The Vacuum Optical Compressor V2 is an optical compressor pedal from Poison Noises, released in August 2022 as part of the maker's overhaul of its full pedal lineup. An optical compressor uses a light-based element to duck your signal's level, and Pedal of the Day's review describes the Vacuum V2 as bringing "dynamic control reminiscent of tones from both a long time ago, and from a galaxy far far away."1
It sits in the compressor pedals category, and its headline feature is a sparkle control: you can dial in the amount of sparkle the Vacuum adds to your signal, which Pedal of the Day says lets the compressor "fit anyone's" setup.1
The controls
The Vacuum V2 uses Poison Noises' own names for the standard compressor parameters. Pedal of the Day maps them out as follows:1
Read as a group, the six knobs cover the full set of controls a compressor player normally looks for. Velocity sets how quickly the pedal reacts to your picking, Magnitude sets how hard it pushes back, Collapse decides at what level compression kicks in, and Drift sets how quickly the level comes back once it has. Eclipse and Density handle the output side, shaping tone and overall level. That means the pedal can be set for anything from gentle leveling to heavy squashing without needing to learn unfamiliar terminology beyond the labels1.
On top of those six, the sparkle control sets the amount of added sparkle the Vacuum contributes to your signal. Pedal of the Day notes that with the ability to dial in that amount, the compressor can fit anyone's setup, letting you decide how much top-end lift and shimmer the pedal adds.1
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review is the main published account of the pedal. The reviewer's verdict on its range and noise performance1:
"lets you add some tasteful light compression, or squash your tone into oblivion, all while keeping your noise floor as silent as the endless void of space."1
That covers both ends of the pedal's range: light, transparent compression for evening out dynamics, and extreme squash for sustain-heavy sounds, with the reviewer finding the noise floor stays quiet even at the extreme settings.1
The same review's summary of the pedal's character, that it brings "dynamic control reminiscent of tones from both a long time ago, and from a galaxy far far away," frames it as a compressor aimed at players chasing a classic optical compression feel.1
Videos
Poison Noises
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What do the Density, Collapse and Eclipse knobs do?
On The Vacuum Optical Compressor V2, Density is the volume control, Collapse is the threshold control, and Eclipse is the tone control, according to Pedal of the Day's review. Together with the other knobs they cover the basic compressor functions: how hard the pedal pushes, when compression kicks in, and how the output sits in your mix.
Which knob on the Vacuum Optical Compressor V2 sets the ratio?
Magnitude is the ratio control on The Vacuum Optical Compressor V2. Pedal of the Day lists it alongside Velocity (attack), Drift (release), Collapse (threshold), Eclipse (tone) and Density (volume), so the pedal covers the full set of standard compressor parameters under its own names.
Is the Vacuum Optical Compressor V2 quiet at high compression settings?
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it was. The review says the pedal lets you add tasteful light compression or squash your tone into oblivion, all while keeping your noise floor as silent as possible, so it holds up even when you push the compression hard.
What does the sparkle control do?
The sparkle control sets the amount of added sparkle the Vacuum contributes to your signal. Pedal of the Day notes that with the ability to dial in that amount, the compressor can fit anyone's setup, letting you decide how much top-end lift and shimmer the pedal adds.
Sources (1)
- Poison Noises The Vacuum Optical Compressor V2, Pedal of the Day, 2022-08-20