26 posts
SO! My brand new MXR Dyna Comp came in today...and I hate it. :(
It's noisy as hell and mangles up my tone something awful, even at low sensitivity settings. I probably should have payed the extra bucks for the vintage reissue. Anyway, I'm returning it ASAP since it's a revision F and can't even be modded. I might be picking up the reissue but I don't like that it doesn't have an on/off LED, so I'll be looking at other comps. What are you guys using?
I've got a modded Keely Compressor. Quiet, true bypass and does the job. I like it anyway! :)
(And who doesn't like those blue LED's??? ;) :D )
I like most things EH... the soul preacher has my eye right now.
http://www.ehx.com/products/soul-preacher
Carl Martin. This pedal is the SHIT!! Drop dead quiet (seriously, it is one of the two quietest I've ever tried and I've tried a LOT of pedals) with lot's of flexibility on compression from light to squishy. The only other compressor I've liked as much is the Maxon CP9 Pro+. It also doesn't change your tone. It's a little expensive, but worth EVERY penny. Look no further, do not pass Go, just go buy one. ;D
http://www.carlmartin.com/product_compressor.htm
I haven't tried that one, but my Barber Tone Press is very close to being an "on all the time" pedal. In fact, usually the only reason it's not on is because I forgot to turn it on. As soon as I look down and see no light, I turn it on. ;) Looks like it's about $100 cheaper than the Carl Martin as well.
I know the Barber is cheaper Howie and that you like it, but that is a compressor I do not like one bit. I heard a VERY distinct treble roll-off on the one I owned when it was engaged. My buddy Jason here at the store can vouch for that (and he's pickier than me). The Martin is FAR more transparent and true to the tone. Not even close. It is also dead quiet. I've owned a bunch of different compressors (MXR, Keeley, Analogman, Maxon, Barber, EHX Black Finger and I've tried the Menatone JAC) and I'd rate the Martin #1 for tone and the Barber in a tie for dead last with the MXR. Not even close.
My order: (the only reason the Analogman and Keeley's are so low is I don't like REALLY squishy comps)
1) Carl Martin
2) Maxon CP9 Pro +
3) Menatone JAC
4) Analogman Bi-comp
5) Keeley
6) EHX Black Finger (for cleans I rate it actually quite high, but it is noisy as hell for lead stuff)
7)Barber/MXR
Jeesh, like expensive pedals much?
Personally, I always thought a little treble rolloff in a compressor was a bonus! That's why we buy analog shit!
Anyway, I've played the Carl Martin and couldn't justify the price. I haven't heard a comp pedal yet that is really worth $250+. It's a frigging COMPRESSOR. Maybe if it was topped with a gold kruggerand. The soul preacher has killed me every time I've played it... only reason I haven't bought it is that I never use a comp... but maybe with my new Rolling Stones obsession it would come in handy...
The only reason I ever use compression for my guitar is recording. I never liked one in my pedal board. I like the dynamic range of the uncompressed guitar for live work.
And for recording I use rack mounted studio compression. (besides the one in my Tonelab)
I thought people bought analog shit because it sounded better. ;D
When a pedal rolls off so much treble (my opinion, YMMV) that it makes the guitar sound dull to my ears we have a problem. Maybe I understated earlier the amount of treble roll-off I heard on the Barber.
I wasn't trying to play best compressor for the buck, just present my thought as to the best compressor IMHO for what he was wanting to solve. Juan is wanting something that doesn't modify the tone AND is quiet. That I've found to be a very TALL order in a compressor, especially when running with anything that is 'hi-gain'. I'll confess I haven't tried the Soul Preacher (and I need to), but it's been my experience with compressors that if you buy a cheap compressor it sounds like a cheap compressor (and not in a good way). Some of the ones I've tried are good at not modifying the tone, but get a little noisy (Keeley and be this way) or squish too much and you can't back them off enough (Keeley and Analogman). The Black Finger sounded awesome, but only when run on a clean amp. Run it with distortion and it was noisier than fuck. The MXR has a bad noise level when running distortion, though I didn't really mind the overall sound.
Funny you should mention it, but mine was the Gold Kruggerand edition. The gold makes it sound better; more mass to the tone. Bwahaha!! ;D
I did have my eye on that Carl Martin. Pricey, but if it does the job quietly I'll get it. That Tone Press seems pretty cool, too. Parallel compression might be the ticket. I'd pretty much only be using it on soft, clean passages, not so much for squish but just to extend weaker notes. That's why I didn't like the Dyna. Even with sensitivity set below 9 o'clock, I was getting retarded squish and losing a lot of high end. Anyway, thanks for the tips guys. I'll be checking some of these out over the weekend. Hopefully Guitar Center has some of them in stock. 8-)
Plus one on the Carl Martin very nice pedal. The keeley would be my second choice and a vintage dyna comp would be pick 3.
My general issue with alot of eh pedals is the noise and the mxr stuff can be that way also
Anyone tried the MXR Custom Comp?
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-Custom-Shop-CSP202-Custom-Comp-Compressor-Guitar-Effects-Pedal?sku=423649
Maybe it fixes some of those DynaComp problems.
