The DRW Jerry Donahue Compressor JD-01 is a compressor pedal made in the UK by DRW, produced with the help of guitarist Jerry Donahue. It is built on DRW's own compressor circuitry and adds a blend control to it, letting you mix the compressed signal with your original guitar signal, an approach known as parallel compression1. For players weighing up compressor pedals, the blend control is the feature that sets it apart from DRW's standard 4 Knob model.
The blend control and parallel compression
The blend control is the JD-01's defining feature. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen described how it works: with the blend control fully anti-clockwise you get only the original guitar signal, while fully clockwise gives only the compressed signal. Between the two lies a sweet spot where, in his words, "the parallel compression adds some mojo to your tone without sounding overly processed"1.
Parallel compression on a pedal works by running your clean signal and a compressed version side by side and mixing them. Keeping some of the uncompressed signal in the mix preserves the natural attack and dynamics of your playing while the compressed portion evens out the level.
How it differs from the DRW 4 Knob compressor
The JD-01 takes the 4 Knob's trim knob and replaces it with the blend control. The trim function is relegated to being an internal trim pot on the JD-01, which Curwen noted is fine if you are the kind of player who sets it once and leaves it alone1.
| DRW 4 Knob | JD-01 | |
|---|---|---|
| Trim control | Panel knob | Internal trim pot |
| Blend control | No | Yes, clean-to-compressed mix |
On price, MusicRadar's review put the JD-01 at an extra £10 over the standard DRW 4 Knob compressor, and summed the pedal up as "a versatile compressor that lets you add as much compression to your sound as you wish: well worth the extra £10 over the standard DRW 4 Knob compressor"1.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review credited the pedal with a nice transparent tone and highlighted the blend control as offering a chance to find the sweet spot between clean and compressed signal1.
Videos
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DRW Design Retro Works
Questions
What is parallel compression on a guitar pedal?
Parallel compression means blending a compressed version of your signal with the original, uncompressed signal. On the JD-01, the blend control fully anti-clockwise gives only the original guitar signal, fully clockwise gives only the compressed signal, and between the two lies a sweet spot where the parallel compression adds character without sounding overly processed.
How does the DRW JD-01 differ from the DRW 4 Knob compressor?
The JD-01 is built on the same DRW compressor circuitry, but the 4 Knob's trim knob is replaced by a blend control on the JD-01. That trim function is relegated to an internal trim pot on the JD-01, freeing up a panel control for mixing clean and compressed signal.
Where is the DRW Jerry Donahue Compressor made?
The JD-01 is made in the UK and was produced with the help of guitarist Jerry Donahue, whose name it carries.
What does the internal trim pot do on the DRW JD-01?
On the 4 Knob compressor, the trim knob is a panel control. On the JD-01 it is relegated to being an internal trim pot, which suits players who set it once and leave it, while the blend control takes its place on the outside of the pedal.
How much more does the JD-01 cost than the 4 Knob?
MusicRadar's review put the JD-01 at an extra £10 over the standard DRW 4 Knob compressor, and called it well worth the difference.
Sources (1)
- DRW Jerry Donahue Compressor JD-01 review, MusicRadar, 2015-03-24