The Becos CompIQ TWAIN Pro Compressor is an analog compressor pedal with two independent compression engines in one box. It is built around two independent 4320 THAT Analog Engines with RMS-level sensors coupled with high-performance Blackmer VCAs, and Becos describes it as a dual-band / stacked compressor pedal for bass, guitar, or any electric instrument1. The maker says the circuitry renders tight and punchy lows, and warm-ringing highs2.
What sets the Twain apart from a single-engine compressor is that its two engines can be configured two ways: as a dual-band compressor/limiter with a variable crossover point, or as two stacked compressors with separate controls for each engine, switchable at the flip of a switch13.
Two compressors: dual-band or stacked
The Twain's core idea is giving you two compressors whose relationship you choose. In dual-band (DB) mode, a variable crossover splits the signal into two frequency bands, each band is routed to its own compressor, and the bands are mixed back together. In stacked (STK) mode, the signal runs through each compressor in series, one after the other43.
Each engine has its own controls, so the two bands or two stages can be set completely differently315:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ratio (independent per engine) | Sets how hard each engine compresses1 |
| Threshold (independent per engine) | Sets the level where each engine starts working1 |
| Make-up Gain (independent per engine) | Restores level after compression, per engine1 |
| Dry / Wet Mix knob | Blends dry and compressed signal for parallel compression in either mode16 |
| Side Chain Filter (Normal / Low / Deep) | Shapes what the Lows engine reacts to, on the Lows engine1 |
The maker says the analog circuitry is chosen for its musical response and transparency, rendering what Becos describes as tight and punchy lows and warm-ringing highs12. Guitar World characterized the original pedal as a rack-mount-level compressor/limiter in a compact stompbox5.
Power and connections
The MK2 runs on a 9-18V DC external power supply, center negative, using a 12mm long barrel plug, and the supply is not included2. RockBoard's product page for the MK2 lists 9V DC, center negative3.
The original 2020 announcement specified 9-12V DC external power operation1, while Guitar.com's review of that version listed 9-18V DC center negative4. The 12mm barrel plug requirement means short-tip supplies may not make contact.
Both versions use a true bypass on/off footswitch, so the circuit drops out of the signal chain entirely when disengaged142.
From the original Twain to the MK2
The original CompIQ TWAIN Pro Compressor was announced with pre-orders starting later in February 2020 and first deliveries in later April 2020, at a street price of $329.00 USD1. The Twain MK2 is a refined and improved model over its predecessor, with serial changes inside and out62, and it removes both saturation engines on the dry line that were on the MK1, which had been intended to add controlled harmonic distortion2.
In July 2024, Becos FX released the CompIQ Twain Pro Compressor MK2, a refined and improved model over its predecessor with serial changes inside and out26. The most notable circuit change: the MK2 removes both saturation engines that sat on the dry line of the MK1, which had been intended to add controlled harmonic content to the blended dry signal2. The MK2 is hand-assembled in Vienna, Austria, where the original was made in Romania42. It carries a 3-year international, transferable warranty direct to the manufacturer2.
The Twain sits in Becos FX's wider CompIQ series of VCA compressors5, alongside the compact CompIQ Stella Pro MK2, which shares the analog Blackmer VCA approach in a smaller single-engine format.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com's review by Huw Price found the Twain remarkably capable across the whole range of compression styles7:
Becos describes the CompIQ Twain Pro Compressor MK2 as a dual-band / stacked compressor pedal for bass, guitar, or any electric instrument, built on two independent 4320 THAT Analog Engines with RMS-level sensors coupled with high-performance Blackmer VCAs13. The MK2 carries an EU street price of 319,00 € (359,00 € with DITOS) excl. VAT1.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Becos CompIQ Twain true bypass?
Yes. Both the original CompIQ TWAIN Pro Compressor and the MK2 version use a true bypass on/off footswitch, so the pedal's circuit is fully out of the signal path when switched off. Reviewers at Guitar.com and Guitar World both confirmed true bypass switching on the original pedal.
What power supply does the CompIQ Twain need?
The MK2 runs on a 9-18V DC external power supply, center negative, with a 12mm long barrel plug, and the supply is not included. The original 2020 announcement listed 9-12V DC external power, while Guitar.com's review of that version specified 9-18V DC center negative. There is no battery option.
Where is the Becos CompIQ Twain made?
The original CompIQ Twain was made in Romania, as stated in Guitar.com's 2020 review. The MK2 version, released in July 2024, is hand-assembled in Vienna, Austria, by Becos FX.
Does the CompIQ Twain have a dry/wet mix?
Yes. A Dry/Wet Mix knob allows parallel compression in either of the working modes, dual-band or stacked. The control is carried over to the MK2, which lists a Mix control for wet and dry signal, so you can blend your uncompressed signal back in.
Sources (7)
- Becos Unveils New CompIQ Twain Pro Compressor, Premier Guitar, 2020-02-13
- BECOS FX Releases the CompIQ Twain Pro Compressor MK2, Bass Magazine, 2024-07-30
- CompIQ TWAIN MK2 by Becos FX, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Review: Becos CompIQ Twain, Guitar.com, 2020-03-13
- BecosFX's CompIQ Twain is a rack-mount-level compressor/limiter in a compact pedal, Guitar World, 2020-02-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-01
- Gear Of The Year: Best guitar effects pedal of 2020 | Guitar.com, Guitar.com
