Ideal Compact Compressor Capsule Collection - Actual and Intended
When I started this exercise it was initially just about documenting those compressors I already owned - where obviously the Chase Bliss Clean is the most recent addition.
A Becos FX CompIQ Mini Pro has long been on the cards - but hasn’t happened quite yet - things often take interesting turns along the way - that one will almost definitely be the next one to enter this particular capsule collection.
My very first compressor was the Xotic Effects SP Compressor Mini - where I bought a stock one, and then a further Alchemy Audio modded edition is short order - before then switching over to the Wampler Mini Ego - that one was on the board for a while, right up until the time I acquired the Jackson Audio Bloom in around May of 2019.
The Bloom has been my longest serving compressor by far - I love its 3-in-1 capabilities of Compressor, 3-Band EQ, and Blooming Boost - and have used all those features extensively. During that one’s tenure, the J Rockett IQ 6-Band Compressor had a brief stint on the board - while the Bloom reigned on until early last year (2024). Where that one gave way to my long-term target - the Becos FX CompIQ Stella Pro - likely the most potent studio-style compressor in compact enclosure. I don’t believe any other similarly sized compressor has close to the degree of functionality that the Stella has!
That reigned for the best part of the year, just briefly interrupted by a short spell of the Drunk Beaver Rivne OTA Compressor.
My intentions were to hopefully acquire the Chase Bliss Clean via the Mystery Box Promotion - and that would then take over from the Stella. While 2 other long-term targets entered the scene before then - based on a festive season collaboration with DryBell. And so both my Jackson Audio Prism, and Becos FX Stella will now be giving way to the DryBell Unity67 and Module 4 - and the Chase Bliss Clean just needs to wait a bit longer for its turn on the board.
I’ve already mentioned that my next compressor target has long been the Becos FX CompIQ Mini Pro Edition - which will surely come after the Clean. But I then recalled that I had two further smart compressor targets that I had intended to get - the Bondi Effects Squish As, and the Crazy Tube Circuits 3-in-1 Phi Golden Ratio V2 - which ingeniously combines FET, OTA and Optical Compressor circuits - all in the same unit. The Bondi Squish As is super unique too - with a smart dynamic automation on the Attack and Release intervals!
And then I also remembered that I had long intended to get Thorpy’s excellent simple but supremely effective Fat General Compressor - another Dan Coggins collaborative joint!
So what we have here is a selection of my 9 Compressors to date, alongside 4 more targets which I aim to get in to fully round out and complete that individual capsule. I feel with that baker’s dozen of compressors - that I am very well covered for all eventualities - there is no shortage of fantastic compressors out there, and several more great ones that I can get, where many have been released very recently - including the new Origin Effects Cali76 FET Compressor - which I probably need to get to at some stage - in order to be absolutely complete, actually, perhaps a Keeley Compressor+ is another essential. In any case, even just with my 9 I’m already very well covered!
Here is my actual + intended selection :
- Becos FX CompIQ Stella Pro V2 VCA Compressor - €369 / $429 / £295
- > Bondi Effects Squish As VCA Dynamic Compressor - $269
- Chase Bliss Clean Dynamic Stereo VCA Compressor with Movement - $399
- > Crazy Tube Circuits Phi Golden Ratio V2 - FET, OTA and Optical Compressor - €229 / $249
- Drunk Beaver Rivne OTA Compressor - $150
- DryBell Module 4 Dual-Voice FET Feedback Compressor Compressor - €378 / $315
- DryBell Unit67 Boost, EQ, FET Feedback Compressor - €319 / $289
- J Rocket IQ 6-Band OTA Compressor - $229
- Jackson Audio Bloom Optical Compressor + EQ + Blooming Boost - $379
- > ThorpyFX Fat General Parallel Optical Copmressor - £219 / $295
- > Becos FX CompIQ Mini Pro VCA Compressor - €189 / $249 / £189
- Wampler Mini Ego OTA Compressor - $149
- Xotic Effects SP OTA Compressor Mini (Alchemy Audio Modded Edition) - $217
And individual pedal details follow below as usual :
Becos FX CompIQ Stella Pro V2 VCA Compressor - €369 / $429 / £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).
This has to be the Mac Daddy of Studio Style Compact Compressors - its feature set is unrivalled - it's by far and away the most controllable and granular compressor there is. In terms of pure pristine core compression - this has to be the King / Queen of that category surely!
> Bondi Effects Squish As VCA Dynamic Compressor - $269
Controls - Output (Makeup Gain of -20dB to +20dB, Ratio : 1:1 to ∞, Sensitivity : -6.3dBu to -46.3dBu, Tone (Tilt EQ), Blend : Dry > Wet for Parallel Compression, Gain Reduction VU Meter - from 2dB to 28dB+.
This is another very unique take on compressor - with smart automated dynamics / auto playback sensing - to determine Attack and Release values on the fly. A really smart and unusual compressor, and one that I'm keen to get my hands on at some stage!
Chase Bliss Clean Dynamic Stereo VCA Compressor with Movement - $399
Controls - Dynamics [Gate Release], Sensitivity (Ramp) [Gate Threshold], Wet [Swell In], Attack [User Releaser], EQ [Envelope Balance], Dry [Swell Out], Release - Fast 50ms / User Release / Slow 1.5s [Envelope Type : Analog / Combo / Adaptive], EQ MODE : Shifty / Manual / Modulated [EQ Direction : Standard < > Inverted], Physics : Subtle Wobble / Stable Normal / Unstably Twitchy [Spread Routing : EQ / Both / Volume], AUX : Dynamic Swell / Manual Swell (via Aux Swell Dip), Bypass : On [Hold to Max out Sag Effect], Dual-Press both switches for Alt / Secondary functions.
