EBS MultiComp

Very easy to use, great solid controls. Just as an update for everyone i live in Australia and bought one of these of ebay new for 215aus, i just had it delivered today which was great but the pedal in the box was not the pedal printed on the box!!!

:) this is because they have finally updated this pedal!!! it now has a push button on the output side for the active/passive function instead of that really trick switch they used to have, and also they have changed the circuit so its TRUE BYPASS!!! apart from that i think its pretty much the same, but these 2 updates just make this great pedal PERFECT

This pedal is excellent, i tried one a while back and wasnt very happy with it sound wise, but now that i bought one and use with my own gear at home ive found that it really is noiseless... i do have some static and hiss but that only because i have atleast 10 electrical items running off the same outlet... but i have noticed that i get a little bit of distortion and crackling if i turn the comp dial all the way up (so 5:1 comp), but if u roll it back a few millimeters it stops? go figure...

Out of all the modes Normal is the most transparent, MB does seem to comp the lows a fair bit so ill have to adjust the threshold later, and i have noticed that Tube sim mode REALLY fattens the bass up, it adds more trebleness and mids harmonics as well as some lows compared to the normal mode. (i use a stingray5). Each mode for me is desirable but i find that the tubesim mode can be hard to use if you want a really smooth mellowly bass sound (so less highs and mids, and silky lows) but id expect is good for a live situation as it makes your tone more aggressive.

Overall the signal is not deteriorated and the bypass tone is natural as the new updated pedals are TRUE BYPASS.

Its very solid and it looks as tho i could through it off a bridge and it would still work, the gain dial is harder to turn than the comp dial so ill assume itll loosen up a little in the future, but they are still very solid and tight.

haven't had to deal with them, and i hope i wont as i bought this off a US ebay store and i live in the sun blessed country...

I tend to play everything, and have been playing for about 5-6 years, i dunno if i would buy it again if it were stolen because im a uni student on a tight budget... but i hope i continue to own it in the future.

Ive tried a few comps and id say this is my favourite, the looks just get me... and the sound quality is amazing.

The main reason i bought this apart from just pure want... is that i also play on stage at church in a fairly large auditorium where i really need the bass to be tight and focused, which is hard to get without a comp and having to constantly eq for every song... also on my stingray the G and D strings arent that powerful live (its not a pickup high issue.....) but from what ive heard so far they have improved quite a lot. Also this comp and get you some great funk comp sounds, and you can get that marcus miller comp sound as well.

Im not to sure how the finger style sound is because i spent the first 2 hours slapping haha, but ill find out over the weekend when i play.

Couldn't be any easier, two knobs and a 3 position mode switch. There's also some treshold adjustment inside the box, never felt any need to touch it.

Outstanding! Impossible to get a bad sound out of it. Compared to most compressors, this unit is subtle, no ugly clipping from this one.

I can't really tell that much difference between the three modes though, but they all sound good. Tube and dual mode are what I use.

In a band situation this unit is a gem.

So far so good. It seems sturdy enough.

Easy to use providing it is what you needed, you could spend hours if you thought you were buying an effects unit and not a compressor. threshold pots inside not easy to adjust and trial. would have prefered a fixed ratio and had the threshold pot on top.

Quiet unless you have the gain adjustment above 9-10 o???clock best set this on your amp if poss. Can produce a lot of hiss, but no hum or interference what so ever other than this

Well made I am not concerned

Build quality, well it???s a chunk of metal with a foot switch, should withstand a train wreck

No opinion they seem well supported

Sound
Its a compressor not an effect do not make that mistake with this product, it has no benefit as an effect unit, If you want a real squashed sound for funk that is audible and usable then go for the new Boss Limiter it is half the price and does a better job for that sound.
This does a good but very subtle job of evening out your string volumes.

Value
Very expensive product for watching over your output level, a good bass and amp and a good technique is as effective. Do not buy this without a trial.

Dual band is better than tube for general playing, tube for ballads is nice. Battery changing would be bad news but I have power supply.
The internal threshold pots are not well explained in the manual. I feel that they should do the reverse of that stated. Threshold (the level at which you start compressing) I feel they should be reduced anti clock wise to bring the compression in at a lower level. So if factory set at zero db and you are playing below this level you would move the pot down to meet your level. They state that these are set at 50 percent half way and the two extremes are off and plus 6db. But they have opted for wiring this for the non technical person who is use to every knob in the world delivering more of something when you turn it clock wise. Is it me!
Remember compressors can work against your expression as a player. Do you need one.

Manual is simple, with suggested settings for desired compression. The pedal is so simple to use though. You don't really need the manual, just fool around with the knobs for a minute and you'll understand the settings.

