BossAreaForum

I haven't owned a compressor for years. The last ones were a Boss CS-3 that was underwhelming, and a Keeley 4-knob that I didn't ever bond with.

What are your thoughts about a good compressor? To be used mainly for rock and blues.

I'd say try the TC electronic Hypergravity and tweak to your liking using their Toneprint editor software.
The pedal has usb and the software is downloadable for free from TC's website, or try one of their many artist's toneprints.

If you like a bit simpler, the MXR studio compressor is a great pedal. It's basically the same as the bass comp, except it's black instead of white.

Thanks!

I came across this DIY one. Technically a very good design. Thinking I might build one... (or two).

Thoughts?

http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/engineersthumb2.html

EDIT: If I was going to build one of these I'd need to buy a minimum of five PCBs so could make some for other folks if there was interest?

Personally, I only wish the CS-3 was 2x louder. I'm mainly after the milder settings, and then I really don't mind the added noise at the extreme settings.

laurie wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:24 pm

Thanks!

I came across this DIY one. Technically a very good design. Thinking I might build one... (or two).

Thoughts?

http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/engineersthumb2.html

EDIT: If I was going to build one of these I'd need to buy a minimum of five PCBs so could make some for other folks if there was interest?

I think I'm going to build a version of this. I'll build a prototype and see how it really sounds.

Yeah, I know there is no Germanium in this thing, and it is based on someone else's design, so calling it a "32" pedal is using a lot of poetic license...

I've made a bunch of tweaks to the original design based on my experience:

• The 4.5V supply is "stiffer"

• The 10uF output capacitor changed to 1uF - it doesn't need to be that big for guitar.

• The treble boost will be variable.

• Switching is my standard 3PDT.

It will be 6-knob:

• Threshold

• Attack

• Release

• Ratio

• Treble boost

• Output level

Curious.

What is the proposed form factor?

I personally would add a clean blend to the circuitry as for me I often want that "Zing" of sustain and squash backed up by your basic honest tone which gives you a way to dial dynamics of picking back in.

One thing I was looking at lately was the Janglebox circuit.
On those early Who and Kinks records Shel Talmy producing mixed a very compressed guitar track with an untouched version of the same track to create that most excellent sound, a punchy zing. I'd be interested in something around that idea.

fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 13, 2023 4:52 am

I personally would add a clean blend to the circuitry as for me I often want that "Zing" of sustain and squash backed up by your basic honest tone which gives you a way to dial dynamics of picking back in.

That's exactly why I was always keeping my eyes open for a Seymour Duncan Double Back Compressor. This one has a three-way switch for this function.

The main reason why I don't like the BOSS CS-3 is that it boosts your signal several times until you get a hell of a noise floor. That fixed threshold that you have to reach with a strong signal boost is something that I really cannot like. And it has a fixed ratio as well and I don't like that either. As you know I don't have any knowledge when it comes to electrical engineering, but for me and my ears it's a circuit completely done wrong.

Pepe wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 13, 2023 7:10 am

fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 13, 2023 4:52 am

I personally would add a clean blend to the circuitry as for me I often want that "Zing" of sustain and squash backed up by your basic honest tone which gives you a way to dial dynamics of picking back in.

That's exactly why I was always keeping my eyes open for a Seymour Duncan Double Back Compressor. This one has a three-way switch for this function.

The main reason why I don't like the BOSS CS-3 is that it boosts your signal several times until you get a hell of a noise floor. That fixed threshold that you have to reach with a strong signal boost is something that I really cannot like. And it has a fixed ratio as well and I don't like that either. As you know I don't have any knowledge when it comes to electrical engineering, but for me and my ears it's a circuit completely done wrong.

Yes I certainly understand there, there are particular parameters which can be quite personal to the user (subtle but important), which ideally are available to tweak. Threshold, Compression ratio etc.
I don't own one but a friend who uses compression stacked recommended the Wampler Mini, with the clean blend as a pedal with the best ratio of size vs feature set.

For me I enjoy two types:

1) Subtle/Always on/Gentle limiting/moderate sustain increase/ transparent EQ wise:     
- Maxon CP-101 or small size I kept the J Archer Squeegee
2) As a punchy or squashed effect or noticeable "2nd channel" "Effect"     
- CS-1 Perhaps, or DOD FX-80B.

An ideal comp for me can be dialled back and has no weird EQ shift (bass chop for example), yet could go extreme if required.

• Neutral EQ
  Adjustable key Parameters (mini pots?)
  Clean Blend
  2nd footswitch for more squash (with level control)
  Output volume control.
  Low Noise

fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 13, 2023 7:46 am

An ideal comp for me can be dialled back and has no weird EQ shift (bass chop for example), yet could go extreme if required.

• Neutral EQ
  Adjustable key Parameters (mini pots?)
  Clean Blend
  2nd footswitch for more squash (with level control)
  Output volume control.
  Low Noise

Well...

This could be done.

• Adjustable key Parameters (mini pots?) - maybe internal trimmers for Attack, Threshold and Release?

• Clean Blend - easy. Just like the 32_OD

• 2nd footswitch for more squash (with level control) - easy, but not cheap (extra footswitch etc.)

• Output volume control - easy.

• Low Noise - this design specializes in low noise.

Plus add EQ to the compressed signal.

Would give the following controls on the front:

• Ratio

• Compressed signal level

• Clean signal level

• Compressed signal high EQ

• Compressed signal low EQ

• "More compression" level

• Output level

Internal trimmers for:

• Attack

• Threshold

• Release

Plus two footswitches.

That's a LOT of knobs. Will think on this some more.

It's ambitious but looks very promising Laurie!

It'd be something beyond the norm and tick a lot of useful boxes. Perhaps pool some thoughts from the group members here as to which controls they may want to pop on top or internally.

Looking forward to seeing some mock-up control layouts etc.

Side note:

I popped my DODN FX-80B in the chain last night and recalled one reason I shy away from comps as much as I like the overall effects.

I tend to use older style dirt circuits up front such as germanium fuzzes or those that rely on pick dynamics for the best results (Colorsound power booster etc). So a comp up front first in chain would flatten them out or add strange buffering if left (ideally) always on. Therefore I tend to move the comp last in line. Works well, but now it acts as a master limiter/volume. If I stack extra drives that are at the chain front, there is much less percieivable volume boost.

Last night I nuidged the volume up on the DOD but of course noise levels increase proportionally.

Quite the puzzle, and sorry, tangent!