The Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro is a micro-sized analog compressor pedal that condenses the original Philosopher's Tone into a 1590A enclosure12. It delivers the parallel optical compression and sustain of the original award-winning pedal, with a Blend knob that mixes your dry signal with the compressed sound, a Treble control and a Volume control1. It was available as of August 1, 2016, selling for $119 USD1.
What it does: parallel optical compression in a micro enclosure
The Philosopher's Tone Micro is built around the optical compression approach Pigtronix is known for. Premier Guitar's launch coverage described the original Philosopher's Tone as famous for noiseless clean sustain, and the Micro carries that over: parallel optical compression and the sustain of the original, in a micro-size chassis1. The pedal has a very low noise floor, which lets you add sustain without adding hiss6.
The parallel part matters for how it feels under your fingers. The Blend knob lets you add gradual amounts of compression in parallel with your dry signal, right up to a fully compressed signal, so you can keep some of your picking dynamics while still getting the sustain and leveling. Pigtronix's own artist-page description of the Blend knob on the Philosopher's Tone says it allows you to mix your original tone with the compressed sound7.
A charge pump has been added inside the Micro so that it can be used with a standard 9V adapter2. The Volume knob provides loads of headroom to drive your amp harder, which is part of why reviewers found the pedal useful beyond plain compression8.
The controls: Blend, Treble and Volume
The Micro keeps the control set small, in keeping with its enclosure. Three knobs do the work218:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Blend | Mixes the instrument's original tone with the compressed sound, from parallel dry-plus-compressed up to a fully compressed signal18 |
| Treble | Cut or boost at 2kHz, up to 6dB either way85 |
| Volume | Sets output level, with plenty of headroom to drive an amp harder8 |
MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen found the Treble control useful in two ways: for an EQ shift with no compression at all, and for dialing in an altered tone alongside compression8. He also noted that the Micro's Blend knob lets you add gradual amounts of compression in parallel with your dry signal, right up to a fully compressed signal, and that the volume knob provides loads of headroom to drive your amp harder8.
History and versions
The Philosopher's Tone was released in 20092. The Micro, a condensed micro-sized version of the Philosopher's Tone, arrived later, available as of August 1, 2016 for $119 USD234.
The Philosopher's Tone line has since gone through several revisions and editions9:
- The Philosopher's Rock, which emphasized the overdrive component of the original9
- The Philosopher's Bass, tuned for bass frequencies9
- The Philosopher's Tone Germanium Gold Micro, which adds germanium diodes to the original circuit for a distortion stage10
- The Philosopher's Tone 2, announced at NAMM 2024, which adds a footswitchable Grit overdrive stage and true-bypass switching11
The Micro condenses the Philosopher's Tone into a micro-sized pedal, with a charge pump added so that it can be used with a standard 9V adapter2. Its dimensions are 3.75" x 1.5" x 1.75"5.
The Philosopher's Tone Micro runs on standard 9V external power only; there is no battery option in the micro enclosure4.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar reviewed the Micro and found it a versatile and impressive performer, with very few reasons to avoid it. The reviewer noted it is easy to slip onto your pedalboard and has a role to play beyond just a compressor, notably as a tone conditioner and driver that can elevate your sound for solos8.
"A versatile, and impressive, performer."
Guitar World's mini-pedal buying guide listed the Micro's strengths as noiseless clean sustain, a blend control for parallel compression, and a treble EQ for boost or cut, while noting it doesn't get as "squashy" as some compressors5. Gearnews.com reported at launch that the very low noise floor allows added sustain without making everything hissy, and highlighted Paul Gilbert's demo of the compressor, both clean and distorted, as a good indication of what to expect612. MusicRadar later described the Micro as well-received13.
Related Pigtronix pedals
If you are comparing within the line, the Germanium Gold Micro keeps the Micro's clean compression side, identical to the original Philosopher's Tone with the same optical sustain engine, but adds germanium-diode grit with its own Sustain and Grit controls1014. The Philosopher's Tone 2 returns to a compact full-size format with Volume, Blend, Grit and Sustain controls plus a footswitchable overdrive stage15.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Philosopher's Tone Micro the same circuit as the original Philosopher's Tone?
Essentially, yes. An independent circuit trace by Aion FX found the Micro is pretty well identical to the original Philosopher's Tone overall, with one notable difference: a charge pump was added so the pedal can run on a standard 9V adapter. The trace also found a gain resistor value of 68k rather than the 6k8 shown in an earlier trace of the original.
Is the Philosopher's Tone Micro true bypass?
Yes. The Philosopher's Tone Micro features true-bypass switching, so it leaves your signal alone when disengaged. The later Philosopher's Tone 2 also uses true-bypass switching.
Does the Philosopher's Tone Micro take a battery?
No. The Micro runs on standard 9V external power only. A charge pump inside the pedal converts the 9V input, so there is no battery option in the micro enclosure.
What is the difference between the Philosopher's Tone Micro and the Germanium Gold?
The Philosopher's Tone Micro is a clean parallel optical compressor. The Germanium Gold Micro keeps that same clean compression side, with the same optical sustain engine, but adds germanium diodes for a distortion stage that Pigtronix describes as having a smooth top-end and rich midrange response. It also adds Sustain and Grit controls.
Did Paul Gilbert use the Philosopher's Tone Micro?
Yes. Paul Gilbert made demo material for the pedal around its launch, including a clean demo and a distorted demo of the compressor, which gearnews.com highlighted as a good indication of what to expect from the pedal when used clean.
Is the Philosopher's Tone Micro analog?
Yes. The Philosopher's Tone Micro is an analog pedal, continuing the analog design of the original Philosopher's Tone, which Premier Guitar described in 2009 as an analog compressor and sustainer.
Sources (15)
- Pigtronix Unveils the Philosopher's Tone Micro, Premier Guitar, 2016-06-25
- Tracing Journal: Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone Micro, Aion FX, 2025-03-28
- Pigtronix Announces Philosopher's Tone Micro Pedal, Guitar World, 2016-06-23
- Summer NAMM 2016: Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro promises miniaturised compression alchemy, MusicRadar, 2016-06-30
- Best mini-pedals for guitarists: top space-saving stomps, Guitar World, 2020-09-25
- Summer NAMM 2016: Pigtronix Philospher's Tone Micro, gearnews.com, 2016-06-28
- Artists - Pigtronix, Pigtronix, 2023-10-12
- Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro review, MusicRadar, 2017-05-23
- Polyphemus Optical Compressor / Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone, Aion FX, 2023-07-03
- Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone Germanium Gold Micro compressor pedal, gearnews.com, 2018-06-08
- Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone 2 Optical Compressor & Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2024-07-02
- Watch Paul Gilbert Demo Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro Pedal, Guitar World, 2016-06-22
- Pigtronix unveils 3 new mini guitar effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2017-11-27
- Pigtronix updates Philosopher’s Tone compressor, Guitar.com, 2018-06-12
- NAMM 2024: “This pedal facilitates an alchemical dance”: Pigtronix's Philosopher's Tone 2 is the sequel that looks set to top the original, Guitar World, 2024-01-30
Paul Gilbert
