Best Compression Pedal For Electric Guitar

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I’ve encountered a number of ’Best Compressor’ articles this year which I really felt were not fully representative of the very best of what is out there. That was the catalyst for this feature, along with a couple of new compressors I had not properly featured yet, and the fact that I’ve not done a Compressor round-up for a good couple of years now.

Pretty much all the compressors listed here are / were already known to me, while I picked up a few new ones along the way. I also came across two really decent Compressor-specific review sites - ’Compressor Pedal Reviews’ and ’Ovni Lab’ which didn’t directly influence this article but certainly impressed me with their range and breadth of coverage.

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Much like for my recent 28 Best Tremolos overview there are a significant number of great choices out there of all different shapes and sizes and complexities - while I tend to lean towards the more feature-rich of these (more knobs and switches!). In fact near enough all the pedals featured here are of the feature-rich rather than simple format, but I did make a few obvious concessions in that area. If you’re looking for the simplest of one-knob compressors, then I would likely recommend something like Anasounds Lazy Comp Compressor - while of course I personally prefer a little more hands-on tweakability and range.

My own story with compressors started off a long time ago with my thinking I really did not need one! Then I introduced the unadulterated Xotic Effects Mini SP Compressor and experienced the change!, before getting an Alchemy Audio -modded versions of the same with externalised dip-switches / toggles. Next I updated to the Wampler Mini Ego - which was in place for a pretty long time, before I came upon the Jackson Audio Bloom - which actually combines Compressor with EQ and Boost. It’s one of only two of that multi-function type here alongside the DryBell Unit67 (I guess the Emerson Duke Silver too if I’m being generous). While for a long time I harboured thoughts of getting the Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe - which was eventually pipped by the acquisition of the Jackson Audio Bloom - which I am very satisfied with.

There are other terms you will hear in conjunction with compressors - like ’Parallel Compressor’ and Dry/Clean-Mix, along with high noise-floor and Compression Ratio. Compressors typically bring with them a number of signal-chain tone-sweetening solutions, but can also introduce some of their own idiosyncrasies - including higher signal-to-noise ratio and occasionally unwanted additional gain and saturation.

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The conventional wisdom is to stick the Compressor right at the start of your pedal-chain, while for me my Jackson Audio Bloom actually appears 7th in the order! I identify it as one of my 3 key ’Tone Components’ (Sweeteners) alongside the Jackson Audio Prism Boost, and ThorpyFX Heavy Water Germanium Boost Texturiser. Those 3 are pretty much always-on and provide significantly enhanced and added dynamics, warmth, feel and harmonics before all the dirt pedals come into play - they of course allow for some fantastic stacking possibilites too.

To have the Compressor in this downstream position means it needs to be very carefully calibrated - as otherwise you will get a lot of additional gain and noise artefacts that you really don’t want in your signal-chain.

So as it stands, my Jackson Audio Bloom is my current and favourite compressor and as will be revealed - likely to remain so - even though there are numerous equally impressive compressors in this listing that I really like the look of - none though have that immediate footswitchability of the Bloom!

Best Compressor Pedals For Guitar

So as I am wont to do on occasion I start off this selection with a rather select curiosity in that it features not just the unique Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer style of compression, but marries that with the classic Ross / OTA type. Meaning that via the dual footswitches you can flip-flop between Ross and OS modes, or stack both together. I've selected the 5-knob variety which retails for a little more than the 3-knob default, and it externalises some of the otherwise internal trimmers.

This is a pretty unusual compressor in many ways - and one I think I may consider adding to the rotation at some later point in time.

Barber Electronics has delivered a really articulate and relatively simple Parallel FET style compressor with the simplest of controls. Many like it for its generally typically subtle elegance.

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Easily the most feature rich and closest in format to a full studio compressor - with no less than 13 really well though out controls. I feel if you are really serious about Compression then surely this has to be your first stop-off along the way. Obviously may be overwhelming for some, and possibly overkill for others - in which case go for the Becos Mini Comps which greatly simplify the same experience. This is just a fantastic engineering achievement all-round and a real heavy-weight addition to the Compressor Pedal landscape. I will undoubtedly be checking this out further myself at some point in the future.

A much loved but still somewhat under the radar VCA style compressor with a clever mix of Manual and Dynamic / Automated controls. At one stage I was seriously considering this when I was likeliest to get the Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe at the time - I was sorely tempted by this one though, and came very close to getting this one in.

This rather rare Multiband Compressor type was actually my very first candidate for compressor pedal. In fact had it been more readily in stock in the UK at the time I would very likely have one of these. As it was it just seemed to take an age for it to get into distribution and by that time I was fully converted to mini compressors then. This of course makes use of Boss/Roland's proprietary DSP framework MDP Multi-Dimension Processing where the compression targets individual frequency bands to different degrees. Some people shy away from this because of the DSP element - but this is a very capable and pretty great sounding compressor nonetheless.

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Bass effects specialist Darkglass has produced something of a stalking-horse compressor here which cleverly marries mechanical and touch controls with 3 different compression modes. And while initially developed for Bass, you can use the connected Darkglass App to flip the pedal to Guitar Mode and take advantage of these quite distinct flavours of Compression. This is another pedal that has piqued my interest on more than one occasion, and were I a compression devotee, I would certainly look to adding one of these to the collection. It may very well happen one of these years, but is highly unlikely to do so in any kind of hurry!

You can tell the Diamond Pedals Optical Compressor is significant by the fact that Mooer modelled their Mini Yellow Comp on exactly this pedal. I in fact included the Diamond Compressor in my Colour Wheel article as The representative for that tone of yellow in all of pedaldom. It's a very simple and elegant style of compressor - and very much Diamond's own take on this format. It also benefits from the smart EQ-Tilt control - I think these may have been the first compressors to make use of that . Recommended for those looking for a simple and elegant solution to their compression needs!

This Compressor + EQ + RangeMaster style Boost is one of 2 fairly similar extended range pedals in this listing - possibly you could include the Emerson Custom Duke Silver also in that company where you're getting quite a bit more than just a compressor. This pedal arrived shortly on the scene after I had acquired by Jackson Audio Bloom, and I thought it shared several similarities while being more mechanical / manual and probably more likely to appeal to the more vintage style of player. The fact that the main boost element is RangeMaster style is rather unique, and the way the Unit67 controls work together make it actually a pretty unusual and unique pedal. Had I not gone for the Jackson Audio Bloom, I feel pretty sure I would have quite likely gone for one of these in its stead.

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Pretty much everything EarthQuaker makes is fully pro grade and worthy of consideration, while its Optical compressor doesn't always feature so readily in compressor pedal roundups. It's a highly competent example of the Optical type with plenty of range and controls. Some people really like it, while it is likely overlooked by the majority for one reason or another - it's been pretty much a staple classic within the EQD range for the last 6-7 years.

This one seems to have been launched late last year from what I can see - I believe it's still in stock at Sweetwater, but seems largely sold out

Posted by zodaries14

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