The Walrus Audio Mira is an analog optical compressor pedal from Walrus Audio. Like most optical compressors, Walrus Audio describes it as transparent, smooth and musical1. It sits in a compact enclosure, measuring 4.77" x 2.6" x 2.28" (HxWxD), small enough to fit on a crowded pedalboard1.
The Mira is now discontinued and no longer available from Walrus Audio2. In April 2026 the company released the High Point, a larger optical compressor that Guitar Pedal X described as "a prettier and larger replacement for the Mira with some extra features onboard"3. The Mira remains a compact option on the used market.
A transparent optical compressor in a small enclosure
Optical compressors use a light-dependent resistor to control gain reduction, which gives them a smoother, more gradual response than the faster FET and VCA designs. Guitar Player's reviewer found the Mira typical of the type: "Like most optical compressors, Mira is transparent, smooth and musical"1. Walrus Audio says it delivers warm analog optical compression with lots of sustain and a smooth attack and release2.
Delicious Audio placed the Mira's circuit lineage in the studio: it carries the controls of classic analog studio units such as the Urei 1176, while its optical circuit is as smooth as the Teletronix LA-2A4. MusicRadar noted it continued Walrus Audio's theme of studio-grade compression, following the 1176-inspired Deep Six compressor pedal5.
The pedal comes in a smoky gray enclosure with Cream, Orange, Red and Dark Blue ink, with art by Adam Forster that Guitar Player described as depicting bodies rising heavenward from a barren desert plain1.
The controls
The Mira has seven controls. Guitar Player's review breaks down the main ones1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Input level | Sets the level feeding the compressor |
| Threshold | Where compression begins to take effect |
| Ratio | The amount of gain reduction applied to your signal |
| Makeup | Adds back volume lost through compression |
| Attack and release (two smaller knobs) | Govern the attack and release timing |
| Blend | Runs from full dry to full wet clockwise, permitting parallel compression |
| High-pass filter button | Cuts frequencies below 120Hz in the side-chain |
The Blend knob is the key to the pedal's transparency: Walrus Audio says to use it to mix your compressed sound with your clean tone, maintaining note clarity while adding sustain2. Guitar Player's reviewer found the zone between noon and three o'clock the most useful, "where I could work Mira like a low-mid boost"1.
The high-pass filter button sits on the pedal's right side. Engaging it cuts frequencies below 120Hz, preventing strong bass frequencies from assertively triggering the compressor, which matters most on bass guitar or with a boomy instrument1. Extras include a gain-reduction LED and a bypass status LED1.
Power: 9V, with ±15V inside
The Mira requires 9V DC, center negative, with a 200mA minimum supply, and the adapter is not included21. Internally it runs at ±15VDC, which Walrus Audio says gives it higher headroom than a standard 9V pedal circuit2.
Walrus Audio recommends an isolated power supply for all its pedals and does not recommend daisy-chain supplies2. With a 200mA minimum draw, plan your pedalboard power accordingly.
What reviewers said
Guitar Player's Christopher Scapelliti tested the Mira with a Gibson ES-345 and a J-160E and reported that "Mira made everything I threw at it sound more present and full, while it evened out dynamics and imparted a more polished, studio-quality tone"1. He also found the attack and release knobs have plenty of useful range1.
His verdict was emphatic:
"Once you find the sweet spot, you'll never turn it off"
He cited the transparent compression and versatile blend control, and found no reasons to avoid the pedal1. At launch, Gearnews' reviewer looked it over and concluded that "this does look like a fully-fledged studio-grade compressor in a pedal," one they would be happy to use on a pedalboard and see as an "always on" effect for a consistent level6.
The Mira and the High Point
What sets the Mira apart within its own design is its size and its character. At 4.77" x 2.6" x 2.28" (HxWxD), it takes up little board space, and Walrus Audio voices it as transparent, smooth and musical, like most optical compressors1. The smoke-gray enclosure, with art by Adam Forster depicting bodies rising heavenward from a barren desert plain, gives it a distinctive look on the board1.
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Questions
Is the Walrus Audio Mira discontinued?
Yes. Walrus Audio lists the Mira as discontinued and no longer available. In April 2026 the company released the High Point, a larger optical compressor that Guitar Pedal X described as a replacement for the Mira with extra features such as a VU display and modes.
Is the Mira true bypass?
Yes. Both Walrus Audio and Guitar Player's review confirm the Mira is a true bypass pedal, so with the effect switched off your dry signal passes through without buffering or coloring.
Does the Mira have a blend control?
Yes. The Blend knob runs from full dry to full wet as you turn it clockwise, permitting parallel compression. Guitar Player's reviewer found the zone between noon and three o'clock the most useful, working almost like a low-mid boost.
What does the high-pass filter button do?
A button on the pedal's right side engages a high-pass filter that cuts frequencies below 120Hz. This stops strong bass frequencies from assertively triggering the compressor, which is useful on bass guitar or with boomy guitars.
Does the Mira come with a power supply?
No. The Mira runs on a 9V DC center-negative adapter, which is not included. Walrus Audio recommends an isolated power supply and advises against daisy-chain supplies for its pedals.
How is the Mira different from the Deep Six?
The Deep Six is inspired by the FET-based Universal Audio 1176 rack compressor, while the Mira uses an optical circuit in the smoother LA-2A tradition. The Mira packs studio-style controls into a smaller enclosure than the Deep Six.
Sources (6)
- Walrus Audio Mira Compressor Review, GuitarPlayer.com, 2022-09-27
- Mira Optical Compressor, Walrus Audio
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-04-23
- Walrus Audio Mira Optical Compressor, Delicious Audio, 2022-09-07
- Walrus Audio launches the Mira optical compressor pedal, MusicRadar, 2022-08-02
- Walrus Audio Mira Optical Compressor with warm analogue compression, www.gearnews.com, 2022-08-02
