almondcity
Well-known member
That one is still my favorite. I don't crank it but just enough to notice when it's off
Compressors I built in 2021
- Thread starter almondcity
- Start date
Feral Feline
Well-known member
Just curious, but which one? TCPoint mentioned three different ones in the post you quoted, and I'm unfamiliar with the OTC-201...
I'm glad your thread came up again, to remind me I still haven't ordered the Orman PCB. Gotta get that before he stops offering it.
almondcity
Well-known member
The Meridian. I'm on guitar if not obvious. The Orman is good but finicky. His website said he was working on an update for it
almondcity
Well-known member
funny I never considered this one, probably due to the chip inside, but I may add it to my next order
almondcity
Well-known member
Coming back to this thread. The Creamery has taken over top duties again for now. I find I have to crank the Hi-Ex knob to get the high end where I want it, but the Meridian cuts a bit too much low end for me right now and that can't be fixed with the turn of a knob
I think in a band situation with a bassist the Meridian would still be the goat
I think in a band situation with a bassist the Meridian would still be the goat
Matopotato
Active member
I plan to get the Meridian kit from Das Musikding + i think 27k and C500k mod. It seems everyone says the bass build (PS-020?) is better for guitar than the actual guitar version. Any thoughts on what differs? Eould be nice if it didn't cut lows so much.
I will probably breadboard it first so I can try both. Or add 2 3PDT toggles swiches to flip between bass and guitar but that could get messy.
Anyone compare the stock B1M sustain with C500k + 27k?
Cheers
I will probably breadboard it first so I can try both. Or add 2 3PDT toggles swiches to flip between bass and guitar but that could get messy.
Anyone compare the stock B1M sustain with C500k + 27k?
Cheers
almondcity
Well-known member
It would be cool to compare the bass version. I did the c500k mod and my sustain knob lives at around 9 or 10 0 clock
Matopotato
Active member
But not much outside that interval?
almondcity
Well-known member
It gets too squashed for me at higher settings
Matopotato
Active member
What did you compare with, and what made you like General Tso more, if I may ask?
EDIT: I notice it is Opto type. I already built Zirconia that I like. Attempted Thumb Sucker, but my kit distorts too much, so now I am considering Pumpernickel and Meridian to try out.
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MichaelW
Well-known member
I haven't built the Tso's but just wanted to chime in and say not all Opto compressors are the same. The 3 I've built are all different.
Matopotato
Active member
Thanks. Good to know. I was trying with an OTA (LM13700) as well, but got stuck for now, so will try other designs. I like the Zirconia quite a bit, so might be more optos in the future. Which 3 did you build? Any favourite (and why)?
Dan0h
Well-known member
I don’t have much to compare with. Just the dyna comp. What I like about the General Tso is you can blend in the comp and it sounds very natural when you want it and squishy if you want it.
MichaelW
Well-known member
So far I've built the AionFX Oceanid (Cornish OC-1) mainly because I'd never drop the coin for a real Cornish pedal, and I wanted to check it out.
That was my first optical compressor I found that I liked it better than the VCA type compressors I was using before. (Keeley and Wampler Ego)
Then I built the Constrictor (Demeter Compulator) mainly because @szukalski built it.....
.....and it's generally touted as a very transparent compressor. I LOVE IT, very transparent but effective. Then I recently built the Delegate Boneyard Edition (EQD Warden) because it was a Boneyard edition with Chuck's circuit improvements.
They all sound a little different. The Delegate has the most tonal coloration I would say. My least favorite of the 3.
It's a toss up between the OC-1 and the Compulator which I like better. I really really like them both. The Cornish has more compression available on tap and can get squishier than the Constrictor but they both are pretty transparent. In general, I prefer a more subtle compression and tend to use a compressor in a way that it's "barely there" and you don't know it's on until you turn it off. I'm not after a super obviously compressed sound. I use a compressor mainly to even out the chords recording rhythm guitar parts, and also for adding sustain to overdrive without adding more gain. I also tend to play at low volumes whether its through my monitors or my amp. A compressor can give some of the natural compression that a cranked amp gives you but at lower volumes.
On deck I just got the boards for the "RoughCut" and "Oracle" from MadBeanPedals. The Roughcut is a modified Diamond Compressor (optical) and the "Oracle" is his version of the venerable Boss CS-3 (VCA). I have no idea if I'll like them or not but I'll find out
Matopotato
Active member
Thanks a lot for the detailed report and your thoughts! Will assimilate this for sure.
almondcity
Well-known member
I was thinking of getting the madbean CS-3 board too. I really like the PPCB Creamery but it does add quite a bit of hiss if you add a dirt pedal after it
