The Dophix Leonardo is a compressor pedal from Italian maker Dophix, part of a Da Vinci-inspired line. It is a two-knob design: sensitivity sets how much compression you get, and level sets the output volume. Everything else, the attack, release and ratio, is fixed inside the pedal1.
What makes it distinct is its circuit. Pedal of the Day reports that it "integrates transistors that have been researched from production batch compressors of the 70s", and that "the vintage component sound shines through"2. In Premier Guitar's demo video, the makers described the result as a real squishy compression with a lot of attack, crackly under the fingers1.
Controls and what they do
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity | Chooses the dynamic range of compression, how much the loud and quiet parts are pulled together2 |
| Level | Sets the output signal level1 |
With only two knobs there is no attack, release or ratio control on the outside. In the Premier Guitar demo, Dophix explained that those parameters are fixed internally, so the pedal's character is set at the design stage and the player shapes it through the sensitivity knob1. For a player who wants a set-and-forget compressor rather than a fully adjustable studio-style unit, that is the trade: fewer decisions, but less fine control.
How it sounds and where to put it
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that "This compressor sounds great with your clean tone, as well as when placed before or after your favorite overdrive"2. That covers the two common placements on a pedalboard: before an overdrive, where the compressor evens out the signal feeding the drive, or after it, where it smooths the driven sound's output.
The squishy character the makers describe points at the vintage-style compression the 70s transistors are there to deliver21.
Bypass and signal integrity
The Leonardo uses a true bypass switch. Pedal of the Day describes it as a "high quality TRUE BYPASS switch that ensures signal integrity with pedal off and eliminates any additional distortion"2. With the pedal disengaged, your signal passes through without the circuit coloring it.
Videos
DOPHIX
Pedal of the Day
Giacomo Pasquali
News
Questions
Is the Dophix Leonardo true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes it as having a high quality true bypass switch, which keeps the signal path intact with the pedal off and eliminates any added distortion when it is disengaged.
Does the Dophix Leonardo have an attack control?
No. The Leonardo has only two knobs, sensitivity and level. In the Premier Guitar demo, Dophix explained that release, ratio and attack are fixed internally, so the player sets the amount of compression and the output level and the rest is preset.
Should the Dophix Leonardo go before or after an overdrive?
Pedal of the Day found it sounds great with a clean tone as well as placed before or after an overdrive, so both placements work. The choice comes down to whether you want the compressor acting on your raw guitar signal or on the overdrive's output.
Sources (2)
- Dophix Galileo, Michelangelo, Dante, Nettuno, David, Perseo, Leonardo & Vitruviano Demos, Premier Guitar, 2022-06-05
- Dophix Leonardo Compressor, Pedal of the Day, 2022-08-31