My MXR Dynacomp works and sounds better with a fading battery..Plus comp comparison.

KevS

I always felt the compression level of my Dynacomp was too much if more than about 10% on the dial,,even then that may be too much..
Not that far above it just becomes Mucho Squasho..I've say above 50% of the way round recommended..
That has more squash than a Boa Constrictor on Steroids and Angel Dust..

I was doing a compressor comparison a couple of days ago and the Dynacomp sounded gorgeous and I had the compression control quite advanced..I then noticed the light was getting dim..
I plugged a 9 volt adapter into it and the beauty was gone and the red light was bright..
Jack the Gripper had returned to throttle things..

I have several compressors..I was doing a shootout..

Joint 1st place was the Behringer CL9 and the Caline Pressure tank..Both total cheapos and easily available..

The CL9 is apparently a clone of the Ibanez CP9 and the Pressure Tank an optical Diamond Compressor..
Both are capable of a little more subtlety..

Then the Doner Blue compressor..I have read a Boss CS 1 Clone,,very Honeyman Scott sounding..
Again I think optical..

Then an original Boss CS 2..Although it likes Strats better than other guitars..
It brings something ut in the Strat,it isn't subtle but sounds good..

Then the Boss CS3..Shame as it has versatile controls..
It compresses,but sounds a bit dead and uninteresting..
Although can work OK as a light always on compressor as a sort of volume,dynamic range regulator before other effects,,
a big part of what a compressor is supposed to do..It does it with no added character,,in Hifi no colouration is a good thing..
Or that is the objective..I think it blandens the character or the clean sound a little.. 

Then if a power supply is used the Dynacomp..
With a Fading Battery it is open but still works,seriously heavenly and spellbinding..

I was playing a Gretsch 5422 T through a Fender Vibro Champ Reverb..

I realise different guitars / pickups may give different results..

The Dynacomp was a real surprise,,it just always seemed to sound very unsubtle to me and too squashed..

I don't use a lot of compression,I don't want it to be too noticeable,I am subtle with it..
It is more as a slight boost / Bring out the taste thing /A flavour enhancer like MSG..

Sporky

You could build a little box to go between the PSU and the Dynacomp to simulate a dying battery... 

rockmonster

Don’t the Gigrig do something to do that?

Winny_Pooh

Lots of better compressors out there than the list above IMO, you might be surprised. 

munckee

I think compressors with blend are best, I have the wampler ego, set blend to 50% and leave that control alone and every setting seems to sound good. 

pt22

I’m sure there’s a UK version of this. 

https://jhspedals.info/collections/utilities/products/volture

That sounds like a good match to the dynacomp for your use. 

KevS

I have some compressors with blend too...Some sound better than others as I have said above..

The idea of the small extra box is a good one,but it is also yet another thing to carry..
I have health problems that severely limit how much I can carry..
I tend to use a handful of pedals,no more than 4 working on battery only..

As for there being better compressors,as you say,,in your opinion..
I hope that didn't come across wrongly,this is a highly subjective area..
I have paid a lot of money for pedals that people rant and rave about,
I have often been disappointed..Why I am amazed at the cheapos..
They may not be as well built as Boss or above tha boutique brands..
It can even get to the point that people recommend things like parrots..
It becomes the standard recommendation..My ears don't always agree..

I just had a second back up Behringer CL9 arrive today..
I like how it sounds way better than a Boss CS3,,even the CS2..
I don't know the price of an original these days..
I still have an old ibanez series 9 pedal,It has developed problems..
So age isn't kind to 40 year old pedals..
Some brands may last better than others..
The construction of the Master series after the 9 series wasn't that different from the Behringer..
Then came the 10 series,,how much will someone pay for a TS10 Tubescreamer..?

I have 2 Wampler Pedals I love and 2 that are just okay..
I love the Tumnus Deluxe,I love the Pinnacle Deluxe 2...
The Triple Wreck and Plextortion not so much..
The Plextortion does an old JCM800,I had one I bought new in 1990..
It doesn't sound good at household volumes and it sounds less thin with a Tubescreamer in front of it,,
so it must be a pretty real replication..The boost feature on the Pinnacle deluxe is also really noisy with single coild..

I find the difference in character in compressors just as vast as the difference between distortions..
HMMM !!! Well not that far off it..Something may be better built and have more range of adjustment..
If you don't like the sound..Well to put it crudely ,,you have seven shades of Sh*t to choose prom..

Then we have that some of these cheap Chinese knockoffs are copies of later expensive boutique pedals..
It is a good way to sample what is near them..
On a moral standpoint..If anyone remembers,"Home Taping is Killing Music.."
If often got a recording of the album for the price of a cassette..
If I liked the Album,I would then buy a copy..
It was a way to sample..If I never heard it,I wouldn't have bought it..

I also have an Andy Summers Walking on the Moon Flanger that wasn't cheap,not expensive in the World of pedals,
but not cheap..I bought this as I had bought the Donner Jet convolution Flanger beforehand / A rebadged Mooer Elec Lady Flanger..The Donner Does all the Cure Faith and Seventeen Second sounds..Psychedelic Furs Sister Europe..The First Solo Gilmour Album...Adjust things too far thing get into a sort of non musical whirring..
This is all not possible on the Andy Summers Flanger..I bought it for all of the above being told it was a rebadged Electric Mistress...It is more of a Hand Wound Housemaid..Now maybe if I turned the correct trimmer pot inside,it may become like the original..The Donner is miles better as standard though.. It also has a volume drop..
I believe the originals did too...So even buying what you think is the brands own reissue,,
you are not getting a reissue..The Cheap plastic knockoff sounds more accurate..

So they aren't as well built,but I go for the sound of things..
The Boss CS3 is a very Adjustable practical Compressor..
I just wish it sounded like a Behringer CL9 or a Dynacomp with a dying battery..
Why the Volture is a useful idea for recording or in the house for me..
Modelling is getting better these days ,although not as good as someone skilled at mic placement..
I way say at the end,,In My Opinion..

Things have went a bit off topic...I'm OK with this..
I find the comparisons between these pedals interesting..

I say what is the point of having something of high price / quality if you prefer the sound of the plastic one..

We are also lucky we have a choice I guess..