Compressor Pedal Too Much With VH4?

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Empire Prod

Empire Prod

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I am thinking about picking up a Keeley, Rothwell, Dynacomp etc for clean tones, pedal steel etc, and it got me thinking about what channel 3 of the VH4 would sound like with a compressor pedal. The VH4 is a pretty compressed amp as it is. Has anyone tried it out with some front end compression? If so, how did the Diezel interact with it?
 
I had a Keeley. I did not see any use for it with the VH4 at all. Great for other amps though!
 
Vh4s are very compressed, IMO the channel wont benefit form a compressor, you'll probably just cloud your tone and ensure zero dynamic.

maybe for only cleans?

the keeley is great however, best snappy twangy noticeable type compressor Ive used.

if you want a "cant tell when its on miss it when its gone" get an optical compressor like the diamond which rocks.
 
From my experience, the LAST thing that channels 3 and 4 need is more compression.
The cleans might benefit some, but channels 3 and 4 are nearing too much compression as is.
 
picked one up at NAMM: +1 on the recommendation - takes crappy little bolt-on guitars and their LACK of sustain, and let's 'em ring for DAYS. :rock: :thumbsup:
 
This is a joke right? Why on EARTH would you want to add a compression pedal to a VH-4? Yikes...
 
Mizati20":3o2rttw9 said:
This is a joke right? Why on EARTH would you want to add a compression pedal to a VH-4? Yikes...
Click to expand...

I don't. Sometimes things that intuitively seem wrong, can be really cool. I like to experiment. Just wondering how the gain channels interacted with compression.
 
I am not a fan of MXR or Boss compressors (too much squeeze, and not enough breathe), but I did like the Marshall Edward compressor.
I use an EH Black Finger which has two tubes and can to the opto thing as well as the newer version of compression. It sounded great on the first two channels of my VH4, Herbert ch one, Einstein ch one, modes 1 and 2, and now Schmidt, ch one.

However, I have it set very low with only a 2.15 compression ratio and unity gain when turned on and turned off. It sounds similar to the original DBX Over Easy compressors of the late 1970's. Very smooth and transparent.

It can do ch 3 of the VH4, if it is set with a low compression ratio and used with a slight boost in volume from the compressor to smooth out the saturation a bit, if desired. I would not use it on ch 3 if I had the gain up above 12 noon.

However, how many of you who own a VH4, use the global volume to add saturation from your power tubes, which is one of the best things I liked about the VH4, and now the Schmidt? The gain is different, and when combined with a touch of preamp gain, adds a great, more open sound to the amp. Most of the compression I have noticed from my VH4 came from the preamp section. Turning down the preamp gain and using more of the power tube gain opened up the voice of the VH4 for me.

I hear a lot of people mentioning the compression factor, but I never had this problem until I got to ch 4, which I very seldom used, unless I wanted to get the audience's attention.
 
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