MXR Dyna Comp

Not easy to understand for you if you have had the usual compression pedals... This think is alive... You have to have a nice axe/chain/amp if you wanna enjoy it... It really drives ODs and distortion in a great way... It seems like a rock'n'roll machine to me, and I do not even know if it works fine with, let's say, an electroacoustic guitar... It's a bit noisy in a nice way... It's dandy simple if you already have sometime playing (experience)... May not be the best for rookies...

Man! It brings up your whole effects chain... You will just love it... IMHO, is more of a sustainer than many "sustainers" claim to be... Seems there will be a new one with a third knob for "attack"... Well, we??ll see... I love this dandy little red box the way it is...

seems sturdy... MXR has very good reputation...

don't know...

This is a rock, blues and country box... Great sound you do not usually get from a compression pedal... At least not easily... With this you go by ear, and WOW! find so many great tones, with sustain like a damn Fernandez Sustainer guitar...

quite easy to dial in what you want

first of all, this a review for the present block dyna comp.....

its awesome! first thing you'll notice that its so noisy, but actually you can fix that!.. it actually has an adjustable noise gate in it! every brand new dyna comp has it set at a 0 level so you really need to open it, and its very easy.. even a snake could do it


when you open it and get the circuit board you will see a circular thing roughly between the two knobs and it has an arrow pointing diagonally,,, you can use a flat nose screwdriver to turn it... if you turn it either left or right it increases treshold of the noise gate its just that simple

its a red brick.. but the switch is not as sturdy a boss, but still quite strong

....

BUY THIS.. cool

Two knobs.

It definitely colors your tone, as they say. But I like it. I play primarily a Strat, and it works well with it. I particularly like it for rhythm. But those long sustaining notes are great for leads too. I found it sounds better with the guitar plugged in directly, then into the amp, instead of the effects loop. I think I need a boost pedal now, because it really regulates the volume from the guitar. Which is nice for getting rid of those booming E-strings when strumming a chord hard and fast, but rolling the volume up and down doesn't do what it used to.

So far, so good. Sturdy build quality--I also own an MXR Carbon Copy, which is also stout.

I play a lot of jangly rhythms, and use a lot of delay at times. This pedal is the #1 most important in my chain.

The 2 knobs kind of suggest ease of use, and yes, the Dyna Comp is probably one of the simplest compressors you'll ever see.
It's however worth noticing that it takes time to learn to make this pedal do what you want it to.
Don't expect great sound the first time you turn it on (especially if it's your first compressor!). But once you get used to it a bit the 2 knobs make it REALLY easy to control.

This one is not dead-silent. It will and a bit of noise of its own, AND it will boost the noise that's already in your setup as you turn the knobs up.
Hum from strat-style single-coils or P-90s can also be a major problem.
Apart from that - the Dyna Comp is a very nice-voiced little box - far better to my ear then the Boss, the Marshall and other equally-priced pedals.
I use it immediately in front of my distortion (for a boost and a nice accentuation of harmonics) and generally tend to keep it at the start of my chain. This way it also helps to partially get rid of the volume drop from some of my other pedals (just the Small Stone now that I've replaced the old Boss tremolo).

No questions here, it's as sturdy as it can be.

never used it

This is overall a great pedal. It's reasonably priced, it sounds great, it's easy to use and it's built to last a lifetime (hopefully).
First time I tried it I was a bit confused and even slightly disappointed, but in a couple of days I couldn't imagine how I could ever have played without it.
It smoothens out the dynamics considerably even at the lowest sensitivity settings, which gives you enough compression without compromising the attack and affecting the way you play in any way (unless you specifically want it to).
I'm the only guitarist in the band, and have to switch from chords to leads to fingerpicking a LOT, often within one song. And the Dyna Comp
is simply perfect for the task of keeping it all together.

Vintage MXR Pre-LED red Dynacomp box.

It's dead nut simple. 2 Knobs, Output and Sensitivity. One knob (output) controls the amount of signal going out of the box, the other determines the amount of compressing the box does (sensitivity).

Extra bonus: the knobs are big, easy to read and can be turned with your shoes when playing. That's a BIG plus in my book.

Be forewarned: This is a subtle effect. Like all compressors, this box gives you the sound of MORE. More sustain, more harmonic content, more volume, all in less dynamic range. How much less dynamic range is up to you and the Sensitivity knob is the key to this effect.

