Electro-Harmonix just launched a serious competitor in the mini compressor pedal stakes
Last month, Electro-Harmonix heralded the arrival of its new Pico mini-pedal range with the Pico POG. Now, just two weeks later, the second stompbox in the series has surfaced in the form of the Pico Platform Compressor/Limiter.
As you might expect, the Pico Platform downsizes EHX’s full-size Platform, a digital compressor/limiter that seeks to imitate classic studio designs.
Of course, the Pico incarnation has had to lose a few of its bigger brother’s features – namely the drive circuit, stereo operation, and Tone, Swell and Release knobs – but the core circuitry remains intact.
The Pico Platform offers two modes of operation: Compressor mode for more subtle dynamic smoothing, and Limiter mode, which delivers a more extreme squash.
A Type button switches between the two settings, while holding it down also offers a choice of Soft and Hard compression knees, which provides smoother or more dynamic options.
Other controls are more familiar: Sustain adjusts compression ratio/threshold level; Attack controls when the compressor is activated and therefore how much pick attack comes through; Blend dials in the dry and compressed signal; and Volume tweaks, well, volume.
Being a digital pedal, you’ll want to ensure you can supply 100mA at 9V to this puppy (EHX generously includes a 9V power supply for this very purpose), while your signal will be buffered when it’s bypassed.
There are plenty of mini compressor pedals on the market, but the fine-tuning features on EHX’s offering – not least that all-important Blend knob – should see it compare favorably with competing designs from the likes of Wampler, Keeley and TC Electronic.
The price helps, too: the Pico Platform Compressor/Limiter is available now for a pretty reasonable $119.
As for what’s next in the Pico line, it’s anybody’s guess – but the ‘NYC DSP’ tag that appears on both pedals so far indicates it will be a digital pedal of some description. With any luck, we’ll know in two weeks’ time…
Until then, head over to EHX.com for more info on the Pico Platform.
