. Source Audio Atlas
3. Cali76 (blue one)
4. Helix floor (all in one alternative)

I’m looking for the overall best between these 4 units. I use passive and active basses. Need to control my attack since I hit my strings hard. Flea (slap) Geddy Lee/Steve Harris (finger style)

I like the HPF on the Cali76 but the Empress and Atlas also have cool options.

I would like to get your opinion so I can start with the right bass comp and build my 1st pedalboard.

Thanks for your help
Cool

Compressor pedals are one FX I believe I got right. I own 3 that I think click all the boxes.
Cali 76 Compact Bass
Empress Compressor Bass
Darkglass Hyper Luminal (3 for the price of 1)
You can't lose with any of these IMO.

 

[tyohars]

Compressor Reviews you might want to read this. From your list, I'd pick Empress. But I want to suggest 3 good compressor that I used:

1. Darkglass Hyper Luminal
2. MXR Bass/Studio Compressor
3. Boss LMB-3

 

[sleepingEB0]

wat

normslly bass is recorded DI and the mixer does the compressing not the band or producer. And the the mixers I’ve talked to and seen are jsut using compressors. a ‘bass compressor’ usually lets toy compress certain frequencies differnt then the others. Ie the 80hz differnt from the treble.



So get one if you want. But that’s not how they do it from Paul McCartney to Taylor swift

 

[krfoss]

Absolutely empress. I don't like digital compressors, and the lack of good metering on the cali isn't my favorite (and I've had it before). I've had the previous big box empress and it won easily when side by side with the cali. Also, if it's your first compressor, it's a good idea to have the traditional knobs so you learn what the compressor is doing.

 

[sunbeast]

normslly bass is recorded DI and the mixer does the compressing not the band or producer. And the the mixers I’ve talked to and seen are jsut using compressors. a ‘bass compressor’ usually lets toy compress certain frequencies differnt then the others. Ie the 80hz differnt from the treble.



So get one if you want. But that’s not how they do it from Paul McCartney to Taylor swift

I doubt most folks are buying comp pedals to use in the studio- and in the studio most of "the industry" these days (Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney are extreme-extreme outliers to anything normal) are using a mix of computer plug-ins and analog rack gear for channel recording (mostly plug-ins in my experience), and plug-ins have far more control than any pedal or most analog rackmount gear including both clean blend controls and sidechain HPF controls (which are the main "bass-specific" elements found in the "bass" compressors we are specifically talking about here- neither of which force the user away from doing basic full-range compression should they want to- you just turn those controls off). In fact none of the "bass" compressors I've ever used do anything that a typical full-featured comp plug-in couldn't also do and none of the "bass" compressors I've used did anything that stopped them from working equally as well on non-bass instruments (usually what makes them "bass" compressors is the addition of specific bass-friendly options rather than any fundamentally different approach to compression)

These are mostly pedals people buy to use for live sound, and in that application it is very often left up to the player to do their own sound design (though in some venues sound-people will indeed have their own compression options, particularly in modern digital soundboards).

 

[Derek Williams]

normslly bass is recorded DI and the mixer does the compressing not the band or producer. And the the mixers I’ve talked to and seen are jsut using compressors. a ‘bass compressor’ usually lets toy compress certain frequencies differnt then the others. Ie the 80hz differnt from the treble.



So get one if you want. But that’s not how they do it from Paul McCartney to Taylor swift

I do it like they used to in the good old days: hire someone to turn the volume knob when I play too loud. You and your new fangled “compressors” are what’s wrong with music today.

 

[CoolMcCoolDude]

I chose these 3 bass comps because of all the You Tube videos I’ve seen they are the best sounding ones to me. And because they are not cheap I can’t just go ahead and irder allnof them and check em out.

I have tried the MXR white bass comp and it was bland… It didn’t do anything to me. But even though the Empress is a transparent comp it has a certain mojo that I like. The same with the Cali76 compact. It imprints a certain mojo that I like. (Mojo=Harmonic content)

Cool

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I don't like compressors but I do like the Orange Kongpressor because I like the sound of optical compression. I like the Fairfield Circuitry Accountant because it's like one of those small 5-tool Swiss pocket knives....not too much going on but is very useful when needed.

Hope you find one that works!

 

[CoolMcCoolDude]

To clear things up a little I’m looking for a bass comp for LIVE situations ONLY not studio. I like a little harmonic distortion to cut thru but depending the bass and the gig I will also need a clean comp.

it seems that I will need either to buy a pair of these bass comps no matter what but that Atlas is screaming take me home. I like the possibilities and the convenience of having a few different character comps. I have 2 different tone styles a cleanish tone with a little harmonic content and the Rush distorted tone.



Cool