Best compressor to use with stingray?

[Guinness21]

Firstly if I have started this thread in the wrong place I do apologise, I'm new and this is only me second post.

As the title would suggest, I'm looking for a compressor to use with my 4hh stingray. My signal chain will be compressor - tech 21 vt - darkglass b7k. I'm looking for something that will even out the string volume, tighten things up and add a bit more punch. Before anyone suggests it I have read through all of onvilab's reviews extensively. I'm not necessarily looking for something completely transparent, like the mxr. Before I got my stingray was looking at a diamond bass comp, but heard mixed review when they've been used with active bases.

I play with my fingers and play some heavy stuff. So what do you guys think, is there a particular compressor that would do the jb for me? What do you guys use with your stingray basses? Thanks

 

[Millsy]

Everyone will point you a different direction. To my ears, the Diamond Bass Compressor is the ultimate Bass Compressor without venturing into Rackmounted Equipment.

It does it all, it's reasonably compact, great tone, simple, easy.

Best to try a few out at a local store.

The Aguilar TLC is a great one too.

 

[Guinness21]

Thanks for the response. I think te TLC is probably the front runner. Was looking at using the diamond with a bass I had befre the stingray, people have told me it doesn't do well with high output basses.

 

[Millsy]

It's used it with Bongos, Yamaha's with EMG's and Spectors and had no problems.

The newer models have a setting for Active Basses. They may have had the older model.

 

[pete bass]

My personal favourite is a Comp Nova made by a company called T.Rex Made in Denmark.....Not cheap but it came out tops in a compressor "shoot Out" in a Bass guitar magazine a while back .....And that included an MXR and a Markbass compressore....Check the website as they have a new one coming out in June of studio quality
...And no i´m not an agent ! Just a satisfied customer.....
http://www.t-rex-effects.com/#empowering-your-music

 

[Guinness21]

Thanks fir the heads up, hadn't heard of the comp nova before. Say it was in between the diamond bass comp and aguilar tlc comp, what do you think would work better for me? The diamond is angled more at tone enhancement, as far as I'm aware at least, where as the aguilar is more the middle of the road. A lot of people have recommended the mxr m87, but I don't want something completely transparent. What do you think, bearng in mind my pedalboard and playing technique?

 

[Rick Auricchio]

What do you think, bearng in mind my pedalboard and playing technique?

Since only you will be able to judge the compressor's effect on your tone and playing feel, the ball has to end up in your court.

It's somewhat like asking others how much salt and spice would taste good to you.

 

[Guinness21]

Sorry, that occurred to me as I was typing that. Talking to people on talkbass, people have told me the diamond is only actually compressing when the led is red, and I don't play hard. So maybe I should go for the TLC.

 

[blindrabbit]

My Diamond is the best compressor I've ever used. It doesn't have any problems with my Sterling. Keep in mind you can run it at higher voltage, up to 24V, if it does have any issues. The Diamond booted an Empress off my board, which was also a fantastic unit, but the Diamond is better.

Keep in mind with the Aguilar you don't have any sort of metering to be able to tell when it is compressing. Most people will run their compressors in a way where they are not always compressing. If you want more compression, adjust the controls.

 

[rutgart]

I love the Markbass Compressore, Great Tube Compression

 

[Guinness21]

My Diamond is the best compressor I've ever used. It doesn't have any problems with my Sterling. Keep in mind you can run it at higher voltage, up to 24V, if it does have any issues. The Diamond booted an Empress off my board, which was also a fantastic unit, but the Diamond is better.

Keep in mind with the Aguilar you don't have any sort of metering to be able to tell when it is compressing. Most people will run their compressors in a way where they are not always compressing. If you want more compression, adjust the controls.

God points. I like the mxr's visual indicators, but it's too transparent for me. Maybe I go for the diamond then. How does it improve your tone: previously I'd been looking to use a diamond bass comp with an epiphone thunderbird so have no idea how my stingray would sound with one.

 

[Hellboy]

They´ve started to make the Retrospec Squeezebox again.

Retrospec Audio

Retrospec Audio :: Products :: The Squeeze Box

More or less a LA-2A in a stomp box format. I have three of them. That is how much I love this thing. El opto tube comp. Lovely.

