ShortScale.org

I'm tempted to call bullshit on this:

Compressors based on optical circuits can sound very good but the latest EU regulations have outlawed the use of Cadmium Sulphide so light dependent resistors (LDRs) are now banned and so are compressors which use them.

But, beneath the stench, I can catch the faint whiff of credibility.

I wonder, what does this mean for the Diamond Compressor and friends?

People have been using non-CdS LDRs for years - the OC81 transistor was a favourite until they started putting them in metal cans. What it would mean, if CdS is to be banned, is that you'd lose the mojo due to differences in characteristics - people would say "it doesn't sound like the old CdS LDR based circuit".

It didn't take much digging to reveal that the Diamond Compressor uses a Vactrol CdS opto-isolator, so they will definitely be hit by this. Anyone know of other pedals that use Vactrols?

without any bizarre “pumping” effects

Ugh.

It's not bizarre. It's what happens when you use a lot of compression. What they're saying is the pedal has a limited amount of compression.

Is this like when Japan banned certain circuits from being imported and all the vintage analog synth fans in Japan protested. They actually got their government to make an exception for Music Gear.

jcyphe wrote:Is this like when Japan banned certain circuits from being imported and all the vintage analog synth fans in Japan protested. They actually got their government to make an exception for Music Gear.

Exactly. Music gear is innocuous enough that any reasonable group can get an exception; like when all the new airline regulations came in after 9/11. The Musician's Union got an exception to allow instruments as carry-ons.

Compressors are stupid anyway. This is natures way of eliminating them.

Is it because compressors are the most boring pedals in the world? At least tuners have loads of pretty lights.

EDIT: Ooh, jinx.

Exactly. And they don't have much use on a pedalbaord. In recording, sure, I use a fw different digital compression programs, but jesus fuck, never on guitar!

aen wrote:Compressors are stupid anyway. This is natures way of eliminating them.

+1 compressors make guitars sound like squished ass.

the isaac eaton wrote:

aen wrote:Compressors are stupid anyway. This is natures way of eliminating them.

+1 compressors make guitars sound like squished ass.

I was thinking about getting a cheap compressor. Not anymore..

Kompressor does not dance!

http://nodance.ytmnd.com/

Mityushikha wrote:

the isaac eaton wrote:

aen wrote:Compressors are stupid anyway. This is natures way of eliminating them.

+1 compressors make guitars sound like squished ass.

I was thinking about getting a cheap compressor. Not anymore..

exactly! why try one for yourself when you can just take somebody's opinion as biblical?

compression has its place, even in a live rig.

dots wrote:exactly! why try one for yourself when you can just take somebody's opinion as biblical?

compression has its place, even in a live rig.

I have watched some demos, it doesn't seem all that useful for me but anything described as squished ass can't be that great...

this effects a lot more than compressors.

You know how many different pedals use LDRs?

Any pedal with any kind of modulation- whether envelope, triggered, sequenced, whatever can have LDRs. Some wahs and volume pedals (Morley, DOD) use LDRs.


Somehow I think it probably doesn't matter though, because how's the gov't gonna know if you've got some illegal tech?

Mityushikha wrote:

dots wrote:exactly! why try one for yourself when you can just take somebody's opinion as biblical?

compression has its place, even in a live rig.

I have watched some demos, it doesn't seem all that useful for me but anything described as squished ass can't be that great...

i'm a firm believer in getting out what you put in. trying a cheap ass compressor as you said probably wouldn't have done anything special, and you'd likely on fulfill the prophecy of squished ass. i'm pretty minimalist when it comes to fx, but you'll rarely find me dismissing any type of them simply because i can't make it sound good.

dots wrote:

Mityushikha wrote:

dots wrote:exactly! why try one for yourself when you can just take somebody's opinion as biblical?

compression has its place, even in a live rig.

I have watched some demos, it doesn't seem all that useful for me but anything described as squished ass can't be that great...

i'm a firm believer in getting out what you put in. trying a cheap ass compressor as you said probably wouldn't have done anything special, and you'd likely on fulfill the prophecy of squished ass. i'm pretty minimalist when it comes to fx, but you'll rarely find me dismissing any type of them simply because i can't make it sound good.

To be fair I said I wouldn't be getting one after others had dismissed them. Just as I won't be getting a flanger pedal in the forseeable future because they don't make a sound that I think I'll use. The guitarist in my old band used a compressor for solos and it worked great but I don't see myself using it for what I'm playing.

for reference the compressor had was the boss one, that one sounds like squished ass, in my opinion.

Dynacomps sound great.

Are there any ROHS compliant LDRs?

I use LDRs from ebay for my Trem, they work great. 1M dark, 2k light, I just bought another 20 to see me through.