The output knob sets your output level. With the Sensitivity knob all the way down and the volume knob all the way up, this pedal will produce unity gain (no volume drop or boost). As the Sensitivity control is turned up, the output will also go up, giving a nice bit of clean volume boost, which makes this thing nice for solos.

Like others have said, It's not the most noise-free box in the world. It will amplify extraneous noises coming through your rig. It also adds a little noise to your signal when engaged, so be forewarned.

As the sensitivity knob is turned up, the sound gets louder and thicker, but, as with any compressor, the dynamic contrast goes away.
At halfway up, you get into the realm of twangy Nashville pickers.
At about 2/3 of the way up, you can do a reasonable impression of that clicky sound that you hear on the Cars' "Just What I Needed".

When the control all the way up, your dynamics are non-existant. On the one hand, this means your notes sustain for ages. On the other hand, pick noises, hum and finger scrapes can be just as loud as strummed notes, and all notes are just as loud as each other, no matter how soft you play or how hard you dig in. Since my technique just isn't as pristine as required to truly make use of this setting, I just find it to be annoying, but it is there.

Personally, I place this pedal early in my chain and use it primarily for a clean boost for solos. It thickens up my sound quite a bit. I also like it for driving a distortion pedal. I usually have the knobs set like they're cross-eyed: Output knob at 4/5 up and the sensitivity knob at about 1/4 up for a good, noticeable solo boost.

About the only time it sounds really thin is when the battery is about dead.

Typical MXR quality. Housing is sturdy, Knobs are big, and switch is reliable and sure.

Battery life is also good. I've had this pedal for more than 10 years now and have changed the battery perhaps twice.

The MXR that made this pedal is now gone.
Dunlop now owns the rights to the MXR line, and they're doing a good job with it.
Generally, the circuits are quite similar, so don't feel like you're getting gypped if you get a new one. I just got this one at a price I couldn't refuse.

This was the first pedal I ever bought. Despite that, I wouldn't recommend this for a first pedal.
Not because the pedal is bad, mind you-it isn't. It's a great pedal, very useful, and I use it literally *every single time* I go out to play. If it was stolen, I'd buy another one as soon as I could. It's that useful to me.
It's just that compressor pedals just aren't the stars of the stompbox world. Useful doesn't mean loved, and compressors don't inspire the kind of rabid devotion that you see with, say, a distortion pedal or a REALLY good flanger.

It doesn't make your guitar sound fuzzy, whooshy, wanky or go "wah". There's no drastic alteration in the sound. It just gives you the sound of MORE, which is a hard thing to distinguish from the un-effected sound (I still wish my box had an LED like the reissues).
For a long time, I didn't get what was so great about that.

Now, 10 years on, I know the answer, and I appreciate the box for what it is, a great clean boost for solos.
But if you've got to plunk down a chunk of cash on your first pedal, get something that makes you sound different-you'll appreciate it more in the beginning. By all means, get this pedal, but get it as your second or third pedal.

Two Knobs> That's all you need. Keep it simple stupid

Awsome! It is a very recent model. The newest one's with serial number starting with ABxxxx are true bypass. The ones starting with AA are not. It's quiet when it's on and when its'off. This pedal gives you that slapback sound that no other pedal will and the compression is great as well.

Built like a tank. Like all MXR pedals are.

They spent 1/2 hour talking to me about this pedal.

It's nice to see a company that cares about quality.

It has two knobs....Output & Sensitivity. One controls volume, the other controls amount of compression. Not too hard!

My main electric is a 1992 Fender Telecaster MIM.

My effects chain is as follows:

Boss TU-2 -> MXR Dyna Comp -> Boss DS-1 -> Ibanez CCL Dual Chorus -> DigiTech DigiDelay -> Electro-Harmonix Holy Stain -> Behringer DR100 (Reverb Pedal) -> BBE DI-100x (Active Direct Box) -> Fender Deluxe 85 amp.

This pedal does introduce some noise and coloring into the signal. It works fine with the sensitivity before the 12:00 position. If you set it much after that it will start fizzling out in a nasty sounding wash after a variable amount of time that gets shorter the more you turn the knob up. Mine is a used pedal so it may just be this pedal. I am going to keep the pedal as I got it for free with a gift card and also as I like compression to be pretty subtle anyway, so I don't have all that much of a reason to go past noon.

