[metropolis4]

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

FIrst of all, I didn't mean to offend you in any way..I'm sorry that i struck a nerve and apologize. I didn't mean to be brash or hurt your feelings

No hurt feelings or struck nerves here, no worries

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

I'm sorry i didn't make WHY i may switch to being a compressor user now...
so here it goes..
I love keeping the dynamics of pick attack, mainly for volume build ups when i'm playing but that's not the reason why i didn't like the newer MXR compressor. I know you like the MXR compressor but let's face it, the noise level is quite unbearable unless you have a noise gate which i don't use any of those. Anyways, now i think i could use one and keep the overall build up dynamics with a volume pedal, even with the compressor always on. see, i didn't have a volume pedal before when i had the MXR dyna comp. I used to hate compressors but I geuss I just have a change of heart. I'm opening my mind

The purpose i expect a compressor pedal to serve would be to sustain notes without adding background noise or affecting the tone in an unwanted way (sucking treble or bass freqeuncies) I've read from many forums that compressors enhance tone, not JUST when used moderately and this is also from Nigel Hendroff's blog who uses a Keely Compressor. But here you guys say that it isn't necassarily for tone freaks so i geuss it's just a matter of preference... To each His/Her own. i still just like to hear you say what you and anyone says about compressors.

So I hope that answers your qeustion

Given this information I'd say the Keeley is your compressor. It's known for being very quiet, transparent and subtle. Basically exactly what you said you're looking for. I don't think you're gonna find the script DynaComp sounds that much diffferent from your cheap block DynaComp you have now and don't like. It's going to have basically the same tone, but a little cleaner and slightly more open/transparent. But you said you didn't like the way your DynaComp changed your tone and the script one is going to change your tone too. At least it will change it much more than the Keeley.

My reasons for liking the cheap block DynaComp are because I use mine as a boost between a Telecaster and an ac30. I use it to smooth out and focus my overdrive, and give me an even level for soloing. For that purpose I actually like the way it changes my tone, it's perfect for my uses. The Keeley was too subtle and transparent and didn't give me the tone I was looking for. However, for someone looking for something very transparent and clean, the cheap DynaComp isn't gonna work; the Keeley will be a much better choice. It all comes down to what purpose you are looking at having the pedal serve to know which will work better for you.

It is weird though that you say yours was so noisy, I've had two or three of those pedals and none of them have been noisy at all... I wonder if there's something wrong with yours.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by metropolis4

It is weird though that you say yours was so noisy, I've had two or three of those pedals and none of them have been noisy at all... I wonder if there's something wrong with yours.

I could be mistaken, but don't compressors tend to bring up the volume of any noise in the signal? I realize they compress the signal that's "too hot" but don't they also bring up the level of typically low volume noise. Therefore, if the signal is already noisy, a compressor will make it more noisy?

[Gustin]

thesteve is correct. Compressors reduce signal that goes above a certain threshold and then boosts the whole thing back up to whatever level you set - evening out the sound. So if you have a little noise in your signal, the compressor will likely make that noise much more apparent. My guess is that this is the case with the OPs past experience as the dynacomp doesn't really impart much noise on its own.

An easy fix would be to throw a gate in just before the compressor.

[Soap]

I use compression for solo's just to get some good sustain out of my crunchy tones.

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by metropolis4

Given this information I'd say the Keeley is your compressor.
It is weird though that you say yours was so noisy, I've had two or three of those pedals and none of them have been noisy at all... I wonder if there's something wrong with yours.

This may be the answer to my problem, Thanks!!

And maybe you're right, maybe I got a lemon. When someone bought me an Analog Delay, i got a bad unit....I noticed it popped so i asked them to replace it and no more loud pop.

Unfortunately, i already sold the MXR $79 dollar compressor on Craigslist which disables me to investigate the matter further
but perhaps mine had factory error and may have been louder than some others. I hear the MXR's circuitry is quite delicate.

Originally Posted by thesteve

I could be mistaken, but don't compressors tend to bring up the volume of any noise in the signal? I realize they compress the signal that's "too hot" but don't they also bring up the level of typically low volume noise. Therefore, if the signal is already noisy, a compressor will make it more noisy?

