The Fromel Velvet Vice is an optical compressor pedal made by Fromel Electronics. Optical compression uses a light-sensitive element to control the gain, an approach the maker sums up as "Smooth like velvet"1. It sits in the broader family of compressor pedals, and Fromel positions it as a transparent, always-on effect rather than a heavy squash.
Fromel describes its character plainly: "This is not a spanky funk machine; instead it's the kind of compressor you can leave on all the time and is not in your face, but sorely missed when turned off."1 The pedal also "accentuates your picking dynamics and can also be used to give your signal a subtle boost if necessary"1, so it can double as a light boost when you need to lift a part in the mix.
Controls
The Velvet Vice keeps a traditional three-knob layout:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Compression | Sets the amount of compression applied to the signal |
| Release | Sets how quickly the compression lets go |
| Level | Sets the pedal's output volume |
The maker describes this as "The traditional layout includes three knobs for: Compression, Release, Level."1 Players used to optical compressors will recognize the arrangement: compression and release shape the response, and level matches or lifts the output.
Where it fits
As an optical design, the Velvet Vice is aimed at smooth, even compression that stays out of the way, in contrast to compressors voiced for percussive, country-style squash. Fromel's own description makes that distinction the pedal's defining trait: subtle enough to leave on, noticeable when it is gone1.
Videos
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Sources (1)
- Velvet Vice Optical Compression Pedal, Fromel Electronics