Carl Martin Compressor/Limiter

This is by far the simplest compressor I've used, even though it has 4 knobs. Some people get frustrated using a compressor because they don't understand them. Have patience and more importantly, get a good compressor!
You can get a good "starting" sound with all knobs in the 12:00 position.
However, I give it a 9 because of no manual. That's just dumb.

I don't understand the reviewers that didn't like this pedal. I've used 3 of them, and they are studio quiet. In comparison, the Boss and MXR sound like sandstorms! Even through distortion pedals, this thing is silent!
I never use it at extreme settings. I love it because it doesn't pump or cut notes like other compressor pedals do. It is very musical. Over the years, I never used a compressor. I knew what they were supposed to do, but when I bought one I was always dissappointed. The Carl Martin gives me the sounds I've been looking for - and know I can't live without it.

It is solidly built. The switch feels like it could be a little heavier, but I've had no problems. Also, it would be nice if the controls were recessed (like on a Boss). These are potential, not actual, problems.

I've never needed a repair or anything, but they've never responded to my e-mail inquiries. They're in Denmark...

It's a little pricey for a compressor pedal, but I'd buy it again. If you've been frustrated by the mainstream compressors, the Carl Martin will change your mind!

It is not very easy to use. Instructions were non-existant. Perhaps someone with more basic experience in compressors would have had an easier time. There is an LED labelled "busy". I never did figure out exactly what it did. It flashed brighter and dimmer all the time, whether the effect was on or off.

Controls seemed to be incredibly sensitive in some parts of their range and have no effect in other parts. The controls interacted. Changing one changed the required resetting another. The pedal was very noisy, even as first effect in the chain. Generated this noise whether a guitar was plugged in or not. What I was looking for was an effect which would enhance the ring and add a little sustain. Once I got a feel for the abilities of the device I realized that its ability to improve over the natural characteristics of the amp and guitar were very limited, subtle, if any, and difficult to keep dialed in.

I guess I noticed the superficial resemblance to the TC Electronics foot pedal and, since the price range was similar, set my expectations high. I made a mistake. The knobs and footswitch were of perceptibly lower quality. The effect housing was gigantic, but no weight to it. It picked up the local mexican radio station. It would audibly hum when my foot was poised over the pedal. I really don't know if this unit was defective or simply a poor design. It was so big, clumsy, hard to use, cheaply made, and expensive that I didn't care. I sent it back from whence it came. Good riddance.

Easy enough, Not as easy as say a two knob compressor but The threshhold knob is really nice because it really interacts with the overall volume you are playing at, Which always changes night to night. The extra knobs really help you dial it in just right. If one night you have it sounding just right and you don't move the knobs, the next night at a different venue you might sound squashed. reach for the threshold first. A simple move here might get you the sound you had before.

I've tried them all, This is the quietest floor compressor no doubt. It does it's job and is bone quiet to boot.

Don't know but seems built well

The Way huge Saffron Squeeze is very, very good and simple to use, The Ross sounds great and has a lot of snap on the strings but is kinda noisy. The Boss stuff has funky attack and I also think the Dyna Comp is hard to get a good sound without the squash. This is the Best Compressor out there. Maybe a little harder to use but worth the effort.

Great sound, especially compared to my re-issue MXR DynaComp, NO manual only a flier explaining a little about each new Carl Martin pedal.

Using this pedal with a Marshall JMP-1 pre-amp. I was very surprised to find this pedal SO versatile, that I was able to get 2 new sounds out of my JMP, 1) Distortion compressed SO much that it becomes Clean, very cool,the kind of clean I always wished for, in the JMP(IMHO). 2) Distortion compressed just enough to let individual notes ,(hammering or pulling etc.) have the same volume as the power chord you just bashed out, TOO cool. In the effects chain, it comes after Fulltone Clyde Wah, and EH Q-Tron, all other pedals follow. Pretty noisey if you turn the pedals' gain knob WAY more than necessary, but even then, the Hush SuperC handles it.

The pedal seems solid and reliable, However I did stomp the stomp switch switch in pieces, I replaced it myself with an Alco 3PDT .

Never dealt with the company, heard they were hard though.

I purchased this pedal in July of '98 and held off from posting this review to see if the newness would wear off. It hasn't. I feel this is the best compressor pedal on the market. I would definitely buy again if it were stolen.