Has anyone had analogman mod a Black Ross to the Gray Ross specs? Is there that big a difference? thanks
This might help. http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=69367.0
Keep in mind that even the grey box ross came from the factory with different caps depending on when it was made too. Even analogman admits the schematic was the same for both. "Schematics are the same, one of the tants in the corner (and several others) is an electros on the black one. Jumper is not important, just used to make the board on the grey version."
Like always it comes down to your ear. I am going to put a grey ross, a black ross, a bicomp and a keeley on a board and hand them off to Walker for him to see which one he prefers. Maybe when he is done he can let us know which is his favorite. I am willing to let others try it too if you are some what local.
thank you sour for some input. I'd love to hear what Walker has to say about them. I don't really have any complaints about the black one, guess I'm just curious really. I should probably be looking to spend money on something thats a little more useful than something I don't have a problem with but...
Quote from: sour d on June 07, 2011, 02:10:36 PM
Like always it comes down to your ear. I am going to put a grey ross, a black ross, a bicomp and a keeley on a board and hand them off to Walker for him to see which one he prefers. Maybe when he is done he can let us know which is his favorite. I am willing to let others try it too if you are some what local.
This is gonna be the best science project since the 7th grade! Yeeeeehaw!!
The compressors are currently in route to portland where walker will use his super keen ear to critique some of the best stomp box compressors known to man. I look forward to his reviews and getting my pedals back. We should try tube screamers next. I have a bunch of those too.
nice, I guess I can't really ask for a more complete answer to my question with the lengths you guys are taking it to. Of course I know it wasn't just my question that made you do this but the timing of the whole thing is perfect.
Sounds like an ASTM or SAE test to me :P. Nice work crew.
Quote from: Happyorange27 on June 29, 2011, 08:38:59 PM
Sounds like an ASTM
Dude I'm an older guy from maine so i'm not so hip on the acronyms, but doesn't that mean ass to mouth?
Quote from: sour d on June 30, 2011, 01:09:16 AM
Quote from: Happyorange27 on June 29, 2011, 08:38:59 PM
Sounds like an ASTM
Dude I'm an older guy from maine so i'm not so hip on the acronyms, but doesn't that mean ass to mouth?
Shit that's funny! I guess it depends on how they perform the test. It might sound like ass or tasty.
Any progress Mr. Done Done? ;D
Sequence complete.
The results: there is nothing like the original (grey) Ross. If you'd sell it, I'd buy it. Let me know when & we'll work out a time/place for me to return your pedals and bag. Much thanks and respect for allowing me to test them out - it was a lot of fun!
The black Ross was good, but not quite good enough as the grey one. I dunno, just something about the tone of the grey one was better than the black one. It had more squishiness to it, that's for sure. And it just rang truer. I used it twice at gigs (Boru and the Old Port 1/2 Marathon yesterday) and loved it both times. I used the black one in practice but couldn't get that beautiful sound out of it like the grey one. Close...but not quite. Definitely a good pedal though (the black one). But since I already have a Keeley 4knob, I might as well keep that until I can find the real deal. I think I like the black Ross better than the Keeley 4knob for its ability to get a better squish, but I'd have to really give them more of a A/B to be sure on that. I also have an Analogman Orange Squeeze but I don't even use it any more. I think that would come in second to last place out of all of them, with the BiComp coming in last...which for the record I did not try the BiComp. I assumed it's the same as the one I previously owned, so I didn't bother.
Again, thanks for letting me give them a go-around. Very cool move.
I'd rate them as:
1.) grey Ross
2.) black Ross
3.) Keeley 4knob
4.) Orange Squeeze
5.) BiComp
that's great info. thanks to both of you guys for the experiment. maybe someday I'll have my black ross modded but it doesn't sound like there is a HUGE difference so for now I'll focus my funds on other parts of my rig.
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Keeley modeled after the grey Ross? I've go an old 2knob Keeley and love the tone I get with that pedal. I guess it all comes down to personal preference. Thanks for the good read.
