@SidHenderson I had the Diamond, and while good, it didn't have a mix knob. If you're looking for something transparent, the mix knob makes a huge difference! I've sold the Diamond, and am planning on picking up the Empress soon.
It's almost complete. So you can say: all I ever need from a pedal board I can get it from Empress Effects. :) Great job! I wonder what will come next... Maybe an amp project ? Well most probably not, but still I'm very interested how you see the future
I just bought this today after spending about 2.5 hours demoing and A/Bing different compressors at Prymaxe in Union, NJ (their patience and cooperation was incredible). I was looking for transparent compression for my acoustic and a nice squashed sound for my electric. I demo'd with an acoustic. To me, this and the JHS were the most transparent. (comments on the others won't fit - lemme know if you want) But I felt that I was losing some low end with the JHS. Empress wins!
this makes me glad i waited to buy a compression pedal! i wish i could buy direct from you guys as i live in ottawa. when will these hit stores like spaceman and long and mcquade?
Im pretty sure the difference is simply that an EQ pedal would boost or weaken the strength/volume of specific frequencies, whereas compression evens out the overall signal. To my understanding, if you were to use an EQ and compressor in conjunction you could say boost the treble level/freq of you signal but the notes themselves to retain equal volume across the spectrum of low to high.
@markkasson Hey markkasson, did you have the chance to demo them against the Wampler Ego Compressor? Sounds like a pretty incredible unit too. But I have to admit this Empress impresses me!
So just to be sure I understand exactly how the Empress sidechain feature works, it would be greatly appreciated if you could confirm that my understanding of the following is accurate: The empress sidechain uses a TRS (T=Send R=Return S=Ground) "connection port". Am I correct in assuming that this means that the empress is going to send the dry bass/guitar signal to an external input/output equipped EQ device AND receive the EQed bass signal back from the external EQ through the same "connection port"? If so, does this mean that one can use a 1/4" stereo jack to 2 x non TRS mono jacks 1/4" (left jack and right jack) wire to perform all the necessary connections between the Empress side chain "connection port" and the EQ? The 1/4" stereo jack end would go in the empress side chain "connection port" and the other 2 x 1/4" mono jacks (non TRS) would go in the input/output of the external EQ device, correct? If all that is still correct, could you specify to what signal (Send / Return) would the left and right jacks of my wire correspond to respectively? (I guess I could deduce that specific info if you don't have it) Thanks for your time :) Cheers!
I like how it has an LED so you can see what the compressor is doing to your signal. On most compressor pedals you're just turning dials and you don't what the hell it's doing to your sound.
@@8Junio76 Little green men from outer space took me away in a UFO and told me with compressors, it's hard to hear difference between non-compression and light-compression so the visual cue helps. I swear that's what they said.
Eq changes the volume of a selected group of frequencies typically low, middle , high. A compressor brings the quiet volumes louder and makes the louder volumes the same as the quieter after compression, bringing them to the same volume The less compression the less close the louder and quieter will sound, the more compression the closer the louder and quieter become to one middle volume
I have a hard time hearing much of a difference between the settings. Perhaps live messing with it Id get a better sense but I’m just not hearing what the pedal is doing.
I'll never understand a "mix" knob on a compressor. Overkill, imhwo. I understand the idea, but the same thing is accomplished w/input control, as stated in the beginning of the video. Turning it clockwise adds more compression; counterclockwise for less compression....which means more of your *uneffected* (dry) input signal is passed through the circuitry when the input knob is turned counterclockwise. Not for me.
That's not at all how the input knob works. If there's no mix function (or you use this with the mix fully CW) then your dry signal passes through the compressor anyway, it just doesn't get compressed - the advantage of the mix knob (and why I'll never recommend a compressor without one) is that keeping some of the dry signal in retains a little of your playing dynamics and attack, but adding the compressed signal thickens it out and adds sustain.
The mix knob allows for "parallel compression" which is a pretty popular style of compression, search youtube for videos on the topic. I can't comprehend how having a mix knob is a negative, I think you didn't fully understand how compression works?
Awesome - You guys just raised the bar for stompbox compressors!
I've just bought one. Yes, I´m very happy!!!
@SidHenderson I had the Diamond, and while good, it didn't have a mix knob. If you're looking for something transparent, the mix knob makes a huge difference! I've sold the Diamond, and am planning on picking up the Empress soon.
