Testing Compressors: Cali, Smoothie, Empress, Diamond, Keeley, FEA, Darkglass, Doc Lloyd, JHS & more

[Fuzzbass]

How does the Humboldt DE handle the lower freqs of a 5 string @scubaduba ?

From the product page:

* Bass players please note:

The transformer can saturate below 200Hz if amplitude is high enough. We highly reccomend making the Humboldt the first pedal in your chain and not using onboard preamps since the pedal already amplifies the signal greatly pre-transformer.

Settings can usually be foud to work with most basses but might be more limited in range depending on the incoming signal.

Active pickup or preamped bass users might find that switching off the transfomer works best for their signal and opens up the pedals range of tonality more.

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My own 2¢: I could get the DE to work in transformer mode with my hottest active (Sadowsky P5) with specific settings on the device, and using no boost from the onboard preamp. Someone else here had no luck with his five string.

 

[Mr_BK]

Some nice compressors in the classifieds at the moment, none of which I am affiliated with. But nice indeed. Alma, Niche Humboldt Deluxe, Markbass Compressore, and a Doc Lloyd Photon Death Ray....

It took me ages to find a Photon Death Ray and it wasn't cheap either.
Nowadays ... it can just sit in the Classifieds for ages at a good price.

 

[BassikBrad]

I got mine because of this review, too. And no, you cannot have it
Next to the big box Cali, it is my preferred comp. Due to its size, it stays at home though.

I got it via the DocLloyd website using their e-mail alert. Took some time, but it got me one. It seems they don't sell out in seconds like other brands. I had time to think it through and have a kidney removed and sold before hitting the "buy me now and think later" button.

I wouldn't gig without my Doc Lloyd & Alma in series, sits on top of my Reeves 225, what a fabulous sound !

 

[75Ric]

I still like this one:

 

[Mayo Fan]

I still like this one:

Me too, but since it doesn't live on my pedalboard I rarely take it out to gigs anymore. I've tried bringing it standalone with the wall wart like you do, but it's fiddly and makes me nervous something is going to break. Maybe I should get another PT Nano for the LA-1A plus a preamp of sorts.

 

[scubaduba]

I still like this one:

Oh yeah, that’s a great one too.

 

[75Ric]

Me too, but since it doesn't live on my pedalboard I rarely take it out to gigs anymore. I've tried bringing it standalone with the wall wart like you do, but it's fiddly and makes me nervous something is going to break. Maybe I should get another PT Nano for the LA-1A plus a preamp of sorts.

I'm not using a wall wart. I double two outputs on a CIOCKS power source for the LA-1A. I don't use pedals other than the compressor, a tuner and overdrive, so I don't really need a pedalboard. The LA-1A is a pretty solid unit. I use it all the time. The tubes are partially exposed, but I've never had one break, even after dropping the pedal more than once.

 

[Erithon]

Me too, but since it doesn't live on my pedalboard I rarely take it out to gigs anymore. I've tried bringing it standalone with the wall wart like you do, but it's fiddly and makes me nervous something is going to break. Maybe I should get another PT Nano for the LA-1A plus a preamp of sorts.

What's fiddly about it? Like @75Ric I power mine via CIOKS (a Crux in my case) and it gigs no problem. When I first got the DLA-2A, I wasn't going to travel with it because it's big and expensive. But after playing it for a few months I realized I wanted its wonderful sound in live contexts so I built a board around it. After all, Russ encased it as a pedal so it must be meant for travel and gigging.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

What's fiddly about it? Like @75Ric I power mine via CIOKS (a Crux in my case) and it gigs no problem. When I first got the DLA-2A, I wasn't going to travel with it because it's big and expensive. But after playing it for a few months I realized I wanted its wonderful sound in live contexts so I built a board around it. After all, Russ encased it as a pedal so it must be meant for travel and gigging.

How’s that Wombtone?

 

[Mayo Fan]

I've used mine on a pedalboard too when I just got it, powered with a DC7 too, perfect. Played that board for six months or so, no complaints.

But leaving it loose on top of an amp with the cables hanging from the back and the flimsy wall wart to deal with, that's fiddly and prone to accidents. Been there, not going back. But if it works for you, don't let me hold you back!

 

[Maxi Funkl]

What's fiddly about it? Like @75Ric I power mine via CIOKS (a Crux in my case) and it gigs no problem. When I first got the DLA-2A, I wasn't going to travel with it because it's big and expensive. But after playing it for a few months I realized I wanted its wonderful sound in live contexts so I built a board around it. After all, Russ encased it as a pedal so it must be meant for travel and gigging.

That's one Killer of a pedalboard!!!

 

[Erithon]

How’s that Wombtone?

Somehow even better than the Wombtone MKII. The Billy Strings Signature edition retains the many musical and useful features of its predecessor (asymmetrical waveforms, different waveforms, presets, tap tempo, ramping, expression control, MIDI control, etc.), but the addition of Slow Mode and Envelope Mode really turn things up to 11, as it were. Most highly recommended if you like phaser. Chase Bliss continues to push the envelope in their designs, and I think it's cool that with the Billy Strings Wombtone and the new Clean compressor they've revisited their original mission of "Digital Brain, Analog Heart."

That's one Killer of a pedalboard!!!

Thank you! It took many iterations to get here, but that just means this board is built from a foundation of knowledge and experience. I've learned what strains of each effect I most like and what effects I actually use. With the completion of my two boards (this one, and a smaller one) in July,* my pedal odyssey has largely died down. In the past five years I've managed to play hundreds of pedals and my ear has greatly developed along the way. In addition to understanding what sorts of dirt I prefer, I have garnered a much better sense of how to use effects musically and intelligently in a band context. That, in turn, has helped me determine what pedals I really need. I went through many boards to get to this point, but now I feel I've achieved what I want to for my current performance needs. I've sold off just about everything not on a board. Perhaps someday if I have the money I'll toss together a home studio board with quirky, random things like the Broughton PLL, Chase Bliss Mood MKII, and various delays and reverbs (Meris LVX and MercuryX?), but I have accepted that, fun as those effects are, they aren't something I need in a live context and thus not something I can afford to keep around at this point in life.

