Newbie. Bass Compressor question

Gear
1

So, I’m new into playing bass and bought the Caline CP-45 Bass Compressor. I currently don’t have an amp but I have it connected to my PC using an audio interface (M-Audio Air 192-4 if that matters).
So what happens is when the compressor is off, no sound is coming out. After pressing on the footswitch, sound comes on but no light on it. Knobs doesn’t do anything on it. Volume, gain, nothing at all. It feels like I’m playing the bass without it.
I’ve seen a couple of youtube videos about it, I can see that there’s power light right when they push the switch.
I don’t know if this is only happening because I’m not playing on an amp? I already contacted the seller and hoping for a reply tomorrow.

Edit: Attached photo on how I have my knobs. BUT again, turning these knobs doesn’t do anything with the sound output.

image
image1302×1734 143 KB

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2

If you connected everything correctly, sounds like you have a dud.

Is there a blend knob on it? Perhaps you are feeding through only a dry signal? The compressor dials wouldn’t do anything then.

However, if you aren’t getting a power light on, I’d say exchange it.

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3

It doesn’t have a blend knob. If I’m doing this right, the out goes to my audio interface and the in is from my bass, right?

And yeah. No power light on it.

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4

Have you tried both the included power supply and a 9v battery?

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5

It only has an option for the power supply. Actually, it doesn’t come with it. It’s a separate purchase. The power supply was purchased from the Caline store itself. The thing is, I only get a sound output when I turn on the switch (but no light). Is that how it’s supposed to work? Or I should still get a sound output but no changed effect until I switch on the compressor?

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6

If this is the unit have you tried unscrewing the bottom plate to see if it’ll take a 9v battery?

https://www.amazon.ca/Caline-CP-45-Pressure-Compressor-Aluminum/dp/B07DL9VG59

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7

That’s the unit. I unscrewed it and it doesn’t look like it’ll take a 9v battery. Wires are directly soldered to the board.

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8

Seems like it requires a center negative adapter which I didn’t know before. I’m going to give it a shot and give you guys an update.

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9

Is your adapter center positive? That may have let some of the magic smoke out. Try the center neg, but at a guess I think this is an exchange job.

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10

Sounds like it could be a power supply issue to me. When I have an inadequate power supply on some of my pedals they give a weird hum and nothing else.

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11

Found that the pedal requires center negative power supply. I don’t know if mine is. I’m trying to get one.

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12

Any power supply, cheap or expensive, should provide information about the voltage, current and polarity. A wrong power supply is a good way to fry your pedal.

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13

It says in the pedal propaganda that it’s a true bypass. So, if it’s off it ahould pass through a clean signal. That’s probably why you’re getting playthrough with no effect from the pedal controls.

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14

Hope I didn’t fry my first pedal. :face_with_peeking_eye:

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15

When it’s off, I don’t get any sound. When it’s on, it only gives me a clean signal (no effect from pedal control if I understand that right.)

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16

No worries, 9 volt center negative is the most common PSU for modern pedals. I only mentioned it as a warning for using one without any info. I know a certain someone who fried his Tech21 VT Bass DI too.

@howard cc :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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17

HAHA! I wonder how that smelled like!

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18

It smelled like sadness :slight_smile:

I fried it by forgetting my PSU had an 18V tap.

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19

Surefire magic smoke release mechanism. I fed 120AC into a 12V circuit once. Many shits and giggles were had.

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20

Hello everyone! Good news! I got it working. It appears that the power supply has to be a center negative. I had to get a reverse polarity cable to get it to work. Thank you all.

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