Screamingdaisy
Well-Known Member
So, I picked up a Cali76 compressor. I'm normally not that into compression. I want it downstream on tape or in FOH, but I don't typically want to hear it because it affects my playing.
The Cali76 however... this thing is gold.
The compressor part is nice, but if that's all it did it'd get kicked to the curb with the other compressors. What makes this stand out is the dry blend and HPF.
The dry blend lets me blend in attack, and the attack isn't affected by the compressor, so I don't get that "playing through a compressor" feeling when it squashes my notes. This also lets me go heavy on the compression and crush the sustain, making my bass sound bigger and thicker in the mix without me feeling like I have no dynamics.
The second is the LPF. It's not as key as the dry blend, but it's a nice touch. Basically, it keeps low fundamentals out of the side chain so that the compressor doesn't over-compress the low notes, which gives it more of a feeling of depth. It's pretty subtle, particularly with the dry blend.
What I noticed when I A/B between on and off in the mix is that when I shut it off the bass just sorta sounds flat. Less punchy, not as full, kinda flat.
Most compressors, when I turn them off everything sounds better. This one actually sounds better when it's on. I think I'll keep it.
The Cali76 however... this thing is gold.
The compressor part is nice, but if that's all it did it'd get kicked to the curb with the other compressors. What makes this stand out is the dry blend and HPF.
The dry blend lets me blend in attack, and the attack isn't affected by the compressor, so I don't get that "playing through a compressor" feeling when it squashes my notes. This also lets me go heavy on the compression and crush the sustain, making my bass sound bigger and thicker in the mix without me feeling like I have no dynamics.
The second is the LPF. It's not as key as the dry blend, but it's a nice touch. Basically, it keeps low fundamentals out of the side chain so that the compressor doesn't over-compress the low notes, which gives it more of a feeling of depth. It's pretty subtle, particularly with the dry blend.
What I noticed when I A/B between on and off in the mix is that when I shut it off the bass just sorta sounds flat. Less punchy, not as full, kinda flat.
Most compressors, when I turn them off everything sounds better. This one actually sounds better when it's on. I think I'll keep it.
