We here at Pedal of the Day have been hearing about and seeing the big, rad-looking and apparently amazing-sounding line of compressors from Origin Effects for a while now, but the price tag was just a bit out of our reach, and the opportunity to acquire one just hadn’t yet presented itself. So, you can imagine our joy when the new line of Compact pedals was announced recently, featuring both a smaller size AND a smaller, more manageable price tag for us to work with, so we scooped up today’s featured pedal in a hurry, the Cali76 Compact Compressor.
Basically taking their famous big boy Cali76 Compressor and shrinks it down, while still offering incredible studio-quality compression in a box 1/3 of the size. The Cali76 Compact only features 3 knobs and one toggle, making it fairly easy to dial in great tones without a lot of fuss and muss. Featuring high-current, discrete, Class-A circuitry for transparent, low-noise performance, as well as a no-compromise approach to the circuit design using only the best modern components, this is one pedal that sounds exactly as great as it looks.
There are individual controls for both the Input and Output signals, which makes blending the wet and dry easy as can be, and let the user specifically hone in on what exact sound they’re looking for, using the sonic reigns to get as much or as little compression as is needed for a multitude of different musical styles. A third knob pairs Attack and Release together, basically simplifying some of the more complex aspects of most big time studio compressors, letting newbies and professionals alike the opportunity to get a great sound with minimal overthinking involved. Finally, a Hi/Lo ratio toggle switch offers even more flexibility to the compressed signal, again allowing for even more useful settings and studio-grade sounds to come pouring through your amplifier with ease.
While compressors aren’t for everyone, those of us who dig them are always looking for the right one to fit our sound, and the Cali76 Compact Compressor may have just ended the search for many players around the globe. Plus, Origin Effects also offers a couple more complex models in this smaller-enclosure Compact series, letting you have as much control of your compressed sound as you need. We’re going to test out more of these models in the near future, so stay tuned for more reviews soon, and while you wait, go check out the Origin Effects website, to see the vast compression palette that they have laid before us all.
Submitted by Mike B, Website
Demo Rock pedalboard by West Coast Pedalboard
