ORIGIN EFFECTS CALI76 Bass Compressor Owner’s Manual

CALI76 Bass Compressor
Owner’s Manual

CALI76 Bass Compressor

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ORIGIN EFFECTS is a trademark of Origin Effects Limited and is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom, China and the EU.
The ORIGIN EFFECTS Totem Device is a trade mark of Origin Effects Limited and is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and China.
CALI76 is a trademark of Origin Effects Limited and is a registered trademark in the United States.
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1176® is a registered trademark of Universal Audio, Inc.
Origin Effects has no affiliation with Universal Audio, Inc.
UREI is a registered trademark of Harmon International Industries, Inc. Origin Effects has no affiliation with Harmon International Industries, Inc.
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PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS, PAY ATTENTION TO SAFETY WARNINGS.
© Origin Effects Limited 2024
IMPORTANT:
This product is designed to be powered from a 9VDC, >200mA power supply with 2.1mm centre-negative barrel connector.

Introducing the CALI76 Bass Compressor:

The Cali76 Bass Compressor is a studio-grade compressor pedal inspired by the world-famous Urei ® studio compressor. The 1176® has been heard all over the best studio recordings ever since its release in the late 1960s, and the Cali76 Bass Compressor makes these industry-standard tones available to the modern bassist using all-analogue circuitry.
With a full complement of studio-style controls and the ability dial in parallel compression, the Cali76 Bass Compressor does it all, from transparent transient control to flat-out limiting and monster sustain. A 10-LED bar graph meter allows accurate monitoring of gain reduction and the 9VDC input voltage is increased internally, resulting in exceptional clarity and enough headroom for use with line level signals.
Origin Effects has a strong reputation among guitarists and bassists, with years of experience making the best compressor pedals available. The Cali76 Bass Compressor is the latest in this lineage, incorporating a number of refinements, including tweaks to the dynamic response that bring it closer to the highly sought-after “large-format” Cali76 pedals that put Origin Effects on the map.

Key Features:

• All-analogue signal path
• Ultra-fast FET compression
• 1176 -inspired circuitry
• Dedicated Attack, Release and Ratio controls
• HPF control provides extra low-end clarity
• Dry Blend control for parallel compression
• 10-LED bar graph gain reduction meter
• Voltage increased internally to 24V for high headroom
• Optimised for guitar, compatable with line-level signals
• Improved dynamic response matches ‘big box’ Cali76
• High-quality buffered bypass
• Premium components throughout
• Designed and built in England

Connecting the CALI76 Bass Compressor: 9VDC: Connect a 9VDC 2.1mm centre- negative mains power adaptor (minimum 200mA). Voltage is increased internally for additional headroom.
INSTR: Connect to your guitar or other instrument.
AMP: Connect to your amp or other eff ects pedals.
Controls

