Description
Demeter built the Comp-1 Compulator to bring the smooth, musical gain reduction of vintage studio optical compressors onto the pedalboard, without the tone-sucking side effects that plague so many compression pedals. It’s a straightforward box: a 1/4″ input on the right with a battery-ground switch, a 1/4″ output on the left, a footswitch for bypass, and an LED to confirm the effect is engaged.
Two front-panel knobs do the work. Compress controls the amount of gain reduction applied to your input signal, dialing in up to 30dB depending on how hot your source is. Volume lets you match the compressed signal’s output level against your dry tone so the effect blends in rather than jumping out.
A side-mounted trim pot sets the gain of the internal pre-amp. It ships from the factory at 20dB, which suits most instruments right out of the box, but you can push it to a max of 26dB if you’re running weaker pickups or want to drive the compressor harder. Keep in mind the Compulator’s ceiling is 26dB of gain, so if your instrument’s output is already very hot, cranking Compress too far could actually leave you under unity gain — back off the trim pot if you hear distortion creeping in.
Power it your way:
- 9V DC, internal or external
- Internal: one 9V battery (needs at least 7V to operate), accessed by removing the four side screws
- External: mini plug, tip positive, 9V DC regulated, 100mA or more
Drop it early in your chain for the classic optical squeeze that tightens dynamics without flattening your instrument’s natural character.
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