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. First and foremost, as the name suggests, the M76 is styled after the classic 1176 studio compressor, and this pedal in fact features the exact same controls that you would find on an 1176, including its 4 different ratio selections (although sadly it doesn’t appear that you can use the “all buttons in” mode).

My Review: Electro-Harmonix brought out the Soul Preacher Nano not too long ago as a miniature of their legendary ’70s Soul Preacher Compressor/Sustainer. It was a good pedal, but it performed much better with guitars than with basses. This is not to say that bass players didn’t enjoy the Soul Preacher, just that it needed a few tweaks to make it stand out as a compressor for bassists. And that is exactly what they did. They took the Soul Preacher and tailored it to better suit modern bass players, creating the Bass Preacher compressor. It is housed in the same enclosure as the Soul Preacher Nano, so it’s built like a tank. The Bass Preacher has a 2 knob layout with a Volume control that serves as the make-up gain, and a Sustain knob that sets the compression ratio. GAIN REDUCTION METER –precisely displays gain reduction level and compressor response time when the input signal reaches the compression threshold

About MXR Compressor Pedals

Knob Compressor Pedal designed for bass. The MXR M87 gives you great control over your tone in a pedal the same size as a Phase 90. Here is what MXR say about the M87 Pedal 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.

Noise is rarely an issue, no matter how much you tweak the settings. There is a hint of sparkle in the top-end, which makes it vastly different from other ‘warm’ compressor pedals on our list. 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

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. Choose your poison. However, the Aguilar compressor pedal is unarguably one of the most capable pedals on this list when it comes to compression and limiting capabilities. Verdict This pedal can be powered by a 9V DC adapter or 18V DC for better headroom if your pedalboard permits. The Bass Preacher is a sturdy compact-sized compressor effect pedal in a small die-cast enclosure. It is the bass version of the EHX Soul Preacher with tweaks to suit a bass guitar. As with any pedal, size can matter. We’re all looking to make gigging, practicing and recording easier, and a more compact pedalboard can aid this. A smaller pedal means that it takes less space on your board, so you can either have a smaller board (less to carry), or more pedals (more fun). If space isn’t an issue – maybe you’re only after one or two pedals, or you’ve got plenty of room in the van – or someone carries your gear for you (that’s the dream), then you don’t need to worry about size. You’ll probably find that the bigger pedals will have more functionality and flexibility too. How we choose products

If you are new to using any sort of compression then the meter is extremely helpful. It allows you have a clear visual indication of how much your signal is being compressed rather than only being able to hear it. This is an awesome touch for newer players. Lots of compressor brochures peddle the lure of fat tube tones. For the most part, it’s clever marketing trying to pull the wool over the eyes of bass players hungry for vintage sounds.The Xotic SP compressor is known for being a modern take on the classic vintage Ross compressor guitar pedal from the 1970s. The Ross was known for its simplicity and ability to add extra sparkle to your guitar’s signal while evening out your tone. Key Specs: The Multi-Comp is an analog multi-band compressor pedal with a simple 2 knob layout. The Comp/Limit knob sets the desired compression ratio from 1:1 up to 5:1, while the gain knob sets the output volume or make-up gain of the pedal. The 3-way mode selector switches between compression modes: TubeSim, Multi-Band, and Normal. The threshold can be adjusted via 2 Internal trim pots for each of the 2 frequency bands. There’s an active/passive switch on the left side of the pedal, used when playing active or passive basses, and it features true bypass switching. It can also run on a 9V battery or 9V-12V PSU. A compressor will have 5 basic parameters that influence the way it behaves when running a signal through it: The Cali76 bass compressor is a high-end pedal inspired by the Urei 1176 designed by Bill Putnam. The Cali isn’t the first to attempt this feat, but it does the best job of recreating the iconic experience in a stompbox format. A compressor should usually be among the first pedals in your signal chain, but it can also be placed further down the signal path when employed to smooth out the differences in volume created by effects that alter your dynamic range, like with auto-wah or synth pedals.

It doesn’t have the warmth of the Compressore, the magic color of Diamond BCP-1, the sexy/sleek appeal of the Super Symmetry, or the studio-grade appeal of the Empress and Cali76. But the MXR bass compressor unapologetically plants its flag in the middle ground. The pedal is truly tour-de-force in terms of construction and dynamic range. The control panel features four knobs – Input, Output, Dry, and Ratio. The ratio range is 4:1 to 20:1.Target Customer: The MXR M87 can be harder to properly set up for the uninitiated when compared to a 1 or 2-knob compressor, but the versatility it offers is unquestionable. Few other bass compressors on the market let you have as much control over your compression parameters. It is clean and dead quiet but equally capable of tone coloration. Yeah, it costs a pretty penny, but the compressor still offers an excellent cost-benefit ratio. The Compressore is famed for its refined tone. I would describe it as a reasonably transparent compressor with subtle tone coloration. The dimensions are identical to M87, features true bypass, and has a 9V DC power requirement. An LED indicates if the pedal is on/off but there is no visual metering. The last thing we want to mention is the footswitch. You can use it to toggle the bass compression on, or leave the pedal in bypass mode. If you leave it in bypass mode your original sound will remain untouched and intact – just how you would want it. MXR M87 BASS COMPRESSORREVIEW