NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

[Diego]

So uh... how do I use this thing? Hahahaha. 100% impulse buy!

I know you can use these to even out clean guitar runs (compressor in front of everything else), but I remember having great results using a compressor in a FX Loop, so that volume wouldn't drop when rolling back the volume knob from the guitar in a distorted amp.

This made the rig way more useful because cleans stayed clean and in front.

How do you use your compressor? Keep in mind I'd like to see some uses in dirty settings.
Would you try it in front or in the loop? I'll be testing both now, but curious to get your impressions as well.

 

[TeleJr24]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

I've never tried it in the effects loop (not what you wanted to hear) because I thought it would amplify any noise from earlier on. So any noise from your guitar, effects pedals, and the amp's gain stages would be louder. Maybe it would be different for a rack mount unit versus a pedal.

Just a thought.

 

[Diego]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Just tried it that way. No good. This amp has a line level FX loop so it's very hot and the Dyna Comp can't match the output volume even cranked.
So that application is for studio-grade compressors, not this one.

I'm LOVING IT in front of all pedals so far. Lots of juice and harmonics for solos, cleans stay cleaner when playing, using coil splits keeps volumes even, as does changing from my Ibanez to my Strat.

How could I ever gig without one of these? Holy crap.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Congrats!

I used to have the Custom Comp, which is like the Dyna Comp with some added tweakability. I loved it with single coils and lower output humbuckers to add shimmer and consistency to clean arpeggio stuff. I also used for bass (both clean and overdriven) to even out the notes and give them a sledgehammer-like attack. I ran it in front always. Never really tried it in the loop, honestly.

I remember it struggled a bit to reach unity gain with higher output humbuckers (and sometimes bass), so I ran the output level knob either cranked or pretty high all of the time.

The MXR family of compressors has a really neat kinda squashed tight-sounding signature sound to them that's pretty cool for country chicken picking and singing, sustaining clean stuff, or punchy funky percussive clean stuff. Never used it much for distorted leads, but I imagine it'd give them a cool singing sustain. Watch out for feedback and hiss if you're using it in front of gain, though!

 

[dystrust]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

I've never tried it in the effects loop (not what you wanted to hear) because I thought it would amplify any noise from earlier on. So any noise from your guitar, effects pedals, and the amp's gain stages would be louder. Maybe it would be different for a rack mount unit versus a pedal.

Just a thought.

Increased noise happens as a result of makeup gain on the compressor; it doesn't matter if it's a pedal or rack unit.

 

[Diego]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Congrats!

I used to have the Custom Comp, which is like the Dyna Comp with some added tweakability. I loved it with single coils and lower output humbuckers to add shimmer and consistency to clean arpeggio stuff. I also used for bass (both clean and overdriven) to even out the notes and give them a sledgehammer-like attack. I ran it in front always. Never really tried it in the loop, honestly.

I remember it struggled a bit to reach unity gain with higher output humbuckers (and sometimes bass), so I ran the output level knob either cranked or pretty high all of the time.

The MXR family of compressors has a really neat kinda squashed tight-sounding signature sound to them that's pretty cool for country chicken picking and singing, sustaining clean stuff, or punchy funky percussive clean stuff. Never used it much for distorted leads, but I imagine it'd give them a cool singing sustain. Watch out for feedback and hiss if you're using it in front of gain, though!

It definitely has potential for disaster in loud situations if not careful. Plenty of squish in this thing even at low settings, which is how I'm running it.
Output level is set very high in the pedal and my pickups are pretty tame actually, so you're more than right on this one.

30 minutes is hardly enough to master one of these things, but so far so good, loving it. I'm still getting used at how it interacts with the volume knob on my guitars (or better put, how it does NOT interact )

It does add sustain and fatness to distorted leads. This is a great tool to have, without a question.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Yep, that's where I heard to put it. I run it 2nd from my guitar, just past my tuner. I like cranking it so every note will sustain forever and then messing around with volume swells. Otherwise I set it pretty low and leave it on for bass and guitar, sometimes off for guitar. I got a Keeley 4 knob though.