I suspect that my pedal is defective in some way, and I will admit that I've always bit a bit of a doofus when it comes to compressors. There is after all a reason why this is a classic pedal that the likes of Andy Summers used in the 1980s. Howevever, it still fizzles and washes out as the compression gets more extreme, which is a problem if you want to solo and sustain a note. I'm keeping it under noon.

My Dyna Comp is different from the rest in that it comes housed in a BLACK metal casing. They do not seem very common, I got mine on eBay and these 'black' versions do still come up occasionally. They are not as expensive as the very old retro seventies vintage dyna comps which is a plus. The date codes on the Pots tell me it was made in about 1983, and judging from the MXR information on Wikipedia, mine is part of the '2000 Series' made from 1982 to 1984 when MXR was still MXR (MXR closed their doors in 1984 and that's where Jim Dunlop comes in). Many people say that dyna comps were better before Jim Dunlop came along. I decided to go with that and thus went for an older pedal and not take any risks on newer revisions.

Usually the Dyna Comp knobs are labelled 'Output' and 'Sensitivity' but on my pedal the knobs are labelled 'Level' and 'Sustain'.

The pedal has one Input, Dual Outputs (not sure why, perhaps stereo, anyway I just use either, as they both sound the same). Dual LED's (one for power, and one to tell you if the pedal is engaged or not). Uses Battery or 9V power supply. Note that dyna comps as far as I know have an adjustable trim pot inside them allowing you to make some adjustments on the sound, but this particular revision of the dyna comp doesn't have that.

This pedal is easy to use.

I am using a Marshall JCM 900 valve amp and a Gibson SG guitar. I only ever play with distortion by the way, I don't play clean, so this review is for using a dyna comp in a distortion environment only. I've been through a lot of experimenting with my setup trying to get a sound I like (I ended up actually modifying my amplifier to get a better sound as well as getting some decent valves in there). I didn't like my valve amp and guitar on their own as the sound was a bit boring, and not very 'fat' or lively. In the past I tried an Electro Harmonix LPB-1 power booster pedal. This was pretty good, boosting my sound up and making it fatter, but it wasn't quite what I wanted (but close). I had read that I could actually use a compressor to 'boost' my sound so I thought I would give it a go. I have to say I love the dyna comp, it's exactly what I wanted. But please be warned that I am not recommending the newer Jim Dunlop versions of this classic pedal. I havn't actually tried the newer versions, and I havn't tried the very early, much sought after seventies 'script' logo dyna comps, but this 1983 version of the pedal I have, I think sounds fantastic and if I had to guess, I would imagine my pedal is 'perhaps not quite as good as the earlier ones', but 'better than the later reissues'. This suits me just fine as you can really go too far trying to find the 'holy grail' only to find that 'second best' really was close enough all along (and MUCH cheaper). There are mods I could do on my pedal but I'm so happy with it just as it is, that I am not going to change anything. So what does it do to my sound? Well, it just seems to give it this beautiful old sounding character and my distorted sound is much fatter and more lively, it really sings. Sustain is improved. Sensitivity of the guitar is increased, making things like pull-offs much easier and clearer sounding. Solos sound.. well, I can't even describe how good it is. I'm so getting an analog echo/delay pedal next (I'm gonna go for a belcat Delay, check it out sometime). With distortion basically this pedal is just great for giving your setup a kick up the backside, and adding a real cool fat vintage analog sounding character at the same time. I leave the pedal on all the time by the way, I hate the way my setup sounds without the pedal in there. I'm definately using this pedal forever now. I love it, it's GREAT! If you push the pedal hard you can get a kind of crazy modulating 'buzzsaw' thing going on. A lot of people hate buzzsaw but I love it personally. I can get a kind of early 'live ac/dc' or 'The Who' thing going. Actually, Pete Townshend of The Who describes the dyna comp (which he has happily used for years) as being able to 'make a right racket'. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd uses one too (no more need be said). Oh, one more thing, if you turn the knobs up too high you do get a little bit of background noise (hissy type noise). Mind you I am using a cheap power adapter so that probably doesn't help. It's certainly not noisy enough to be a problem though (and believe me i'm very fussy).

I had to repair this pedal when I first got it as it didn't work (I took a risk and bought it 'faulty' on eBay). The LED's had come loose, the knobs needed a blast of switch cleaner and the pedal footswitch mechanism also needed a good clean and re-adjustment. There was also some dry solder joints to resolder. Bear in mind that the pedal is 25 years old so it's to be expected. It's a solid and well built pedal overall. If you are ok at electonics don't be afraid of buying faulty pedals (especially older ones) as they are often really quite basic in design and easy to repair I have found in my experience (newer pedals are different though with their smaller more refined 'circuit mounted' components so I avoid faulty newer pedals).