It's almost complete. So you can say: all I ever need from a pedal board I can get it from Empress Effects. :) Great job! I wonder what will come next... Maybe an amp project ? Well most probably not, but still I'm very interested how you see the future
I just bought this today after spending about 2.5 hours demoing and A/Bing different compressors at Prymaxe in Union, NJ (their patience and cooperation was incredible). I was looking for transparent compression for my acoustic and a nice squashed sound for my electric. I demo'd with an acoustic. To me, this and the JHS were the most transparent. (comments on the others won't fit - lemme know if you want) But I felt that I was losing some low end with the JHS. Empress wins!
nice, it's like a real compressor! finally, someone puts a meter, attack, release, and mix in a pedal. if I was to buy a stompcomp, this would be it!
this makes me glad i waited to buy a compression pedal! i wish i could buy direct from you guys as i live in ottawa. when will these hit stores like spaceman and long and mcquade?
Im pretty sure the difference is simply that an EQ pedal would boost or weaken the strength/volume of specific frequencies, whereas compression evens out the overall signal. To my understanding, if you were to use an EQ and compressor in conjunction you could say boost the treble level/freq of you signal but the notes themselves to retain equal volume across the spectrum of low to high.
@Sensates85 ..meant 3 libras__ great demo here btw!
You think i didn’t recognize ‘3 libras’ of A Perfect Circle playing at the beginning?
@markkasson Hey markkasson, did you have the chance to demo them against the Wampler Ego Compressor? Sounds like a pretty incredible unit too. But I have to admit this Empress impresses me!
0:23 - I recognise 3 Libras by A Perfect Circle.
So just to be sure I understand exactly how the Empress sidechain feature works, it would be greatly appreciated if you could confirm that my understanding of the following is accurate:
The empress sidechain uses a TRS (T=Send R=Return S=Ground) "connection port". Am I correct in assuming that this means that the empress is going to send the dry bass/guitar signal to an external input/output equipped EQ device AND receive the EQed bass signal back from the external EQ through the same "connection port"?
If so, does this mean that one can use a 1/4" stereo jack to 2 x non TRS mono jacks 1/4" (left jack and right jack) wire to perform all the necessary connections between the Empress side chain "connection port" and the EQ? The 1/4" stereo jack end would go in the empress side chain "connection port" and the other 2 x 1/4" mono jacks (non TRS) would go in the input/output of the external EQ device, correct?
If all that is still correct, could you specify to what signal (Send / Return) would the left and right jacks of my wire correspond to respectively? (I guess I could deduce that specific info if you don't have it)
Thanks for your time :) Cheers!
groovegcs Yes that`s how the side chain works mate.
WOOHOO REAL COMPRESSOR CONTROLS!!!
I like how it has an LED so you can see what the compressor is doing to your signal. On most compressor pedals you're just turning dials and you don't what the hell it's doing to your sound.
Use your ears not your eyes.
@@8Junio76 Little green men from outer space took me away in a UFO and told me with compressors, it's hard to hear difference between non-compression and light-compression so the visual cue helps. I swear that's what they said.
@8spider8 havent heard that in a while..
Eq changes the volume of a selected group of frequencies typically low, middle , high. A compressor brings the quiet volumes louder and makes the louder volumes the same as the quieter after compression, bringing them to the same volume The less compression the less close the louder and quieter will sound, the more compression the closer the louder and quieter become to one middle volume
I have a hard time hearing much of a difference between the settings. Perhaps live messing with it Id get a better sense but I’m just not hearing what the pedal is doing.
You don't , you don't, you don't SEE ME
3 Libras :D
LOL
for release showcase you would be better off with some funky rythm
Red text too hard to read.
Empress couldn't make a crap pedal if they tried.
I'll never understand a "mix" knob on a compressor. Overkill, imhwo. I understand the idea, but the same thing is accomplished w/input control, as stated in the beginning of the video. Turning it clockwise adds more compression; counterclockwise for less compression....which means more of your *uneffected* (dry) input signal is passed through the circuitry when the input knob is turned counterclockwise. Not for me.
That's not at all how the input knob works. If there's no mix function (or you use this with the mix fully CW) then your dry signal passes through the compressor anyway, it just doesn't get compressed - the advantage of the mix knob (and why I'll never recommend a compressor without one) is that keeping some of the dry signal in retains a little of your playing dynamics and attack, but adding the compressed signal thickens it out and adds sustain.
The mix knob allows for "parallel compression" which is a pretty popular style of compression, search youtube for videos on the topic. I can't comprehend how having a mix knob is a negative, I think you didn't fully understand how compression works?