The Becos CompIQ Mini One is an analog compressor pedal for guitar and bass, built around a THAT Corp Analog Engine: a true RMS-level sensor paired with a Blackmer voltage controlled amplifier, the kind of VCA circuitry found in studio compressors1. It is a deliberately stripped-down take on the compressor pedal: Guitar.com's reviewer Richard Purvis called it "another tiny pedal but this time distinguished by having a much lower knob count than most of the company's compressors"2.
What it is and how it works
The Mini One sits at the simple end of Becos FX's CompIQ range. Where the company's larger pedals, such as the CompIQ Pro Stella and the CompIQ Twain, carry rack-style control sets, the Mini One defaults to a hard knee setting with no knee switch. Becos describes this pre-determined knee as giving "subtle and transparent effect application"1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, surveying the range in 2026, described it as "default Hard Knee, has just 4 controls - RATIO, Make-up GAIN, SENSE : Hi/Lo (THRESH), and WET > DRY Mix", with attack and release timings handled by built-in automatic functions4.
The controls break down like this:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ratio | Sets how much the signal is compressed once it crosses the threshold2 |
| Make-up Gain | Restores level lost to compression2 |
| Sense (Hi/Lo) | Threshold switch with two preset levels: Low fixed at -40dB, High adjustable via an internal trimmer from -40dB to +10dB3 |
| Wet/Dry mix | Blends compressed and dry signal for parallel compression23 |
The Sense switch is the most unusual of the four. Rather than a continuous threshold knob, it offers Low, fixed at -40dB, and High, which is set with an internal trimmer anywhere from -40dB to +10dB3. The wet/dry mix button lets you keep some untouched signal in the blend, which helps preserve pick attack while the compressed portion evens out the level3.
The circuit also includes a side-chain filter to avoid bass-driven pumping, so low notes do not make the compression duck and swell audibly2. Becos claims the pedal's timings render "perfect timings for any playing style"1.
Power and connections
The Mini One is true bypass, so the circuit is fully out of the path when switched off23. It runs on a 9-12V mains supply only, and no supply is included, so a battery is not an option2.
The pedal needs its own 9-12V power supply, which is not supplied in the box2. Check your pedalboard supply's output options before adding it to a board.
Where it came from and what reviewers said
The Becos CompIQ Mini One is listed at €1392. Guitar.com's verdict was that it is "Simplified but as brilliant as ever, this is as good as mini compressor pedals get"2, and the circuit includes a side-chain filter to avoid bass-driven pumping2.
Guitar.com's verdict was strongly positive. Richard Purvis summed it up as "Simplified but as brilliant as ever, this is as good as mini compressor pedals get"2.
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Questions
Is the Becos CompIQ Mini One true bypass?
Yes. Guitar.com's review lists true bypass among the pedal's features, and both Guitar.com and gearnews.com reported true bypass routing and switching when the pedal was announced in June 2019. That means the compression circuit is taken out of the signal path entirely when the pedal is off, so your guitar's signal reaches the amp unaltered.
Where is the Becos CompIQ Mini One made?
Guitar.com's review describes it as a compressor pedal made in Romania. Becos FX builds its CompIQ range there, and the Mini One shares its core circuit design with the company's larger compressors in the same line.
Does the Becos CompIQ Mini One run on a battery?
No. Guitar.com's review specifies that the pedal is powered by a 9-12V mains supply only, and that no supply is included in the box. A battery is not an option, so plan to use a pedalboard power supply or a dedicated adapter.
What does the wet/dry mix do on the CompIQ Mini One?
The wet/dry mix control blends the compressed signal with the untouched dry signal. Keeping some dry signal in the blend preserves attack and low-end punch while the compressed portion evens out the level, a parallel compression approach common on studio compressors and increasingly on pedal versions.
What is the side-chain filter on the CompIQ Mini One for?
According to Guitar.com's review, the circuit includes a side-chain filter to avoid bass-driven pumping. It keeps low-frequency content from dominating the compressor's detector, so a low E or a bass note does not cause the whole signal to duck and swell in an obvious way.
Is the Becos CompIQ Mini One analog?
Yes. It is an analog VCA compressor. gearnews.com reported that the pedal uses the THAT Corp Analog Engine, which Becos says is designed for high-quality VCA dynamic processing, and Guitar.com's review describes it simply as a VCA compressor.
Sources (4)
- Becos Effects introduces two-knob CompIQ Mini One Pro Compressor, guitar.com, 2019-06-17
- Becos TS8-JZ & CompIQ Mini One review: a tiny compressor and a drive pedal with plenty of tweakability, Guitar.com, 2021-07-09
- Becos Effects CompIQ MINI ONE Pro Compressor: Studio-grade compression in a mini pedal?, gearnews.com, 2019-06-18
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-08-11
