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New Empress Compressor MKII

#81
Northfear said:
Hmmm.. wonder why they went with separate bass model. HPF in sidechain is pretty subtle and 2 options was probably more than enough for majority of players. Not sure if it's worth the removal of "Tone" knob.
And 40Hz roll-off was pretty cool too.
Click to expand...

Give this a read. It talks a bit about the reason for the two.
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#83
monsterthompson said:
That was understood. What was unclear from the Empress site was if it *only* responded to the Side Chain TRS input from external sources - or - if it could also respond to just the Instrument signal. The blog post from October reads like it will listen to the Instrument signal if no other Side Chain source is plugged in to the TRS jack, which is far more useful than if it only listened to the TRS input for an external source.
Click to expand...

It will respond to either one.
 
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#85
Tin robot said:
So... Does the SC HP knob on the bass version work only as a sidechain? not a straight?
Click to expand...

I asked about this (a lot, both here and in the big compressor thread) and it sounds like it functions as both a pass filter when responding internal (instrument) signal and/or external (via the TRS jack) signals. The Empress site lists the jack as a "send/return" so I assume the send signal is pre filter and it is wired so that if nothing is plugged in the jack then the sound will "route back in" and hit the filter.
 
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#86
monsterthompson said:
I asked about this (a lot, both here and in the big compressor thread) and it sounds like it functions as both a pass filter when responding internal (instrument) signal and/or external (via the TRS jack) signals. The Empress site lists the jack as a "send/return" so I assume the send signal is pre filter and it is wired so that if nothing is plugged in the jack then the sound will "route back in" and hit the filter.
Click to expand...

THX! I asked Empress about this, too. He said, The HPF only functions as a siidechain highness, there is no way to have it directly alter your signal.
I think MK II could be better for a bassist who only uses input output. The 500 kHz tilt equalizer isn't always good for the guitar.
 
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#87
Tin robot said:
THX! I asked Empress about this, too. He said, The HPF only functions as a siidechain highness, there is no way to have it directly alter your signal.
I think MK II could be better for a bassist who only uses input output. The 500 kHz tilt equalizer isn't always good for the guitar.
Click to expand...

The Empress Blog supports the reason to pick the bass vs the MK II. I think they agree with your EQ assumptions.
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#88
monsterthompson said:
The Empress Blog supports the reason to pick the bass vs the MK II. I think they agree with your EQ assumptions.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
Honestly, I've rarely seen anyone play bass or guitar using a sidechain.
So I was hoping that the empress would remove the side chain and strengthen the EQ side, which is a little disappointing.
I've been using MK I for a long time, but I've never used a sidechain.
I think I need to know how good a harmonic distortion is to be sure of my decision.
 
#89
This interests me even though I have no need for it. Am I alone in this? haha

It sounds like, with nothing plugged into the sidechain / send/return, the HPF knob is a hardware version of the same control in my Darkglass Hyper Luminal, a HPF that governs what the compressor "sees" when it's doing its compression on the main signal (which is not actually filtered). I can work with that.

Now, is it possible to insert an external signal into the send/return that doesn't have capacity for a "send" side? For example, if I wanted a microphone on a kick drum to trigger "ducking" in the compressor in the style of a studio sidechain?

Or, for that matter, a send to a mixer that's taking that send and also the kick drum, and blending them into the return so that the pedal is compressing according to a mix of bass and kick. Is it possible? Would it not be rad if it is in fact possible?
 
#91
Real Soon said:
Now, is it possible to insert an external signal into the send/return that doesn't have capacity for a "send" side? For example, if I wanted a microphone on a kick drum to trigger "ducking" in the compressor in the style of a studio sidechain?
Click to expand...

The Sidechain HP frequency goes from 20hz to 400hz, if that can't removed from the external sidechain input, just turn it all the way down. Removing signal below 20hz from kick drum shouldn't be audible.
 
#93
IMG_20201125_174450.jpg
Look what came in the mail today! I have to wait until Friday to give it a whirl as my pedal board and amp are at my band leaders place. It does look pretty though.
 
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#100
IMG_20201127_213233.jpg
I got to play with it last night and I'm very impressed. I was a little worried as I heard the original Empress was transparent and I was looking for something to enhance my tone. I have being using the Smoothie for about 3 years and absolutely loved what it added to my tone, well I can say the Empress bass compressor adds to my tone in similar way to the Smoothie with the tone switch engaged, but to my ears it's slightly fatter sounding. The colour switch added a bit of grind that I wasn't fond of I'd rather use the Beta for that. In between the tone and colour switch makes it sound more transparent but I wouldn't say it's completely transparent.
All in all I think this compressor has something for everyone. I'm very happy with my purchase.
 
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