MXR M87 Compressor

[infectedbyevil]

Yes

How does the compressor help with death metal? Is it important?

How does the compressor help with death metal?

How does the compressor help with death metal? Is it important?

I believe that the compressor should be in every musical style. it helps to sit well in the mix with other instruments.in death metal I often play in / A as well as the use teping. s compressor is doing its job

 

[mrwood4]

I used an MXR M87 for quite a while and I really liked it. Mine was quiet, but there are threads on here that talk about some being noisy and some having issues. Overall I think there are far more good ones than bad. It's tranparent, so it prob won't add the warmth you may be looking for. But it was great for tightening up the botton and evening out peaks. Keep in mind the knobs are small and it doesn't take much of a turn to get different results. Just gotta play with it to find your sweet spot. I'd still be using mine except I had a chance to get a Cali76-TX-L, so I had to jump on that!

 

[kyral210]

I used an MXR M87 for quite a while and I really liked it. Mine was quiet, but there are threads on here that talk about some being noisy and some having issues. Overall I think there are far more good ones than bad. It's tranparent, so it prob won't add the warmth you may be looking for. But it was great for tightening up the botton and evening out peaks. Keep in mind the knobs are small and it doesn't take much of a turn to get different results. Just gotta play with it to find your sweet spot. I'd still be using mine except I had a chance to get a Cali76-TX-L, so I had to jump on that!

Thanks. Not really liking for colour as much as evening out the volume on the strings. When I hit the low B I can get a great driving found out, but when I pluck a D or G string it's hard to hear in the mix

 

[BazzTard]

Thanks. Not really liking for colour as much as evening out the volume on the strings. When I hit the low B I can get a great driving found out, but when I pluck a D or G string it's hard to hear in the mix

Have you tried raising the pickups on that side first? A compressor will help even out the sound, but try the pickup height adjustment as well.

 

[SGT. BAKER]

What reliability issues?

After I tried this compressor I realized that it does a real good job, but I found two complanints:

- Fisrt: It´s been said yet that it´s a tad noisy.

- Second: It must take care a lot for dialing the Input knob, ´cause it´s easy that the appears a big amount of bass signal. It that sense this isn´t plug and play. I had a tad of troubles to set it right ´cause it takes some time finding the precise position of this knob and it depends too of the bass type, pick ups and strengh of playing. Not too harder but isn´t faster like another ones.

 

[FirewalZ]

After I tried this compressor I realized that it does a real good job, but I found two complanints:

- Fisrt: It´s been said yet that it´s a tad noisy.

- Second: It must take care a lot for dialing the Input knob, ´cause it´s easy that the appears a big amount of bass signal. It that sense this isn´t plug and play. I had a tad of troubles to set it right ´cause it takes some time finding the precise position of this knob and it depends too of the bass type, pick ups and strengh of playing. Not too harder but isn´t faster like another ones.

So mine arrived and I played with it a bit, although just at "practice at home" volume. The one I got is pretty quiet, very little to no noticeable additional noise. I tried it with my old Jazz, it has a fairly low output pickups so I had to have the input knob at about 2 o'clock. It did help bring the open E and some up the upper register notes inline. I also noticed the knobs are indeed sensitive, although this increases the learning curve, I feel it will make it easier to tweak and customize for other basses and also recording. The true test will be at a gig this Friday, I'll give another report post gig.

 

[Stevorebob]

Thanks. Not really liking for colour as much as evening out the volume on the strings. When I hit the low B I can get a great driving found out, but when I pluck a D or G string it's hard to hear in the mix

Have you tried raising the pickups on that side first? A compressor will help even out the sound, but try the pickup height adjustment as well.

Evening out string-to-string volume is a pickup height issue.

