Markbass Compressore Tube Bass Compressor Review
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Pedal Info
Any bass player knows that a compressor is an essential part of his or her live or studio rig. Some bassists rely upon an amp's built-in compression while others use pedals or rack gear. Usually, there's a compromise in choosing between pedals or rack equipment. Pedals are relatively inexpensive and portable while rack units are generally more powerful. Combining the two options would be optimal, but is it possible? Just ask the Italian company Markbass, who not only offers studio quality in a pedal format with their Compressore, but also includes the warmth and tone of tubes with an onboard ECC81.
The true bypass Compressore includes adjustable controls for Gain, Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, and Volume. A blue LED indicates when the pedal is active and a yellow LED indicates when compression is engaged, increasing in brightness with the intensity of the compression. The pedal includes a single 1/4" input and 1/4" output. Due to the excessive power draw (due primarily to the onboard tube), external power is required (12VDC @700mA). Although popular with bassists, the Compressore can be used with guitars, drums, or any instrument that can benefit from its tube-based compression.
User Reviews
User reviews of the Markbass Compressore are nearly all positive with very few complaints. Users laud the unit's durability, sound quality, versatility, and responsiveness. Players with both high quality and inexpensive amplification note how much the Compressore improves their tone, the onboard tube receiving much of the credit. The onboard tube lets the pedal function essentially as a preamp, with many users reporting that the pedal helps warm up "sterile" sounding solid state amps.
User complaints are few. The power requirements are high, but given the tube-based preamp, that's hard to avoid. A few users lament the loss of value indicators on the knobs, but this is a minor complaint.
Summary
Name of Gear: Markbass Compressore Tube Bass Compressor
List Price: $319.99
Street Price: $199.99
Manufacturer Info: Markbass; markbass.it
Pros: Exceptional tone; highly versatile; wide range of controls
Cons: None significant
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