The M.D. Effects Compactor is an analog compressor pedal introduced in November 2018, described by its maker as a studio quality compressor with plenty of versatility, covering anything from ultra squashed to light compression1. It was built by hand in M.D. Effects' California USA shop and sold directly through the maker's website, mdeffects.net, at an MSRP of $200 USD1.
What the Compactor does
The Compactor's headline control is a Blend knob, which M.D. Effects says allows more transparent compression sounds by letting dry signal sit alongside the compressed signal1. In practice, a Blend control means you can run heavy compression for sustain and evenness while leaving some of the untouched pick attack and dynamics audible underneath, which is where most of a compressor's transparency complaints come from. Guitar World's report on the pedal lists Attack, Release, Output and Blend controls, plus a Bright toggle2.
The Blend approach is common on bass-oriented compressors, where keeping the untouched low end audible matters most; the Tech 21 Bass Compactor takes a similar dry-mix idea further with a two-band EQ and noise gate3. Guitar players who find a conventional compressor, such as the MXR Dyna Comp, too abrupt at high settings are the audience a Blend knob is aimed at.
The pedal's all black enclosure is described by the maker as sleek and modern, and every jack sits on top of the pedal rather than the sides, which matters on tight pedalboards1.
Controls at a glance
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Blend | Mixes dry signal with the compressed signal for more transparent settings1 |
| Attack | Sets how quickly the compressor responds4 |
| Release | Sets how quickly the compression lets go4 |
| Output | Sets the overall level2 |
| Bright toggle | Preserves high frequencies that compression can otherwise dull4 |
Power and connections
The Compactor accepts 9V DC negative power2. With input, output and power jacks all top mounted1, it fits the standard compact-pedal layout and works with ordinary pedalboard power supplies.
The pedal uses Soft Touch "Clickless" true bypass switching1, so the footswitch is quiet underfoot as well as removing the circuit from the signal path when off.
The Compactor V2
In November 2018, shortly after the original's introduction, Guitar.com reported the release of the Compactor V2, an updated version of the earlier compressor4. The main change is the control scheme: the V2 drops the predecessor's "EQ", "Ratio" and "Comp" knobs in favor of a new "Attack and Release" arrangement4.
"Tweaking 'Attack' and 'Release' knobs can take you from fat compressed sounds to a more subtle compression with ringing sustain."
The V2 keeps the Bright switch from the original, which preserves the high frequencies that are often drowned out by compression4. Guitar.com reports that the updated compressor circuit is touted to add definition, sustain and punch to each note, and that the pedal features deep compression capabilities that keep the dry signal always present in the mix4. The V2 also retails at $2004.
If you are shopping used, the control panel tells the two versions apart: the original carries "EQ", "Ratio" and "Comp" knobs, while the V2 has "Attack" and "Release" in their place4.
Videos
M.D. Effects
Questions
Is the M.D. Effects Compactor analog?
Yes. Premier Guitar's press release on the pedal's introduction describes it as an analog pedal, part of M.D. Effects' guitar pedal lineup. The circuit is a studio-style compressor with a Blend control for more transparent settings and a Bright switch on the V2 that preserves high frequencies that compression can otherwise dull.
Is the M.D. Effects Compactor true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses what M.D. Effects calls Soft Touch Clickless True Bypass Switching, so the signal path is bypassed mechanically when the pedal is off, and the footswitch itself is quiet underfoot.
What power supply does the M.D. Effects Compactor need?
The Compactor accepts 9V DC negative power, according to Guitar World's report on the pedal's introduction. It has no battery option mentioned, so a standard 9V DC center negative supply is what you would run it from.
Where is the M.D. Effects Compactor made?
M.D. Effects states that all of its products are built by hand in its California USA home, and the Compactor was sold directly through the maker's website, mdeffects.net.
Sources (4)
- M.D. Effects Releases the Compactor, Premier Guitar, 2018-11-05
- M.D. Effects Introduces New Compactor Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-11-08
- Tech 21 Bass Compactor, ovnilab.com
- MD Effects announces the Compactor V2, Guitar.com, 2018-11-08