I cannot comment on Support as I have not seeked that.

Well, I really love it, it's just beautiful sounding. I wish I got it earlier instead of using my guitar and amp for years and thinking 'This just doesn't sound good enough!'

I can't comment on what this pedal does to your clean sound but if you want some gorgeous rich distortion going on and solos to die for you just have to try a 'vintage' (1984 or earlier) dyna comp! Pure heaven!

Easy to use, set it and forget it

I use it with a strat and a 5watt tube amp with a reverb in the loop. Not noisy and has a range of compression from weak to strong based on the sensitivity setting. I like it as a boost for overdrive and to mellow out the highs. The compression is strong and will do what is claimed.

Great for the clean tones and overdrive without a lot of other effects. I've played for over 35+ years. I like that the battery lasts a long time and that it is small. I've tried the Boss and the Digitec, both are good and have more functions. But I opted for the Dyna Comp for the value

About as simple as it gets. Just adjust the threshold.

With the threshold and output turned up to 3:00 I get the best sound out of my LP Custom on the neck pickup. It gives that clicky, compressed sound. With it on the bridge pickup (active EMG) I get a really cool overdriven sound when on the clean channel (played through a Peavey Classic 50 2/12). The best tone is on the neck pickup going through a TS9 with the overdrive set all the way up. On the bridge pickup it tends to sound a little "box"-y but works for solos (infinite sustain). I'm struggling with using it all the time vs. only without distortion.

very reliable.

?

Overall it's good for what I'm doing (classic rock / bluesy style). This pedal really made me appreciate a crystal clear/clean tone. The only issue I have is it's a bit noisy and a bunch of feedback through the overdrive channel if the threshold and output are too high. When you roll these back, the amp volume is much higher when you bypass the pedal. This may be due however to my lack of experience with fx pedals. I've been playing for 21 years but never really got into pedals - all of a sudden I'm a pedal freak and trying to get used to it (with all the switching of pedals I feel like I'm dancing a bit and sometimes lose concentration on playing because I'm so focused on the pedals. I'm sure I'll get over that once I get used to it).

If you know what a Compressor does then this is obviously very easy to set up but getting settings you can use on clean and distortion channels within the same song is the tricky part!

Great High quality bit of kit!
Sustain and volume boost is great!

Don't know yet only been a week

Never used them

A genuinly pro piece of kit!
I use it as a constant effect its always turned on now matter what song, and no matter what channel of the amp I'm using.

I play through a Orange Rocker30 Amp head using a Fender Strat/Fender Tele/Ibanez Hollowbody/Esp F200/F400 and a PRS custom 22.

I've got it set up so it gives extra bass and a big volume boost on my Orange rocker 30 clean channel and it gives great sustain and what feels like added distortion but without making my sound messy!

One of the most simplist compressor pedal. I bought it in 1982 from United States. I found it very easy to shape your sound. The variable knobs are very effective. I still have its orignal maunal and it describes all the necessary informations. But I do not find its maunal as a key for operation but it rather tells what a compressor is all about. It do not have a variable attack control and it is fixed. I do not like its A/C adapter input jack as it is located at the side of pedal and secondly it is a male input pin-type one. I has a extremely low current draw only 1 mAmp. I probably replace its battery once in a year, amazing!

Simply the best sound quality especially for Clean tones but it still can give smooth sound while using overdrive. I found its overall sound very warm, creamy and punchy. It lacks the Attack control and I found it not so effective for hard rock distortions. Its really gives some of the most pleasant sounds by using Chorus and delay effects with clean sound settings on amp. Its sustain control is very senstive and its really makes noise if you cross the dial beyond 12 o'clock. I mostly use the sustain setting in between 12 to 01 O'clock which gives a tremendous control and dynamic quality to my guitar sound. This pedal does not have a bright sound but it is still very clear and transparent in all respects. It has a very strong effect and it always sound great.

I have been using it for the last 25 years and it is like a rock. In early days probably in 1983 once it stopped working. As I live in Pakistan so we did not have any service center here for it repair. So I took it to a private workshop and there it was found that its Chip got loose. So it was pressed into its grip and it started working again. Apart from this incident it never gave me any trouble whatsoever.

