The Caveman Audio BP1 Compact is a compact bass preamp in stompbox format, built as a low voltage version of the company's BP1 Bass Preamp. Caveman Audio describes it as cramming "the essence of our beloved BP1 Bass Preamp into a compact stompbox format," with a transformer-balanced XLR DI output that the maker says eliminates the need for an external DI or line driver1.
Caveman Audio says the BP1 Compact "adds that critical definition in the low-mid part of the sound, making your bass sit in the mix with ultimate definition and tons of dynamics"1. The full-size BP1, which the Compact is scaled down from, is itself described by the maker as designed to enhance the low mid-range frequencies of a bass for clarity and definition in a mix2.
What it does
The BP1 Compact is a preamp, not an overdrive or an EQ: it takes the instrument signal, runs it through an input buffer, passes it through a loop for your effects, then through the preamp's gain stage, and out to an amplifier and a mixing desk. The signal path order matters for how you build around it, and the loop placement is covered below1.
The DI output is the other half of the product. It is a gold-plated Neutrik XLR, transformer balanced and line level, designed for loads of 2kΩ or higher. Caveman Audio says the transformer balancing "avoids any hum/noise issues, and eliminates the need for an external D.I./Line Driver"1. Bass Musician Magazine, reporting on the Caveman Audio lineup in 2023, described the BP1's DI as high quality and transformer balanced, the same design carried into the Compact3.
The unit also carries the maker's "Unique RFI protection and Silent Switching" feature, which the full-size BP1 shares12.
Controls and connections
The control set is minimal: two knobs and a ground lift switch.
| Control or jack | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Controls how hard you drive the preamp. Higher gain pushes the preamp more and adds a touch of natural analog compression1 |
| LEVEL | Controls the overall output of the preamp1 |
| AMP GROUND LIFT (GL) | Set for minimum noise1 |
| INPUT | 1/4" TS mono jack, the instrument input1 |
| LOOP SEND / RETURN | 1/4" TS mono jacks, placed after the input buffer but before the preamp1 |
| AMP OUT | 1/4" TRS stereo jack, transformer balanced to avoid hum and noise when connecting an external amplifier1 |
| D.I. | Gold-plated Neutrik XLR output, transformer balanced, line level, for loads of 2kΩ or higher1 |
| TUNER OUT | 1/4" TS mono jack, always active, placed right after the input buffer for best tuner performance1 |
The Tuner Out being always active and sitting immediately after the input buffer means you can tune at any point in a song, including while the loop is in use, without the tuner seeing your effects1.
The effects loop
The loop send and return are 1/4" TS mono jacks, and Caveman Audio places the loop "after the input buffer, but before the preamp"1. For a player, that means anything you run through the loop, such as a compressor, overdrive or fuzz, feeds into the preamp's gain stage afterward. Driving the GAIN control harder then pushes both your bass and your loop effects through the preamp, adding the natural analog compression the maker describes1.
The full-size BP1 calls its loop switchable, letting you isolate additional stompboxes; the Compact's product page does not describe a switch for the loop2.
Power: 12V, 400mA, center negative
The BP1 Compact requires a 12VDC supply. It will not run on 9VDC or 18VDC. A 12VDC supply rated at 1000mA is fine, since the unit requires a minimum of 400mA1.
The power specification is 12VDC at 400mA, center negative1. This is the single most important practical detail for a pedalboard builder: the standard 9V center negative output that powers most pedals will not work here, and neither will an 18V supply. You need a 12V outlet with at least 400mA of current available.
For power supplies, Caveman Audio recommends Cioks units if you need multiple DC outlets, and the TC PowerPlug 12 if you only need a single supply1.
How it differs from the full-size BP1
The BP1 Compact is a compact, low voltage version of the BP1 Bass Preamp, which is itself a scaled-down version of Caveman Audio's BAS1 Bass Preamp System12. The practical differences between the Compact and the full-size BP1:
| BP1 Compact | BP1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Compact stompbox1 | Bass preamp with switchable loop2 |
| Power | 12VDC, 400mA minimum, center negative1 | 100-240VAC 50/60Hz through an IEC inlet2 |
| Tuner power | Tuner Out jack only2 | 9VDC output for powering a tuner, accepting 2.1mm and 2.5mm / 5.5mm plugs, with short-circuit protection and LED indication2 |
| Wireless input | Not listed | Transformer-balanced Neutrik XLR input designed to handle a wireless system2 |
| Warranty | 10 years1 | 10 years2 |
The headline difference is power: the full-size BP1 runs on mains voltage through an IEC inlet, while the Compact runs on 12VDC so it can sit on a pedalboard. The full-size unit also adds a 9VDC output to power a tuner directly, and a balanced XLR input for wireless systems, neither of which the Compact's product page lists12.
Both units share the 10-year warranty, the transformer-balanced Neutrik DI at line level for loads of 2kΩ or higher, the always-active Tuner Out after the input buffer, and the RFI protection and Silent Switching feature12.
In the Caveman Audio range
Caveman Audio's bass line centers on the BP1 Bass Preamp, with the BP1 Compact as the pedalboard-friendly version, cramming the essence of the full-size preamp into a compact stompbox format1. The Compact runs 4.495,00 kr. DKK and is built in a road-ready zinc-plated steel enclosure measuring 130 x 145 x 40/65 mm (WxHxD) and weighing 1.5 kg / 3 lbs. 5 oz.1. For power, the maker recommends Cioks power supplies if you need multiple DC outlets, or the TC PowerPlug 12 for a single supply1.
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Questions
Can the Caveman Audio BP1 Compact run on 9 volts?
No. Caveman Audio states the BP1 Compact requires a 12VDC supply, not 9VDC or 18VDC, with a minimum of 400mA at center negative polarity. A 12VDC supply rated at 1000mA is fine since the unit only needs at least 400mA. This rules out most standard 9V pedalboard outputs and daisy chains.
Does the Caveman BP1 Compact have an XLR DI output?
Yes. It has a gold-plated Neutrik XLR output that is transformer balanced and line level, designed for loads of 2kΩ or higher. Caveman Audio says the transformer balancing avoids hum and noise issues and eliminates the need for an external DI or line driver.
Where is the effects loop on the BP1 Compact?
The loop uses 1/4-inch TS mono send and return jacks, and it sits after the input buffer but before the preamp. That placement means effects fed through the loop hit the preamp's gain stage afterward, and the always-active tuner output, placed right after the input buffer, stays outside the loop.
How is the BP1 Compact different from the full-size BP1?
The BP1 Compact is a compact, low voltage stompbox version of the BP1 Bass Preamp. The full-size BP1 runs on 100 to 240VAC mains through an IEC inlet and adds a 9VDC tuner power output and a transformer-balanced XLR wireless input option, while the Compact runs on 12VDC and fits a pedalboard.
What warranty does Caveman Audio give on the BP1 Compact?
Caveman Audio covers the BP1 Compact with a 10-year warranty, the same warranty the company lists for the full-size BP1 Bass Preamp.
Sources (3)
- BP1 Compact, Caveman Audio, 2025-06-05
- BP1 Bass Preamp, Caveman Audio, 2025-06-02
- Gear News: Caveman Audio to Announce BC1 Bass ‘Master’ Compressor, Bass Musician Magazine, 2023-07-12