You are correct...from what i've read in many forums, these 2 compressors are supposed raise the signal but adding any additional noise or unwanted distortions, however from what i gather if there is some amount of noise, that existing noise is to be amplified with a compressor. thankfully there is barely any noise in my current set up which is due to the noise gate built in gate in the jekyll and hyde

[metropolis4]

Originally Posted by thesteve

I could be mistaken, but don't compressors tend to bring up the volume of any noise in the signal? I realize they compress the signal that's "too hot" but don't they also bring up the level of typically low volume noise. Therefore, if the signal is already noisy, a compressor will make it more noisy?

Yes this is true, but if you use a compressor correctly you avoid those extreme settings that are going to amplify the noise.

I think a problem a lot of guitarists have with compressors is that they don't know how to use them properly and they don't hear it doing anything, so they crank the compression up way too high and then hear a lot of noise. Compression is generally best used as a subtle effect and at good settings it will add nice sustain to your notes, but leave the noise alone. When I use my DynaComp I rarely have the sustain past 12 o'clock. Usually I have it set around 9 o'clock.

[Major Tom]

I will be interested to read yer review of whichever $200. comp you get. I just never seem to be able to find a setting on a compressor that does it for me. Part of the problem, I think, is that a lot of guitar pedal comps don't have all of the controls of a "real" compressor; i.e., threshold, ratio, speed, release, etc., they have simplified controls like compression, attack, and level (boost). They just seem to squash the signal too much, and then I feel like I'm fighting the thing, picking harder and not getting the result my ear/brain is expecting, not to mention how its hard to get quieter by picking softer - especially important when playing P & W music; all those obligatory quiet parts (OQP's). I also seem to have a problem getting the volume set correctly for the compressed signal. Probably a mental thing...

Any compressor is going to raise the noise floor when engaged at what I would call a "normal" setting - since it lops off the peaks, you turn up its level control to compensate; to get the same overall / average volume that you have without it. Turning up the level control boosts the signal, and hence, also boosts whatever noise is present in the signal at that point. Humbucker guys will complain less about it than single coil players, but there is always some level of noise...

I personally think the main use of a comp for guitar is for clean playing, not distortion, which compresses / squashes the signal in its own way.

[ibanez_dude]

Originally Posted by Major Tom

I will be interested to read yer review of whichever $200. comp you get. I just never seem to be able to find a setting on a compressor that does it for me. Part of the problem, I think, is that a lot of guitar pedal comps don't have all of the controls of a "real" compressor; i.e., threshold, ratio, speed, release, etc., they have simplified controls like compression, attack, and level (boost). They just seem to squash the signal too much, and then I feel like I'm fighting the thing, picking harder and not getting the result my ear/brain is expecting, not to mention how its hard to get quieter by picking softer - especially important when playing P & W music; all those obligatory quiet parts (OQP's). I also seem to have a problem getting the volume set correctly for the compressed signal. Probably a mental thing...

Any compressor is going to raise the noise floor when engaged at what I would call a "normal" setting - since it lops off the peaks, you turn up its level control to compensate; to get the same overall / average volume that you have without it. Turning up the level control boosts the signal, and hence, also boosts whatever noise is present in the signal at that point. Humbucker guys will complain less about it than single coil players, but there is always some level of noise...

I personally think the main use of a comp for guitar is for clean playing, not distortion, which compresses / squashes the signal in its own way.

Agreed. As someone who's done a significant amount of studio and live sound work, it's weird to use a compressor that doesn't have the same typical controls. However, I think it works out for the better. If you had threshold controls and such, any change in volume level pre-compressor would require the threshold to be changed, and it just wouldn't be terribly practical. I've found the blend knob on my Tonepress gives me back just enough control for my OCD tweaking side to be happy. The part about distortion vs clean is definitely true as well. It will change your distorted tone slightly, but not nearly as much as the clean or "edge-of-overdrive" sound.

[tdk8709]

Originally Posted by Major Tom

I personally think the main use of a comp for guitar is for clean playing, not distortion, which compresses / squashes the signal in its own way.

For the most part true, depends if you have a ross-style compressor like a keeley, or something more transparent like a diamond.