 

[SGT. BAKER]

So mine arrived and I played with it a bit, although just at "practice at home" volume. The one I got is pretty quiet, very little to no noticeable additional noise. I tried it with my old Jazz, it has a fairly low output pickups so I had to have the input knob at about 2 o'clock. It did help bring the open E and some up the upper register notes inline. I also noticed the knobs are indeed sensitive, although this increases the learning curve, I feel it will make it easier to tweak and customize for other basses and also recording. The true test will be at a gig this Friday, I'll give another report post gig.

Very sensitive. That´s the right word to describe it the MXR. And I found it a tad harder to tweak it that another ones in the market. I suppose that the low output pickups from your jazz bass they helped a lot to dial an tweaking the right position that it worked for you.

It´s great but for live situations I rather a great compressor easier to tweak like my Aggie.

 

[FirewalZ]

I had my first gig with the M87. Its been a long time since i have used a compressor, the last one I had in the 90's was an Alesis 3630 rack mount.
It does take some time to adjust to the controls, they are sensitive. As the ovnilabs site points out, the input seems to be the main knob for controlling the overall compression threshold. The higher the input setting, the sooner compression kicks in, if the knob is too high notes can get squashed, there seems to be a fine line between too much and just right. The attack and threshold are more subtle, at least to my ears in a live setting, I quickly found what worked and left those alone. I did notice that to me and contrary to what I expected, 4/1 compression sounded more compressed than 8/1, so I left it at 8/1.
The peddle was very quiet and did not alter the tone, although it did thicken things up a bit. Overall it worked like a good compressor, it brought down loud boomy E string notes and the overall volume was more consistent. This is something that my ears are not used to, I see the advantage to the overall sound of the Band, but playing through compression does change the dynamics and will take some getting used to.
I would be curious to see other folks settings who are using passive "Fender" types Basses.

 

[SGT. BAKER]

I had my first gig with the M87. Its been a long time since i have used a compressor, the last one I had in the 90's was an Alesis 3630 rack mount.
It does take some time to adjust to the controls, they are sensitive. As the ovnilabs site points out, the input seems to be the main knob for controlling the overall compression threshold. The higher the input setting, the sooner compression kicks in, if the knob is too high notes can get squashed, there seems to be a fine line between too much and just right. The attack and threshold are more subtle, at least to my ears in a live setting, I quickly found what worked and left those alone. I did notice that to me and contrary to what I expected, 4/1 compression sounded more compressed than 8/1, so I left it at 8/1.
The peddle was very quiet and did not alter the tone, although it did thicken things up a bit. Overall it worked like a good compressor, it brought down loud boomy E string notes and the overall volume was more consistent. This is something that my ears are not used to, I see the advantage to the overall sound of the Band, but playing through compression does change the dynamics and will take some getting used to.
I would be curious to see other folks settings who are using passive "Fender" types Basses.

I have not experience with this compressor in live situations. So I can say you that if you dislike the E string sound as the results of the compression you could try keep your Threshold position while you can set your Attack time a tad short to get a less boomy E string sound. But don´t forget readjust/set again the Release time a tad short too for avoid the struggle notes.

It´s curious like a short ratio 4:1 it gives you a more compressed sound that a medium ratio like 8:1 for a same Threshold position. I can´t precise you exactly but probably the answer at this situation was the type of knee choosen for every ratio selected from factory.

 

[FirewalZ]

I have not experience with this compressor in live situations. So I can say you that if you dislike the E string sound as the results of the compression you could try keep your Threshold position while you can set your Attack time a tad short to get a less boomy E string sound. But don´t forget readjust/set again the Release time a tad short too for avoid the struggle notes.

It´s curious like a short ratio 4:1 it gives you a more compressed sound that a medium ratio like 8:1 for a same Threshold position. I can´t precise you exactly but probably the answer at this situation was the type of knee choosen for every ratio selected from factory.

