The Mooer Yellow Comp is an optical compressor pedal from Mooer, released in 2013 as part of the company's line of micro pedals. It is built to deliver what the company describes as the classic optical compression sound with a smooth attack and natural decay, in an enclosure small enough to squeeze onto a crowded board.1
What it does
The Yellow Comp is a compressor, the pedal type that evens out the difference between your quietest and loudest notes. It uses optical compression, a circuit approach in which gain reduction is controlled by a light-sensitive element. Mooer describes it as having "the classical optical compression sound but with smooth attack and decay," and Vintage Guitar's announcement similarly reported that "the company says it offers classic optical compression sound, but with smooth attack and natural decay."13
If you are weighing it against other compressors, Mooer also makes the MOOER Blue Comp, and the wider field is covered on our Compressor Pedals page.
Size, weight and construction
The Yellow Comp is a micro pedal, meaning it is far smaller than a standard stompbox. MOOER Audio lists its dimensions as 93.5mm deep by 42mm wide by 52mm high, and its weight as 160g. Vintage Guitar's review noted the same compact footprint.21
The housing is metal, and the pedal's wiring is true bypass, so when it is off, your guitar's signal passes through without passing through the compression circuit.1
The Yellow Comp was announced in 2013. Vintage Guitar's announcement pointed readers to www.danabgoods.com for more information at the time.1
Connections
The pedal keeps its jack layout simple:
- Input: 1/4" monaural jack, with an input impedance of 470k2
- Output: 1/4" monaural jack, with an output impedance of 1k Ohms2
Videos
Mooer Mania and MOOER Audio
David Escobar
EytschPi42
Questions
Is the Mooer Yellow Comp true bypass?
Yes. MOOER Audio lists the Yellow Comp as true bypass, and Vintage Guitar's 2013 announcement of the pedal also noted its true-bypass wiring alongside its metal housing. With true bypass, the pedal's circuit is removed from the signal path when it is switched off, so it does not load down your guitar's tone when it is not in use.
How big is the Mooer Yellow Comp?
MOOER Audio gives the Yellow Comp's dimensions as 93.5mm deep by 42mm wide by 52mm high. Vintage Guitar's announcement of the pedal gave the same footprint in inches as 3.68 by 1.65 by 2 inches. It is part of Mooer's line of micro pedals, built to take up as little pedalboard space as possible.
What is an optical compressor?
An optical compressor is a compressor that uses a light source and a light-sensitive element to control the gain reduction. The Yellow Comp is described by Mooer as offering the classic optical compression sound with smooth attack and natural decay, the character associated with that circuit style.
How much does the Mooer Yellow Comp weigh?
MOOER Audio lists the Yellow Comp's weight as 160g. Vintage Guitar's 2013 announcement gave the same figure as 5.64 ounces. The light weight comes from its small micro-pedal enclosure, which is made of metal.
Sources (3)
- Mooer Intros Yellow Comp Optical Compressor, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2013-07-24
- Yellow Comp_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
- Mooer Releases Yellow Comp Optical Compressor, Premier Guitar, 2013-07-26
