compressors

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fastisgood

New member
Hi, everyone, I'm new to this forum (and to home recording) and have come to the realization that I'll need an analog compressor for my guitar and bass, especially the guitar, as I play a lot of palm mutes (think Pennywise). I have done a ton of research and I'm thinking about getting an Opto Compulator by Demeter. Does anyone have any experience with this pedal? Any other suggestions? I want a compressor to simply level out my signal (especially with palm mutes) so I can get the guitar louder -- I don't want any tone coloration, if that helps :cool:.
 
Dyna comp,super dyna comp and if you don't want to spend a lot the surf and turf by Danelectro.

Compression is my favorite effect.:cool:
 
I have heard good and bad things about the Barber tone press, Kenny: just how much does it tweak (fatten, rubberize, whatever) your sound? I know you mix the wet and dry signal (for lack of the proper terminology), which is interesting, but it also sounds confusing. That was one of my top three choices -- that and the T-Rex compressor and Opto Compulator.

I don't know about the dyna comp. Don't get me wrong, I'm use the MXR 10 band, noise gate, and want to get the Distortion +, but I have heard that both the dyna comps rubberize the sound quite a bit. Yes, no, maybe so? As I stated in my initial post, I need a compressor that can handle a lot of distortion and aggressive palm muting. I'm not afraid to spend a little bit more to get something nice; I'm willing to spend around $200. I'm also familiar with how to work a compressor, so knobs don't scare me, but I do like simplicity!
 
another, for the barber tone press.

had a dynacomp for years, i sold it once i tried the tone press.

a/b'd the tonepress against the keeley compressor, same thing, tone press won out for me.

it's a really good product, that can do something that none of the others do.

also, it's really not that expensive, true bypass, it's got a lot going on.

i also get to use it as a simple 'boost' pedal, with the Blend control all the way off.

find out about 'parallel compression'
 
I'm puffing this whenever asked, to bass or guitar EH Black Finger.

..slight or stepped on, lamp or a diode, tubes.
 
I've used the following:
Boss CS-2
MXR DynaComp
Demeter Compulator.

I liked the Dyna Comp but it was a more obvious effect with a lot of colouring.
The Boss CS-2 was a bit more transparent - which can be a good thing and a bad thing - as can the Dyna Comp's colouring.
The Compulator is a bit of a different beast. It is less obvious to my ears, and this is probably because it is an opto compressor.
There are many better blurbs explaining what this means on the net, but basically this is more like the compressors you would get in a rack...
I have not heard the comprossor, the Tone Press or any others but I can say that the Compulator has survived a couple of pedals purges where the CS-2 for instance, did not (I still have the DynaComp but it is not on the board)
 
Oi, my heart is torn in two between the Tone Press and Opto-Compulator. I am fairly certain that the Opto-Compulator is the more transparent unit -- the reviews all seem to agree on that, but the Tone Press lets me choose how much compression I want to mix in, and will theoretically put "oomph" in my guitar's presence without (I hope) coloration. The Demeter website says the Opto-Compulator is the same as the LA-2A (or something like that) compressor in a pedal, which is a very expensive rack-mount compressor. So, I emailed the companies. I'm expecting them to both say their pedal is the greatest, but maybe the people getting my emails will give honest feedback :rolleyes:.

find out about 'parallel compression'
Click to expand...
I read up on parallel compression, and not once did any recording engineer say that they used it on guitars. I like the idea, though.

The Compulator is a bit of a different beast. It is less obvious to my ears, and this is probably because it is an opto compressor.
There are many better blurbs explaining what this means on the net, but basically this is more like the compressors you would get in a rack...
Click to expand...

Optical compression was the original compression (as far as I know), but the warts of the older models have been fixed with led lights and other things (I haven't read up on compression history :D). The Opto-Compulator is supposed to be the same as the Demeter LA-2A (or whatever), but in a pedal with fewer fancy knobs.

Well, now I'm wondering which of these would do triple duty best, as I would like to use analog compression on my bass and vocals as well (my electronic drums have a special compressor circuit built in).
 
Well, the response from Barber Electronics came in about two hours after I emailed them, and it was after 5:00 pm (pacific time), so kudos on a quick reply. Here is the response,

We think the Tone Press is a fabulous choice for non colored compression (kinda oxymoronish)...then again we make it! :-)

David
Click to expand...

Considering I was quite specific in my email on a few different topics, I am dissappointed at this response, I mean, how does this give me any useful information? This may as well have been an automatic response email. This also makes me worry that David (whoever he is at Barber) is beating around the bush, that is, the Tone Press might not be the best choice for extreme distortion with a lot of palm muting. Well, now I'll just wait for the reply from Demeter: supposedly 2 to 7 business days, if I recall correctly.

OK, I received an email from James Demeter himself on the Opto-Compulator, saying,

The Compulator is probably the most transparent floor comp made. It is notprone to pumping so it sounds like a good choice for you. The tone press, Iknow nothing about so no opinion.
Click to expand...

Well, it's better than the email from Barber Electronics... a little.
 
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dude, i don't really know what you expect.

ultimately, you gotta play one to know.

now, you can take the word from people who own it, use it, and maybe, you check out their sounds and whatnot, and decide they know what they're talking about .....

or you take it on faith, or you base the decisions on....... probable cause!

LOL

i just don't know what else to say....
some people obviously love it (got a good rate on the HC reviews) and others have chimed in here with first hand experience.

but it's just like guitars....

you gotta play it YOURSELF to know if it does what you want.

or try a Magic 8 ball.
 
I have to agree...within 7 days you could order it, receive it, play it, judge it, and send it back if you don't like it.
 
fastisgood said:
Well, the response from Barber Electronics came in about two hours after I emailed them, and it was after 5:00 pm (pacific time), so kudos on a quick reply. Here is the response,



Considering I was quite specific in my email on a few different topics, I am dissappointed at this response, I mean, how does this give me any useful information? This may as well have been an automatic response email. This also makes me worry that David (whoever he is at Barber) is beating around the bush, that is, the Tone Press might not be the best choice for extreme distortion with a lot of palm muting. Well, now I'll just wait for the reply from Demeter: supposedly 2 to 7 business days, if I recall correctly.
Click to expand...

It could be because there's not a lot to say about compression....it either compresses well or doesn't (previous posters seem to agree that the Tone Press is good), it either colors your sound or doesn't as much, either costs a lot or isn't.

I think it's time to go to and play some :)
 
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