Hi,
i am looking in to buying mono comp for mixing drums mainly , there is not much info on EL Pump, anyone has it or tried it out ? I am trying to choose between Pump and Mpressor 500 ( i have xpressor 500 and its great ) . Thanks
What kind of drums do you work with mostly? Acoustic or electronic ?
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Electronic
Empirical labs uses opto compression. This means that there’s some variance between left and right channels. I’ve learned from using the TG1 from Chandler that you can’t match left and right settings and you will need to use your ears. If you like crushing kicks and snares this technology will be for you. From using my TG1 often the opto can get agressive.
The mpressor will be more behaved and you can match your left and right channel settings. You can still add vibes with the THD boost. Still good for drums but once you master compression with drums you could probably use this more for other instrument tracks and it will sound good. This is behaved but will make your source material sound like a million dollar record.
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But pump and mpressor are both mono afaik? And I don’t really think it’s an opto compressor like the tg1, more that it can also emulate some characteristics.
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Understood. Adam from Chandler told me whenever you get any brand opto compressor that there are variance between the circuits and it’s difficult to match left and right exact settings based on source material.
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I have Xpressor (also VCA ) for stereo, need mono, and i like mpressor, but since i already have elysia comp, was doing research, and found out about EL Pump, but am not sure it is worth it , since mpressor also sounds like it can crush drums, is well made, and made in EU so it doesn’t have extra tax like Empirical labs, who is 300 usd more here than in US. And there is apsolutelly no demos of the thing.
Also, i am not sure, but i think opto is switchable option on the Pump.
Can you unlink the xpressor and make two mono channels. That’s pretty much the same cut cloth.
300 extra eur? Yea that’s a little too much for what the pump does. Let me look at Thomann mono compressors for you and let you know if there is something comparable.
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I think elysia is a really nice and pragmatic no bs company. They make good products and good prices and the mpressors is a good compressor. Perhaps it might make sense for you to get a compressor that has slightly different tonal characteristics than what you already have.
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Thanks for all your replays!
yes, i like elysia a lot, it really is hi q company, i have xfilter 500 , karacter and xpressor, all of it is top notch. That is why i have trouble with this decision, i like mpressor 500, but maybe it would make sense to have some other color in my arsenal ? But what can compete with elysia products i like so much , so i found Pump. but i cant find any good demo, just promises, and good genetic pool…
Definitely get something outside the Elysia realm just to even appreciate it.
RND 535 can give you a vintage 2254 vibe on drums while also behaving on something refined like a jazz bass.
A FET compressor would also work too.
Looping back to the EL Pump, it’s hard to get good feedback for electronic productions, most of the users are into rock production. If you got your compression chops down on the xpressor this would definitely be worth paying the duties for.
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Hey Unter i can add my 2 cents as a long time user of xpressor + xfilter combo in 500 series
i’ve got ALOT of different kind of compressors, only thing i’m really missing is a tube/fairchild style compressor. I’ll get an SPL Iron most likely at some point 
i can confirm that 535 by RND slaps hard for electronic music. Lot’s of engineers and producers are using this. buzz audio also makes a similar diode bridge compressor. Only other thing I can really recommend is the chandler limiter or one of their channel strips. Should check out the SPL channel strip as well, even though its a very simple compressor in it i think together with the other functions (eq, transient designer etc) it can provide a nice more colourful effect.
if you want a nice channel of smooth or aggressive opto compression… you can’t go wrong with an audioscape LA-2A clone. Your requirement of mono actually opens up alot of options since you don’t need perfectly level matched stereo compression that you pay for a lot in higher end mastering style units
and to add some more to consideration if you’re mentioning Empirical Labs… Get a Fatso or a Distressor(s). Really still some of the biggest mainstays in a lot of respected producers studios. Only beef is I would want to get the EL8X-s that is a pretty penny for future stereo options
overstayer has some cool options as well, but be ready to wait 1+ year for your order
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thanks, i am interested just in mpressor and el pump at the moment. 500 series
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no problem, sorry if it was bit side topic suggesting other options but perhaps it will spur some interest. based on price/ease of service i would definitely edge towards the mpressor even though there is bit of overlap with the xpressor
i still want one, and an alpha comp, and a museq 
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I read up on the mpressor. I thought it was an xpressor, but it’s a different monster. I almost bought the mpressor 19 inch rack years ago.
I remember the chemical brothers praising this compressor for the groove based effects it can do. Of course I can’t find the article any longer
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sorry, i dont like sound of ssl 500 series modules.
I appreciate all the suggestions, but i basically just wanted to know if somebody has EL Pump to share her/his opinion on it, so i can decide which one to get, mpressor 500 or Pump.
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