Incoming Compressor - Dod fx80b review!

Branshen

Some of you may know that I've been hankering for some squish. Well, it is now proven that late nights and Ebay do not go well together. I picked up a DOD FX80B compressor in the wee small hours of the morning.

Any opinions on this pedal? It seems that DOD later phased out this particular pedal for the well-liked Milk Box Compressor.

lasermonkey

I have one. It's a CA3080-based compressor and is pretty transparent to the point where I just leave it on all the time.

Branshen

@lasermonkey That's what I like to hear. Do you have it pre or post dirt?

lasermonkey

I have it pre-volume pedal and dirtboxes.

Branshen

The pedal arrived but it was quite noisy until I took my Wah pedal out of the chain. I was running the compressor on batteries and the noise was coming from a combination of the compressor and my dirt boxes. Removing the Wah made it almost whisper quiet. It's not the first time my Wah didn't play nice with other pedals.

Tried it pre and post dirt. And I must say that I prefer it pre. When it is post dirt, and a note is held, it is sustained but as you hold it, it goes from distorted to clean, which sounds abit weird.

Excellent pedal, quieter than my old dyna comp and my old digitech main squeeze. In fact, it's quiet enough to leave on all the time. With compression halfway, it sounds very natural, it cuts off the highest peaks (not enough to detract from dynamics), sustains the notes, and brings up the level of my palm muted notes. Couldn't get it to squash the signal but that's not what I wanted a compressor for.

Old school, made in America compressor that works great and costs less than a used boss! What's not to love? The only downside is that I need to power my wah separately instead of relying on my single one spot, and I need to get a boss power to 3.5mm adaptor. Well pleased.

ThePrettyDamned

Sounds like a great find! 

dilbert

I have a Milk Box, really good compressor but dear God, it's noisy.

Branshen

@dilbert perhaps it could be a power supply problem, similar to mine?

samzadgan

Thats cool...sounds like a keeper.

I have a milkbox on my backup board and i have nothing bad to say about it...quiet and adds great colour to the tone.

Branshen

Only time will tell, but it's definitely off to a good start!

dilbert

Branshen said:

@dilbert perhaps it could be a power supply problem, similar to mine?

@Branshen Possibly, but from what I have read and heard, it is just inherently noisy. I have tried 2 powers supplies and a couple of batteries and nothing has made it any quieter. 

I'll try new cables next time I get it out, but everything else I try in the chain with it, including an Ed the Compressor, are remarkably quiet. Shame really, because it really is a good pedal, noise not withstanding.

dilbert.