I have an Ibanez BTB-6 and Warwick Thumb 5 whose output is very hot and whose string-to- string dynamics with a finger style are often unpredictable. This pedal tames it beautifully, without discoloring that signature Warwick punch(now getting that Ryan Martinie sound). I was considering selling the Warwick until I starting using this pedal with this bass. Also, brings up the volume on that high C on a 6 string. Makes tapping and slapping an absolute pleasure. Currently using an Avalon U5, BBE Sonic Maximizer, EBS Multicomp, Carvin B1500 head, Carvin BRX 10.4Neo, BRX10.2Neo. Great Class A tones coming from this rig. The Multicomp complements it perfectly. No pops or clicks when switched on/off. Have not experienced any noticeable hiss.

Seems very rugged; die cast box with deep threaded holes for back screws. Pots and switches feel like high quality. Again, battery change will require screwdriver. Back plate fits VERY snug.
We'll see about long-term reliability . . .

Never called the company. no experiences with customer support yet.
Have owned this product for 3 months.

I play rock/metal and have a fairly heavy finger style most of the time. Definitely will help you lighten up your finger style. I don't like to run the compression setting at full, as it begins to become too squashed. Run it @ about 3/4. Harmonics bloom and ring clearer/longer. Would definitely replace if lost/stolen.

Makes me wonder why they even put an on/off switch on this model. Who would ever want to turn it off!?

Overall, I'm very pleased with this purchase and regret that I haven't purchased sooner. Probably the closest thing to the LA-2A without tubes and the $1500 pricetag. Would like to try the Summit Audio comp to compare, but is 3 times the price. Bought this product because of reviews written here on this site.

Thanks to everyone for their reviews; helped me make a great purchase decision.

I purchased this pedal with the intention of getting my Fender '62 American Vintage P-Bass under control. The lows were waay to loud and boomy and the high were weak and would get lost in the mix when the whole band would start playing. I tried everything and had the guitar professionally set-up and nothing seemed to work......until I got my hands on this little pedal. Just some tweaking of the two dials....and my bass was pumping....no matter where I was playing on the neck!

Awesome! Very transparent compression pedal!

Very solid pedal....has some weight to it.

Never dealt with customer support, so no comment here.

Like I mentioned earlier, I was having problems with my '62 P-bass. I know it wasn't my rig (Ampeg SVTCL and 8x10 cab) because when I would use my other basses, I didn't have the problem of such an "uneven" bass. I just love the tone of the '62 P-bass that I wasn't ready to give up on it. This pedal has proven to be just the right thing I needed. I don't know much about compressors, but after doing some research, I figured that was what I needed......something to bring the lows under control and boost the highs at the same time......COMPRESSION! I read other reviews and found this pedal to be one of the best out there. What the selling point for me was the fact that it has only two knobs and a switch to choose which type of compression you want (Tube Sim, Multi, and Normal). I use it on "Multi" where both the highs and lows are being compressed separately. Yeah, it's a little pricey, but I've always been an advocate of "you get what you pay for". Since using this pedal my band mates have described my tone as "smooth".....which is my exact conclusion of this pedal. SMOOOTH.

This pedal is very easy to use, it's a stop box style device with two knobs and 2 swiches. The manual that comes with the unit is very easy to read and it will tell you everything you need to know about using the compressor. The compressor comes with a battery which is a nice thing to include. Battery life seems to be quite good but I'm going to buy an adapter in the future. Changing the battery could be easier because on this unit you have to remove 4 phillips screws and the very tight fitting back cover to get to the battery. The enclosure is very well made and seems to be very tough diecast metal, I just wish it had a battery door.

I bought this unit because I wanted to tighten up the dynamics on my bass rig. The amp itself sounds very good but when I play with different styles sometimes it's just a bit to dynamic. My rig consists of a SansAmp RBI preamp with a Crown Macrotech 1200 driving an Euphonic Audio NL210 cabinet.

The sound quality of this compressor is very good, it's been optimised for bass guitar use and the controls allow you to zero in on your sound very quickly. I'm using it in the effects loop of my SansAmp RBI preamp where it works quietly without any problems. The unit is a multiband compressor and what that means very simply is that it compresses the highs seperate from the lows and then recombinds the signal, this is very effecive because it allows you to use more compression and dynamics control without noticable artifacts like loss of attack or pumping/breathing. It haa 3 modes of opperation, tube emulation, normal and multiband, I use the multiband setting but the other modes are also very useable if you're after some different sounds. I like how the multiband mode allows a suprising amount of compression without drasticly altering the fundamental tone. It does exactly what a compressor is supposed to do.

Nicely built with good pots, jacks, and switches in a heavy duty housing I can see no areas that will cause me problems. I will gig with it and carry no backup.

I have not delt with EBS directly but I've heard that their support is good. They are a Swedish company but their manual was well written so any language barrier shouldn't be much of a problem.

We play a variety of styles in our band and this piece of equipment would be useable in just about any setting where dynamics control in a high quality simple and easy to use box is needed.

20 years of playing experience and I've had several compressors in my rig before, Alesis 3630, ART Levelar and a few other stomp boxes. This is the easiest to use and best sounding unit for bass guitar I've had so far. I've been using this compressor for about the last month or so with great results.

