Fairfield is working on something new!!!

[retinal orbita]

I use a comp for... We'll I can't describe it really but it adds a bit of warmth, a little boost, makes everything sparkle kind of. I would hate to be without mine for a minute. Plus it's my harsh noise secret....

[goroth]

The Accountant?

Maybe this whole pedal is an in joke?

[Doctor X]

a compressor is an automatic volume control, generally you set the threshold as the volume/signal at which point the effect comes in, and the ratio which is how much you turn down / compress the signal.
so the lower ratio of 3:1 will be applying less squeeze to the signal, and the higher ratio like 12:1 will apply a more obvious and audible squeeze.
and then an overall volume control for the output.
(with rack gear and software etc there will be other parameters to play with like attack and hold and decay times, the shape of the compression 'knee' etc.)

its very hard to tell from a (low audio res) youtube vid how it compares to other compressors, but it seems to pack in a good range of options in a tiny package and i'm going to try one when it comes out and compare it to the diamond and rothwell ones.
they only have a single knob for 'compression' and a volume, so it will be interesting to see how their single adjustable knob compares to the fairfield 2 preset switch amounts.

i've only tried the fairfield drives so far and not a clean pedal like the randy, but they all have a good, sharp sound, so i'm hoping this comp has a really good sound too.

at the moment i have the compressor always on with guitar clean sounds, and i back off the effect to just on the edge of hearing it with strummed chords, not an obvious heavy compress. (i always have the diamond set at minimum)
it evens out the note levels and attack between strummed and picking chords, and single notes, and sounds thicker and more present.

[behndy]

i am.... HORRIBLE at guitar, so mebbe it's different on bass. but i use a Dingwall for the consistent tones/play response across strings. ao for me it seems weird to add something that evens out dynamics.

i'm not talking the poops about comps, i just have either never really noticed the difference, or been annoyed at the difference when using them.

but mebbe i'm a git about setting them right.

[Doctor X]

whats a dingwall?
over-compression is horrible when it makes the sound pump, but just a little bit working almost in the background makes my guitar sound better, although if i had more awesome amps and played things differently maybe that would sound better too.
i think that bass has different natural dynamics to guitar, and listening to your demos your sound is very present already and doesnt need anything more.
i dot know if you slap etc, that gives a big spike.
there is probably lots of 'natural' compression going on in amp / power amp circuits and speakers as well, plus the microphone/recorder/mp3 conversion/youtube/playback etc

[behndy]

naw. i mean, i hit things with my thumb and pluck with fingers, but i wouldna go so far as to say i can slap. Dingwalls are fanned fret basses. the different tensions lets the strings stay very even in response. good stuff.

yesh. for guitar it might be wildly different. lol. and i'm kinda sloppy so mebbe that's why i don't notice the difference.

[Doctor X]

i've got very light strings with gauges all over the place so when i strum them i guess that they are a bit flubby.
picking string to string the sound is pretty even, but mixing single notes with strums and its a vast volume range, with a pure clean sound anyway.

those fanned fretboards for bass and guitar look great and i have thought about trying one. it seems like a very sound theory for the intonation

[goroth]

naw. i mean, i hit things with my thumb and pluck with fingers, but i wouldna go so far as to say i can slap. Dingwalls are fanned fret basses. the different tensions lets the strings stay very even in response. good stuff.

yesh. for guitar it might be wildly different. lol. and i'm kinda sloppy so mebbe that's why i don't notice the difference.

I'd say you won't notice the difference if you are really even handed in your technique and your choice of strings.

[zRobertez]

I run compressors usually with all knobs maxed... BD

Oh yeah, and I totally ordered one. I havent had a compressor since over the summer, haven't even bought a pedal for several months. Twas a good day yesterday.

[behndy]

naw. i mean, i hit things with my thumb and pluck with fingers, but i wouldna go so far as to say i can slap. Dingwalls are fanned fret basses. the different tensions lets the strings stay very even in response. good stuff.

yesh. for guitar it might be wildly different. lol. and i'm kinda sloppy so mebbe that's why i don't notice the difference.

I'd say you won't notice the difference if you are really even handed in your technique and your choice of strings.

i guess.... there's the rub. i switch from (sloppy, barely counts as) slap to fingers to tapping FOR the different attacks and tones and volume levels comparatively they produce.

Compressors usually are used to smooth out the differences right? i.... i don't want that.

[Chankgeez]

.... i don't want that.

TWSS

[behndy]

hee! VIOLENT blumpers.

i so wanted the boob'd one but. but fear took hold.

[Chankgeez]

(It looks like they're galloping to whatever music I happen to be listening to at the time.)

Compressor?

I hardly know 'er.

[Chankgeez]

OK, syl (and whoever else may be interested), here're my first impressions:

I love it so far, but what do I know about compressors?

The only compressors I really have any experience with are off-brands from the Eighties. Besides The Accountant, right now I only have one other compressor and it's a cheapie. That said, I'm not really looking to use a compressor for "natural" sounding compression, subtlety or "light compression". I'm looking at it as an "effect". I doubt I'll ever use it clean. It'll be on before a fuzz or other gain device. So, that's where I'm coming from.

I'm looking to get more sustain out of a fuzz and such. For this application, I think The Accountant is an excellent choice. (I've only been messing with it since earlier this afternoon.) The toggles may be limiting (no pun intended) for people who use a compressor differently than I do, but for my purposes they work well. I think the input pad toggle will most likely stay at "2" (no db reduction). Likewise the compression ratio toggle will probably never see the "0" setting (3:1 ratio). The Accountant has more volume on tap and is brighter sounding than the oldie I was comparing it to. It'd be nice if it had a tone control, but coming in such a small package (TWSS), I understand why it's been omitted. Besides, the brightness seems to help my signal cut through and stand out a bit.

Not to say The Account isn't a versatile compressor, I just wouldn't really know. It seems like it's capable of lots of good stuff. I'll leave that for others for qualified than I to judge for themselves. I noticed that Cyrus is going to be reviewing it on his Ovnilab site. I'm interested in hearing what he thinks about it.

[sylnau]