Favorite Compressor Pedal 2024

[Bloody_Inferno]

I tend to only use compressors for clean guitar sounds and bass. Didn't feel the need for dirt sounds considering I tend to cascade drive pedals or more.

I used the Free The Tone Silky Comp for years (basically a custom version of the Providence Velvet Comp, which I also used a lot), but only recently changed to their new Silky Groove. Basically the same but with an added blend control. The other comp is an Xotic SP, which is a nice compact pedal for my smaller rig(s).

For bass, I've gone back and forth between an MXR Dyna Comp and said Velvet Comp, but ended up with the Providence Bass Boot Comp and stuck with that. I actually might switch it with a Boss BC1X once I get my hands on one.

 

[Stiman]

I was think about that one for guitar, I'd think it would excel there too.

I'm pretty sure Petrucci uses one live. Saw in a few of his rig rundowns over the years.

 

[Crungy]

I'm pretty sure Petrucci uses one live. Saw in a few of his rig rundowns over the years.

Oh shit I didn't know that!

 

[Stiman]

Oh shit I didn't know that!

Here's the link to the latest one (2023) showing he uses it. He does switch out to different compressors over the years but I've seen the Hyper Luminal a few times.

 

[StevenC]

I tend to only use compressors for clean guitar sounds and bass. Didn't feel the need for dirt sounds considering I tend to cascade drive pedals or more.

I generally agree, but I do like a comp in front of low or mid gain solo sounds. Adds a bit of that fuzzy sustain characteristic of more vintage sounds, without needing to bring along a temperamental fuzz pedal for one or two sounds.

But once you're into modern tones it's totally unnecessary.

 

[DECEMBER]

I got the Walrus Mira today. It actually works in front of high gain because of the blend knob and the HPF. It adds a little more definition and thumpiness to the low end for chugs that were kinda mushy without it. It does the longer sustain thing better than the Keeley Pro I've been using, at the cost of increased noise floor, of course. Haven't tried it on bass yet but I'm hoping it works for that, too, so I can sell the Keeley (for more than I paid for the Mira).
I also like that it's called 'Mira' because I have a song called 'Mira' that I wrote on my PRS SE Mira, for the album I'm working on about sacred mirrors.

 

[cardinal]

I haven't used a lot, but I have some Cali76TX pedals that I just love for bass. It almost doesn't matter what amp I use as long as I have the Cali on hand. Didn't really like it with guitar though.

 

[aWoodenShip]

I got the Walrus Mira today. It actually works in front of high gain because of the blend knob and the HPF. It adds a little more definition and thumpiness to the low end for chugs that were kinda mushy without it. It does the longer sustain thing better than the Keeley Pro I've been using, at the cost of increased noise floor, of course. Haven't tried it on bass yet but I'm hoping it works for that, too, so I can sell the Keeley (for more than I paid for the Mira).
I also like that it's called 'Mira' because I have a song called 'Mira' that I wrote on my PRS SE Mira, for the album I'm working on about sacred mirrors.

Hadn’t realized they discontinued it already. It only came out a year or two ago it feels like.

 

[DECEMBER]

Hadn’t realized they discontinued it already. It only came out a year or two ago it feels like.

Yeah, it's pretty new, but apparently it didn't sell. I guess there's not much demand for studio compressors in pedal format. I record bass and guitar so that's exactly what I want my comp to be. Both comp pedals I've owned are full range frequency response with all the controls of a real comp.
Mira is on closeout pricing for $129 new at a lot of places, and Pro Audio Star might still have another open-box for $99.
I tried it on bass thru a modeler and headphones tonight, A/B'd it with the Keeley. For bass it's best with the HPF off and on 100% wet on the blend. I got the two really close to the same sound. Deep punchy bass with no boomy peaks or distortion, evenness between strings and fretted/open notes. Playing with a steel pick in drop-D the low D makes that nice glug glug sound.
But guitar likes the Mira better with the HPF on and about 50% blend. So I'd say the Mira does pretty much what the Keeley Pro does and is more versatile because of the blend and HPF. Though the Keeley has hard-/soft-knee and auto-attack/release switches, and it's great with bass, but the lack of a blend and HPF make it not so ideal for guitar.

