Re: Inexpensive mini compressors
The challenge generally speaking with compressors is if you try to run a cheaper one at true unity through the pedal with the correct makeup gain they tend to be a little on the noisy side with hiss -even the Classic Boss CS ones suffer from this and they're not even that cheap -they're medium.
so a good work around slight compressor noise/hiss if you have a more inexpensive compressor (sub $80-100 is probably the mark in my head just to give you a gauge), run the cheaper one at LESS THAN UNITY GAIN (maybe 2-4 dB down from unity ) where the Signal to Noise Ratio hasn't been increased slightly at the output circuit . This will present your next pedal with a cleaner tone to work with, and then use that next device (probably your Overdrive) or your best quality pedal to make the gain back up slightly back to unity through your pedal chain -then if you need to hit your amp input higher use an end of chain clean boost like a little Xotic EP etc. If you are smacking the hell out of your tone with a compressor you won't have a choice to roll the output off from Unity -but most people don't knock their input down more the 2-6 dB
Eventually I got tired of fooling with noise, and went to a high-end compressor which is clean at every unity makeup level -specifically with a Greer Lamplighter -the best one I've ever heard BTW -but way way pricey and I use a Joe Meek Studio Compressor on my bass rig. All overkill for this discussion.
Honestly, if your not recording -none of this will be a big deal unless you are cranking amps on stage -then the sound of that compressor hiss will drive you nuts.
