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What do you look for in a compressor?

#61
blr2 said:
Nice project Spencer!

If I may suggest something, why don't you make the ratio continuous with a pot. The EBS-style led is also very helpful for adjusting the threshold.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about that too, but my feeling is that a compressor with 2 preset ratios will be easier to use than one with a pot. Also, the circuitry around the switch lowers the noise floor a bit.
 
#62
A thought about attack & release... not a "must have", just a thought...

The classic studio opto units had veeeeeerrrryy slow release time, up to three full seconds, and it was assumed that the compression would stay triggered for the majority of the track. I take the opposite approach, trying to keep my signal largely under the threshold so that the comp is only compressing about 30%-50% of each note on average, so I choose a very fast release time.

Attack is another story entirely, because we're talking about differences of literally a few milliseconds. Zero ms gets instant peak limiting, but often it's nice to allow a few ms uncompressed to retain a more natural snappy/crisp note attack sound.

So it might be that the "ideal" would be a fast/slow switch for the release, and then a pot for the attack, with its entire turn-range spread across say zero to 20 ms.

Again, just musing, not insisting.
 
#63
bongomania said:
A thought about attack & release... not a "must have", just a thought...

The classic studio opto units had veeeeeerrrryy slow release time, up to three full seconds, and it was assumed that the compression would stay triggered for the majority of the track. I take the opposite approach, trying to keep my signal largely under the threshold so that the comp is only compressing about 30%-50% of each note on average, so I choose a very fast release time.

Attack is another story entirely, because we're talking about differences of literally a few milliseconds. Zero ms gets instant peak limiting, but often it's nice to allow a few ms uncompressed to retain a more natural snappy/crisp note attack sound.

So it might be that the "ideal" would be a fast/slow switch for the release, and then a pot for the attack, with its entire turn-range spread across say zero to 20 ms.

Again, just musing, not insisting.
Click to expand...

I like that, although it would be hard to fit another switch on the front panel when I've already got the modern/vintage and ratio switches. Do you think it would be alright to make the release an internal trimpot/switch?
 
#64
Spencer! said:
I was thinking about that too, but my feeling is that a compressor with 2 preset ratios will be easier to use than one with a pot. Also, the circuitry around the switch lowers the noise floor a bit.
Click to expand...

I see your point, but if it is to be a fully tweakable compressor, it should allow for a wider range of ratio selection. Just my opinion, but I'd rather preffer a switch (perhaps 3-position one) or internal trims for the attack and release time, and a fully adjustable threshold, ratio and makeup gain. Just my 2 Euro cents.
 
#65
Not to be negative, but I am a mechanic by training, not an electrician; I tend to "adjust" things with hammers. Therefore, I feel that any pedal that requires opening up to tweak something internally, is a poor design just for that. To me, anything that is meant to be adjustable should have a control on the outside. MHO, of course.
 
#66
Something like the Spectra Comp compressor built-in to the TC Electronic RH450 amp:

Most bass players know that integrated compressors generally don't sound that good. A regular compressor tends to be dominated by the lower string, but RH450's SpectraComp technology allows virtually 'per string' multi-band compression that evens out the compression across all strings.
 
#67
NortyFiner said:
Not to be negative, but I am a mechanic by training, not an electrician; I tend to "adjust" things with hammers. Therefore, I feel that any pedal that requires opening up to tweak something internally, is a poor design just for that. To me, anything that is meant to be adjustable should have a control on the outside. MHO, of course.
Click to expand...

I certainly feel that way to some extent, although there's always a tradeoff between providing adjustability and cluttering up the pedal with too many controls. My thinking with the release time is that one setting will work well for most people, and those who want to adjust it still have the option. I'm using the same-sized enclosure as the Proton, so there's a limit to how many controls can go on the front panel.
 
#68
gnjpowell said:
Something like the Spectra Comp compressor built-in to the TC Electronic RH450 amp:

Most bass players know that integrated compressors generally don't sound that good. A regular compressor tends to be dominated by the lower string, but RH450's SpectraComp technology allows virtually 'per string' multi-band compression that evens out the compression across all strings.
Click to expand...

I wasn't all that impressed with the compressor in the RH450. The whole multi-band thing is great for marketing, but all of my favorite compressors for bass (1176, API, etc.) have gotten by without it. Most of the multiband effect can be achieved with a simple lowpass filter in the detector circuit.
 
#69
Spencer! said:
I like that, although it would be hard to fit another switch on the front panel when I've already got the modern/vintage and ratio switches. Do you think it would be alright to make the release an internal trimpot/switch?
Click to expand...

I'm another one that hates internal controls. I totally understand the maker's motivation, I just don't like the user experience. What if you were to make the attack control a 3-position toggle, like 0-7-20 ms? That would save some space.
 
#71
gnjpowell said:
Something like the Spectra Comp compressor built-in to the TC Electronic RH450 amp:

Most bass players know that integrated compressors generally don't sound that good. A regular compressor tends to be dominated by the lower string, but RH450's SpectraComp technology allows virtually 'per string' multi-band compression that evens out the compression across all strings.
Click to expand...

One of the reasons I bought the RH450 was because I liked my DC-24 two band comnpressor so much. But I find the RH450's compressor pretty much useless, I was pretty disappointed.
 
#72
Spencer! said:
I wasn't all that impressed with the compressor in the RH450. The whole multi-band thing is great for marketing, but all of my favorite compressors for bass (1176, API, etc.) have gotten by without it. Most of the multiband effect can be achieved with a simple lowpass filter in the detector circuit.
Click to expand...

I gotta say I like it. That said, I don't use compression as an "effect" per se, and a little of the Spectracomp goes a long way for me. I use it largely to give the higher notes a bit of a "lift" with respect to the lower ones, which is where the multiband implementation works for me.
 
#75
bongomania said:
I'm another one that hates internal controls. I totally understand the maker's motivation, I just don't like the user experience. What if you were to make the attack control a 3-position toggle, like 0-7-20 ms? That would save some space.
Click to expand...

Me too, but for controls that are not often adjusted, such as attack and release times, it is perhaps not a big problem. Threshold, ratio and makeup gain, which are adjusted when switching instruments, should be outside ofcourse.
 

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