If you A/B it with Darkglass Super Symmetry or Markbass, it tends to sound ‘sterile.’ This isn’t a bad thing per se. Some players enjoy transparent compression and others want tone coloration. Maybe you already have a pedal in your chain for adding color and there’s no need for anything else. Turn your compressor on and off while tweaking the make-up gain until you stop hearing a difference in volume between the compressor being on and off The ‘color’ is in the dark/fat realm, similar to Darkglass Supper Symmetry but more creamy and subdued. It has tremendous potential as ‘always-on’ compression for dub, hip-hop, mellow funk, or neo-soul bass lines. While most of these other effects skirt around the issue of whether or not they’re supposed to sound like the classic 1176, the origin effects Cali76 boasts its ability to be the finest recreation of it for the guitar.

The settings you use on your compressor when you’re playing through a little practice amp will seldom reap results when you hit the practice room with the full Rig Of Doom! Recommended setup From simple comps (read: vintage LA-2A style) to tube compressors like Markbass Compressore, and futuristic units with metering and 5 classic compression parameters. Too much GAS, not enough time.

Multi-Band is my favourite type of compression. When I first started playing bass, compressors were just what’s known as full-band. Nowadays it’s possible to divide up your frequency range into low, mid and high bands, rather than thinking of it as one source. This way you can essentially have three different compressors acting on your signal. The effect is almost transparent when it’s set up properly. The Compressore is a retro-looking tube bass compression pedal with true bypass. It is bulky, robust, and surprisingly lightweight. The control panel features six knobs in an intuitive layout. Cut to 2021 and my current rig sports an FEA Labs Opti-FET and Empress Bass Comp. But consider this post an amalgam of my epiphanies as I traded and tested a bunch of the top bass compressor pedals until the tone hound in me stopped howling. Here are a few things that go against the Cali76 bass compressor: It’s not the best pedal for clinical or surgical precision. And the jewel lamp LED is pretty but not detailed or responsive.

The Blend allows for a clean/parallel mix that can be used for compression adjustment or reclaiming the natural bass tone in aggressive compression settings.There is ample headroom when you put this compressor pedal through the paces. More importantly, the noise level is incredibly low for a tube compression pedal.

The Aguilar Comp is a four-knob bass compression pedal with a one of its kind Trans Linear Control (TLC) compression circuit. The TLC is proprietary but similar to a VCA compressor pedal. You can dial compression ranging from smooth ‘n subtle to high-squeeze. There is a ‘pop’ and fullness in low-to-moderate ratios. The lows sound focused and tight.It’s new-gen, versatile, and highly regarded in the community. But high regard comes with a high price – and two color options (blue and silver). Overall, I can say with confidence that the MXR M87 Bass Compressor is definitely one of the best, if not the best bass compressor pedals out in the market right now. I strongly urge you to read the rest of the review to see just how much it offers. It’s a true gem that deserves all the praise it has received from the community. I could even wrench chiming harmonics with max sustain and slow compression speed on a GWB1005 bass guitar. The pedal isn’t low-noise though and there is a loss of dynamics with aggressive compression. Target Customer: The MXR Dyna Comp Bass is an analog compressor for the no-frills bass player. It makes dialing in your tone easy, straightforward, and fast, without having to read the manual first. It’s basically plug and play.

The Keeley is also known for being a dead quiet pedal, which while still being an analog process, means that your signal won’t have any added noise due to the compression being applied. The MXR bass compressor (M87) is universally admired as one of the most transparent compressor effects pedals. It’s famed for its clean performance and tight low end. I used both versions – the original and a newer version released in 2019. The 2.0 pedal weighs less and is more streamlined.The Compressore is famed for its refined tone. I would describe it as a reasonably transparent compressor with subtle tone coloration. The sort of tone does vary between the models in our list of best bass compressors. Compressors are used a lot in studios and particular models are lusted after for their unique sound. Some of the above pedals offer the same sort of tone and response as these sought-after compressors, allowing you to have a studio-grade tool on your pedalboard. How much should I spend on a bass compressor?