i am thinking about, buying a hardware compressor for bass-guitar.

does anybody have a special alternative in software?

i'm after a punchy attack (james jamerson, but without stringdamping)

cheers:
www.myspace.com/tombalcony

that is the 1176 w/o any doubt ...

what do you think of this one?
http://www.thomann.de/at/fmr_audio_rnc_1773.htm

www.myspace.com/tombalcony

Definitely cheaper than the 1176! A friend is using it on acoustic guitars and voice and he makes it sound good.

I've never used a real LA-3A but the UAD plugin version is my favorite for bass. Extremely easy to set and always sounds good.

I think the SSL channel comps on slow attack are very punchy for bass guitar.

That's the only application where the RNC doesn't sound "good". Bass waveforms are detected as several very fast peaks, which leads to unnatural distortion-like behaviour...

My choice would be an old dbx 160 or even 163X.

Uad dbx is very nice. So is the la3a. the Abbey road Tg1 can get you a unique colour. For a cleaner sound try Fabfilters Pro-C

My favorit hardware comp for bass is the chandler germanium comp. For cheap the fmr rnla can be usefull.

Pedals can also be good. I have a Mad Professor FGC, which is works good with both guitar and bass.

In my opinion, every feedback type compressor does the trick.

I tend to often use a LA-typish compressor or mostly IKM's OPTO comp.

If pedal EBS Multicomp:
http://www.bass.se/2009/multicomp.htm

Their pedals are really high quality - well, everything they do.

thank you all for the good hints!

cheers:
www.myspace.com/tombalcony

Well, I'm soundengineer and bassist.
Used the 1176 (hardware) quite often for bass, back in the day ...
As most comps with very fast attack times settings, it can also distort
on bass sounds (which can be a nice effect).
Also liked the various valley people, we had.
DBXs also do a good job.

Today, I really love the DC8C (software) on bass ( and many other sources )!
Can stay clean even on difficult signals, with fast attack settings.
Can work as feedback and feed forward ( and anything in between ).
Can add some dirt with it's saturation modes.
Has sidechain filters and even a a sidechain tilt filter !
( I'd recommend to reduce the gain reduction smoothing, for dynamically played bass.)

At 20,- EUR intro offer, it's a gift.


And sure enough, COMPassion is a great, very versatile Bass comp.
Also has a convincing fet (= 1176) mode.


Jan

Gates Sta-Level

You also have to know how you are approaching the compression.

I like to think of 2 basic styles of approaching track compression like for bass guitar -

You can either use a low ratio, like 2:1 or 3:1, and dig in deep, with a slow attack, basically compressing the whole signal. You have to be more careful with your attack and release settings with the lower threshold.

Or you can use a higher ratio and faster attack and release, almost like a limiter, only affecting the peaks (and maybe a little bit on the sustain) of the signal. And you will use a higher threshold so the lower parts are unaffected.

I typically go for the 2nd way, using higher ration, fast attack and fast release, and compressing on the peaks between 3-6db. Sometimes even more, the bass can be pretty dynamic when going DI so I often will do up to 10db of compression on the track, using the SSL channel comp.

Density MKII
Klanghelm DC8C