The way the controls are laid out you never really know exactly how much compression you're using, you just adjust it till it sounds right and go with it, nice. The LED on the front serves two functions, it tells you if it's on or off and it also changes in intensity to show when you're exceeding the threshold and hitting the compressor circuit.

This compressor is NOT inexpensive but it sounds very good so you get what you paid for in every way, overall a good value. I tend to keep using my equipment for a long time and so far I think it's going to be around for a while.

Plug it in and play around with it for a few hours till you find the sound you're after, couldn't be easier.

Easy, easy, easy. The small manual tells it all in understandable language. The difference in having this unit on and not having it is like day and night.

Your sound quality will improve at least 50%. No noise from this guy, just great sound.

It's built like a Swedish brick.

Dig the website; it's got info, mp3s, spec sheets and independent reviews of all their products.

I play blues, funk, country, rock and jazz. This one improves the sound on anything you play. Even bad notes sound better.

I really have very little to add to any of the other reviews. Very straightforward. The sensitivity switch between active and passive sources is crucial to the proper functioning of the pedal. I play both kinds of basses and if I forget to change the switch, it doesn't sound so awesome, then I remember and everything is groovy. The switch is somewhat inconvenient to get at, which is why I only give it an 8.

I have been playing a 69 Jazz bass for the last 30 years, and loving it. I recently acquired an Alembic Epic bass with the awesome Alembic pickups and active electronics. Though I love the sound of my Jazz bass, the first thing I noticed was how much punchier, with lower lows and higher highs, the Alembic sounded. It has an in your face presence that is very cool. The youngster who sold me the Alembic convinced my to try compression, something I have never used before. Some research, and in large part because of these reviews, I bought the multicomp. It is everything these reviews say it is. It articulates, and accentuates, and makes bigger, and more even, while still allowing the original sound of the instrument to bloom. I also have a couple of fretless Wishbass' with a very different tone from my fretted basses. They love the multicomp. Does it add a little hiss? Sure, but it's negligable. Does it add distortion? Nope, thats not what it is for. I hear a distinct, though subtle difference between the three modes. I like tube and multi the best. Heres why I am soooo HAPPY, the multicomp has given my 37 year old Jazz bass the equivalent of active electronics. (while maintaining it's original stock condition!) It still sounds like my Jazz bass, only new and improved. The Alembic benefits too, but the Jazz is reborn! I am playing all this through a vintage Traynor Bassmaster Mark II (YBA-1A) driving a 30 year old custom cab with a single 15" Electrovoice EVM-II lead speaker and an Ashdown Mag 210T, 2 - 10" with a tweeter cabinet. I put all this to good use in a boogie blues trio.

It is only a couple of weeks old, but based on the price, the outward appearance, and the country of origin, I have the highest of expectations.

I have only dealt with the local dealer when I made the purchase. EBS has a nice website though.........

It makes me a better player. I don't have to play as hard with this pedal so I can achieve a higher degree of finesse. And when I do play hard, oh baby...... My instruments sound so frickin good through my rig that I am inspired. It's the first time I have ever played with compression and I feel like a fool for having waited so long. With the multicomp in front of my Boss OC-3 Super Octave, the OC-3's tracking and overall performance go way up. I also sometimes use a Dunlop Bass Wah, it doesn't seem to mind the multicomp at all. I see myself never being without this pedal in the future. I'm afraid I have become multicomp dependent.

super easy

absolutely great in tubesim/multiband modes you can get two very distinct sounds. Never use normal. I can't imagine using my stingray/ampeg rig without it on

very reliable except battery wires

quite cool

If you find one used, go for it: you won't regret (especially if you have an active bass). A bit expensive new.

It has threshold, gain and 3-way switch. You get three modes tube, multiband, and normal.

I just wanted to put in a good word for this pedal as a guitar compressor. EBS makes bass gear so bet bet guitar players pass this over. Check it out. it is the best, i like it way more than the carl martin (too tweaky) or demeter compressors (warble on the decay) for guitar.<P> This may be a bit dependent on pickup output though. It worked with a vintage dou sonic (as much as i needed) but it didn't compress as much as with a p-90. There may be an input level adjustment inside that would correct this for low output pickups, im not sure.<P>It does not pump and breath and is completely transparent. No loss of bass (go figure) or trebble response.<P>i think this is the only multi-band compressor pedal out there. It sounds as good or better than a studio rack unit. It is like it's not even there untill you turn it off. Then you want it back on with a quickness. I leave it on at all times.

Looks pretty heavy duty. even by stomp box standards i would call it over built and that is a good thing, plus it is very small.

doubt you'd ever need them.

If you use compression as a "special effect" this might not do it for you, but it you use it to smooth out your playing, improve your note ballance and make you guitar stand up in the mix you can do no wrong with this thing. It's pretty pricey but i think it is allong the lines of keeley and carl martin in terms of price but blows them away for performance. plus you can use it for about any instrument.