The Horizon Devices Clarity Compressor is a compressor pedal built around one idea: compression you can leave on all the time without hearing it work. Guitar Pedal X describes it as engineered for being an incredibly transparent always-on compressor that enhances your guitar's output while producing minimal colouration of and deviation from the core tone1. Guitar World's launch coverage frames it the same way, and adds that when played with clean tones, it will provide extra sustain, clarity and a gentle sprinkling of gain2.
Controls
The pedal keeps its face simple: five knobs and the dotted LED display21.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Clarity | One of the pedal's five front-panel controls1 |
| Mix | Blend control on the front panel1 |
| Intensity | Sets the front-panel compression character1 |
| Volume | Output level control1 |
| Comp | Compression control on the front panel1 |
Guitar Pedal X notes that the Attack and Release vectors are cleverly internally calibrated by default, so there are no separate attack and release knobs to set: the timing is fixed inside the pedal and the player shapes the effect with the front panel1.
"There are so many smart Compressors on the market currently that competition is intense - and still this Clarity Compressor manages to define its own niche."
The dotted LED display
A dotted LED display showcases the amount of compression applied in that moment, according to Guitar World, so you can see how hard the pedal is clamping down as you play rather than guessing by ear2. The visual read pairs with the pedal's minimal design and subtly sparkling silver finish, which Guitar World describes as echoing the pedal's simplicity2.
Where it came from
Horizon Devices launched the Clarity Compressor in January 2024 at $160, with its first batch in limited production2. Guitar World counts it as the company's sixth pedal, following the Precision Drive, Apex Preamp, Flux Echo and Nano Attack gain/boost pedal2.
Guitar World reported at launch that the first batch was in limited production2. Guitar Pedal X later noted the pedal was available through the Horizon Devices webstore and due at international dealers1.
On Periphery's P5
Guitar World reports that the Clarity Compressor was used all over Periphery's latest album, P52, making the band's own records the clearest published demonstration of the pedal in a finished mix.
Videos
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John Huldt
Bryce Jackson
News
Questions
Can you adjust attack and release on the Clarity Compressor?
No external attack or release controls are on the pedal. Guitar Pedal X notes that the Attack and Release vectors are cleverly internally calibrated by default, so the pedal arrives with its timing already set and the player shapes the compression through the front-panel knobs instead.
What does the dotted LED display show?
According to Guitar World, a dotted LED display showcases the amount of compression applied in that moment, giving a visual read of how hard the pedal is working on the signal as you play.
Who makes the Horizon Devices Clarity Compressor?
The Clarity Compressor is made by Horizon Devices. Guitar World reported its launch in January 2024, describing it as the company's sixth pedal, following the Precision Drive, Apex Preamp, Flux Echo and Nano Attack gain/boost pedal.
How much does the Clarity Compressor cost?
Guitar World reported a price of $160 at the January 2024 launch, when the first batch was in limited production. Guitar Pedal X listed the Clarity Compressor at $199 in its February 2025 coverage, so the listed price rose between the two reports.
Which Periphery album features the Clarity Compressor?
Guitar World reports that the Clarity Compressor was used all over Periphery's latest album, P5.
Sources (2)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-02-05
- “Enhances your tone and feel with little to no effort”: Misha Mansoor wants Horizon Devices' new Clarity Compressor to be your new always-on pedal, Guitar World, 2024-01-18