Duhigg
Quote from: phishlips on July 25, 2011, 02:14:01 PM
that's great info. thanks to both of you guys for the experiment. maybe someday I'll have my black ross modded but it doesn't sound like there is a HUGE difference so for now I'll focus my funds on other parts of my rig.
I wouldn't bother having it modded. All they do is change a few caps and charge you too much. I don't think you will hear the difference. Maybe have it modded to have an l.e.d. so you can see on stage if it's on or not.
Quote from: Duhigg on July 25, 2011, 04:41:00 PM
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Keeley modeled after the grey Ross? I've go an old 2knob Keeley and love the tone I get with that pedal. I guess it all comes down to personal preference. Thanks for the good read.
Duhigg
The keeley is modeled after the ross but he has some "improvements" that he does. Great comp but to me the original is much better. I've been using my 2 knob keeley for a few gigs while Walker had my others and I have to say I can't wait to get my ross back (no rush Walker). The keeley is quieter though.
This is all very interesting. I wish I could have sent my old 2-knob Keeley Comp to Walker for the showdown. However I use it all the time and would have missed it soarly. Mine was made in '02 before he added any extra controls, even on the inside of the pedal you can't adjust the clipping or attack. I tested it side by side with a friends 4 knob and liked my 2-knob better and prevented me from sending it to Keeley to switch out for the newer board with more controls. I really would love to get my hands on the grey Ross to see if it is that much of a difference still. I guess the only way to really be satisfied with your tone is to measure it against all other options and hear it for yourself. Anyway, thanks Walker for the motivation to continue the search for a grey Ross.
I have tried 3 compressors.
Analogmans Bi-Com
MXR Script Reissue Dyna comp
and my Grey Ross
Can't live without the Grey Ross!
Quote from: IamWILSON on July 25, 2011, 09:31:45 PM
This is all very interesting. I wish I could have sent my old 2-knob Keeley Comp to Walker for the showdown. However I use it all the time and would have missed it soarly. Mine was made in '02 before he added any extra controls, even on the inside of the pedal you can't adjust the clipping or attack. I tested it side by side with a friends 4 knob and liked my 2-knob better and prevented me from sending it to Keeley to switch out for the newer board with more controls. I really would love to get my hands on the grey Ross to see if it is that much of a difference still. I guess the only way to really be satisfied with your tone is to measure it against all other options and hear it for yourself. Anyway, thanks Walker for the motivation to continue the search for a grey Ross.
Don't thank me, thank SourD!
And I just hope you don't find one before I do!!! ;D
I have had tried 2 comps.
Analogmans Bi-Comp
Grey Ross
Nothing touches the Ross.
In a UNrelated note, I am selling a Ross BiComprossor which is THE BEST COMPRESSOR EVER, PLEASE BUY IT FROM ME
Quote from: patrickstefanski on July 26, 2011, 02:10:29 PM
I have had tried 2 comps.
Analogmans Bi-Comp
Grey Ross
Nothing touches the Ross.
