The Bondi Effects Squish As is a compressor pedal built around a Blackmer Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) with a True RMS Detector. Bondi positions it as an always-on pedal: the company says the high-end VCA and True RMS Detector deliver natural, high-fidelity dynamics processing that preserves the richness of your tone while bringing out nuance you did not know was there1. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described it as a soft-knee tuned Blackmer VCA type with Auto Attack and Release, "now honed to perfection as the ideal always on compressor. Where its impact is wholly organically natural and non-colouring"2.
The pedal is a retooling by designers Jon and Anna Ashely, and it moves on from Bondi's earlier 2026 Compressor Limiter, the company's first non-overdrive pedal, with totally different controls, a gain reduction VU meter, and automatically adjusted attack and release1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio noted the name choice kind of harnessed the popularity of Bondi's hit Sick As overdrive stompbox3.
What it does: a Blackmer VCA compressor for always-on use
The Squish As is based on a VCA circuit, a topology renowned for transparent and predictable compression3. Bondi describes the pedal as designed for always-on use and parallel compression, with the VCA and True RMS Detector doing the dynamics processing without coloring the signal12.
The compression character comes from how the sidechain is tuned:
- Attack is program-dependent. Bondi says the Attack rate is automatically set based on the player's input, so harder playing produces a faster attack12.
- Release is fixed relative to Attack, at a rate of 125dB/s, or 8ms/dB1.
- Attack times scale with how much gain reduction is happening: 3dB of gain reduction takes approximately 42ms, 6dB approximately 20ms, 10dB approximately 15ms, and 20dB approximately 5ms1.
- Recovery times: approximately 24ms for 3dB of recovery and approximately 160ms for 20dB4.
The result, in Guitar Pedal X's words, is a compressor that is "extremely transparent in nature overall"2.
The controls
The Squish As front panel has five knobs plus the VU meter. Delicious Audio highlighted the Blend and Tone controls in particular as unusual on a compressor3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity | Sets the threshold, the level at which compression starts; range of -6.3dBu to -46.3dBu13 |
| Ratio | Ranges from 1:1 (no compression) to limiting, where the signal is prevented from exceeding the threshold3 |
| Blend | Parallel compression, mixing the clean and compressed signals3 |
| Tone | A tilt-style control that adds color to the signal, a knob rarely found on compressors3 |
| Output | Output level, -20dB to +20dB, so it can push your volume back up by up to 20dB43 |
The gain reduction VU meter shows the amount of gain reduction in decibels, so you can see how hard the compressor is working as you play1.
Power and connections
The Squish As runs on 9V DC center negative and draws under 70mA1. Its input impedance is 500kΩ at 1kHz and output impedance 560Ω at 1kHz, with input and output levels of approximately +12dBu rail to rail1.
The 9V center negative power requirement means the Squish As needs a standard pedalboard power supply; there is no battery option in the specifications.
Bondi's published measurements for the pedal:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| THD | Typically less than 0.02%, at any compression amount up to 40dB at 1kHz1 |
| SNR | Typically less than 82dB without any gain reduction1 |
| Noise floor | -96dBu, A-weighted, 20Hz to 20000Hz1 |
| Frequency response | 20Hz to 20000Hz (-3dB)1 |
Buying one
The Squish As is listed at $269 USD1. Bondi limits purchases to one per customer, stating that the culture of flipping is bad for the community, and that flippers are permanently banned from the store1. Within the USA it ships from the company's US warehouse via USPS Priority Mail within 1 to 5 business days, with no international fees for US customers1. Guitar Pedal X also reported that the pedal comes in a stealthy all-black limited edition2.
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Questions
Does the Bondi Squish As work on bass?
Yes. Bondi gives the Squish As a frequency response of 20Hz to 20000Hz at -3dB and describes it as suitable for guitar and bass. The full audio frequency bandwidth and a Sensitivity range of -6.3dBu to -46.3dBu mean it can handle a variety of input levels, including active bass signals.
What does the VU meter on the Squish As show?
The VU meter indicates the amount of gain reduction in decibels, so you can see exactly how hard the compressor is working as you play. Bondi added it so players can set the Sensitivity control by eye rather than guessing how much compression is being applied.
Is the Squish As related to the Bondi Sick As?
The Squish As is a compressor, while the Sick As is Bondi's overdrive. Delicious Audio noted that Bondi kind of harnessed the popularity of that hit stompbox in the name choice for the new compressor, so the connection is in the naming rather than the circuit.
Is there a black limited edition of the Squish As?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X reported that the Squish As comes in a stealthy all-black limited edition alongside the standard finish. Both versions carry the same circuit and controls.
How much does the Bondi Effects Squish As cost?
The Squish As is listed at $269 USD. Bondi limits purchases to one per customer and states that flippers are permanently banned from the store. In the US it ships from the company's warehouse via USPS Priority Mail within 1 to 5 business days.
Sources (4)
- Squish As Compressor, Bondi Effects
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-11-15
- New Pedal: Bondi Effects Squish As VCA Compressor, Delicious Audio, 2023-11-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X
