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OVNIFX Smoothie Compressor

#501
monsterthompson said:
Pulled out the Spector Euro 5 AW to scratch a few ideas together for a track I'm working on. I didn't realize I had the Smoothie on in my chain, and couldn't quite figure out why my bass sounded different, in a good way. I had been toying with the pedal on another bass earlier, and just never turned it off. Once I saw the light on, I decided to leave it on while I recorded. I tried turning it off for a take, but it was decidedly better with it on. Enough yakyakyak, here's some ones and zeros.
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That sir, be mighty tasty.
 
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#503
I've had my Smoothie for a while now, and I think I found a setting yesterday that I really like. I don't want any heavy squashing or peak limiting to my sound. I just want the pedal to add a subtle fatness. So I plugged my nice studio headphones into the headphone out of my Mesa D-800, and started experimenting with a lot of knob configurations.

For what I'm looking for, I found my preferred setting with the Attack, Tone, and Comp Vol all at 12:00. Sust and Direct both at 10:00. Thresh switch at 0dB.
That added a slight fatness and depth to my sound, without squashing it too much, and still retained most of the bass' natural tone. It's very subtle, but effective.
 
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#508
bongomania said:
I'd like it to have top mount jacks too, but there are some logistics (mostly unrelated to whether jacks could fit there) that have prevented it so far.

You might like the RMI Basswitch Dual Band!
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Thanks for the reply. The Basswitch was on my list as well as the Strymon, Milk Box, Smoothie, and the Cali76. The top jacks are just a plus, not a disqualification:).
But i'm not trying to hijack the Smoothie thread. I'm just amazed at the amount of compressors out there nowadays. I'm just looking for something simple and that sounds good. I can't thank you enough for all the work and money you've put in to your site!
 
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#510
Placed my order last night. Now for the waiting game.

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I've been running a Joe Meek FloorQ for a while now, but I use it more for it's added character and subtle compression. I've liked what it does, but it's big and I while it's my favorite comp to date, I've never been in love with it. The smoothie has had me intrigued most by it's compliment of comp functions and the clean blend. I really just want a comp to apply a subtle amount of restraint and control of my signal, while maintaining the softer edges, openness, and tonal nuance.
 
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#512
Man I was in Portland a couple days ago, I should have just stopped by and picked one up:)

So for those of you who own these pedals, I understand it adds it's own character to the sound? I read the review over at Ovnilab but being a compressor dumdum, could someone describe it's effect on your tone in idiot-terms? I owned an FEA DE-CL and stupidly sold it. I kept it on all the time. I really enjoyed the warmth knob and the added tight/thickness it gave me.

Thanks!
 
#513
willsellout said:
Man I was in Portland a couple days ago, I should have just stopped by and picked one up:)

So for those of you who own these pedals, I understand it adds it's own character to the sound? I read the review over at Ovnilab but being a compressor dumdum, could someone describe it's effect on your tone in idiot-terms? I owned an FEA DE-CL and stupidly sold it. I kept it on all the time. I really enjoyed the warmth knob and the added tight/thickness it gave me.

Thanks!
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Fat, thick and gooey? Just thickens the tone up nicely to my ears, but I have it set that way too. Not a whole ton of limiting going on for me.
 
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#514
I'll add this too...

Justice Graves said:
^This. The blend does really make the difference. It still sounds the way it does without compression but fuller and richer. I probably blend more dry in than most but I like a little clank and gank so getting that with some great tone and richness really makes my sound so much more than it is without. I guess that's why I don't get why people have said the Smoothie colors your tone. It only colors your tone if you set it to, its nice to have the option.