 

[Perry go round]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

When I first got my Dynacomp, I tried it in the FX Loop, but didn´t work for me. I though I had waste my money. Then, I tried just after the tuner, in front of anything else, and I had an epiphany. I just love it now. I use it not only to level things up, but also for adding a lovely extra crunch to my amp and for getting lots of extra-sustain.
I leave it on at least 90% of the time.

 

[Diego]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

I'm not sure I'm liking it that much now. I like having a compressor pedal, but the Dyna Comp is not perfect and it's "character" is bugging me a bit.

I don't like that it warms up the tone a bit too much, and I don't like the attack response, I find it too slow at times. It's also way too squishy and obtrusive.

I also find myself adjusting the sensitivity too often, where I just think I need control of extra compression parameters. I more or less know my way around a studio compressor and I'm missing the extra tweakability.

I might return it to the store and leave with a Marshall ED-1 which was in stock too...

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

That's the thing about the Dyna Comp (and the Custom Comp that I had). It sounds absolutely killer doing its thing... but its thing is definitely not subtle or transparent. I liked the simplicity of them, but yeah, if you wanna really go deep into it, you can't. The Custom Comp had internal trim pots to control the attack (its fastest setting is the same as the Dyna Comp, anyway), and a control to add some sparkle back, but then again, that compressor ate up a bit of low-end as well, not just highs. I still dig the MXR comps for clean arpeggiated stuff, though. They have a nice character to my ears.

I have an EHX Black Finger right now. To be completely honest, I rarely ever use it because it's inconveniently huge, and it needs to be powered by a non-standard 12V adaptor. I ended up selling my Custom Comp because I rarely ever play cleans and that's what I dug it for, and I preferred what the EHX did for bass.

 

[Aceman]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Back in the day used a Dynacomp all the time playing 80's pop stuff. Ultra-QUASH!!!!!

These days I have a Monte Allims Opto-mod for my acoustic stylings. Very subtle setting.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

I'm not sure I'm liking it that much now. I like having a compressor pedal, but the Dyna Comp is not perfect and it's "character" is bugging me a bit.

I don't like that it warms up the tone a bit too much, and I don't like the attack response, I find it too slow at times. It's also way too squishy and obtrusive.

I also find myself adjusting the sensitivity too often, where I just think I need control of extra compression parameters. I more or less know my way around a studio compressor and I'm missing the extra tweakability.

I might return it to the store and leave with a Marshall ED-1 which was in stock too...

So the thing with the dynacomp is exactly what you have described. It imparts a lot of its own (darker) tonality and the attack is not adjustable. A lot of comps darken the tone because trimming off treble reduces audible noise effectively. It is also very squishy and not very subtle. However, the good news is you have got yourself across the nice things a compressor can do, and you also now know what you would like to improve. I guess you can see why people who like compressors rave about the keeley etc. The keeley, the analogman comprossor, the fabled grey ross, the dynacomp and god knows how many others are all the same circuit, but a circuit alone is not the end sound. There are many variations of great ross/mxr style compressors out there. If you are keen on exploring the good side of compressors without the drawbacks of the dyna, then you could just buy a keeley and never need another compressor ever. Or (and im going to kick myself for letting the cat out of the bag re: resale prices rising) check out an old boss cs-2...its the same circuit as all the booteek ross clones, but roland spend a boatload of money on creating a super efficient, super low noise chip (actually it was one built for their synths). The end result is a super transparent, super sweet, very natural and musical compressor that beats the boteek ones for low noise operation. Actually, the cs-2 is no secret because you see it all over the place on nashville pedalboards, and prices have gone up quite a lot, but it still flies under the radar a little these days. If you can snag one for a reasonable price its a killer unit.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

