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Need advice on a compressor!


tenoken

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I have no idea what's good out there. I could go with a pedal or a rack mount. Looking to spend $200 or less, if possible.

 

I just want something that doesn't suck tone....

 

Off hand, does anyone know about the BBE MaxCom rack?

 

BBE-MaxCom-DualChannel-Compressor?sku=18

 

or maybe this TC Electronics?

 

TC-Electronic-C300-Dual-Stereo-GateCompr

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I have the BBE MaxCom. It's cool, it works good. I like my sound to be MAXXXIMUM, so I use the Sonic Maximizer too.

 

I tried tinkering with the comression, but I get a better sound if I just press 'Auto' and forget about it.:D

 

Of course, I don't know a {censored}ing thing about compression, so my adjustments were just shots in the dark, with some basic stuff from the manual. I've had it since July and I still like it alot, especially on stage.

C7

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I don't know a {censored}ing thing about compression

 

 

4 things to know:

 

(1) threshold: the signal level at which the compressor comes on - at a really low threshold nearly all of your notes will be compressed, at a really high threshold nearly none of your notes will be compressed.

 

(2) ratio: how much your signal gets compressed - the higher the ratio, the less effect any increase in your signal above the threshold level has on the output level. A 2:1 setting cuts your dynamics above the threshold in half, a 4:1 squashes your dynamics to a quarter of the input signal... 100:1 basically flattens your dynamics above the threshold or, in other words, rigidly limits your peaks.

 

(3) attack: how much time after your signal gets above the threshold the compressor waits to turn itself on - the faster the attack, the quicker the compressor turns on.

 

(4) release: how much time after your signal falls below the threshold the compressor waits to turn itself off.

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4 things to know:


(1) threshold: the signal level at which the compressor comes on - at a really low threshold nearly all of your notes will be compressed, at a really high threshold nearly none of your notes will be compressed.


(2) ratio: how much your signal gets compressed - the higher the ratio, the less effect any increase in your signal above the threshold level has on the output level. A 2:1 setting cuts your dynamics above the threshold in half, a 4:1 squashes your dynamics to a quarter of the input signal... 100:1 basically flattens your dynamics above the threshold or, in other words, rigidly limits your peaks.


(3) attack: how much time after your signal gets above the threshold the compressor waits to turn itself on - the faster the attack, the quicker the compressor turns on.


(4) release: how much time after your signal falls below the threshold the compressor waits to turn itself off.

 

Bitchin'. Thanks. I'll tinker some more at rehearsal tomorrow.:thu:

C7

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Helpful replies, thanks.


I plan to use a compressor on stage and for recording...


The Aphex Punch Factory looks interesting. Only 1 bad review out of 17.

 

 

Yeah and it's sounds like he had a malfunctioning one too. I have the BP magazine and they said basically what all the others are saying (musical, punchy, lots of sustain, etc...). The true bypass is a nice feature at this price too.

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It's hard to go wrong with a dbx 266XL rackmount. You get two independent channels of compression/limiting (full control over threshold, ratio, attack, release, & level) plus noise gating in a single rackspace. Can be run in stereo or daisy-chained: mild compression at a low threshold going into a hard limiter at a higher threshold. Useful for slap-and-pop stuff.

 

Sounds pretty good. Not dead quiet, however. But it's very flexible; I hate compressors that don't give you control over all the relevant variables. Price is about $120 brand new at Amazon and other online retailers.

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The Aphex Punch Factory looks interesting. Only 1 bad review out of 17.

 

It's totally interesting. Interesting in the fact that even with all of the settings cranked you still have the same tone :thu:

 

Don't bother, they're useless. Multicomp ftw.

 

edit -- the opto-comp is nice too, and a bit cheaper. The opto-comp is WAY better than the punch factory.

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I've got a Behringer 1200 MDX. It's working out pretty well so far. It feels like it adds a good amount of beef, without totally scalping the highs. Seems to be very well made. I do wish it had XLR ins/outs, but the MDX1400 has those.

 

From what I've read review-wise, the older Behringers are really solid as far as rack efx go. I paid 60 bucks for mine.

 

For the price, I don't think you can go wrong with trying one out.

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It's totally interesting. Interesting in the fact that even with all of the settings cranked you still have the same tone
:thu:

Don't bother, they're useless. Multicomp ftw.


edit -- the opto-comp is nice too, and a bit cheaper. The opto-comp is WAY better than the punch factory.

 

See for me the transparency of the punch factory is preferable, I'm only using it to avoid big transient spikes, not squash the crap out of my signal. I use it for slap, and leave it off most of the rest of the time. YMMV

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See for me the transparency of the punch factory is preferable, I'm only using it to avoid big transient spikes, not squash the crap out of my signal. I use it for slap, and leave it off most of the rest of the time. YMMV

 

I didn't notice it doing much to my slap tone when I had it cranked, let alone subtle settings. IMO, if someone's going to put out $80 for a pedal, they might as well get the opto-comp and have a more versatile, useful pedal.

 

Also, for the record, I don't use my multi-comp cranked a terrible amount.

 

How's that Ampeg workin out for ya? :D

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fwiw,

(don't know if i've posted this before) but the punch factory has trimmers inside on the board for ratio and attack (iirc). the reason it sounds so transparent from the factory is because the trimmers are set to where it's barely doing anything.

if you go in and tweak the trimmers it's a very different sounding pedal.

 

and to the op - try to find a used symetrix or similar old broadcast compressor. they sound great and go cheap because no one knows what they are:thu:

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@ T3ch- IO dropped it off saturday at Pro Tech up in Wheaton, they're suppossed to get back to me soon. I asked them to start with the seaker connection and move on form there. I'll probably have em add a grounding plug too.

@ GM- where are these trim pots? What effects does each have, IYO?

 

I keep my amps set so normal playing almost peaks out the input, so I can OD it for harder songs. If I set my gain thta way and slap, it gets WAY too loud, but my PF seems to keep my levels all in order. Hmmph?

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@ T3ch- IO dropped it off saturday at Pro Tech up in Wheaton, they're suppossed to get back to me soon. I asked them to start with the seaker connection and move on form there. I'll probably have em add a grounding plug too.

 

On one hand, I hope you can get it working... On the other hand, if you can get it working for relatively cheap, I'm going to be mad cause I would've just taken it in myself :mad:

 

:lol:

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