With all that being said I would like to check out the empress but just haven't pulled the trigger on it. It appears to be another that gives you plenty of options.
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#515
Apparently quoting within a quote is not happening so here's the lead on my random thought.

pacojas said:
the Smoothie is very versatile. i love the reverse tone controls,.. to the left you have bass boost/ treble cut. to the right is treble boost/bass cut. all the while you can compensate any holes with the clean signals "Direct" knob. even squashing the dynamics sounds delicious!
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Ewo said:
OP was asking about a compressor for slap and I'm into that, so here's my .02:

I've used a Mark Bass Compressore, an FEA DE-CL, an FEA DB-CL, an EBS Multicomp, and an OvniFX Smoothie. I like 'em all, and still own all but the EBS, which I sold to fund a cab purchase a while back.

I've been gigging straight into the amp for the last year or so, but just today I was dinking around at home with putting together a micro pedal board--just a high pass filter, a strobe tuner, and a compressor...and maybe a VT bass pedal (still pondering that one for the more aggro tunes). Y'know, my fave for the compressor is the Smoothie. Especially when slapping, I really like having the dynamics available under my fingers, and the Smothie's ability to blend dry and wet signal made the difference. I can set it to rein in pops that are a bit over-enthusiastic, but I never feel like I'm fighting the compressor to get some notes to jump out when I want them to. I gotta figure this is because I have a good amount of dry signal making it to the amp.

Swearsies, I know how to work the controls on these things. But the Smoothie is the one with which I can get natural-sounding dynamics and just the right amount of control over transients. IMHO, YMMV, as always.
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#517
willsellout said:
Man I was in Portland a couple days ago, I should have just stopped by and picked one up:)

So for those of you who own these pedals, I understand it adds it's own character to the sound? I read the review over at Ovnilab but being a compressor dumdum, could someone describe it's effect on your tone in idiot-terms? I owned an FEA DE-CL and stupidly sold it. I kept it on all the time. I really enjoyed the warmth knob and the added tight/thickness it gave me.

Thanks!
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Any pedal adds a character. I'd say it's pretty transparent. It compresses and thickens. It rounds off some lows and highs as part of that. I'd say what goes in comes out. It's not really squishy. It isn't sparkly sheen adding. YMMV
 
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#518
I'm honestly trying not to order the Cali76. There are a ton of great compressors. I know the Smoothie is at the top of that great list. I guess I need to figure out exactly what I want a compressor to do in my chain. Seeming as how I live in a small town and can't try everything out, it makes it difficult. Youtube videos only go so far LOL
 
#519
Compression is such a subtle flavor on bass, and YouTube clips don't always have the best fidelity to start with, let alone once they are compressed (in a different but related sense of the word) and disseminated for mass viewing over variable bandwidths.

Nothing beats hearing something through your own amp played on your own guitar. The next best thing, in my opinion, is cultivating the expertise of others. That's what is so great about this forum in general and this subforum in particular. Word of mouth means a lot. I certainly appreciate reading what people here have to say and chiming in sometimes if I have something to add. Though usually I'm just a bunch of hot air.

Now, I don't mean to knock YouTube clips entirely, I know I've found that compressor clips there are almost always lacking. Plenty of effects aren't so subtle and the fidelity issues aren't as much a big deal.
 
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#520
fly agaric said:
Compression is such a subtle flavor on bass, and YouTube clips don't always have the best fidelity to start with, let alone once they are compressed (in a different but related sense of the word) and disseminated for mass viewing over variable bandwidths.

Nothing beats hearing something through your own amp played on your own guitar. The next best thing, in my opinion, is cultivating the expertise of others. That's what is so great about this forum in general and this subforum in particular. Word of mouth means a lot. I certainly appreciate reading what people here have to say and chiming in sometimes if I have something to add. Though usually I'm just a bunch of hot air.

Now, I don't mean to knock YouTube clips entirely, I know I've found that compressor clips there are almost always lacking. Plenty of effects aren't so subtle and the fidelity issues aren't as much a big deal.
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Great point. Appreciate the response. I used to to order a bunch of pedals that did the same thing and returned all of the ones that didn't cut the mustard. Unfortunately i can't do that with some of these compressors that cost hundreds of dollars LOL.
 

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