Hey not slagging you man, I just would never spend $250 for a simple pedal that didn't include, say, a free blowjob or something. I mean, that's frigging expensive for a pedal that does one thing--to me. But I'm cheap.
charger — Aug 05, 2010Hey not slagging you man, I just would never spend $250 for a simple pedal that didn't include, say, a free blowjob or something. I mean, that's frigging expensive for a pedal that does one thing--to me. But I'm cheap.
I know you are cheap. I'm the fool that is doin parted with his money, but is thrilled with his sound and doesn't give two squirts if he had to pay $250 for it. Small price to me to be happy.
Called the GCs nearby and asked about the comps. I'll be able to try out the Carl Martin, the Soul Preacher, the Vintage Dyna Comp, and something called the Philosopher's Tone (pedal guy on the phone says he digs it). I am very excite! ;D
Chris,
I haven't tried all those pedals, so this is not a rebuttal. You know the Tone Press is a long time runaway hit favorite at The Gear Page with thousands of users who love it. In 8 years of hanging out there, I have seen only a few comments about people who felt the treble loss was significant. One even said "it is, but it's on all the time so I turn my presence up 1 notch and it's covered."
Just saying, it's not as bad as you make it sound, although the one you tried may have been.
Also, hearing lots of good things about the new Wampler (Indy Guitarist dude) comp lately.
Juan, I've heard good things about the Philosopher's Tone also. Pigtronix pedals are GREAT!! I haven't tried this one, but I have heard good things. The Echolution and Mothership are amazing beasts.
Howie, I know it's popular at TGP. When I finally snagged one, I was really excited about the possibilities. That lasted about 3 sessions after I got it. I dug the sustain part and the noise could be quashed by a noise gate. But it just made anything I plugged into it sound very dull to my ears. I know I tend to be fussy (I think you've figured that much out by this point). ;) I'm not usually THIS opinionated, but this was one of the strongest negative opinions I've ever had about a pedal. Is it still worth trying? Yes, mainly because I didn't have any problems flipping mine. ;)
Chris, I'm picky too, and so are a lot of guys at TGP who love these things. What I'm wondering is, if there are a few "bad" ones out there that have more treble loss. As I said, over the years I have seen several people complain, but most say it's barely audible. I know that with much of any gain, and or any OD pedal on, etc. it's at best BARELY audible in any of the setups I've tried it with. Super squeaky clean, brightest pickups I have, bright switch on etc, it's there but not much. Certainly not "dull." Be it parts variance, chips (Dave said the pedal will eventually be discontinued because those chips are not being made any more) or whatever, I'm wondering if there are a few that are worse than normal floating around, because most people don't think it's that big of a deal. Also, there are internal tweaks that could have been messed with before you got yours (in case you didn't explore that).
Chris, a question for you. Where did you have the blend knob during your tests? I'm assuming you tried it all over the place, but this is why I"m so curious. With the blend knob up at all (10:00 or more) if there is treble loss, it is inaudible in my setup. I've even wondered if there is treble loss, that the buffering it has makes up for it (in my setup, no high end cables, no super duper high end amps, etc.). With the blend knob way down, I do notice a difference, but I simply never use it with the blend knob below 10:00. And, I don't know that that difference is loss of treble so much as compression of the initial transient of the sound wave. You described "dull" and without the snap of a "squisher" (like the Keeley) it can make things seem sort of dull when you kill the initial transient. With the blend knob, you can "un-dull" it very easily.
It also seems that when using any gain at all, it's inaudible as well.
Edit: Ask DB himself about it in his forum. His reply "I don't hear a loss of treble in the tone press." He said something had to be wrong with the one you had.
But let's be honest howie. You have one of the trebliest tones ever. TONS of ice pick sometimes. So the highes you lose are so high it's inaudible to the anything accept a fucking dog!
The highes THESE guys are talking bout happen a bit closer to midrange than inaudible.
;D ;D :D
So yesterday I went into GC and tried a few pedals out. Fell in love, in LOVE, with both the Carl Martin and the Pigtronix. It's gonna be pretty hard to chose one...might just have to get both. ;D
First of all, Mr. Fenderbender, if that were true, it would certainly dispel any thoughts of the Tone Press cutting treble, because it was on most of the time! Second, you still can't get over the year I brought my High Octane and only had a classic lead 80 speaker that was new and not even broken in. That WAS too bright. I had it sitting on a concrete floor with a brick wall behind it. That wasn't doing it any favors. Nor was playing my strat half of that weekend.
Update for Chris: After Dave telling me point blank that there is no treble loss in a Tone Press, I asked how this could happen. There are two internal controls on the TP. One he said "will roll off treble if it's turned down." The other is the bias control. He said the bias control should never be messed with once it's set at the factory, and that the brown trim knob that cuts treble is used by many to tame bright amps. His guess was that one or both of those knobs had been messed with on the Tone Press you had.
Hmm...that makes a lot of sense Howie. I had no idea it had those. It would have been nice to have known that when I owned it. Well, what can you do. ;)
You're welcome to try mine any time.
Fenderbender — Aug 09, 2010But let's be honest howie. You have one of the trebliest tones ever. TONS of ice pick sometimes. So the highes you lose are so high it's inaudible to the anything accept a fucking dog!
The highes THESE guys are talking bout happen a bit closer to midrange than inaudible.
;D ;D :D
:D :D Thank you, Sir Tapalot.
Do not question the Soundman's tone when he has mod powers. ;)
His, er, microphone is bigger than yours. :D