So here is my final review:
Background: I primary play classics and go for a traditional fat tone. The compressor would be used exclusively for gigs and I usually only play one bass all night.
Pro: The MXR is a good compressor, has flexible settings and work well on both my passive Jazz and active EBMM. Its affordable, clean, almost no noise and works just as a compressor should.
Con: The controls are very sensitive, slight adjustments can be too much or too little and I found myself fiddling with the knobs constantly. The tone is transparent, almost too transparent, I was hoping for more fatness and warmth.
This pedal would be great for folks who change basses with different output levels and needs, want the flexible controls to use for recording, etc. However for what I am wanting its just not a good fit. I have returned it and bought a Diamond.......

 

[SGT. BAKER]

So here is my final review:
Background: I primary play classics and go for a traditional fat tone. The compressor would be used exclusively for gigs and I usually only play one bass all night.
Pro: The MXR is a good compressor, has flexible settings and work well on both my passive Jazz and active EBMM. Its affordable, clean, almost no noise and works just as a compressor should.
Con: The controls are very sensitive, slight adjustments can be too much or too little and I found myself fiddling with the knobs constantly. The tone is transparent, almost too transparent, I was hoping for more fatness and warmth.
This pedal would be great for folks who change basses with different output levels and needs, want the flexible controls to use for recording, etc. However for what I am wanting its just not a good fit. I have returned it and bought a Diamond.......

Thanx a lot for this explanation, bro.

In live situations mostly times there´s not enough time between songs to do slight adjusts, when it needs changing of basses or whatever, so really I rather something faster to adjust. This is the reason that I ended up with my Aguilar TLC.

 

[FirewalZ]

Thanx a lot for this explanation, bro.

In live situations mostly times there´s not enough time between songs to do slight adjusts, when it needs changing of basses or whatever, so really I rather something faster to adjust. This is the reason that I ended up with my Aguilar TLC.

Welcome.
I did not want to talk bad about the MXR, or lead folks away from it. Its a really strong pedal for the money and does what it does well, it just was not a good fit for what I am wanting. I sort of considered this prior to purchase, but at the time did not have the extra cash for the Diamond.

 

[SGT. BAKER]

Welcome.
I did not want to talk bad about the MXR, or lead folks away from it. Its a really strong pedal for the money and does what it does well, it just was not a good fit for what I am wanting. I sort of considered this prior to purchase, but at the time did not have the extra cash for the Diamond.

I don´t consider that you talked bad about it. It´s just your point of view. Simply there´s a lot of good stuff out there that they do an excellent job and they work a lot. But this don´t mean that really it fits well to everyone, ´cause each other has their personal preferences/tastesa and their needdings can be not the same. This is the reason that for you and me this compressor doesn´t fits so well. But there´s nothing wrong in it.

 

[Robus]

Welcome.
I did not want to talk bad about the MXR, or lead folks away from it. Its a really strong pedal for the money and does what it does well, it just was not a good fit for what I am wanting. I sort of considered this prior to purchase, but at the time did not have the extra cash for the Diamond.

How do you like the Diamond?

 

[FirewalZ]

How do you like the Diamond?

Just ordered yesterday.....Ill get it sometime this weekend or Monday. Ill give an initial "at home" report and post first gig.

 

[MCS4]

How does the compressor help with death metal? Is it important?

Incidentally, fast extreme metal is the only style in which I use a compressor. The older I get the easier it is to have wrist problems if I do a lot of tremelo picking, but I find that a generous dose of compression a touch of overdrive allow me to pick much more lightly/comfortably while maintaining a consistent tone through all of those fast notes.

 

[FirewalZ]

Follow up here:
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/from-mxr-to-diamond-story.1128378/

 

[Doner Designs]

What reliability issues?

Mine broke, but that would not stop me from buying it again. MXR stood behind the product even though it was a little bit out of warranty. Total time from contacting them until I got it back was about a month, maybe less.

I just got it back and wanted to post kudos to MXR somewhere and this seemed like a good place.

 

[Peter Smith892]

I'd never heard of the Diamond BCP-1 before reading this thread. Have to say, after checking out the pedal in action I'm so very impressed!

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