Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

[Chickenwings]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

Dirt is a form of compression, and a pretty drastic one at that.
It is pretty easy to go overboard when combining the two.
One way that works in a lot of instances is to run your amp (or overdrive pedal if you need to) with low gain and use the compressor as a kind of clean boost for soloing (before the dirt). This only goes so far though because the dirtier you run your amp, the less room there is for boost, only more dirt/sustain. Think tweed bassman running warm and using the comp for leads with the level high and compression low. Combining high gain and a compressor is redundant and will only increase your noise levels and reduce dynamics. Better off just cranking the gain knob a bit higher and leaving the comp out.
I can't think of a reason anyone would run a compressor after the source of dirt, unless it is at the mixing stage of a studio recording, and even then, pretty rarely and very subtly.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

This is one of those questions where the answer is really dependent on the guitar, the amp, the compressor, the dirt...and the song.

I use my CS-3 compressor second after my always-on DOD FX-10 Preamp. I very rarely use a dirt box, preferring to use my Mesas' crunch or lead channels. My typical settings use very moderate amounts of compression. I tend to set it where I can hear it start to pump and then back it off just a hair.

I find that I use compression more often with my single-coil G&L Legacys than my 2HB Gibsons, especially for funky rhythms, country picking and slow clean solos where I want the extra sustain.

Bill

 

[Nickmag01]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

I run my comp setup as a boost. I find it accentuates the harmonics my ts808 can bring out from my 6505+. For a lead tone it works great but i turn my comp off for ryhthm so i can get a more dynamic riff.

 

[wilkinsi]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

I've found most of my Line 6 Helix presets have the comp before the OD. And its always fighting me, so I clear the comp block unless its a clean patch with a pitch shifter on it, otherwise the higher the pitch, the more it takes over everything else. Perhaps I should place the comp after the OD/Distortion as others here are using it?

 

[johnthomas]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

I've found most of my Line 6 Helix presets have the comp before the OD. And its always fighting me, so I clear the comp block unless its a clean patch with a pitch shifter on it, otherwise the higher the pitch, the more it takes over everything else. Perhaps I should place the comp after the OD/Distortion as others here are using it?

Try it and see...I personally hate the sound of dirt with the compressor after...it is like boosting hiss.
As you say, several replies suggest that guys prefer this exact thing.
On the other hand, I read tons of posts recommending the Eminence Cannabis Rex speaker and panning the Jensen reissues...I love the clarity of Jensens and hate the muddiness of the C Rex...either my ears are too old or ..ol

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Do you turn your compressor OFF when using dirt?

Try it and see...I personally hate the sound of dirt with the compressor after...it is like boosting hiss.
As you say, several replies suggest that guys prefer this exact thing.
On the other hand, I read tons of posts recommending the Eminence Cannabis Rex speaker and panning the Jensen reissues...I love the clarity of Jensens and hate the muddiness of the C Rex...either my ears are too old or ..ol

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I agree...I don’t care for dirt after the compressor unless of course the dirt is coming from the amp itself.
I like to compress a clean signal to keep as much noise out as possible.