I play rock, blues, popular and country and it fulfill my music style requirements very well. I have been playing for the last 27 years and I have got lot of guitars, amps and Boss effect pedals and few from Ibanez,Zoom and Danelectro. If this stolen I would really become sad but probably I would not buy it again as I already got a Boss CS2 compressor. If I gets a second hand one cheaply then I will buy it again. I love about it is the extemely powerful warm, creamy, punchy and dynamic sound which gives a extra body to your sound. I choose it while reading a guitar magazine and got impressed with its properties. I wish it would have a variable attack and tone control.

It has only two knobs so it is quite easy to dial a sound that you like.
Very small pedal too...nice to carry around if you have to.

The only issue is that this pedal "colours" the tone of my amplifier. I didn??t spend fifteen hundred bucks on an amp to have a cheap pedal changing its sound so much...I have been playing for about five years with a Boss Cs3 modified by Pedaldoc and it doesn??t colour my sound at all...and the compression is much more effective.

Very sturdy. It won??t break on you.

Don??t know. I have had the pedal for about a month and it works like a charm.

Good pedal the only issue being that it colours your sound. It you don??t mind this get one and you won??t regret it.

Super easy to use. With only two knobs, its hard to mess this up. One knob sets the level of compression and the other sets the level of compressed signal that is put out. Easy!

This is where I'm getting off the "OMG-this-is-the-greatest!!!" bus. This pedal might be great for guitar, but it is terrible for a bass. I could not get a compression that did not either a) lose the lower frequencies, b) muddy up the whole tone, or c) distort when the output was turned beyond the 11 o'clock position. I wanted something that was transparent and light, but this pedal gave me that compression-as-an-effect sound. No good.

The pedal is built like a brick sh*t house. It is definitely a bargain there. It was actually one of the selling points over the Aphex Punch Factory, which sounds better, but is not as solidly built. Definitely a huge positive here.

N/A - Returned it to Guitar Center under their 30 satisfaction guarantee.

If I played guitar and could dial in the compression I am looking for without butchering my tone, I'd definitely keep this pedal. But, with the bass it is not so good.

It really doesn't get much easier than this as far as compressor pedals go. You get just two knobs, output and sensitivity. Output sets your overall volume, and sensitivity sets the amount of compression. The knobs are big enough that you can set them with your big toe if you are lazy. Getting a good sound is fairly simple, set the output where you want it and dial in the amount of squash that you want in the sound. Since there are only two choices, you're letting the pedal make some decisions for you so if it does something you don't like you're stuck with it.

If you are looking for a transparent compressor look elsewhere. The dynacomp definatly has its own sound. It adds some warmth to your sound by pulling some of the highs out. With clean tones it's very aparent and you can get the highs back with a quick eq adjustment on your amp, but it definatly colors your sound. If you set your sensitivity past 11 o'clock you'll start to get a thumb/fingerpick kind of sound. I usually keep mine around 11:30 as I find it to have a nice balance in it's effect, not too heavy. With an overdriven or distorted sound its effect is more subtle but very pleasing to the ear (mine anyway). It can really help smooth out some harshness in your tone and even everything out. I like it in combination with my Maxon OD-9, they work very well together. This pedal did introduce a bit of noise into my signal. It's a compressor so of course it amplifies what is already there, but it definatly add some of its own as well. I've also found it to work best off of the battery, no idea why.

It's pretty well used, solid and I'm not worried about it.

I really like this pedal. I play a yamaha strat clone that I've had for 10 years with some Lindy Fralin blues specials in the top and middle positions and a Duncan low-output humbucker in the bridge. The MXR runs into a OD-9 that feeds my Classic 50 head. This pedal matches my tone really well. I play just normal rock/blues/anything and it matches my playing style. I lean more towards blues guitar and this pedal fits in nicely. I love it for its simplicity but its also its downfall; if you don't like something you're screwed because you probably can't change it. If your looking for more of a transparent compressor you would probably be better off with the boss cs3 and I would be tempted to try that one next if something happened to the mxr.

Two knobs--"Output" and "Sensitivity." If you can't handle this level of complexity you really shouldn't be walking around without a helmet.

The "best" sound quality is achieved thusly. The first thing is to put the compresor first in your effects chain. Second, with your amp volume set where you want it, set the "Output" knob so there is very little--if any--difference in your overall volume when the compressor is on or off.

