Extensive compressor reviews and FAQ

 
All of the units reviewed here I tested with a variety of active and passive bass guitars, and some of them I also used for synth or line-level audio. I test each unit under normal use as well as "worst case scenario" usage. In other words I will do things such as feeding them extreme EQ settings, playing very sloppily, plucking heavily on the low strings, using both very low and very high input levels, quickly alternating between staccato and legato, long rests and busy playing.
 
My testing rig for these reviews includes Canare cables, a high-quality DI or preamp into an Ashly LX308B mixer, through a set of Beyerdynamic DT990 or DT770 headphones. The DI's/preamps I have used include the A-Designs REDDI, Countryman Type 85, Summit Audio TD-100, Phoenix Audio (UK) "Nice DI", Radial JDI, Phil Jones Bass Buddy, Ampeg SVP-CL, and Focusrite ISA-One.
 
It has been pointed out to me that the Beyerdynamic phones have a spike in frequency response around 20 KHz, so I have been hearing noise/hiss that many people will not hear through their speaker cabs. I consider that particular "inaccuracy" a good thing though, as it means that my descriptions of hiss will be relevant to recording engineers, and it also means that if I say a comp's noise is "moderate" or "not bad", that noise will probably not be noticeable at all under most real-world performance circumstances. Most of my reviews describe how noisy or quiet each compressor is, and I test and listen carefully for that aspect; but it's important to understand the causes of noise- different equipment, rooms, and wiring can cause a piece of gear to be noisy for one person and quiet for another. Please click here for more on that subject.
 
I typically spend at least three hours, over the course of a few days, working with each compressor. Some units are easy to understand and master within that short period of time, but some others require a lot more exploration, study, and studio time before I feel I have understood their secrets well enough to review. There are some of these units which I have worked with for over a month before reviewing, and many more which I reviewed in a shorter time but where I had to go back later and edit the review as I learned new things about each unit.

 
 
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