IN: This control sets the signal level into the compression circuit, with higher levels resulting in more compression.
Like an 1176® , the Cali76 Bass Compressor has a fi xed threshold (the level above which compression is applied). Increasing the IN control pushes more of your signal over that threshold, meaning that a greater portion of the signal is compressed. Increasing the IN control will also make the signal louder, so this should be balanced with the OUT control.
OUT: This control determines the level of the compressed signal present at the pedal’s output. This control will need to be increased when using lower settings on the IN knob and vice versa. For most predictable results, compare your compressed signal to the bypass tone and adjust the OUT knob so that the levels match – or turn it up to boost your amp!
DRY: This control varies the amount of dry, uncompressed signal present at the pedal’s output, mixing the dry signal in parallel with the compressed signal. Parallel compression is a popular studio technique, which can be achieved on your pedalboard using the DRY control. Adding some uncompressed signal in parallel can restore  some natural dynamics and clarity to heavily compressed sounds. Unity gain can be found at approximately 2 o’clock on the DRY knob, while turning this control fully clockwise will boost the signal by 9dB.
NOTE: The DRY control and OUT control are separate level controls, so you will need to decrease the OUT control as you increase the DRY control in order to maintain the same overall volume.
RATIO: This control adjusts the ratio of the compression. In other words, how much gain reduction is applied to signals that exceed the fi xed threshold of the compressor. This control ranges from a ratio of 4:1 all the way to 20:1. Generally, higher ratios are used when less of the signal is exceeding the threshold (lower settings on the IN control). Setting the RATIO high and the IN control low will mean just the peaks of the signal are clamped down quite severely. High IN settings with lower ratios result in a gentle fattening of the whole signal.
ATT/REL: This control simultaneously adjusts the Attack and Release of the compressor, giving you quick access to the most useful combinations of these two parameters. This control ranges from fast Attack and slow Release in its counterclockwise position to slow Attack and fast Release in its clockwise position.
Attack refers to how quickly the compressor starts acting after the signal exceeds the threshold. With a bass guitar signal, the fi rst part of the note is the loudest part, so the signal will exceed the threshold almost instantaneously.
A longer attack time allows the initial attack of the note through before the rest of the signal is compressed, creating an exaggerated percussive eff ect. Fast attack times will reduce this initial note attack and create very smooth, even dynamics. Attack times range from 1.6 ms to 5.1 ms.
Release refers to how quickly the compressor stops acting after the signal begins to drop in level. Longer release times will result in increased sustain, as the tail of the note continues to be compressed. Shorter release times will allow the compressor to recover between notes, giving a more lively and natural dynamic response. The RELEASE control’s fastest setting is fully clockwise. Release times range from 73 ms to 880 ms.
HPF: This control adjusts a variable high-pass fi lter on the compressor’s sidechain – the part of the circuit that  determines how the compressor responds to the input signal. There is a huge amount of low- frequency content in a bass guitar signal, which can lead to excessive compression. By fi ltering out the lowest frequencies from the sidechain, the compressor is prevented from being overwhelmed. Instead, the sidechain is able react only to the higher-frequency details of your playing, such as the diff erence  etween playing softly with your thumb and playing aggressively with pick or slap techniques. This results in more natural dynamics and fullness in the low end, with higher frequencies still kept tightly under control. The HPF knob ranges from 0 Hz to 400 Hz.
Metering: The Cali76 Bass Compressor is equipped with a 10-LED bar graph gain reduction meter, giving an accurate visual indication of what the compression circuit is doing. Once the signal exceeds the fi xed threshold, the LEDs will begin to illuminate. Marked according to dB of gain reduction, the gain reduction meter shows not only how severely the signal peaks are being compressed, but also how fast the compressor is acting. ON / OFF Operation:
Bypass Switch: This switch toggles the pedal on and off. The Cali76 Bass Compressor uses buffered bypass and electronic switching for low-noise operation. When powered up, the pedal will automatically default to being switched on. This is so that it can easily be used with switching systems and rack systems, where pedals need to be left active and may be inaccessible.
NOTE: It is good practice to always turn on your pedalboard first, before turning your amp on or connecting any DI outputs, as some pedals can produce a “pop” noise when powered on.
Compressors & Noise:
It is important to take care when dialling in your compressor to guarantee the best noise performance. Because compressors increase the level of quiet signals relative to peak level, they will increase any background noise from devices placed before them, such as overdrive or distortion pedals. For this reason, most players tend to place their compressor near the beginning of the chain, with drive pedals placed afterwards so that any background noise is not exaggerated by the compressor.
Compressors will also increase the level of hum picked up by single coil pickups. This can be reduced by using more subtle compression settings.
Signal Chain Tips:
Minimising noise is one important reason to use a compressor near the start of your signal chain, so that it does not amplify noise from other pedals. Another reason to use a compressor near the start of your chain is so that it can easily respond to the natural dynamics of your instrument. Running your compressor first in the chain means that it can work with the raw signal from your bass, shaping the dynamics exactly as you want before passing this signal on to other pedals.
This is more difficult if using a compressor after overdrive or distortion, as these effects have their own effect on dynamics which prevents the compressor from shaping transients and sustain. This is typical for clean tones, where the compression effect needs to be obvious. This placement is also useful when adding unnatural sustain without needing extra overdrive.
However, some players like to use compression after overdrive or distortion. This signal chain order allows the bass guitar to interact naturally with the overdrive effect. The player is then able to clean up their tone from their bass guitar’s volume knob, while the compressor keeps the overall volume constant. This placement is more likely to be favoured by rock players and those who like to use playing dynamics to vary the level of breakup in their overdriven tones, with less obvious compression. Using a compressor near the end of the chain can also add a studio-style gloss to your tone, helping it to sit well in the mix.
To keep noise to a minimum and to preserve some of the natural dynamics of the instrument, more subtle compression settings are best when using the compressor after overdrive or distortion.
NOTE: The Cali76 Bass Compressor uses buffered bypass to achieve consistent tone and low-noise operation. Any pedals that do not work well after a buffer should be placed before the Cali76, such as some vintage Fuzz and Wah pedals.
Line Level Signals:
The Cali76 Bass Compressor can also be used with line level signals. The 9V input voltage is increased internally to 24V, resulting in impressive headroom. This means that the Cali76 Bass Compressor can be used with keyboards, drum machines and as studio outboard. It can be connected in the insert of  mixing console or used for re-amping tracks in the studio.
Although the pedal has plenty of headroom for dealing with higher signal levels, the circuitry is still primarily designed for use with bass guitar signals, so it may be necessary to lower the IN control to accommodate for line level signals and avoid excessive compression. This will ensure that the right amount of signal is exceeding the fi xed threshold, and this can be monitored using the 10-LED gain reduction meter.
Routing Diagram:
The diagram below shows the signal routing within the Cali76 Bass Compressor. Sample Settings

