Keeley Compressor Inside the Axe-Fx

L

Lionheart

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So, maybe someone can help me out with this. A friend of mine has the Keeley 2 Knob Compressor and I've never been able to get the Axe-Fx to do exactly what the pedal does. I'm sure that this is user error on my part because the Axe-Fx should be able to pull this off.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Can you borrow your friends compressor and run it into the AFII to match it? I'm fairly certain these settings are in the ballpark for the 2-knob Keeley:

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 8.40.11 PM.png

but if you can just run the pedal in the AFII you'll be able to match its fixed attack, release and emphasis characteristics. After that it's just the sustain and level values in the block to mimic the two knobs.

Edit: That's Pedal Comp 1 type in that screen shot above.
 
barhrecords said:
Try the amp block output compressor in feedback mode.

A little goes a long way but I've been able to get tones very similar to my Keeley two knob with settings between 1-2 on the amp block output comp.
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That's strange, though. Because I, and most people, would run a compressor pedal before the amp. It gives the same vibe?
 
barhrecords said:
Try the amp block output compressor in feedback mode.

A little goes a long way but I've been able to get tones very similar to my Keeley two knob with settings between 1-2 on the amp block output comp.
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Since you own one: how close did I get with my settings? I was going off clips on the Keeley site.
 
iaresee said:
Can you borrow your friends compressor and run it into the AFII to match?
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I was unaware that the Axe-Fx could match a compressor pedal. Are you talking about using the Tone Match block?
 
Lionheart said:
I was unaware that the Axe-Fx could match a compressor pedal. Are you talking about using the Tone Match block?
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No. I'm talking about putting the controls on something pleasing on the outboard compressor block and then moving knobs on the compressor block until they sound the same. A/B'ing them to get to a sound you like. With only a handful of parameters on the compressor it's not overly painful to do it like this. You can ignore look ahead and just leave auto makeup gain to on.

Running pedals out in front of the Axe-Fx II works pretty well.
 
iaresee said:
No. I'm talking about putting the controls on something pleasing on the outboard compressor block and then moving knobs on the compressor block until they sound the same. A/B'ing them to get to a sound you like. With only a handful of parameters on the compressor it's not overly painful to do it like this. You can ignore look ahead and just leave auto makeup gain to on.

Running pedals out in front of the Axe-Fx II works pretty well.
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Yeah, we've already tried that. But, I will give your settings a go when my friend gets a chance to stop by the studio with his gear.
 
Lionheart said:
Yeah, we've already tried that. But, I will give your settings a go when my friend gets a chance to stop by the studio with his gear.
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Where did it get hard to line them up? Attack and release characteristics? Compression ratio? Emphasis?
 
iaresee said:
Where did it get hard to line them up? Attack and release characteristics? Compression ratio? Emphasis?
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I'll try and put it into words. I couldn't quite get that punchy thump from it that the Keeley had. It's like the Keeley is adding some EQ to it, but in a more vibey kind of way.
 
Lionheart said:
I'll try and put it into words. I couldn't quite get that punchy thump from it that the Keeley had. It's like the Keeley is adding some EQ to it, but in a more vibey kind of way.
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That's pretty good. I definitely think Pedal Comp 1 is the closer model. It pumps more than the Pedal Comp 2 model. Try rolling Emphasis up. It'll contribute more high frequency content to the signal during detection.

And, we can't rule out that the Keeley might be running a preamp/postamp circuit that's adding some EQ characteristics of its own. That'll be harder to match, but might be done by running a post-compressor drive block using something like the SDD Preamp model or the Micro Boost.
 
iaresee said:
That's pretty good. I definitely think Pedal Comp 1 is the closer model. It pumps more than the Pedal Comp 2 model. Try rolling Emphasis up. It'll contribute more high frequency content to the signal during detection.

And, we can't rule out that the Keeley might be running a preamp/postamp circuit that's adding some EQ characteristics of its own. That'll be harder to match, but might be done by running a post-compressor drive block using something like the SDD Preamp model or the Micro Boost.
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Cool. Thanks for the suggestions. I really liked the Keeley, so hopefully with your suggestions and some tweaking, I'll be able to pull it off and save some cash.

I've only owned one pedal compressor (the Diamond compressor). Most of my experience is with rack mount compressors.
 
I always thought that the Keeley compressor added (nice) color or maybe rather saturation to the sound, so I am not sure, it can be matched by a pure compressor.

The Keeley is a Ross clone just like Dynacomp and Analogman CompRossor. Although the three pedals sound very different, I guess it should be possible to find a Ross match in the Axe.
 
Lionheart said:
That's strange, though. Because I, and most people, would run a compressor pedal before the amp. It gives the same vibe?
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It's the squish of the attack, IMO, that makes the Keeley sound. The Keeley has a distinct note squish.

The output comp can give the same vibe.

@iaresee I won't have a chance to A/B with my pedal in the near future. Most of my pedals are in storage.

@Tremonti I think the compressors in the Fractal are exceptional.

The fast RMS mode and lookahead are both above average as compared to pedal board style comps and a lot of DAW plugs.

Really maybe a nice slow LA2A style comp could be added but that is picking nits for me.
 
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I would actually prefer to have more pedal-like compressors rather than 'studio-like'. All (analog) compressors seems to have a certain character that needs to be modelled as well.

I would love a good take on the original Ross compressor, the Orange squeezer, and then maybe something like an 1176 (studio comp, I know).
 
Smittefar said:
then maybe something like an 1176
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IMHO, not my kind of compressor for guitar. I'd take an optical compressor, like LA2A, if we're choosing studio grade comps. And in my experience, broadband compression doesn't work well for distorted guitars. Clean guitars, yes.

But, I'd rather have a pedal compressor modeled. Something with character; like the Keeley.
 
Yeah - I just never really liked the Keeley - I caved under the hype, when they came out and bought the 4-knob version, put it on my board next to my Carl Martin Compressor/LImiter - ended up always using the Carl Martin. The Carl Martin has now been replaced with the AnalogMan CompRossor.
I never tried the LA2A for guitar, but I think the Cali76 and SlideRIG pedals (modelled after 1176s) sound awesome in all the demos I have heard.
 
barhrecords said:
It's the squish of the attack, IMO, that makes the Keeley sound. The Keeley has a distinct note squish.

The output comp can give the same vibe.

@iaresee I won't have a chance to A/B with my pedal in the near future. Most of my pedals are in storage.

@Tremonti I think the compressors in the Fractal are exceptional.

The fast RMS mode and lookahead are both above average as compared to pedal board style comps and a lot of DAW plugs.

Really maybe a nice slow LA2A style comp could be added but that is picking nits for me.
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They are great....but the fact that there are some models out there that people seek to have in the Axe Fx II validates my post. Not poo pooing the compressors in Axe Fx at all....just saying, like the wah...there are variances in other models that a lot of folks may like.
 
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