[steveguitar12xx]

when looking up compressor pedals, i hear this saying on the internet alot "The best compressor is one you can't tell that's on" I don't know if that statement ultimately applies to commpressor pedals on high settings...but it should

[metropolis4]

Originally Posted by Major Tom

I personally think the main use of a comp for guitar is for clean playing, not distortion, which compresses / squashes the signal in its own way.

I use my compressor in several different ways. It is very useful for clean tones, but I also find it useful at times with overdrive/distortion. If I need a really clean distortion tone I find a compressor helps to smooth things out. It also helps me get feedback quicker when I have to have my amp volume too low and it's nice for those times when I need stupid long sustain. I also like to use it as a boost when I'm using my amp for overdrive. I usually set the sustain low around 9 o'clock and the volume high around 3 o'clock. Set this way it gives me a nice boost without squashing the tone or taking away my pick attack and dynamics. it's especially helpful as a solo or single note line boost when used this way. I can set my amp for the levels of dirt I want when playing rhythm. Then, when I switch to single note lines or solos I can keep the same amount of dirt, or add more and get the extra sustain I need since I'm not hitting the amp as hard with my guitar.

I'm very big on my picking and attack dynamics (I tend to use my amp for overdrive and use my volume and attack to get all shades of clean to dirty) and I find that a compressor set the right way doesn't take these away from me. My DynaComp adds a really nice sparkle and presence to my tone that I just love! Sometimes it's hard to turn it off because the tone sounds more flat to me. It's all about finding the right balance and getting the sustain set at the right point. Sometimes you want that super squashed sound, sometimes you want a subtle sustain. I'm also a lover of simplicity so I love having only two knobs. When I'm in the middle of a gig and need to reach down to tweak something, I don't want to have too many knobs to worry about.

when looking up compressor pedals, i hear this saying on the internet alot "The best compressor is one you can't tell that's on" I don't know if that statement ultimately applies to commpressor pedals on high settings...but it should

Not for me... If I couldn't tell it's on, then what's the point of having it on? Why have a pedal taking up space on your board and adding length to your signal chain that sucks tone from your amp if you can't tell it does anything

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by metropolis4

Not for me... If I couldn't tell it's on, then what's the point of having it on? Why have a pedal taking up space on your board and adding length to your signal chain that sucks tone from your amp if you can't tell it does anything

lol i may be wrong but i believe their statements were aimed towards the original tone of the guitar and amp to be unchanged. i believe 90% of the youtube vidoes on compressor pedals also say a like statement. while you should be able to hear a noticable addition to the sustain of your instruement i geuss some people do not want any coluorisation or freqeuncies hindered.

*to be technical: freqeuncies as in equalization since compression have nothing to do with altering freqeuncies*

i geuss it's better to have a few options tho in case using a compressor to smooth out a rough, edgy tone or vice versa, like as a treble booster. to each their own!

[metropolis4]

Originally Posted by steveguitar12xx

to each their own!

Exactly. The thing you have to remember when listening to other people online is that not everyone is chasing the same tone, not everyone has the same opinions about tone, and not everyone has the same needs from their equipment.

Compression actually first became popular among guitarists because of the way it altered the tone of the amp/guitar. Some people want their compressor to be completely transparent, others want it to have an effect on their tone. Neither is right or wrong, just different needs for different tones.

Personally I could care less what 90% of video's on youtube say about how I should use my compressor, because 100% of those people don't have my ears and aren't looking for my tone

[steveguitar12xx]

Originally Posted by metropolis4

Exactly. The thing you have to remember when listening to other people online is that not everyone is chasing the same tone, not everyone has the same opinions about tone, and not everyone has the same needs from their equipment. Compression actually first became popular among guitarists because of the way it altered the tone of the amp/guitar. Some people want their compressor to be completely transparent, others want it to have an effect on their tone. Neither is right or wrong, just different needs for different tones. Personally I could care less what 90% of video's on youtube say about how I should use my compressor, because 100% of those people don't have my ears and aren't looking for my tone

Interesting, I didn't know that, SWEET & Thanks for the cool info!
i infinitely agree on you on that statement!