true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

Hi,
I ordered the Marshall ED-1 compressor, because I read it has
"true-bypass". But after having tried it yet, I'm in doubt. :-/

I hear a difference between having it switched-off in the signal path
and having it removed completely from the chain. A little
"tone-sucking" appears having it switched-off in the effect-chain.

Isn't it true-bypass??? ... or are a 30 cm patchcable and 2 additional
jack-contacts hearable as decribed?

Maybe someone has that knowledge.

The statement in the owners manual is not clear IMHO:
"The Compressor features a passive bypass for the main signal path to
ensure complete tonal integrity and has a quality of tone matched only
by its versatility."

I like the ED-1 as compressor - don't get me wrong - but I think I will
return it, if it isn't true-bypass. Most of the time I have compression
OFF, so tonal degradation is not acceptable to me.

Thank you.

P.S. Are there any other analog compressors under 100 Euro with
true-bypass?

Re: true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

> I hear a difference between having it switched-off in the signal path
> and having it removed completely from the chain. A little
> "tone-sucking" appears having it switched-off in the effect-chain.
>
> Isn't it true-bypass??? ... or are a 30 cm patchcable and 2 additional
> jack-contacts hearable as decribed?

If you can hear the difference in those circumstances then likely it
isn't a true-bypass. Is that a good or a bad thing depends: True-
bypass is useful only when cable lengths are SMALL but in other cases
it may become a "tone sucker" as well and that is why buffering bypass
solutions may work better. In your case the other solution obviously
does more harm. There is a good site about true-bypass:
* w w w .stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bypass.htm which also
provides a wealth of other good information concerning bypassing
effects. For example, The information in last paragraph titled "a word
of warning" is something you hear from mouths of many effect
manufacturers as well.

Re: true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

On 25 Mar 2007 16:25:39 -0700
teemukyttala@gmail . com wrote:

> > I hear a difference between having it switched-off in the signal path
> > and having it removed completely from the chain. A little
> > "tone-sucking" appears having it switched-off in the effect-chain.
> >
> > Isn't it true-bypass??? ... or are a 30 cm patchcable and 2 additional
> > jack-contacts hearable as decribed?
> 
> If you can hear the difference in those circumstances then likely it
> isn't a true-bypass. Is that a good or a bad thing depends: True-
> bypass is useful only when cable lengths are SMALL but in other cases
> it may become a "tone sucker" as well and that is why buffering bypass
> solutions may work better. In your case the other solution obviously
> does more harm. There is a good site about true-bypass:
> * w w w .stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bypass.htm which also
> provides a wealth of other good information concerning bypassing
> effects. For example, The information in last paragraph titled "a word
> of warning" is something you hear from mouths of many effect
> manufacturers as well.
> 

Thanks for that excellent article by Andreas Möller! I remembered
having seen his circuit diagrams in the past, but without his very good
explanations.

I opened the ED-1 to measure, whether the switch physically disconnects
the input from the circuit. But Marshall glued a piece of plexi over the
board, so I could not locate the circuit-input. - So what, ears are
very good "multimeters" also and I'm 99% sure, the ED-1 uses only
"half-assed-bypass" as the most industrial pedals.

My german dealer advertised it with another example of unclear
terminology:

"Of course the ED has also the Marshall-typical true-bypass" =:-)
("Natürlich hat der ED auch den Marshall-typischen true-bypass)

Having it switched-off in the signal-path only lengthens my cable path
around 30 cm, so the cable impedance should be neglectable (having the
paragraph "And finally - a word of warning" in mind).

I decided to try a looper/switcher
(I found here * w w w .tone-toys.de/de/The Black-Switch.html) to
bypass my compressor when needed. Then all I have is a strat, the bad
monkey, the blues-junior and a true-bypassed compressor in my chain.

Re: true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

oz <oz@bluemonk.de> schrieb:

>Hi,
>I ordered the Marshall ED-1 compressor, because I read it has
>"true-bypass". But after having tried it yet, I'm in doubt. :-/
>
>I hear a difference between having it switched-off in the signal path
>and having it removed completely from the chain. A little
>"tone-sucking" appears having it switched-off in the effect-chain.
>
>Isn't it true-bypass??? ... or are a 30 cm patchcable and 2 additional
>jack-contacts hearable as decribed?
>
>Maybe someone has that knowledge.
>
>The statement in the owners manual is not clear IMHO:
>"The Compressor features a passive bypass for the main signal path to
>ensure complete tonal integrity and has a quality of tone matched only
>by its versatility."
>
>I like the ED-1 as compressor - don't get me wrong - but I think I will
>return it, if it isn't true-bypass. Most of the time I have compression
>OFF, so tonal degradation is not acceptable to me.
>
>Thank you.
>
>P.S. Are there any other analog compressors under 100 Euro with
>true-bypass?

I don't know the ED-1 but the old BluesBreaker and DriveMaster in
black housing from Marshall are using the cheap bypass methode, wich
lefts the input cap in the signal chain.

Try a MXR SuperComp. Don't know if it's true byepass, I didn't open it
yet.

greets
Jürgen
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Re: true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:55:07 +0200
Juergen Klein <see_text@technik-klein.de> wrote:

> >P.S. Are there any other analog compressors under 100 Euro with
> >true-bypass?
>
> I don't know the ED-1 but the old BluesBreaker and DriveMaster in
> black housing from Marshall are using the cheap bypass methode, wich
> lefts the input cap in the signal chain.
>
> Try a MXR SuperComp. Don't know if it's true byepass, I didn't open it
> yet.

The MXR SuperComp seems to be a good value, thank you. I already own an
old MXR/Jim Dunlop dyna comp, which does all, I expect from just two
knobs. But I like to have influence on the "attack", so I searched
for something else. Mm, the supercomp has this option, but I expect it
to have the similar dark|warm|not-very-neutral character as the
dynacomp, isn't it?

Re: true-bypass issues / Marshall ED-1 compressor

oz <oz@bluemonk.de> schrieb:

>On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:55:07 +0200
>Juergen Klein <see_text@technik-klein.de> wrote:
>
>> >P.S. Are there any other analog compressors under 100 Euro with
>> >true-bypass?
>>
>> I don't know the ED-1 but the old BluesBreaker and DriveMaster in
>> black housing from Marshall are using the cheap bypass methode, wich
>> lefts the input cap in the signal chain.
>>
>> Try a MXR SuperComp. Don't know if it's true byepass, I didn't open it
>> yet.
>
>The MXR SuperComp seems to be a good value, thank you. I already own an
>old MXR/Jim Dunlop dyna comp, which does all, I expect from just two
>knobs. But I like to have influence on the "attack", so I searched
>for something else. Mm, the supercomp has this option, but I expect it
>to have the similar dark|warm|not-very-neutral character as the
>dynacomp, isn't it?
>

I don't know the Dynacomp but the Supercomp has only a little
influence of the sound (not yet neutral). It sucks some hights too but
this is only with clean sounds audible. I only use the Dynacomp to get
more (endless) sustain in solos with high gain sounds (modded big
muff).

I'm waiting for my ordered EHX Black-Finger. This compressor works
with optical compression and should work better with clean sounds. But
the new price is over 100 EUR.

There are not mutch good compressors under 100 EUR. The Boss and Arion
Compressors are not worth the money. Maby a DynaComp with
MonteAlums-Mod will do the job for you but didn't have a attack
controll.
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