The MXR M282 Dyna Comp Bass Compressor is a bass compressor pedal made by MXR, a brand of Jim Dunlop. It retunes compression for the low end: Bass Magazine's reviewers note that "the circuitry is tailored to bass frequencies and the nuances of electric bass"1. It launched at a $149 list price, £141 in the UK2, with a street price around $1501, and Jim Dunlop's parts store lists it at $159.99 as of October 20263.
It is a small box, 40mm x 90mm x 56mm and 0.4 lbs, built for tight pedalboards2. Guitar World's 2026 guide to the best bass compressor pedals named it the best compact option4.
A CA3080 Dyna Comp circuit for bass
The M282 is built around a CA3080 circuit, the same operational transconductance amplifier at the heart of the original Dyna Comp design. Guitar World's editors describe that chip as "known for having a good dynamic range and being transparent"4. In a compressor, the CA3080 reacts to the level of your signal and reduces gain as notes get louder, which evens out the differences in volume between notes and extends sustain.
The original MXR Dyna Comp (model MX-102) was first released in 197267. It produced its compression effect by aligning differences in volume between notes and provided longer sustain, with just two knobs: Output, controlling the output level, and Sensitivity, determining the amount of compression7. Ovnilab's review of vintage Dyna Comps notes that "the main difference is that the MXR has lower quality of components and construction" compared with the Ross compressor and its clones8.
The M282 keeps that circuit topology but revoices it for the low end and adds controls the original never had41.
Controls and how it works
The pedal has four knobs and a switch, which Guitar World's reviewer found gives "plenty of flexibility with which to sculpt the dynamics of your" bass tone2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output | Adjusts the volume of the compressed signal5 |
| Sensitivity | Gives control over the sustain, setting how hard the compressor works1 |
| Clean | Blends in your unaffected dry tone to your liking1 |
| Tone | +/- 7 dB of tilt around 1 kHz5 |
| Attack switch | Toggles between the default slow attack time and a fast attack time, indicated by a red LED5 |
The Attack switch is the character choice. Guitar World's editors explain that it "lets you choose between a slower, more vintage style attack and a quick, modern attack"4. Slow lets the initial pluck of a note through before compression grabs it; fast clamps down immediately for a smoother, more even response.
The Clean knob is what makes the pedal workable on bass. Blending uncompressed low end back in preserves the attack and weight of your dry signal while the compressed path evens out the sustain underneath1.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Max compression | 36 dB5 |
| Max input level | -5 dBV5 |
| Max output level | +2 dBV5 |
| Input impedance | 600 kΩ5 |
| Output impedance | 25 kΩ5 |
| Noise floor | -100 dBV, A-weighted, all controls at mid position5 |
| THD | 0.2%, measured at 1 kHz5 |
| Dimensions | 40mm x 90mm x 56mm2 |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs2 |
Powering it
The M282 cannot be powered by a battery5. You need the Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter or an MXR Brick Series power supply, each sold separately, at 9 VDC with an 11 mA current draw5.
Setup is straightforward: run a cable from your bass to the INPUT jack, and another from the OUTPUT jack to your amplifier5. The footswitch toggles the effect on and bypass, with a blue LED showing when it is active5.
What reviewers said
Bass Magazine's reviewers found the pedal quick to get along with:
"In all, it took me about 90 seconds to dial in what I wanted, and then I was back to focusing on the music1."
Rod Taylor and Darryl Anders, Bass Magazine, 20191
Guitar World's reviewer found the compression effective at its core job, "especially when reducing the peaks in your" signal, essentially smoothing out your tone2. Guitar World's 2026 buying guide named the M282 its best compact bass compressor4.
How it differs from other MXR bass compressors
MXR also makes the full-size MXR Bass Compressor and the M87B Blackout Series Bass Compressor. The M282 is the mini, CA3080-based option: fewer controls than a full-featured studio-style compressor, but a Clean blend, Tone control, and Attack switch the original Dyna Comp never had, in a housing about a third the length of the M287's14.
Videos
Bass Bonedo
Gadget Doodles
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Questions
Can the MXR M282 run on a battery?
No. Jim Dunlop's manual states plainly that the pedal cannot be powered by a battery. It runs on a 9 VDC supply, specifically the Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter or an MXR Brick Series power supply, each sold separately, and draws 11 mA.
What does the Clean knob do on the Dyna Comp Bass?
The Clean control blends your unaffected, uncompressed bass tone back in with the compressed signal. Bass Magazine's reviewers found this lets you keep the attack and character of your dry sound while the compressor works underneath it, blending the unaffected tone to your liking.
Slow or fast attack on the MXR Dyna Comp Bass?
The red-LED Attack switch toggles between the default slow attack and a fast attack. Guitar World describes the slow setting as a more vintage style attack and the fast setting as a quick, modern attack, so the choice depends on whether you want pluck and snap through or a smoother, more even response.
What is the difference between the M282 and the original Dyna Comp?
The original MXR Dyna Comp (MX-102) dates to 1972 and has just two knobs, Output and Sensitivity. The M282 keeps that compression character but adds a Clean blend, a Tone control, and an Attack switch, and its circuitry is tailored to bass frequencies and the nuances of electric bass.
How much compression does the MXR M282 give?
Up to 36 dB of compression, according to Jim Dunlop's manual. The Sensitivity knob sets how much of that you use, giving you control over the sustain, and the Clean knob lets you dial back the effect by mixing in your dry signal.
Sources (8)
- Review: MXR M282 Dyna Comp Bass Compressor, Bass Magazine, 2019-07-23
- MXR Sub Octave Bass Fuzz, Vintage Bass Octave and Dyna Comp Bass review, Guitar World, 2021-08-26
- MXR® BASS COMPRESSOR, Jim Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- Best bass compressor pedals 2026: ultimate low-end control, Guitar World, 2022-05-11
- M282.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2025
- Aurora Compressor / Sustainer, Aion FX, 2018-06-30
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- MXR Dynacomp, ovnilab.com, 2006