Now, tweak the "Sensitivity" knob (I wish I had a dime for every time I've written that) until you start to hear the sound getting "clicky" and then back it off about 1/16 of a turn or so.

There you have it. Transparency. An equalized signal suitable for finger picking, rhythm playing, etc.

It's not "indestructible," but it's more durable than it has to be.

Back in the MXR days, you could send your unit in for repair/checkup/refurbishment at any time for any reason for little or no $$ Now that the brand is owned by Jim Dunlop I couldn't tell you whether it's worth a crap or not. In fact I couldn't even tell you whether Jim Dunlop as a company actually manufacturers anything these days or if it's a marketing company that sells Chinese-made stuff.

I play guitar. Electric guitar. I have done so and received money for it for nigh on 25 years now. I've done everything from "Elvis Englebert Jones"-type orchestra stuff to 1970s and 1980s rock and metal to occasional punk stuff just to mess with the little bedwetting wanker wannabes at Guitar Center who can't fathom an old guy doing that*.

*BTW, nice Ramones shirt, kid. Did your Mommy buy it for you at Nordstrom? I got one just like it AT A SHOW. IN 1975! YOU LITTLE TWAT!

Just two knobs. Only problem I can see is that it is very difficult to make the battery fit inside the pedal. I would say this happens with all MXR pedals.

Great sound quality but still far from my Pedaldoc modified Boss Cs3. Creamy sustain though and good compression over all frequencies.

Looks very sturdy. I don??t thing you can break this think easily

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Good compressor apart from the battery problem. Not as good however as my modified Cs3 which really sings. Buy it if you are looking for an affordable entry-level compressor.

Otherwise visit the modders sites. They know well what they are doing (I can tell you).

Only two controls so it is pretty easy to use. I however find it always difficult to put the battery into MXR pedals.

Good sound quality with little noise. I have heard that these pedals work better and sound better when the battery is low. I still have to try it. I have been using a Pedaldoc modified CS3 and I would say it sounds better than the Dynacomp (many of my mates agree) but I still have to mess around with this little thing.

Very sturdy. Will last forever if you are just a bit careful.

Never have contacted them.

Good pedal for the price. I have had many other compressors and this is a good one but not as good as some others. Get yourself one if you got the cash or try one at the shop. You may like it. It colours the sound a bit too much for me. I prefer my old modified CS3 really.

This is an update to my prior post. I have now purchased a 1974 Dyna Comp in a bud box. Though it could be voodoo, I definitely prefer it to my current one (70s block logo). This saddens me because I laso have a MXR script phase 45, and its amazing, and have realized I prefer the script versions.... There is a sizeable difference. It could be someone magically played with the trim pot or screwed it up in the other but wow.... Within 5 minutes I was considering putting my other one on Ebay...

Its 33 years old.....

Again 33 years old...

Just wanted to poison the minds of others with the elusive search for the bud box scripts... As if that fire needed more fuel. I really just wanted to share the fact that for me, it was 100% true, and Ive owned and played many!

2 knobs. BUT the sensativity knob is well.... sensative! Actually. the compressor is just VERY strong and quick and the knob, to me, becomes useless after 11 oclock. Of course thats relative to my playing style as well, but very snappy compression.
I have a 1977 block logo and after purchase realized it was true bypassed-NICE! Especially considering this should usually be 1st in the chain. It is everything I expected and more. BUT... I would NEVER use one of the reissues...yuck.

Incredible but COLORED so if transparent is your game- you won't like it. It adds snap and sustain while rolling off the lows set at low sensativity. Wonderful. I don't play funk but I may need to start. I finger pick a lot and this adds pop and sustain- too much if set too high! I am most impressed by it in the mix. It sits AMAZING with out a touch of eq. If you are happy with your tone, this pedal in the right context will place it PERFECTLY... I track guitars quite often and this is just blowing me away. On lead, well I may force everyone to use it from now on and I have an 1176ln and LA2A originals on the rack behind me.

Its 30 years old, with no bottom plate and the logo and text are almost completely worn off. The foam inside has just melted and I removed it with a toothbrush. It is scratched and banged and kicked around and IT STILL SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. These old MXR pedals are worth purchasing REGARDLESS of their exterior condition. Trust me, chances are it will work. And sound like new! Actually better than new cause the new ones suck. Yes its 100% true.