*in September I did swap out the Wombtone MKII for a Billy Strings Wombtone on each board (yes, I like the Wombtone so much I have two units), but that's just upgrading to the most recent version so I'm not counting it as a change lol

 

[Mr_BK]

@Erithon ... you are a wise man. As for me, I am still trying out new stuff and the fog has not cleared yet. The quest for the toan is still unfullfilled. I don't dare to sell stuff I might need later when I have learned new things.

 

[Rev_Slinky]

I don't dare to sell stuff I might need later when I have learned new things.

Well said.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Somehow even better than the Wombtone MKII. The Billy Strings Signature edition retains the many musical and useful features of its predecessor (asymmetrical waveforms, different waveforms, presets, tap tempo, ramping, expression control, MIDI control, etc.), but the addition of Slow Mode and Envelope Mode really turn things up to 11, as it were. Most highly recommended if you like phaser. Chase Bliss continues to push the envelope in their designs, and I think it's cool that with the Billy Strings Wombtone and the new Clean compressor they've revisited their original mission of "Digital Brain, Analog Heart."

Thank you! It took many iterations to get here, but that just means this board is built from a foundation of knowledge and experience. I've learned what strains of each effect I most like and what effects I actually use. With the completion of my two boards (this one, and a smaller one) in July,* my pedal odyssey has largely died down. In the past five years I've managed to play hundreds of pedals and my ear has greatly developed along the way. In addition to understanding what sorts of dirt I prefer, I have garnered a much better sense of how to use effects musically and intelligently in a band context. That, in turn, has helped me determine what pedals I really need. I went through many boards to get to this point, but now I feel I've achieved what I want to for my current performance needs. I've sold off just about everything not on a board. Perhaps someday if I have the money I'll toss together a home studio board with quirky, random things like the Broughton PLL, Chase Bliss Mood MKII, and various delays and reverbs (Meris LVX and MercuryX?), but I have accepted that, fun as those effects are, they aren't something I need in a live context and thus not something I can afford to keep around at this point in life.

*in September I did swap out the Wombtone MKII for a Billy Strings Wombtone on each board (yes, I like the Wombtone so much I have two units), but that's just upgrading to the most recent version so I'm not counting it as a change lol

I don't have the exposure you have but finding the right dirt pedals IMHO is harder than Compressor pedals LOL, I've tried 3 they've all been useful thankfully, and for the time being I only want to try 2 more Cali76 BCv2 & the new Hagerman Tube Compressor, with current gigging and recording status can't justify spending more the Cali76 but boy if that changes off into the weeds I go LOL. Truthfully I've amassed a nice assortment of pedals everything I buy now is simply because I'm chasing tone and functionality, because I'm satisfied with what I have.

 

[Earth Tones]

I'm wondering if anybody who now owns the new Warm Audio Pedal76 is able to compare it to the Keeley Compressor Pro. I'm looking for a compressor with the full array of traditional compressor controls and a gain reduction meter and was curious to hear anybody's opinion who is familiar with these two pedals. Thank you!

 

[scubaduba]

Biggest difference will be how they sound with the Keeley being highly transparent and the WarmAudio having more harmonic content.

 

[SharpCat]

Got a Dynacomp bass supposed to show up tomorrow. I went looking for review threads, saw several threads asking but no actual reviews. I’m hoping to be able to use it always on to level out different bass inputs, but not change the sound much. Anyone with pointers? Recommendations for a different pedal instead? TIA!

 

[GrowlerBox]

Got a Dynacomp bass supposed to show up tomorrow. I went looking for review threads, saw several threads asking but no actual reviews. I’m hoping to be able to use it always on to level out different bass inputs, but not change the sound much. Anyone with pointers? Recommendations for a different pedal instead? TIA!

There’s a brief review here, which while not especially informative in itself, cross-references other more detailed reviews of the same circuit in other pedals. It’s not usually considered an ideal compressor for bass in general, and probably even less so for stated purposes. Alternative recommendations are legion; some good places to start for detailed reviews are this very thread, the above-linked site and this sub-forum’s moderator’s more up-to-date review site here.

 

[SharpCat]

There’s a brief review here, which while not especially informative in itself, cross-references other more detailed reviews of the same circuit in other pedals. It’s not usually considered an ideal compressor for bass in general, and probably even less so for stated purposes. Alternative recommendations are legion; some good places to start for detailed reviews are this very thread, the above-linked site and this sub-forum’s moderator’s more up-to-date review site here.

I’m asking about reviews of the MXR M282 Dynacomp Bass in particular. Perhaps it shares the issues of the older Dynacomp—that’s one of the things I’m trying to ascertain.

Moving on to discussion of other possible pedals, I think what I’m looking for is less of a compressor and more of an Automatic Gain Control (AGC) as was found on old TVs and other audio equipment. Maybe very slow attack and release settings feeding into a VCA that raises/lowers the input signal across the board rather than just peaks?

I’m hoping someone who’s familiar with the pedal field can suggest a few options rather than making me take a week to re-read the whole compressor review website.

The cause of all this is that I bought a SBMM Ray34HH, and it’s output is way higher than any of my FSOs. I want to be able to plug that into the amp without having to change a bunch of settings. Could toss in a simple volume pedal or just turn down the volume knob on the Ray, but where’s the fun in that?

Thanks again for all suggestions!