Compressor comparison/opinions?

[misterwhizzy]

I really think a compressor would help my clean tones--I'm surprised to even learn clean tones are a thing--and I wonder how much difference there is between optical compressors and DynaComp/Ross type compressors. What pedal do you like and why? I've taken a liking to building pedals recently, but if I can pick up a used Boss or MXR on Reverb for $50, that's so much easier and quicker and no more expensive than sourcing all the parts and soldering them together myself.

 

[NegativeEase]

As far as very good inexpensive compressors: Boss CS and MXR Dyna comp are the gold standards for 80-100 price point -exactly what you need -no more
Mid priced? Keeley 2/4 knob and Xotic SP -slightly cleaner versions of Boss and MXR
High end? Greer Lamplighter and Wampler Ego -feature rich and super clean gain struture.
Ultra high End? Origin Cali76 -basically a studio grade comp in a pedal box.

Honestly, personally the very cheap compressors (Like Behringer, Danelectro etc) are probably fine to jam with but the cheap compressors tend to be noisier and not able to run a unity gain or above -but may be a good way to cheaply assess your desire for a better one or not.

**Edit -I put Keeley 1 knob*** fixed.

 

[Liam1963]

Big fan of the Wampler EGO and the Keeley 4-knob...

 

[Demanic]

I like Keeley and they have come out with a studio grade compressor in the last few years.

 

[GuitarStv]

Compressors do help your clean tones!

With gain you already even out peaky sounds. A compressor is like that, but without the crunch. If you're switching from single note lines to chords and back, a compressor can be used to keep everything at an even volume when clean. It also makes modulation effects (flanger/phasing/chorus) pop out.

A cheap compressor that does a decent job is the Marshall ED-1. Usually you can pick 'em up for around 30-40$. I used one for years before upgrading to an Xotic SP compressor which I find a little bit quieter and has a better bypass.

 

[St_Genesius]

I like Ross circuit compressors so long as they include some method for adding back in some high end. I don't much care WHICH method for that they use, though.

 

[Drak]

This is your one-stop shop for pretty much anything you'd want to know about comps.
Quite possibly, too damn much.
There is a FAQ and a Top Pics link at the top of the page.

http://www.ovnilab.com/

 

[St_Genesius]

Yes and no. Dude casts a wide net, to be sure, but his tastes aren't universal and he's typically coming at thingsfrom a bass-first perspective and (imo and ime) the needs and uses for compression on bass are different than guitar.

Still a good resource.

This is your one-stop shop for pretty much anything you'd want to know about comps.
Quite possibly, too damn much.

http://www.ovnilab.com/

 

[ErikH]

I've had a love/hate relationship with compressors for years. The Boss CS compressors are really good and I may have kept mine had I fiddled with it more but nope, sold it. I decided to get another one but went for the only one that I actually liked when I played through it years ago (when it was a 2-knob), and that is the Keeley 4-knob. The blend wins it for me. I love the fact that I can adjust that so it's not overly squishy but does what I want it to and I still have the dynamics I want. It's more than what you mentioned in your post but IMO, it's highly worth it.

 

[Drak]

^ All true, and he mentions most of that in his FAQ.
AAMOF, I believe he mentions nearly any remotely decent comp will work well for most guitar purposes.
Bass usage, much more demanding.
But still, true dat.

 

[NegativeEase]

I like Ross circuit compressors so long as they include some method for adding back in some high end. I don't much care WHICH method for that they use, though.

I could be wrong -but I believe the Xotic compressor is a straight Vintage Ross clone with a better buffer.

 

[Mincer]

I love the Vise Grip and the BYOC 5 Knob compressor. i find a blend knob really helps maintain the initial attack of the note. I tend to like compression on acoustic guitar, too.

 

[St_Genesius]

Okay. Cool?

I could be wrong -but I believe the Xotic compressor is a straight Vintage Ross clone with a better buffer.

 

[beaubrummels]

I use Keeley. It has a ratio control, threshold and make up gain, which are requirements for me to use a compressor. For clean guitar, having control over the knee of the compressor is also a huge help. Soft knee is generally better.

 

[NegativeEase]

Okay. Cool?

Yessir, the Ross circuit is considered the greatest of the vintage guitar pedal compressor circuits.

 

[St_Genesius]

I like Ross circuit compressors so long as they include some method for adding back in some high end. I don't much care WHICH method for that they use, though... AND WE'RE IN A LOOP.

Yessir, the Ross circuit is considered the greatest of the vintage guitar pedal compressor circuits.

 

[Aceman]

I use the MXR Dyna Comp as an "Effect" - like if I'm playing the Police or the Fixx
I use a Monte Allums Modded CS-3 when I'm playing Acoustic, especially for arpeggiated things live.
- I might use the Monte Allums if I'm trying to pretend to be able to do finger style jazz.

I ALWAYS use my Boss Limiter/Enhancer on bass

 

[Coma]

Well this is fortunate timing, I picked up my third one (the Ego) just yesterday. The Ego and Keeley are Ross style compressor, the Mooer Yellow is optical, essentially a straight up opy of the Diamond Comp. I'd say the main difference, apart from the number of control parameters you have available to you, is how intense and noticable the effect is. The Mooer is a lot more subtle and you'll have to really crank the comp knob to get any kind of "squash", IE heavily compressed tones. Just google "chicken picking compressor" and you'll see what I mean. The Ego does the super-compressed thing a bit better and the Keeley can really go all out into clearly over-compressed territory.

I'm guessing most people use them for clean playing - the best description I ever read was that a comp is like an overdrive for your clean tone. Great fun if you ever wanna add a bit of life or chime to your clean tone. Or if you've been cheaping out on getting new strings. Me personally I play high gain stuff 9 times out of 10 but I like to keep the comp on anyway. The added brightness from the tone knob is great for tone shaping when you're playing with low tunings.

In sum:

• The Mooer is dirt cheap and not bad sounding, and if you're looking for that extra brightness when playing dirty it will work just fine. But it won't give you any really heavy compression if that's what you're after.
• The Keeley sounds awesome both clean and into a dirty amp. Will add as much or as little brightness as you like.
• The Ego is somewhere in between. It will go beyond the capabilities of the Mooer in terms of really squeezing your signal, but won't get as bright or compress as hard as the Keeley. Its also the only one of the three where the tone knob isn't just a pivot control but instead just affects the high end. So it retains low end better than the other two.

Haven't really had much time to play around with the Ego yet, but if I could only keep one it'd be the Keeley. Never tried a studio style comp so can't chime in on that I'm afraid.

 

[Demanic]

I've had a love/hate relationship with compressors for years. The Boss CS compressors are really good and I may have kept mine had I fiddled with it more but nope, sold it. I decided to get another one but went for the only one that I actually liked when I played through it years ago (when it was a 2-knob), and that is the Keeley 4-knob. The blend wins it for me. I love the fact that I can adjust that so it's not overly squishy but does what I want it to and I still have the dynamics I want. It's more than what you mentioned in your post but IMO, it's highly worth it.

I have a Keeley four knob. I don't see any of the knobs labeled "blend".

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[Coma]

I have a Keeley four knob. I don't see any of the knobs labeled "blend".

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

Yeah, he probably just got the old 4-knob and the newer Comp Plus confused. Easy enough mistake to make.