I yelled "help" into the wind.... I heard nothing back.

Its as good as they say. I go strat-mxr dyna comp-cot50-ts9-mxr phase 45-ad900-semaphore trem- 1959 fender princeton and it sounds incredible. My little amp set up is for recording and it delivers like no other! This pedal was the last purchase and it is the icing on the cake. I considered the Keeley and carl martin but went with the MXR mojo- especially because I am in love with my phase 45 which is from the same year-77. This thing is smothered in mojo. I would definitely say to all - THE REISSUES ARE COMPLETE CRAP COMPARED TO AN ORIGINAL. I have played both- there is no comparison.

Bare essentials in a compressor - 2 controls: Output level and Sensitivity (the threshold at which the compressor kicks in). I don't know if sensitivity also affects the compression ratio as well...not sure. The manual is very brief and also available on the website. But it's enough of a quick explanation to how to use the pedal. Doesn't actually explain the basics of compression though.

I bought this cause a friend of mine has one and it sounds freaking awesome through his set up. The compression kicks in quite strongly and noticeably so you don't even have to turn up the sensitivity very high before you get a nice evened-out, warmer and smoother tone.

I am putting it in a chain like so:
guitar > tuner > dyna comp > wah > overdrive > amp loop > chorus > volume > reverb/delay
(amp is a Traynor Custom Valve 40)

I have my output at almost 3 o'clock and sensitivity at 9 o'clock. It does such a good job at balancing the output from my guitars, especially with the coil taps and different pickup selections. Sustain is so sweet and you can get wanted feedback at lower volumes and gain levels. Also makes overdriven leads fuller sounding esp up high on the neck plus hammer ons and slurs are boosted. Oh...harmonics are also louder :)

If you turn the compression up it gives you the strong clicky sound good for funk/blues, but it also has a noticeable delay in response when you play hard (when the compression kicks in to even out the output). Also some of the quieter notes are a bit too loud when the sensitivity is too high. Last thing is that the feedback for the lower notes is too strong and easily occuring when sensitivity is pushed too high. And of course, it gets a bit noisy. Having said that, I just don't turn that control up too high hahaha.

Built like a tank. Haven't had it for long though. But from what I've heard, it will last forever, seeming that the original releases are still around!

N/A

I play mainly rock so the little gadget is great just having it on all the time. The clicky effect on clean sounds is great for that percussive playing. Been playing for 9 years. Gosh there are a lot of questions to answer from those dot points.

It's a must have in every rig. It's just one of those things you realise how much it helps when you finally get one (or if you lose
one hahaha). Some use it as a lead booster...I just like having it on all the time at a low sensitivity to compress my guitar output nicely.

It only has two knobs, output volume and Sustain so no problems here.

Great sound but not a match for my Pedaldoc modified CS3. I find this one a bit too "sharp" for my taste and it colours the sound in a way I find a bit too much. However the pedal sound is very good and I would certainly would give it a try if you are looking for a compressor.

Very rugged case. I find somehow anoying to have to remove four screws to access the battery. My experience tells me this a recipe for disaster as if you are a bit lazy (and I am) or your have had a few beers you tend to screw a couple of the screws and leave the others somewhere for the next time. No need to say that they always disappear...

Never called them.

Good value for money. However you can get something better if you are a little interested in electronics and have and old Cs3. A good compressor for those who have never had this kind of effect.

It only has two knobs, output volume and Sustain so no problems here.

Great sound but not a match for my Pedaldoc modified CS3. I find this one a bit too "sharp" for my taste and it colours the sound in a way I don??t like. However the pedal sound is very good and I would certainly would give it a try if you are looking for a compressor.

Very rugged case. I find somehow anoying to have to remove four screws to access the battery. My experience tells me this a recipe for disaster as if you are a bit lazy (and I am) or your have had a few beers you tend to screw a couple of the screws and leave the others somewhere for the next time. No need to say that they always disappear...

Never called them.

Good value for money. However you can get something better if you are a little interested in electronics and have and old Cs3. A good compressor for those who have never had this kind of effect.

Almost all MXR pedals are designed with simplicity in mind. This is also the case for the Dyna Comp. Just two controls here...OUTPUT & SENSITIVITY.

I have been playing guitar for many years and had some hell experiences with compressors/sustainers, namely DOD. I kind of got scared off compressors after being robbed by DOD of valuable tone and cutting edge.

