PreSonus COMP16 Compressor/Limiter 1/3 Rack Space
Versatile, professional, 1-channel compressor in a compact 1/3-rack box.
Overall User Ratings (based on 12 ratings)
Submitted September 12, 2006 by a customer from knology.net
"well done"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
it's a bit pricey when a 2-ch alesis 3630 is the same cost, but if the compact size is appealing, it's a winner.
Sound
Clean, accurate, transparent.
Features
easy to use, hard to mess up, but that's the benefit of not having much control. really wish it had a gate or expander.
Ease of Use
too easy, wish it had a setting for at least one user preset.
Quality
I really like this little comp.
Value
great for what it is. note, it's not a true 1/3U. It's too wide; 3 will not fit side-by-side in a tray.
The Wow Factor
pretty face, but analog meters are hard to read onstage.
Musical Background:
active musician
Musical Style:
rock, jazz, ccm
10 of 10 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted August 1, 2008 by a customer from gmail.com
"Good sound, solid build but awkwardly shaped"
I was really pleased with the presets on the Comp16, especially the vocal and keyboard ones. I've also found use for some of the others on sampled instruments. They're subtle, warm and realistic. I've used standard compressors such as the Alesis 3630 before, so I don't have a problem with adjusting the settings myself, but it can be very inconvenient if you need to switch between configurations quickly, especially in poor light. The Comp16 is therefore a much valued development in the dynamics field.
One thing I don't like about it, though, is the casing. Whilst it has a very solid build that looks like it could survive rough handling and the occasional knock, the unit is very awkwardly shaped. It looks like it's a third-rack sized but it isn't - it's slight too high and too wide to fit on a rack with other third-rack units. Although the front faceplate is attractive and well laid out, the top of the unit, which becomes more important when it won't fit in a rack, is really rather ugly. It could also do with optional angled feet for the front underside so that the controls are properly visible in standalone situations - as, for example, its main market rival, Samson's C-com16, has. I guess the design is intended to encourage you to buy PreSonus' optional rack stand, which can hold six of these units and its sister products. But that's not much use if you don't want the others and it's expensive for what it is. The power supply unit is also rather large - indeed too big to fit alongside another one in a standard British mains power distribution board.
Nevertheless, this product is worth buying if you're looking for a simple but quality compressor and you don't mind the dilemma of having to decide where exactly to keep it.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist songwriter
Musical Style:
Alternative, Funk, IDM
7 of 7 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted April 11, 2019 by Stefan K
"Presonus COMP16"
Awesome go-to for vocal home recording. The third preset (3.9:1 ratio) is great for protecting the audio interface from peak clipping, without affecting the sound too much. This way I can turn up the gain and level on the preamp (Universal Audio Solo/610) and get a much richer and louder sounding vocal recording from the hardware without digital clipping. This unit is surprisingly transparent, neutral "sounding" - it just does what it should: compress the dynamics in a discrete and pleasant way. I have one and want more...too bad they've been discontinued...
Musical Background:
guitarist, singer
Musical Style:
rock
2 of 2 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted February 14, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Easy Setup,Sounds sweet and smooth"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I am going to get another one of these units for my live rig... I only wish they were able to be strapped so you could use them as a stereo mix compressor..
Sound
I use this compressor on my home studio running Sonar 4 with an Erirol Fa101 capture device. So far I have only used it to track my Sadowsky 5 String and Alleva~Coppolo 4 p bass. Both basses are high Dollar yeat vintage sounding instrument and I want to be able to capture that sound without loosing the basses tone. The Presonus seems to do that. I have other compressors in my rack but have only been using the Presonus for its ease of setup and sound. The presets seem to work wel and I have had great results using the Fretted insrtument settings. I brought it out on a live gig and i was very impressed. I was using a DBX unit that sounds great but it seemed to squish too much.. I used the presonus and it remains transparent, and you barely know that it is on...It sounds as good and maybe better than compressors 2 to 3 times its cost from zzounds.
Features
Easy set up, two knobs and a preset knob.. Simple easy and it works.It can also be used as a DI with the XLR out....
Quality
They only thing that i hate about it has nothing to dowith the sound.. But when you are in the compressor setting mode that shows ammount of dB that the signal is being compressed. The meter should show at ZERO when there is no signal... Mine sits at about +2dB.. no big deal.. Just a calibration thing... But that should be one thing that Presonus should pay a little more attention to when doing QC to the final product. 2 dB is nothing realy but I want to see the meter at Zero when there is no input.... not +2dB. It is in a metal case.. with seperate power supply.. The unit is pretty quiet too! I like the Retro look of the analog meter.I think i could depend on this unit in my live rig without any worry of failure at all.
Value
I cant think of another compressor that sounds this good for only $99 at the date that i bought it.. Like I said earlier, it sounds as good and better than compressors 2-3 times its price and mybe better.. Great unit.
Manufacturer Support
I contacted them about the meter calibration by email and they were back to me in about 2 hours!!! And they offered to switch the product out at theire expense... I told them to forget about it , it is not a big deal.. but they should keep an eye on that for future..Very Helpful, Very Pro, and Fast... Could not expect any better.
The Wow Factor
Sexy looking Analog meter.. Nice Blue faceplate..
Musical Background:
Pro bass player - www.kirkpowers.com
Musical Style:
whatever pays the rent.. many styles
5 of 6 people (83%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Submitted December 20, 2006 by a customer from knology.net
"Great Sound, questionable durability."
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Satisfaction: Will try warranty support. Will likely replace, and not purchase another.
Sound
Sound: I really liked the warm, but pure sound of this little comp. Kinda nice, smooth sound, very fluid. Maybe a bit noisy if you jacked the output, but if set properly you should not be raising the output that high. I was very happy when I bought it.
Features
Features: For what it is, it's nicely done. Some don't like the presets...then don't buy it. For most general use, the presets are fine. I wish they had a couple of higher ratio settings, like 4:1, 6:1 with short attack, but besides that it's been a nice addition to my horn rig. Metering is analog, enough to let you know how to gain stage the thing (since there's no threshold control) but not enough for serious console use.
Ease of Use
As far as comps go, ease of use it a no-brainer.
Quality
Quality: I'm really dissapointed. 4 months of gentle but active use have left me with Nasty Hum. Thinking maybe it was near (not on, not in front of) the bass amp last time I played? maybe? But it's a "can't use it" type of hum. For a $100 single channel comp, it's needs to be better built.
Value
Value: I'm very careful with my gear. Yes it's used live, only. But if it can't hold up, then it's just a paperweight.
Manufacturer Support
Support rating? We'll know soon.
The Wow Factor
Aesthetics: pretty face.
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
rock, dance, ccm
3 of 5 people (60%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Please wait.