 

[Yango]

I don't know if you've been to Ovnilabs web page, but there's a wealth of information to help you with your choice here:

Compressor Reviews

I personally use the Demeter Comp-1 Compulator. It's simple to use, and does not color your tone at all—no loss of either high or low end, no pumping, extremely quiet—just good clean adjustable compression. And there's a trim pot to adjust for the hot signal that your bass will put out. I love mine, it's on all the time and I've even used it in the studio, it's that quiet. Do yourself a favor and check one out.

COMP-1 Compulator

 

[Guinness21]

Thanks. I have been on Onvilab's site extensively, and I'd narrowed it down to a few contenders. A number of people suggested the ebs multicomp, but apparently it deteriorates over time. The TLC appears to be quite popular with people who play stingrays, according to a number of people it 'adds a bit of sparkle'. Hadn't considered the diamond bass comp with an active bass, but the more I think about it, I like the idea.

Reading Onvi's review of the demeter, it sounds like an interesting pedal. I'm no sure whether I'm looking for something that's completely transparent tone-wise. Maybe I should look at the empress too, kind of similar to the Diamond.

 

[Hellboy]

Thanks. I have been on Onvilab's site extensively, and I'd narrowed it down to a few contenders. A number of people suggested the ebs multicomp, but apparently it deteriorates over time. The TLC appears to be quite popular with people who play stingrays, according to a number of people it 'adds a bit of sparkle'. Hadn't considered the diamond bass comp with an active bass, but the more I think about it, I like the idea.

Reading Onvi's review of the demeter, it sounds like an interesting pedal. I'm no sure whether I'm looking for something that's completely transparent tone-wise. Maybe I should look at the empress too, kind of similar to the Diamond.

The EBS MultiComp "deteriorates" over time? The MultiComp is my no two choice in general when it comes to compressors but my no one choice if on a budget. It does not "deteriorate". Not any more than any other piece of equipment anyway. Well built and sounds great. I´ve had mine (the second version of the MultiComp) for many years now and have done a ton of gigs with it. As sturdy and great sounding as ever.

 

[stu42]

I have the FEA DE-CL and I like it a lot. I have it dialled in for a fairly subtle compression but you can create more extreme effects with it if you want. What I really like about it is blending the limiter with the compressor. As Ovni says, by doing this it creates a more complex compression curve which does fatten up the sound a fair bit. I set it so the limiter comes on for a fraction of a second at the beginning of the note and then the compressor comes on right after that for a longer stretch and this creates a beautiful, fat tone that sounds really polished and (to my ears) something that you'd associate with a studio recording.

I'd say it has quite a transparent sound but you can also fatten up the mids and add some harmonic content and mild overdrive-type of sound by turning up the "Warmth" control. It's similar to the boost knob on a G-K amp so it gives it the sound a bit more growl or mild grit.

 

[Guinness21]

Thanks for the info, been fed some crap there then. If you don't mind me asking, what's your no.1 choice?

 

[blindrabbit]

God points. I like the mxr's visual indicators, but it's too transparent for me. Maybe I go for the diamond then. How does it improve your tone: previously I'd been looking to use a diamond bass comp with an epiphone thunderbird so have no idea how my stingray would sound with one.

The Diamond just has a certain kind of tonal magic to it that is hard to put a finger on. When I have it on (which is all the time), my tone is rounder, fatter, smoother, just far more present. The Empress definitely did a better job of utility compression and it was nice to have the more sophisticated metering, but it didn't add that "je ne sais quoi" to my tone that the Diamond does. The tilt EQ is also quite powerful. I have right now giving a slight boost on the lower setting, which I find to be a nice counter balance to the aggressive upper mids of my Sterling.

 

[Yango]

I've read many many good things about the Diamond Bass Comp. I work with a guy who plays an SR5, and he just bought one a couple of months ago—he absolutely loves it. He thinks it's the tilt EQ that adds the magic. Whatever it is, he's fallen hard for it.

 

[Guinness21]

Well with comments like that, how can I not go for the diamond? Would the diamond bass comp work with the tech 21 vt gear?