The PRS Mary Cries is an analog optical compressor pedal, part of the Maryland brand's first-ever effects pedals, launched on 30 September 2022 alongside the Horsemeat transparent overdrive and the Wind Through the Trees dual flanger1. Its circuit is based on the Teletronix LA-2A, the famed rack-mount studio compressor, and RockBoard's PedalPedia says it will thicken your tone, help control signal peaks, lengthen sustain, and push your tone without losing definition or clarity2. Depending on your settings, it can be used as a boost as well as a straightforward compressor2.
An optical compressor based on the LA-2A
Optical compression, the approach used by the original Teletronix LA-2A, controls gain reduction with a light-dependent element rather than the voltage-controlled amplifier found in many pedal compressors. Guitar Player's Art Thompson describes the Mary Cries as "based on the famed Teletronix LA-2A rack-mount studio compressor"4, and PRS's own product page calls it "based on the storied LA-2A"2.
What that means for a player, according to the reviews:
- It is designed to level out signal peaks, increase sustain and clarify your sound4.
- Guitar World's Chris Gill found the compression "very transparent and refined, with none of the squash or flattened character of most" compressor pedals, and said it sounds particularly good with single-coil pickups, fattening up the body and enhancing sustain6.
- Guitar Player's Art Thompson called it "a smooth-sounding compressor that can also double as a potent signal booster"4.
"This pedal's compression effect is very transparent and refined, with none of the squash or flattened character of most" compressor pedals.
For players comparing optical compressors, Universal Audio also makes an LA-2A-based stompbox, an emulation of the original hardware voiced to match the hand-wired units7.
Controls and using it as a boost
The control interface is deliberately simple: two knobs, Output Gain and Compression5. Guitar World notes the Compression knob is accompanied by a blue LED that becomes brighter or dimmer depending on how much the signal is being compressed, giving you a visual read of the gain reduction without a separate meter6.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output Gain | Sets the pedal's output level, letting it push your amp or act as a boost56 |
| Compression | Sets the amount of gain reduction, with a blue LED that brightens as compression increases6 |
The true bypass switch is what gives the pedal its second job: Guitar World reported at launch that it "can help turn the pedal from a straightforward compressor into a boost unit"1. Run the Compression knob low and the Output Gain high and it works as a boost on your board.
Power and build
The Mary Cries runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws 8mA2, light enough that it shares a pedalboard supply output easily. Guitar World's review lists its power requirement as a 9V power supply6.
Build details from the launch coverage:
- True bypass switching on all three PRS pedals3
- Through-hole construction, where components pass through the board and are soldered rather than surface-mounted5
- Designed and assembled in the U.S.A.4
- Input, output and adapter jacks on the front face, so pedals sit close together side by side on a pedalboard4
Part of PRS's first three pedals
PRS announced its entry into the effects pedal market on 30 September 2022 with three pedals: the Horsemeat overdrive, the Mary Cries compressor and the Wind Through the Trees dual flanger1. Guitar Player's review of the trio reaffirmed PRS's own statement that the pedals are studio-grade devices4.
Guitar.com's Eric Dahl reviewed the range in December 2023 and found the Mary Cries "the pick of the bunch," calling it "a studio-quality compressor in a stomp pedal configuration"3. He also noted it was Paul Reed Smith's favorite of the three3.
Videos
PRS Guitars
R.J. Ronquillo
Palen Music Center
Questions
Is the PRS Mary Cries true bypass?
Yes. The pedal uses true bypass switching, so with the effect disengaged your signal passes through without the circuit coloring it. The same true bypass footswitch is what lets you flip the pedal from compressor to boost, since the Output Gain knob still sets your level when the compression side is dialed back.
Can the PRS Mary Cries be used as a boost?
Yes. PRS says that depending on your settings it can be used as a boost as well as a straightforward compressor, and Guitar World notes the true bypass switch can help turn the pedal from a straightforward compressor into a boost unit. Run the Compression knob low and the Output Gain high and it works as a level booster.
What power does the PRS Mary Cries need?
It runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, drawing about 8mA, which is light enough for most isolated pedalboard power supplies. Guitar World's review lists its power requirement simply as a 9V power supply. The low current draw means it shares a supply output easily with other small pedals.
Is the PRS Mary Cries analog?
Yes. Its circuit type is listed as analog, and it is built with through-hole construction, the traditional component mounting where parts pass through the board and are soldered by hand. The optical compression approach it uses is the same general principle as the tube-era Teletronix LA-2A it is based on.
Where is the PRS Mary Cries made?
In the United States. PRS's first three pedals, including the Mary Cries, are described as designed and assembled in the U.S.A., and gearnews.com reported them as made-in-the-USA pedals when the range launched on 30 September 2022.
Which circuit is the PRS Mary Cries based on?
It is based on the Teletronix LA-2A, the famed rack-mount studio compressor that uses an optical element to control gain reduction. PRS describes it as based on the storied LA-2A, and reviewers at Guitar Player and Guitar World both confirmed the lineage in their reviews of the pedal.
Sources (7)
- PRS announces its entry into the effects pedal world with three all-new stompboxes, Guitar World, 2022-09-29
- Mary Cries by PRS, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- PRS Horsemeat, Mary Cries, and Wind Through The Trees review, Guitar.com, 2023-12-11
- PRS Horsemeat Transparent Overdrive, Mary Cries Optical Compressor and Wind Through the Trees Dual Analog Flanger Reviews, GuitarPlayer, 2022-12-14
- PRS launches new stompbox range with three designs, gearnews.com, 2022-09-30
- PRS Horsemeat, Mary Cries and Wind Through the Trees pedals review, Guitar World, 2023-01-24
- Teletronix LA-2A Studio Compressor Pedal – Universal Audio, Universal Audio
