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Compressor

NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
edited March 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
Help me decide:

On my limited budget, I'm within the $70 limit on a compressor, so I'm basically picking between the Rocktron Big Crush:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rocktron-Big-Crush-Compressor-Pedal?sku=154228

And the MXR Dyna Comp

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXR-M102-Dyna-Comp-Compressor-Pedal?sku=151101

And I'm totally at odds with myself. Some people say the Dyna Comp adds more noise but that isn't a big issue since I just got a noise gate. Question is, do they do their job?
If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

7/9/06 LA 1
7/10/06 LA 2
10/21/06 Bridge 1
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    I have the Dynacomp and absoutley love it. I haven't tried many others, but it's brilliant. Adds a LITTLE bit of oomph to the sound! It's the secret to my sound (like I have a 'signature' sound)
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    What does a compressor do?
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i like the dynacomp. and i've had keeley, maxon and diamond compressors. and i still like the dynacomp the most.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    dynacomp is still one of my favorites. Noise isn't much of an issue really, not bad at all, considering the majority of people who use the compressor use single coils, it's negligable.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
    DOSW wrote:
    What does a compressor do?

    Evens out the levels on the frequencies. You'll notice how sometimes if you strum a chord, (G for instance) the G string is louder than the other strings, the compressor basically evens out all those discrepancies for a balanced signal from all the strings. When it does this, it also increases sustain.

    Thanks guys, Dynacomp it is. Just have to sell my soul here for a little extra cash and I'll be in business.
    If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

    7/9/06 LA 1
    7/10/06 LA 2
    10/21/06 Bridge 1
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    DOSW wrote:
    What does a compressor do?

    I think Novawind meant to write volume instead of frequencies. One use of compression is to even out the volume from string to string. Basically a compressor takes the distance between the quietest sound the circuit can pass, and the loudest sound it can handle and "compresses" it. The result is that the volume difference between the quietest sounds you play into your compressor, and the loudest sounds, is narrowed.

    Heavy compression is sometimes refered to as "squashing" a signal, and can result in the quietest little pick scrapes sounding just as loud as a power chord without any volume adjust. The downside of this is the loss of dynamics. While the compressor is on, the distance you'll have beetwen quiet strums and loud ones will decrease the more the Compression ratio is turned up.

    Of course that's what makes them so great as stomp boxes since you can kick in a setting that will put your pick scrapes up at the same volume as your power chords, and then kick it back out again.

    Sustain gets increased because the sound of the note decay, the sound of the note dying out and becomming quieter gets boosted up like any other quiet scrape or strum. If the signal is fully "squashed", then the decay stays almost as loud as the note when you first played it so it will just stay there for a good long time.


    Dynacomp gets my vote too.
  • NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
    Yeah that's basically what I was trying to say but a lot more eloquent. :)
    If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

    7/9/06 LA 1
    7/10/06 LA 2
    10/21/06 Bridge 1
  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    yeah IDgotI's basically right, I also read that article. There's also an article in March 07 GuitarOne that talks about compression as well.
    "Compressors try to maintain a constant output level. The higher you set it's realease time, the longer it'll amplify your diminishing signal.
    This means more perceived sustain, but not more actual sustain."

    Cheers . . .

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  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    ianvomsaal wrote:
    yeah IDgotI's basically right, I also read that article.

    What article?
  • harrisonmerwinharrisonmerwin Posts: 766
    I found the Eric Shannon Compressor to work magic. I sold it to my uncle though, there wa sonly 22 made i think. i had the 22nd one!
    2005.09.04
    2005.09.05

    "how many people did die from that?...did P.Diddy kill them?" - Eddie Vedder 2006.02.19
  • BrezBrez Posts: 570
    I also noticed that compressors make for a more "punchy" sound when it's put with distortion or overdrive.... Is it just me?
    And before his first step... He's off again...
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Brez wrote:
    I also noticed that compressors make for a more "punchy" sound when it's put with distortion or overdrive.... Is it just me?

    Ya, it just adds a litle bit of something, I love it.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • BrezBrez Posts: 570
    keeponrockin wrote:
    Ya, it just adds a litle bit of something, I love it.

    Just a little bit? Cause I was thinkin about buying one for my leads, and pretty much just that. I don't know if it would be worth buying it for leads if it's just a little, and I really can't tell if your being sarcastic with the statement :p

    Do you think it would be?
    And before his first step... He's off again...
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Brez wrote:
    Just a little bit? Cause I was thinkin about buying one for my leads, and pretty much just that. I don't know if it would be worth buying it for leads if it's just a little, and I really can't tell if your being sarcastic with the statement :p

    Do you think it would be?

    I use mine for my leads.

    No sarcasm in either!
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • samquigleysamquigley Posts: 220
    I don't know that I'd say "punchy", more like "pushy". A punch hits hard but then stops, a push is softer but the person (the note) goes further (lasts longer).
  • BrezBrez Posts: 570
    biffhardon wrote:
    I don't know that I'd say "punchy", more like "pushy". A punch hits hard but then stops, a push is softer but the person (the note) goes further (lasts longer).

    I like the analogy.
    And before his first step... He's off again...
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