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Origin Audio Cali76 FET compressor (1176 inspired)

#107
I really want one of these, but the price + shipping & duty is tough to justify. I have a Distressor (that I don't want to get rid of) but I hate carrying around a rack case, on top of my pedalboard. it would seem that the transformer one is the way to go, if you can afford it.
 
#109
I Ordered the transformer last night...hope to see it soon!

I played bass long ago in bands and then put it down for 10-15 years...life...now, I'm older and wanting to get back into it for my own peace of mind, and this is the first thing I've purchased in hopes of obtaining a really quality sound here at the house.

Thanks to Bongo's reviews and everyone's feedback...I'm now about $500 in!

I'll be running my fender p-bass plus deluxe to an ashdown mag 2X10 for live sound and to an Alesis firewire mixer for recording into reason/record.


As asked earlier - I'd love to hear how everyone is running this - which transformer settings are being used and levels...I'm just getting back in, and I'm not too technical with pedals...any guidance or suggestions would really be appreciated!
 
#110
I run the low gain setting for guitar and bass. It is the cleaner sound. The high gain might be useful for getting that old country vocal sound thats alittle gritty. I've used it with and without the transformer engaged. I would have just fine with the non-transformer equiped version but, after hearing the transformer out you won't go without it. It really does add more life to your sound.
 
#111
Just thought I would bump this thread to say I'm loving this pedal. Kind of spendy but totally worth it. It's built like a piece of high end studio gear, so its cost does not seem out of line with its quality.

Simon was great to work with: Answering my questions and helping me choose the options that suited the sounds I was after. I ended up going with the stock transformer model, and I'm totally happy with it. It sounds great whether applied tastefully or squashed to death.

Here's a photo with my P Bass for further size reference. It's just about the size of an old school Electro-Harmonix pedal, just a bit taller.
oCiik.jpg
 
#112
I just received my tx version today. I had to play with it for a while before I started to get something I liked. I discovered that the input level is key to getting a good sound. Once I started to get a feel for the controls, I was really pleased. The controls are very effective. Small changes are very noticeable. The large knobs really help you dial in a just-right sound. This much range with small knobs would suck live. The sound is definitely not transparent, but does allow the character of each instrument to come through. It adds a sparkle and liveliness that reminds me of what you get out of a very good pre-amp. At first I thought the sound was dull, but once I started playing with knobs I was able to get really great full range tone. I was monitoring through a cafe walter headphone amp and a pair of ultrasone hfi-780s. I tried it with several basses. As I expected, the best settings for each bass varied widely. With the Music Man Stingray 4 Classic, an already very compressed sounding bass, I was able to create a great bouncy note sound. On the Fender MIA P5 I dialed in a tight percussive attack. You get the idea. Compared to my Empress, it has way more attitude. The Empress is a very good compressor. I just never liked a lot of compression on it. It is not the fault of the comp. I just never liked heavy compression on bass. With the Cali76, I found that with the right setting I could easily turn the ratio up to 12:1 and still sound like a real bass player!! The secret, as I said before, is the input knob. I also ran it as a 20:1 limiter with my Fender 60th anniversary P loaded with Nordstrands. It sounds excellent in this mode too. I think one of the secrets of this comp is the very fast responding circuit. I don't know if this makes sense, but it just seems to respond in a very immediate and natural way. This makes the comp like another instrument. I found I could make the comp respond in very musical ways to my playing style. I have not tried the DI yet. I will probably check that out over the weekend. If that turns out to be as good as I expect, I would definitely say this pedal is a bargain. Yup, you heard me. It is cheap. A top studio comp and DI for under $500 is a very good deal. Finally, the construction is the best I have seen anywhere in a stomp box. It will last for many years with proper care; I am sure of it. It has a very solid, purposeful look with a beautiful polished metal case, handsome graphics, and nice chunky retro knobs. I think Simon put a lot of thought into the appearance. Even the mini toggles in the back feel good. They are slightly recessed to allow easy access without accidental switching or damage. I have no doubt that these units will be very highly prized in a few years. A good investment and a real keeper.
 
#114
Few questions about this gem of a pedal:
1) Would the extra "sparkle" of the transformer version come through on a Mesa 400+ or would it get lost in the grit of the head?
2) Assuming I had no use for all of the DI features of the pedal and the headroom switches, is the transformer option still a worthwhile upgrade for the tonal enhancements?
3) How does it stack up vs. the DE-CL? I'm looking to upgrade my M87 and those two pedals are my only current top picks. I would like having the extra limiter option, but it's not necessary when I could have the better metering.
 
#116
this pedal really sounds like it has the fast response of an 1176--a shame I can't spare that kind of space/price for a compressor pedal--I haven't tried out very many compressor pedals, my experience is mostly with studio hardware and software comps. Are there any pedal format compressors that have the same kind of fast response of an 1176? In my experience a true 1176 has a fast attack even on the slowest settings... have not used a cali76 in person though.
 
#117
Sorry to be responding two months late, but...
JBNeedsBeer said:
Few questions about this gem of a pedal:
1) Would the extra "sparkle" of the transformer version come through on a Mesa 400+ or would it get lost in the grit of the head?
2) Assuming I had no use for all of the DI features of the pedal and the headroom switches, is the transformer option still a worthwhile upgrade for the tonal enhancements?
3) How does it stack up vs. the DE-CL? I'm looking to upgrade my M87 and those two pedals are my only current top picks. I would like having the extra limiter option, but it's not necessary when I could have the better metering.
Click to expand...
1) I think it would get lost, honestly.
2) In a recording session, yes, but not onstage.
3) That's a tough call, I love them both. The DE-CL is more versatile, but the Cali has a bit more "tone magic". In your case, the DE-CL would be the better choice, because its versatility is not lost in the onstage and Mesa amp sounds.
 

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