Customize Dip Switches : Dusty, Swell Aux, Motion, Noise Gate, Sidechain, Latch, Spread, MISO.
Control Dip Switches : Polarity, Sweep, Bounce, Wet, Dry, EQ, Attack, Dynamics.
The Stereo Clean Dynamic Compressor with Movement - is kind of out their on its own in terms of all the other things it does - happy to be placed at both sides of your signal-chain - and does really cool Warbly stuff and swells - alongside a myriad of smart and unusual compression tricks. Really in a league of its own - the learning curve for everything this one can delivery is fairly steep - while I'm still really looking forward to getting stuck in - once the 2 DryBells have had a decent innings on the board!
> Crazy Tube Circuits Phi Golden Ratio V2 - FET, OTA and Optical Compressor - €229 / $249
Controls - Volume, Blend, Ratio, Mode / Circuit : FET / OTA / OPTO, Release, Attack, Threshold (Signal Input).
I cited this one having struck engineering nirvana - as it has 3 compressor circuits onboard - all the classic ones - FET, OTA and Optical. All the obvious setting too - Christos has done a really fabulous job here, and this one's been on the wishlist for a long time too!
Drunk Beaver Rivne OTA Compressor - $150
Controls : Mix, Tone, Compression, Level, Attack : classic / shorter / longer.
This is a somewhat simpler affair, but equally potent - similar controls to the Mini EGO - this one works really well in my rig. A really well priced workhorse of a compressor!
DryBell Module 4 Dual-Voice FET Feedback Compressor Compressor - €378 / $315
Controls - Output, Tone, Blend, Mode : Full Frequency / Orange Squeezer, Attack, Release, Preamp (Input Gain).
This is a really cool dual-mode Compressor which covers you for Dan Amstrong Orange Squeezer style and Full Frequency Range FET Feedback style compressors. The module 4 has a tonne of hidden secondary and power-up features - which make it even more potent. Just a really smartly though out Compressor with serious hidden depths!
DryBell Unit67 Boost, EQ, FET Feedback Compressor - €319 / $289
Controls - Boost, EQ : 1 / 0, Input : Hi / Lo, Range, Low, High, Sustain.
Another supreme multi-tasker - which combines a FET Feedback Compressor with a RangemMaster EQ / Boost. I'm actually using this more as a replacement for my Jackson Audio Prism, where the DryBell Module 4 is the one taking over the main compression duties - albeit I have both those pedals set fairly low.
J Rocket IQ 6-Band OTA Compressor - $229
Controls - Volume, Mix : Compression to Dry Blend, 6-Band Pre Comp EQ.
The 6 x Bands : 100Hz | 200Hz | 400Hz | 800Hz | 1.5kHz | 3.2kHz.
Another really smart compressor - where you can accurately select which Frequency Bands you wish to compress. Very expansive tone-shaping part of the circuit - works really well, and is somewhat under-appreciated!
Jackson Audio Bloom Optical Compressor + EQ + Blooming Boost - $379
Controls - COMPRESSION } Volume, Blend, Comp, Type (Comp Footswitch) : Ultra Fast, Fast, Medium Slow, Slide Mode, AUX Compressor Mode; EQ } Bass, Middle, EQ, Both Footswitches together; BOOST } Bloom, Bloom Footswitch.
This has actually been my longest serving compressor and has put in several years on the board. It was ousted by the Becos FX Stella - but will surely be back in service eventually as I love its 3-in-1 independent nature - where I use all those functions all the time - the compressor, EQ, and Blooming Boost!
> ThorpyFX Fat General Parallel Optical Copmressor - £219 / $295
Controls - Treble, Sustain, Mode : Bloom / Juicy, Balance.
A beautifully simple but potent Parallel Optical Compressor - this has been on the acquisition list for quite a while - it will certainly happen one day, but likely not for a while, and likely relatively opportunistically.
> Becos FX CompIQ Mini Pro VCA Compressor - €189 / $249 / £189
Controls - Ratio, Knee : Hard / Soft, Threshold, Gain, Wet > Dry Mix, Timing : Fast Dynamic / Slow Dynamic, Side Chain Filter : Accurate Feed Forward (F) / Smooth Feed-Back (B).
This for sure will be the next arrival here - it's been on the cards for a while - these are currently all sold out at Joe's Pedals - so need to wait for more stock to arrive. No hurry though as the Module 4 and Unit67 are currently on the board, and will be followed by the Chase Bliss Clean - so this Mini Pro is at the very least six months away.
Wampler Mini Ego OTA Compressor - $149
Controls - Blend, Sustain, Tone, Volume, Attack.
I switches to this after the Xotic SP - similar affair but slightly more controllable - based on the Ross Compressor - I used to really like deploying this one.
Xotic Effects SP OTA Compressor Mini (Alchemy Audio Modded Edition) - $217
Controls - Volume, Blend, Sustain / Compression : Hi / Lo / Mid, Switches : 1. Attack / Release 1, 2. Attack / Release 2 (Off is longer, On is shorter), 3. High Cut Filter, 4. Input Pad / Low Cut.
My very first Compressor - which is much better in Alchemy Audio Modded Edition - where you have control over the timing and EQ also. This is an OTA Ross / Dynacomp style compressor - really simple and elegant, and works really well!