So the thing with the dynacomp is exactly what you have described. It imparts a lot of its own (darker) tonality and the attack is not adjustable. A lot of comps darken the tone because trimming off treble reduces audible noise effectively. It is also very squishy and not very subtle. However, the good news is you have got yourself across the nice things a compressor can do, and you also now know what you would like to improve. I guess you can see why people who like compressors rave about the keeley etc. The keeley, the analogman comprossor, the fabled grey ross, the dynacomp and god knows how many others are all the same circuit, but a circuit alone is not the end sound. There are many variations of great ross/mxr style compressors out there. If you are keen on exploring the good side of compressors without the drawbacks of the dyna, then you could just buy a keeley and never need another compressor ever. Or (and im going to kick myself for letting the cat out of the bag re: resale prices rising) check out an old boss cs-2...its the same circuit as all the booteek ross clones, but roland spend a boatload of money on creating a super efficient, super low noise chip (actually it was one built for their synths). The end result is a super transparent, super sweet, very natural and musical compressor that beats the boteek ones for low noise operation. Actually, the cs-2 is no secret because you see it all over the place on nashville pedalboards, and prices have gone up quite a lot, but it still flies under the radar a little these days. If you can snag one for a reasonable price its a killer unit.

The first revision MIJ (black label) CS-3 uses the same chip, but adds a tone control. The two pedals don't sound exactly the same, but they are VERY close. Later CS-3s use a different chip and don't sound nearly as good. The best part is that these vintage CS-3s are still a bargain on the used market.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

so is it all the black label cs-3's or just some?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Hmm well....it is just a Dynacomp...they sound like that, but if it is made will old style parts(not SMD) then you can turn it into a Ross(which is yet another variant of the MXR) or most other that uses the same configuration, even locate the resistor that has the fixed attack set, can be replaced by a trimmer....and a blender.....and and and...he he paint it fancy and give it a funny name...whoopsie ena boushriek pedali is invented!

 

[Diego]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Well, these things have a learning curve.

Tried it with my Strat yesterday before my OD and daaaamn. It adds balls. Didn't turn it off for an hour or so, haha! It's just so hard to get the right setting. And maybe due to the lower output of these pickups, the squish and release was a lot more subtle.
Roll the volume back on the guitar a bit to take some edge off, but it retains the output and just goes BIG for playing some mean Deep Purple. Goddamn I liked it that way.

Also, in my short experience, the Dyna Comp does NOT like humbuckers. Clean it just crapifies them. Split it works a lot better. Only useful for everlasting overdriven leads with HBs.

I also like how it looks and the Marshall ED1 is quite ugly. So it's staying for a few more days.

 

[Aceman]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

80's = Single coil through cranked Dyna.

Honestly, the BOSS CS-3 is much more flexible.

The Ed is pretty cool.

 

[dystrust]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

so is it all the black label cs-3's or just some?

The circuit change happened in the early 90s, so all of the black label CS-3s should have the dbx VCA.

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Compressors LOVE single coils, especially the older circuits (Ross, Dynacomp). Humbuckers tend to compress the signal a bit anyway so at best you won't notice much of a difference and at worst it'll just make your signal dark and kind of crappy.

My favourite way to use a compressor is a bit unconventional, but worth trying. I place my compressor after my gain pedals, meaning that I still get the dynamics and control of the distortion pedal, while still having the signal benefits of a compressor.

I find most overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals sound best going into a loud amp BECAUSE of the compression that the speaker/circuit/tubes provide, and a compressor pedal places after a gain pedal helps to simulate that and make it 'feel' like it's playing into a much louder amp. Compressors are one of my favourite recording and practice tools for that reason, used lightly they can simulate the sound and feel of a much louder setup at a fairly low volume.

 

[Diego]

Re: NPD! MXR Dyna Comp.

Compressors LOVE single coils, especially the older circuits (Ross, Dynacomp). Humbuckers tend to compress the signal a bit anyway so at best you won't notice much of a difference and at worst it'll just make your signal dark and kind of crappy.

My favourite way to use a compressor is a bit unconventional, but worth trying. I place my compressor after my gain pedals, meaning that I still get the dynamics and control of the distortion pedal, while still having the signal benefits of a compressor.

I find most overdrive/distortion/fuzz pedals sound best going into a loud amp BECAUSE of the compression that the speaker/circuit/tubes provide, and a compressor pedal places after a gain pedal helps to simulate that and make it 'feel' like it's playing into a much louder amp. Compressors are one of my favourite recording and practice tools for that reason, used lightly they can simulate the sound and feel of a much louder setup at a fairly low volume.

I'll test that tomorrow and will let you know.