 

[StevenC]

I haven't used a lot, but I have some Cali76TX pedals that I just love for bass. It almost doesn't matter what amp I use as long as I have the Cali on hand. Didn't really like it with guitar though.

If you don't like it on guitar I will absolutely take it off your hands.

 

[cardinal]

If you don't like it on guitar I will absolutely take it off your hands.

I've been using a Strat a lot lately and wonder if I would like more compression on it since it doesn't have hot humbuckers doing a lot of compression already. Need the figure out where I put those things...

 

[MatrixClaw]

I got the Walrus Mira today. It actually works in front of high gain because of the blend knob and the HPF. It adds a little more definition and thumpiness to the low end for chugs that were kinda mushy without it. It does the longer sustain thing better than the Keeley Pro I've been using, at the cost of increased noise floor, of course. Haven't tried it on bass yet but I'm hoping it works for that, too, so I can sell the Keeley (for more than I paid for the Mira).
I also like that it's called 'Mira' because I have a song called 'Mira' that I wrote on my PRS SE Mira, for the album I'm working on about sacred mirrors.

I was super close to buying one of these when they first went on sale, but I bought a Slotva instead because I figured I'd use that more. I should've bought both lol.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Keeley Compressor + has been always on for years for me

 

[DECEMBER]

I was super close to buying one of these when they first went on sale, but I bought a Slotva instead because I figured I'd use that more. I should've bought both lol.

https://www.proaudiostar.com/walrus-audio-mira-optical-compressor-open-box.html
They still have an open-box for $99. Probably the best price you'll ever find it for. Actually, they even sent me an offer on Reverb for it for $94.99, exactly one minute after I had bought it thru their website, lol. Oh well...

 

[MatrixClaw]

https://www.proaudiostar.com/walrus-audio-mira-optical-compressor-open-box.html
They still have an open-box for $99. Probably the best price you'll ever find it for. Actually, they even sent me an offer on Reverb for it for $94.99, exactly one minute after I had bought it thru their website, lol. Oh well...

Yeah I've been eyeing that one. I'm just not sure if I'd want an optical comp or 1176. When I used to mix bands, I'd use the 1176 for basically everything because it was so versatile and could absolutely crush the dynamics if needed... The LA-2A was definitely used more sparingly. I liked it on bus tracks to glue things together but wasn't a huge fan for normal compression and limiting. That said, I can see how it'd be more liked on a pedal board because it's more subtle and has a less in-your-face sound, which is probably good for cleans.

 

[cardinal]

I've been using a Strat a lot lately and wonder if I would like more compression on it since it doesn't have hot humbuckers doing a lot of compression already. Need the figure out where I put those things...

Gave it a try for a bit. Need for time to fuss with it, but it was interesting. The compressor definitely could thicken up/round off the tone of the single coils. Seemed to add "thump" but at the expense of some cut.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I happened across the Crazy Tube Circuits Golden Ratio yesterday and it looks pretty awesome. FET, OPTO and OTA comps in one pedal seems like it'd be super versatile and the control setup seems pretty standard to any studio comp I've used. Not super expensive, either.

 

[crushingpetal]

Do you all adjust compressor settings with a fully wet signal then blend in the original signal, or do you start with a 50/50 blend to adjust the compressor settings?

 

[USMarine75]

I bought the Boss CP1X after reading some stellar reviews. I’ll buy one of the J Rockett Airchild ones as soon as they go on sale.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I bought the Boss CP1X after reading some stellar reviews. I’ll buy one of the J Rockett Airchild ones as soon as they go on sale.

Saw that Airchild, it looks slick and those knobs are on-point haha. I'm kinda leaning toward a Compadre since most of my pedals seem to be turning up with MIDI now so being able to switch them all without anything extra would be nice... All of the MIDI comps seem to have a bunch of other junk I don't need though lol