I'm delighted to report that the King of Compressors - Becos FX is now stocked by Joe's Pedals in the UK
Readers should know by now that Becos FX is my favourite compressor brand - where their flagship compact CompIQ Stella Pro Blackmer VCA Compressor has been on my board for several months now.
I’ve known Costel Burlan for quite a few years - where I also have his phenomenal Ziffer Mini Tube Screamer, and discontinued Mini Solo Boost - which I’m trying hard to encourage him to revive!
There are 4 compressors in the range - which in Stella and Twain editions are the closest you’ll come to a rack style studio compressor in pedal format. And the mini ones are just super smart and super potent despite their diminutive size. Each of these pedals delivers more than the equivalent for that footprint size - and as far as I’m aware - and in terms of my own preferences - the Stella is the most Pristine, Precise, Shapeable, Versatile and Potent Compressor out there.
It can be super subtle and transparent in the extreme, or heavily accentuated for certain full-flavour applications. Some of these pedals look like there’s almost too much going on - but it’s all very logical and easy to dial in when you come to that task. Like many other smartly engineered pedals - you can use as much or as little of that feature set as you need to - you simply dial out and neutralise the impact of the controls you don’t need at that time.
The Stella also gets a really smart custom update via an optional fitted DITOS DI Out board - which allows you to run in parallel direct to another input source / PA / Mixing desk. Each of these pedals is at the top of its game, and delivers more than any other equivalent alternative. I’ve encouraged many people over the years - to pick up a Ziffer as an expansive secret weapon full-range Screamer.
On this occasion I did not have to get involved to bring the two sides together - where Joe Light decided to stock Becos FX entirely of his own accord. I’m delighted that those two quality people have forged a path together.
Becos FX Pedals are hand-made in Vienna, Austria.
Joe is stocking 5 of the pedals from the range - all the main ones - as they appear listed in the visual :
- CompIQ Stella Pro £295 / €295 [13 controls]
- CompIQ Mini Pro £189 / €189 [8 controls]
- CompIQ Mini One Pro £149 / €149 [5 controls]
- CompIQ Twain Pro Dual Band / Stacked - £329 / €329 [17 controls]
- Ziffer Overdrive Mini £159 / €159 [7 controls]
Note that several of those have some internal controls also, and this is the first time I’ve seen all the mini ones with red mini controls - which looks even more appealing. It’s a good move as it really brings those out - where they were almost invisible on the earlier versions.
Joe’s Pedals will be stocking all 5 - while the Twain is not quite in stock yet - but the other 4 most certainly are.
I of course highly recommend each and every one of these - my likely next acquisition or 4th from the range - will likely be the 8-Controls CompIQ Mini Pro.
Here below follow the individual details as usual :
CompIQ Stella Pro Compressor for Guitar and Bass - £295 / €295
Controls - Ratio, Threshold, Attack, Knee : Hard / Soft, Timing : Manual / Fast Dynamic / Slow Dynamic, Gain, X-EQ (Crossover EQ), Release, EQ Pivot : High (1kHz) / Low (330Hz), Side Chain Feed : Accurate Forward (F) / Smooth Feedback (B), Wet > Dry Mix, Side Chain Hi Filter (3kHz), Side Chain Low Filter (90Hz).
My favourite Compressor and currently on the board for a few months. I feel I did the definitive write-up of this pedal - and you can read the full review I did back in April if you want to know all the details. As far as I'm concerned and as I said in there intro - I consider this the absolute king at this form factor giving you the most Dynamic, Precise, Pristine, Versatile and Potent Compressor you can currently get your hands on. This has such a vast range of outputs that it's equally adept with Bass as Guitar. You can make it wholly surgically precise and intangibly transparent - or really ramp it up for various speciality applications - including funk. Yes it may be a little pricey - but everything about this pedal is top notch! I certainly love it and don't think there is a better compressor out there!
CompIQ Mini Pro Compressor for Guitar and Bass - £189 / €189
Controls - Ratio, Knee : Hard / Soft, Threshold, Gain, Wet > Dry Mix, Timing : Fast Dynamic / Slow Dynamic, Side Chain Filter : Accurate Forward (F) / Smooth Feed-Back (B)
Super potent Mini Compressor wth smart / dynamic Fast / Slow Attack and Release, Knee Definition , Side Chain Filter and more. Same core compression circuit just with less granularity and shapeability thank its larger siblings. This will likely me my next target - super simple to use, and really effective!
CompIQ Mini One Pro for Bass and Guitar - £149 / €149
Controls - Ratio, Gain, Knee : Soft / Hard, Sense : Hi / Lo, Wet > Dry Mix,
Becos's simplest compressor - still equally adept for Bass and Guitar - this gets you were you need to with just 5 controls. Where the Sense / Sensitivity push button is key to defining the dynamics of the Attack / Release time. I personally prefer to have a little bit more granularity in the control of the pedal's output - but for those who want a no fuss but still killer compressor - then this one is hard to resist. For my own preferences it's probably the one I'm least likely to add - including the larger Twain one - it really depends on how much space and patience you have to dedicate to the compressor effect - whatever your needs though - Becos has a solution for you with different degrees of granularity and complexity across Mini, Compact and Mid-Size formats!
CompIQ Twain Pro Dual Band / Stacked Compressor for Bass and Guitar - £329 / €329
Controls - Theshold 1, Ratio 1, Ratio 2, Threshold 2, Knee 1 : Hard / Soft, Side Chain Feed : Accurate Forward (F) / Smooth Feed-Back (B), Knee 2 : Hard / Soft, Gain 1, Timing 1 : Fast / Slow, X-Over EQ (Crossover EQ), Preamp Trim : -12dB > + 12 dB, Wet > Dry Mix, Timing 2 : Fast / Slow, Gain 2, Lo Side Chain Filter (90Hz), Hi Side Chain Filter (3kHz), Structure /l DB (Double) / STK (Stacked).
Becos's Dual Band Compressor - which allows you to surgically attack twin areas of the profile - and either double up or stack the compression. Doesn't have the individual granularity of the Stella - in terms of the Manual Attack and Release - but makes up for that in several other areas. This also has the DITOS Balanced Parallel DI Out - per the MKII Stella, Thee are lots of specialist applications for this pedal- while I'm more at home with the Stella - the compact form factor is my own ideal! But I can see how the Twain is going to appeal to a certain type of player - you will know if this one's right for you!
Ziffer Mini Extended Range Tube Screamer style Overdrive - £159 / €159
Controls - Gain, Tone, Level, Clipping : Classic / Asymmetrical / LED, Deep Boost On / Off, Dry EQ : Lo > Hi, Wet > Dry Mix.
A simply superb Mini Tube Screamer - really expansive in its coverage - my favourite of that type for sure. I've recommended this to several players - and all seem to love it. Takes the humble Tube Screamer on a very elevated trajectory - and works marvellously with the Becos Mini Solo Boost!
