Bass compressors in comparison

Compressors are not only an important theme in the studio, they are also a central part of the live setup, especially for bass players. Since the bass foundation is important, quiet sounds should not be swallowed up. On the other hand, the bass shouldn't drown out everything when the bassist hits the strings harder. By being able to use the compressor to equalize the level of the tones and then raise them slightly overall, they help the bass to assert itself better in the mix .

That's why we compare the three most popular bass compressors under 200 euros , which are called EBS MultiComp, Boss BC-1X Bass Compressor and MXR M-87 Bass Compressor. You will find the tool of your choice among these three stompers. Listen to the different sounds and explanations from Marco and Olli in the video. Thanks to Olli's guitar and drums from the playback, you get a good sound impression. With his experience as a musician and guitar tech, Marco also gives you lots of practical tips about compressors in general and in particular. Below we will go over the individual bass compressors again and explain their various setting options. Of course, we also offer many other great compressors and limiter for bass .

What are the controls on the compressor for?

With the EBS MultiComp you can not only determine the degree of compression and then increase the level via gain , but you can also determine the character of the sound. Here you can choose between the transistor compressor sound and simulations of a warmer-sounding tube compressor and a studio-style multiband compressor. With the reduction to the two controls , the EBS MultiComp is limited in terms of sound, but also very easy to use and you can give your sound a little more character .

The Boss BC-1X Bass Compressor sounds the clearest in comparison, so it hardly colors the sound at all. The compressor pedal also offers an LED display to control the level adjustment as well as more detailed control options. In addition to the threshold - the threshold value at which the compressor starts - the ratio and the switch-off time (release) can also be set. Ratio determines the dynamics because this is where the ratio between the slope of the uncompressed input signal and the compressed output signal is determined. For example, if the input exceeds the threshold by 4 dB, with a 4:1 ratio the output only increases by 1 dB. With Release you can set the time that the compressor needs to return the output to the unreduced level after falling below the set threshold. Longer times can therefore ensure a long sustain of the tone. With level the level of the compressed signal is increased again.

The MXR M-87 Bass Compressor also has an LED display and a variety of setting options. Here, both the input and output can be leveled with dedicated controls. With Ratio, various ratios are already specified, ranging from the mentioned 4:1 up to 20:1, which basically corresponds to a limiter , as there is virtually no dynamic anymore and level peaks are excluded. This is ideal for a nice, dry, consistent bass sound. In addition to the release on the MXR M-87, you can also determine the attack of the compressor. Attack is the time it takes for the compressor to kick in. Just like the release time, this can have a big impact on the sound . For example, if the compressor starts immediately, the attack is compressed, which can sound unnatural. We therefore recommend giving the compressor a few milliseconds. However, if you want a pumping bass sound , this effect may be desired.

Don't forget accessories

So that you can get started with the compressor right away, you shouldn't forget the following accessories.