Compressor options?

JackGriffiths

Following on from my tap-tempo delay options thread, I'm also looking for a decent compressor. I have the MXR Custom Comp which I just don't get on that well with as I feel it squashes the tone and alters the tone too much. Therefore, I'm looking for something with more transparency that can bring the sound to life a little more. It will be used primarily on a clean amp for funky rhythmic stuff but would also be nice as a transparent sustainer for leads. I've only ever heard great things about the Diamond comp and like the sound clips I've heard, but there are a ton of other options - Wampler Ego, Carl Martin, Bear Foot, Xotic SP, Suhr Koji etc.. My brain is frazzled! Help me out!

Thanks,
Jack

monquixote

SP comp they are insanely good.
Check out Paul Jackson Jr demoing it on you tube

JohnPerry

I've had the Diamond, the SP and the Carl Martin Comp/Limiter. The Diamond, which i still have and is always on, exactly matches your description. The CM is lovely but trickier to operate and much squashier. The SP was nice but I found it noisy (others haven't). 

Obviously everyone should have an Origin Cali76, which does everything better in my view, but it's v pricey and roughly the size of my first flat

Branshen

I've been considering the same things. Does anyone have experience with the Mooer Yellow Comp, which is supposed to be a diamond clone? Failing that, I might get the SP because the diamond is a little too wide for the reserved spot on the board.

monquixote

I think @bucket has the yellow comp

Fazer

i sold the diamond comp as i preferred the bearfoot ones, to me the bearfoots improved the tone with my setup, whereas the diamond was more flat sounding, and i could get the compression a bit lighter with the bearfoot
i tried both the bearfoot pale green and evergreen and i kept the pale green because i only use it at very light settings and dont need the wider range of the evergreen.
the evergreen can go light with the decay control eased off or much squishier and sustainy
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/10476/fs-mxr-carbon-copy-delay-bearfoot-fx-bjf-compressor-fromel-eq-buffer

ElectroDan

Out of interest, have any of you guys tried the Effectrode PC-2A? Seems to be built well.

digitalkettle

Currently got Suhr Koji, Keeley 4-knob, and Rothwell LoveSqueeze: Suhr is the winner at the moment.

Bucket

monquixote said:

I think @bucket has the yellow comp

I've got the Yellow Comp and I think it's fantastic.

Small, transparent and boosts but doesn't squash the signal too much - perfect for my needs. Only other compressor that would work as well for me is the Xotic SP, which costs about three times as much. And while it's great, it's not three times as good.

Grunfeld

Branshen said:

Does anyone have experience with the Mooer Yellow Comp...

I use one of these with my Jazzmaster for the cleans.  It's a wonderful combination!

It's the fourth compressor I've used but the only one I'm really happy with.  I've had a couple of different Boss pedals; the Marshall Ed (which is not bad); and an MXR red which I really didn't like.  But the little Mooer is pretty much perfect with the Jazzmaster and smoothing out the strummy stuff.  I don't use it or feel I need it for the higher gain sounds.

JackGriffiths

The Suhr Koji is winning out for me at the moment - seems to be a bit of a 'do-it-all'. The SP looks nice but I wasn't really sold on the sound clips on YouTube (I checked out the Paul Jackson Jr video mentioned above and a couple of others including PGS). The lack of control over the compression level on a pot could be bothersome. The Diamond still looks lovely but I don't think it would provide the flexibility of the Koji. Equally, the Bear Foot stuff is realistically not versatile enough, too expensive and difficult to obtain in the UK.

Branshen

I'm a sucker for compressors with an LED that responds to how hard the compressor is working. E.g. the suhr koji or the heavy electronics sonic oppressor. 

frankus

Branshen, you'll love the Aphex Punch Factory then - 5 LEDs!

OP, To my mind there's Ross Clones (Keeley, DynaComp, AM Comprossor etc), Orange Squeezers (Mr Squishy, AM Juicer) anf stuff tryign to work like a studio compressor...

For transparent I love the LoveSqueeze, for Squish the Ross Types ... the Orange Squeezer can do squish but is also pretty good at being transparent... not as good as the LoveSqueeze.. the wierd thing is when using something like the Zendrive too squishy removes some of the pedals characteristics

Branshen

@frankus Thanks but that's too large for my board. I just saw the MXR M87 which has the LEDs too (10!). I guess I like seeing my compression as well as hearing it, I'm always watching the meter when I mix stuff in Cubase.

JackGriffiths

I've bought myself a Koji and it should arrive tomorrow - will post a mini-review for you all!

Thanks,
Jack

richardhomer

I have a Hartman, which is based on the Orange Squeezer.

It's MXR-sized, has just two knobs and sounds fantastic. Not ridiculously expensive either.

samzadgan

I've spent a lot of money and time on trying out various compressors...

my favorites (which i currently own) are:

Expensive: Analogman Bi-Comp
Cheap: DOD Milkbox

there are a few i haven't tried which I think will be good:
EQD Warden
Wampler Ego

Alnico

Has anyone tried the EHX Black Finger?

It's the one with 2 valves in it. It Sounded good in the video demo but they aren't always a true indication. I'm a little way off getting a compressor yet but it will be happening at some point this summer. Interesting reading this discussion.

Gassage

If you want transparent then the Demeter Compulator is the kiddie. It's truly great at that.

JackGriffiths

My Suhr Koji turned up today - in short, it's brilliant and exactly what I wanted.

It can do it all from very subtle (the kind of compression where you don't realise it's on, adding some fatness to each note until it's off and then you miss it) to extreme squish and everything in between. It does the Andy Summers thing very well, too. Each control is very usable and has an obvious and useful effect on the tone. My gig is going to be lots of funk rhythmic playing as well as big, gained out leads and I'm basically going to leave it on almost 100% of the time for both settings. It's very adaptable and the LED indicator as to how much gain reduction it's doing is fun to play with! It's surprisingly dynamic at the same time as compressing... paradoxical, I know.

One of my favourite features is the voice switch which takes you from flat EQ in the centre position to adding a slight boost to the treble frequencies and upper mids in the right and left positions respectively. This was a big help in getting a brighter, smooth rhythm tone on a Les Paul, then going back to the natural tone of the amplifier when using a Tele or Jazzmaster. The nice thing is it doesn't sound like the boost is actually there, if that makes sense, as it sounds perfectly natural. Just your guitar, with a little more cut.

Not only does it sound great when it's on, it also has the same fantastic switchable buffer that's in the Koko Boost. Since it's first in my chain, I find it a big help and I really notice the difference between buffered and true bypass with this. 

I'm very happy with my purchase - great little box. Thanks to you all for your suggestions, it's become an interesting read.

Jack

digitalkettle

...and it looks awesome!