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OVNIFX Smoothie Compressor

#601
Fuzzbass said:
Well, if you haven't already heard the news, there is currently an issue with the new Empress Bass: the -1 and -2 dB LEDs can generate mild static as they fade out. Empress believes they have a DIY fix which they'll provide for free, but it's still in testing. Anyway, you can possibly use that issue to talk yourself out of one. ;)

Aside from that glitch, the Empress Bass is an amazing comp: all the goodness of the original, plus more. :thumbsup:

But the Smoothie is also amazing. I have the second-newest version, the one where you had to choose between Tough and Suave (I chose Tough) -- as opposed to the newest version where you can select between both. It's also a keeper.
Click to expand...


I’d not heard that about the new Empress. It reasonable that there may be a bug or two to iron out I think. But just the excuse I needed! Thank you! ;-)

I like my old Empress and will be keeping it- most likely anyway. It’s as transparent as advertised and I like that. But this time around want to try a different flavor.... I really like the clips of the Smoothie that I’ve heard. Thank you for you thoughts
 
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#602
I hope it's allowable for me to post a shipping update. The current batch was held in US customs for over a month, and was just released a few days ago. The next step is for the package to be delivered to me, but there is no scan information online indicating progress on that front. Maybe they've shipped it and the package will show up any time now, or maybe they will get to shipping it out of the customs office sometime in the future, and who knows. I thank everyone for their patience!!!!
 
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#607
I found an old post mentioning that it had to do with the type of switch used, but that was for the original Smoothie and I wasn’t sure if any pertinent changes were made to the newer models.
 
#610
Hey @bongomania , I have an opto Smoothie on the way, and I'm super excited to try it out. Can you tell me what exactly the internal dip switches do? I'm having trouble finding that information online. As I understand it, they pretty much allow you to select between the previous "tough" and "suave" modes, and at least two other combinations in-between, but which way is which? Thanks.
 
#611
jacoby75 said:
Hey @bongomania , I have an opto Smoothie on the way, and I'm super excited to try it out. Can you tell me what exactly the internal dip switches do? I'm having trouble finding that information online. As I understand it, they pretty much allow you to select between the previous "tough" and "suave" modes, and at least two other combinations in-between, but which way is which? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm not the man himself, but both Intensity and Speed switches in the On position is Tough mode. Both switches in the Off position is Suave mode. Then you can of course mess around with different positions for each switch to taste. In "tough mode" the compressor clamps down on your note attack more quickly and strongly. Suave is, well, lighter and slower response.
 
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#612
scubaduba said:
I'm not the man himself, but both Intensity and Speed switches in the On position is Tough mode. Both switches in the Off position is Suave mode. Then you can of course mess around with different positions for each switch to taste. In "tough mode" the compressor clamps down on your note attack more quickly and strongly. Suave is, well, lighter and slower response.
Click to expand...
Thanks, buddy. That begs the next question: What exactly does "intensity" in the "on" position really mean? Like, the compression action is more intense? Would that equate to a higher compression ratio or something? And maybe the "speed" switch being "on" means a faster attack and/or shorter range of attack times being available in the sweep of the attack knob? I don't want to overthink it, but I'd like to walk into the switch-flipping with at least some idea of what the switches are doing, instead of switching blindly. Of course, our collective ears will be the ultimate judge.
 
#613
jacoby75 said:
Thanks, buddy. That begs the next question: What exactly does "intensity" in the "on" position really mean? Like, the compression action is more intense? Would that equate to a higher compression ratio or something? And maybe the "speed" switch being "on" means a faster attack and/or shorter range of attack times being available in the sweep of the attack knob? I don't want to overthink it, but I'd like to walk into the switch-flipping with at least some idea of what the switches are doing, instead of switching blindly. Of course, our collective ears will be the ultimate judge.
Click to expand...

For answers to these questions and more, paging @bongomania.

But yes, moral of the story is our collective ears will be the ultimate judge. :)

Specs, are specs. Your ear is what matters.
 
#614
Just speculating, of course, but from using the Smoothie and trying the switches it seems that they adjust the range of the attack and sustain adjustments. Suave Speed seems to set the quickest attack to be slower, allowing the slowest attack to wait longer, while Suave Intensity seems to do the same for sustain, starting and ending the range of control lower than when run at the Tough settings.

I liked all the options--no bad sound in the Smoothie. Most often I ran it Speed at Suave and Intensity at Tough.
 
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#615
jacoby75 said:
What exactly does "intensity" in the "on" position really mean? Like, the compression action is more intense? Would that equate to a higher compression ratio or something? And maybe the "speed" switch being "on" means a faster attack and/or shorter range of attack times being available in the sweep of the attack knob?
Click to expand...
That's basically correct. The speed one changes the range of the attack knob (not literally, but effectively), while the intensity one sets how strongly the sensor reacts to the initial attack part of the envelope. With this pedal (as with most non-VCA types) the knobs and their functions are more artistic than scientific; e.g. the Sust knob covers both ratio and threshold, and they depend on the attack and the dip switch settings, so there is no way to set a number value for the ratio or the threshold at any one knob setting. But yes basically with the speed switch "off" the attack will be slower, and with the intensity switch "off" the sensor reaction will be gentler.
 
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#617
I was in the market for a compressor and a TB friend alerted me that Cyrus had a couple of the new OvniFx Smoothies for sale on Reverb so I snagged one. It arrived this evening and first impressions are great! I purchased it as a “stay on all the time” device to smooth out my live playing and I’m totally pumped after tweaking it a bit and playing for just a few minutes.
I can’t wait to spend a bit more time experimenting with it and then gig live with it!

D97EEC2F-8704-4B53-8589-AC8405761F81.jpeg
 
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#619
JOME77 said:
I was in the market for a compressor and a TB friend alerted me that Cyrus had a couple of the new OvniFx Smoothies for sale on Reverb so I snagged one. It arrived this evening and first impressions are great! I purchased it as a “stay on all the time” device to smooth out my live playing and I’m totally pumped after tweaking it a bit and playing for just a few minutes.
I can’t wait to spend a bit more time with it and gig out with it.
Click to expand...
I'm loving mine. A lot. Here's what I said about it (paraphrased and added to) over on the "testing compressors" thread. I should have put my thoughts here as well:

The Smoothie is awesome. It's a tone fattening optical compressor, which I love . . . Something that adds some warmth and secret sauce. I could use the Smoothie alone, but I'm currently using it near the end of my chain after my preamp pedal(s) with the -20dB switch engaged, and with an Empress Bass Comp at the front of my chain, both set for relatively subtle compression. Just because I have both and can. With the tone switch of the Empress and tilt EQ of the Smoothie, they both fatten the tone in different and wonderful ways. The Smoothie can go from subtle compression (which I have it set to and like) to super punchy and poppy gain limiting. The clean blend adds in just the right amount of attack and uncompressed lows. And with the tilt EQ set just to the left, maybe 10:30-11:00, it's warm, fat city. I don't see myself ever parting with the Empress or Smoothie. Alone they're great, and together they're magical.
 
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