Do you use a compressor?

[jps]

IIRC the early PFs were not true bypass, only models after a certain date were changed to a true bypass, along with other updates.

[markbass99]

I'm not so sure if the battery test is a good way to tell if it's true bypass or not. According to the review posted earlier in this thread, the Compulator is not a true bypass, but mine arrived with a dead battery and still worked in bypass mode. (IMO) I don't think having a true bypass should be much of a factor as the Compulator doesn't degrade the signal in bypass or cause any noise either, it's very clean. The inventor even rejected having LEDS to show compression level as he thought it introduced too much noise in the signal path, this is a very well designed pedal.

[incubus2432]

Since it sounds so good with it on I never turn it off so the true bypass feature wasn't something I was worried about.

[bongomania]

I bet Jps is right, because I can confidently swear the Aphex I had was not true bypass, but other people here swear theirs _is_, so especially if Aphex is currently advertising TBP, they must have changed it in the recent past. Good move if they did! If I can verify that, I'll edit my review.

Regarding the business about the gain levels increasing as the drive is increased, there are a couple of likely explanations for that. The most likely IMO is an arrangement that's very common, where the drive increases the gain into the compressor, while the threshold is at a fixed point. In that way, the compression is increased (increasing the input level effectively "lowers the threshold") _and_ you'd hear the gain go up. If it was capable of higher ratios, there would be less perceived gain increase. The other, less likely IMO explanation would be an additional non-dynamic gain stage between the compressor circuit and the volume control, designed to increase that gain in exact proportion to the increase in compression, using a dual-ganged pot. I don't remember seeing a dual pot in mine, but perhaps I missed it.

The Demeter is one of my favorites for sure.

[squirefan01]

I'd like to re-open this can of worms. I am looking at compressors now and this thread has a lot of great info. Here are the 3 that I am looking at (to replace my modded Boss CS-3):

Aphex Punch ($100)
Demeter Compulator ($200)
EBS MultiComp ($200)

It seems that nobody here owns the EBS model thought that gets great reviews.

I am going to read the FAQ that was linked above, but I have a few questions that you guys may be able to answer:

1) Why do compressors output a "hissing" noise when enabled? My Peavey 115 200W combo amp's built in compressor has this (but I do like the compressor overall) and so does the Boss CS-3. Is it just a bad design or inherant to the theories of copmression in general?

2) For general audio effects filters like compressors but also envelope filters, Q-filters, etc., has anybody seen a web site that has graphical representations of all of these filters. There are so many places where they are described in text format but a picture really tells the story sometimes.

Thanks

[jdogric12]

On #1, the hissing noise is whatever noise you already have, boosted, which is what the compressor is supposed to do when the level coming through is low. Notice how the hissing goes down when you start playing? A noise gate between instrument and compressor should help. YMMV

[squirefan01]

Yes, it definitely goes down once I start playing. Thanks Jason!

[johnallg]

I do not get the hissing with my Punch Factory compressor. I do not have the compression cranked up all the way, so that may affect hissing, but I have the Drive control (compression) up half way and the Volume control set to be equal to the bass volume with Bypass enabled. I use it to even out my notes, not provide an old vibe to my sound.

[incubus2432]

BTW....I'll bring my Demeter Compulator, EBS Bass IQ (envelope filter), EBS OctaBass and Fulltone Bass-Drive to RIO for tinkering if anyone is interested.

[alanz]

The Punch Factory works pretty well but mine was pretty crappily made - the input jack is loose and noisy now a days so I don't use it any more.

[gareth]

I use two compressors. Both are built into my Trace Elliot GP12 SMX preamp. One is low pass, and the other high pass. This gets over the problem with using a single compressor which can have the effect of losing the high end when the bottom end is just right, and vice versa. As I play with a very fast pick attack currently, they come in very useful to maintain levels across the range of playing, and to reduce the effect of transient volume spikes.

[jps]

BTW....I'll bring my Demeter Compulator, EBS Bass IQ (envelope filter), EBS OctaBass and Fulltone Bass-Drive to RIO for tinkering if anyone is interested.

I may bring my VT Bass pedal.

[ricaddic]

I use an EBS Dual band Compressor, its one of the best compressors I have ever used, I like all EBS's effect peadls, im going to get the chours, octave, and dynaverb next.

[squirefan01]

As usual I acted quickly once I got my mind on something. I ordered a Demeter yesterday. Looking forward to trying it out!

[prismacolor2]

I am a big fan of my Opto-Compulator. A teeny squish is all it takes to clean things just enough to enhance presence. I use so little that I often check to see if it's on and can only tell if i disengage it and compare.