In a UNrelated note, I am selling a Ross BiComprossor which is THE BEST COMPRESSOR EVER, PLEASE BUY IT FROM ME
You didn't go to marketing school did you :P
Here's one on ebay. This is where things get funny though. When analogman mods a black box ross to grey specs he changes the metal can caps to tantalum. If you look at the pic of the board on this original grey ross it has metal can caps. You have to remember that these pedals were like $39 dollars new and were regarded as cheap mxr knock offs. Only when the kansas factory could't keep up with demand did they start making them in taiwan (black box). The circuit remained the same. The cap values remained the same. Just the type of cap was different. But if you look at the pic in this ebay auction, you can see they were using different cap types even when they were built in Kansas. My grey ross that walker tried has the tantalum caps so when walker goes shopping for a grey ross, he should ask for board pics to ensure that is the version he is getting.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROSS-GRAY-COMPRESSOR-REDUCED-/150635174722?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item23128e5b42
I posted some board pics a while back and there is a pic of the grey ross with thae tantalums
http://strangedesign.org/forums/index.php?topic=1565.msg7771#msg7771
Quote from: sour d on July 26, 2011, 03:23:45 PM
Here's one on ebay. This is where things get funny though. When analogman mods a black box ross to grey specs he changes the metal can caps to tantalum. If you look at the pic of the board on this original grey ross it has metal can caps. You have to remember that these pedals were like $39 dollars new and were regarded as cheap mxr knock offs. Only when the kansas factory could't keep up with demand did they start making them in taiwan (black box). The circuit remained the same. The cap values remained the same. Just the type of cap was different. But if you look at the pic in this ebay auction, you can see they were using different cap types even when they were built in Kansas. My grey ross that walker tried has the tantalum caps so when walker goes shopping for a grey ross, he should ask for board pics to ensure that is the version he is getting.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROSS-GRAY-COMPRESSOR-REDUCED-/150635174722?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item23128e5b42
I posted some board pics a while back and there is a pic of the grey ross with thae tantalums
http://strangedesign.org/forums/index.php?topic=1565.msg7771#msg7771
So are the tantalum caps the one to have? Do the metal caps matter? And perhaps I'm a little slow, but from the picture of the Ross on Ebay, which "cap" or whatever am I looking for to see a difference? I'm obviously the last person to ask for electrical advice.
There was a grey Ross comp that sold on Ebay the other day for only $247.50. Hopefully one of you guys won it! I was in bidding and forgot to raise my bid up from 245 before I left for work. My heart sank when I saw what it went for, I would've bid up to 275 but forgot because it was a really busy/hectic day for me!
Quote from: IamWILSON on July 29, 2011, 08:55:20 PM
There was a grey Ross comp that sold on Ebay the other day for only $247.50. Hopefully one of you guys won it! I was in bidding and forgot to raise my bid up from 245 before I left for work. My heart sank when I saw what it went for, I would've bid up to 275 but forgot because it was a really busy/hectic day for me!
Damn, I missed that too. :-[
Check out this "Russ" compressor on ebay. Looks quality. Tempted to try it out for shits and giggles without investing too much.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ross-Gray-Compressor-Clone-/170673854063?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27bcf4566f#ht_1720wt_1140 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Ross-Gray-Compressor-Clone-/170673854063?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item27bcf4566f#ht_1720wt_1140)
I just got myself a grey ross compressor late last night (1 am PST) that was only up on Ebay for a couple hours, starting at $199, but with "buy it now" for $279. Had to pull the trigger! I've always said I'll never pay more than $300 for one and this seemed like the best opportunity to actually achieve success.
Then shortly after doing this I found out that some of the grey compressor were made it Taiwan, which kind of bummed me out, especially b/c I've seen the black ones go for even cheaper! However, doing some research on Trey's gear, both his old one (off of the CAE video) and his newer one (prostaraudio page) have the box around the ROSS logo like the one I purchased which apparently is made in Taiwan. Needless to say, I'm excited and already impatiently waiting for it to arrive and see how it affects my tone. And even more excited because I leave town on Monday for Phish tour!
Quote from: IamWILSON on August 01, 2011, 08:47:37 PM
I just got myself a grey ross compressor late last night (1 am PST) that was only up on Ebay for a couple hours, starting at $199, but with "buy it now" for $279. Had to pull the trigger! I've always said I'll never pay more than $300 for one and this seemed like the best opportunity to actually achieve success.
Then shortly after doing this I found out that some of the grey compressor were made it Taiwan, which kind of bummed me out, especially b/c I've seen the black ones go for even cheaper! However, doing some research on Trey's gear, both his old one (off of the CAE video) and his newer one (prostaraudio page) have the box around the ROSS logo like the one I purchased which apparently is made in Taiwan. Needless to say, I'm excited and already impatiently waiting for it to arrive and see how it affects my tone. And even more excited because I leave town on Monday for Phish tour!
Nice job. Post a pic of the board when you get it if you would.
"Nice job. Post a pic of the board when you get it if you would."
Sure thing! It'll most likely have to wait until after I get back from the Chicago shows as I will be very busy up until I leave for 11 days of tour.