PRICE: $199.95 USD
Classic OTA-based feedback type compressor pedals (i.e. the MXR Dyna Comp and all its clones and variations - Ross, Boss CS-2, Keeley, Wampler Ego Compressor, Barber Tone Press and countless others) are classics for a reason. Despite all the technically superior compressors available today, the 'original' design has a dynamic, organic nature that many renowned guitarists love and practically can't live without. It's like an instrument in itself. You've heard it everywhere from the Nashville sound to the heaviest of metal.
But time moves on and by today's standards a top-notch stompbox compressor is expected to have more than two or three controls. Even the modified Dyna Comp/Ross/CS-2 boutique pedals usually don't have more than a mislabeled "attack" control (that's actually a release) and perhaps a blend feature. They also tend to be noticeably "effecty" - subtle is something the Dyna Comp/Ross clones don't do too well. Some designs address this by using optical circuits, which are more transparent, but they usually fall short on all-out "squash" and sustain. Modern, full-featured studio compressors usually feature independent attack, release, threshold, ratio and level controls... but they also tend to sound disappointingly flat and sterile when you plug a guitar or bass into them (hint: they were never designed to be instrument compressors). Why can't you just have it all? Why doesn't someone make a compressor for guitar and bass that has all the standard features of a studio compressor, can give you a transparent sustain boost while not sounding over-the-top, but can still react, squash and sustain just like a classic stompbox compressor when you want it to?
Well, meet the AXiom Classic Compressor CC-1. It's a dual OTA-based feedback type compressor pedal that was developed specifically to bridge the gap between the organic response of the classic stompbox compressors and the precision and features of a studio compressor. It reacts to your playing just like the best Dyna Comp/Ross/CS-2 pedals did, but has extended control ranges and independent true ATTACK, RELEASE, RATIO/BLEND, SENSITIVITY (threshold), INPUT, TONE and GAIN controls. You can go from mild, transparent optical-like compression (with your tone and pick attack completely preserved) to all-out squash and sustain beyond what even the best of the classics could produce (thanks to its dual parallel compression engines). It has an INPUT control that allows you to tailor the response to any pickup from low-output single coils to the hottest active humbuckers, a TONE control tuned to enhance or reduce pick attack and "air", a GAIN stage with enough output to push your amp or other pedals, and it has none of the "pumping" effect that feedback type compressors are prone to when they have their attack set high (which is why the attack is often set permanently fast internally in these type of compressors).
Furthermore, the ratio control is implemented through blending in and out the dry signal (known as 'parallel compression'), so if you're comfortable with compressors that have a blend feature the feel of the CC-1's RATIO/BLEND control will be familiar to you. Classic compression at modern standards.
- Classic 100% analog OTA-based compression at modern performance standards
- Full-range true Attack, Release, Ratio/Blend and Sensitivity (threshold) controls, optimized for guitar and bass
- Powerful dual-OTA dynamics control - from transparent sustain to insane squash and compression
- Matching color LED indicator so you can see which pedal is on even on a dark stage
- Individually handmade
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True bypass
DEMOS
The following demos were recorded direct with NO AMPLIFIER. The signal chain is:
Guitar -> AXiom CC-1 -> AXiom OP-1 (as a clean boost) -> AXiom Power Amp Emulator (PAE-1) -> AXiom SCE-1 prototype (cab emulator) -> AXiom SCV-1 prototype (for stereo spread) -> interface -> DAW (reverb added, nothing else)
Demo #1: Fender Stratocaster with Lindy Fralin Blues Special pickups