DYNAMIC CONTROL
This setting provides a natural compression, balancing dynamics between various playing techniques. A medium HPF setting results in honest translation of lower string dynamics.  PARALLEL COMPRESSION
Parallel compression is a popular studio-derived technique that blends dry signal in parallel with a heavily compressed tone. Enhance picking attack and natural dynamics by balancing the OUT and DRY controls, while retaining the presence and character of super-squashed FET compression.  PERCUSSIVE & LIVELY
Using a slower attack time allows the compressor to accentuate the start of any note. A fast release allows the compressor to recover between notes so that phrases sound more percussive.

TRANSIENT SHAPING
This subtle setting gently evens out the dynamics of your signal, without sounding too obvious or altering playing feel. A high IN setting and a low RATIO are combined with a moderate ATT/REL setting and plenty of HPF, making sure your bass sits just right in the mix.

Appendix A: Physical Specification

Appendix B: Performance Specification

Appendix C: Connector Pin Out
Instrument & Amplifier 1/4” TS Sockets:

Appendix D: Safety Notices

General Safety

Keep these instructions and heed all warnings. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with a dry cloth. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifi ers) that produce heat. Refer all servicing to qualifi ed service personnel.
When using an external power supply, use only attachments/accessories specifi ed by Origin Effects.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarised or grounding-type plug. A polarised plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fi t into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
CAUTION! No user-servicable parts inside. In the event of damage to the unit, service or repair must be done by qualifi ed service personnel only.
This Product is CE compliant.
The crossed out wheely bin symbol indicates this product is classifi ed as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in the European Union and should not be discarded with household waste. Other territories may vary. Contact your local authority or Origin Effects for more information.
This product conforms to the European Union’s directive 2011/EU on Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including nickel, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Appendix E: Warranty
This product is covered by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase. This applies only to original purchasers who have bought their product from an authorised Origin Effects dealer or directly from Origin Effects.
All returns or servicing should be arranged through the original dealer. Proof of original ownership may be required in the form of a purchase receipt.
For full warranty details visit www.origineffects.com/warranty.

References

• Origin Effects – The world's finest guitar effects
• WARRANTY – Origin Effects
• P65Warnings.ca.gov

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