Recently I purchased a second hand MXR Dyna Comp and have be pleasantly surprised. The Dyna Comp is very versatile and extremely easy to use without having to sacrifice precious tone and the highly sought after cutting edge.

My current rig is....Epiphone Ace Frehley Les Paul, Epiphone Les Paul Studio, Ibanez Lawsuits (1974 Flying V, 1977 Double Neck 6/12), Ibanez PS10, Karina Gold Top Les Paul fed into the following...>Rocktron Short Timer> Behringer Ultra Tremolo> Behringer Hellbabe Wah> Marshall DSL100 stack (2 4x12 cabs)with the following in the effects loop MXR Dynacomp> MXR Distortion +> MXR Phase 90. I find the effects loop works well with my MXR pedals.

My Dyna Comp is set up like this...OUTPUT at 1 oclock and SENSITIVITY at 11 oclock.


This little rocket delivers awesome dynamics and really enhances your sound. As you can see above, I place my Dyna Comp in the Marshalls effects loop before my MXR Distortion and Phase 90. This works great as it sharpens up the whole sound giving it more presence and sizzle than a hot grill at a burger joint!

I am not too crazy about comparing the Dunlop reissues to the MXR originals for two reasons...

1. I could never afford an original MXR and subsequently have never tried one.

2. By the time I start rockin out my musical vibe takes off and gives me the greatest feeling and makes me appreciate what I have got rather than what I have not got!

I have no real issues with noise because of the settings but as previously stated by me and others....the higher you crank it and the more pedals in your line the more noise.

MXR pedals seem simple enough in design and construction and hence their subsequent reliability. I think there's loads of these pedals that have passed the 15-20 year mark without dying...they're generally good for a couple of decades at least!

I have never had to call upon tech support.

I am a 'guitar hero' fan from way back...JIMI HENDRIX, JIMMY PAGE, PETER FRAMPTON, RORY GALLAGHER, ACE FREHLEY, PETE TOWNSEND, RICHIE BLACKMORE, JOE PERRY, RANDY RHOADS, TONI IOMI, VINNIE VINCENT, EDIE VAN HALEN, SLASH and on and on and on.....so I play hard rock and I love that classic 1970's/1980's rock sound.

Of all my pedals the MXR Dyna Comp stays on all of the time. It really works hard for me through clean, crunch and searing lead. Dyna Comp is the only compressor I'll use.

The MXR Dyna Comp is worth it's weight in gold because of its simplicity, ease of use and great dynamic sound. I find this pedal cleans up my sound and adds a new dimension. It makes my guitars come alive with more balance and presence than any other compression pedal Ive tried.

If you have an effects loop, try it there as it really shines.

Alongside the MXR Phase 90, the Dyna Comp would have to be their flagship pedal. You will not regret buying an MXR Dyna Comp....PERIOD!

2 knobs cant fail to make it sound good.

I use this with various Les Pauls, Strats and a PRS with Fender and Marshall and Carvin Amps, its clean.

i have a script logo in 75 never had a problem with it.

Its worked since I bought it new.

I bought this and a Phase 90 in the mid 70s, I still have and use them both. It gave me sustain and output giving more versitility in different environments.

This is the easiest... output and comp level... HOT output... perfect!

I think most people in here are comparing later models to the original. The one that I have appears to be true bypass and DOES NOT change tone or EQ at ALL! I have tried so MANY compressors over the years... rack mounts, stomp boxes... this is the ONE... NOW, I have the original SCRIPT logo era dyna-comp.. the rarest of them all... it has a BLOCK logo, but the back plate has a script logo embossed in it. This seems to make all the difference! I use this for SO many tones... put it in front of a TS-808 with the 808 on about 50% gain and the comp on FULL... use your volume to attenuate total gain... MOST compressors would hiss and BREATH... I have never been able to get this one to do that! I don't know what magic spell they used on this one... it just brings up your gain to the most sensitive levels ever attained... the attack and decay are invisible, it just seems to work... optimized for guitar, and amazingly pure. I use an analogue pedal board with a hi-fi full range amplifier, so everything from 40-10k is out there in the open... this sounds great straight into the board! I place it AFTER the wah pedal (for clean wah, it reigns in the mid shift without distortion) and before the overdrive/distortion (BECAUSE I CAN!). It sounds great by itself or with any chorus or delay... it takes a single coil and puts it INSIDE your head, with every high end tinkle perfectly audible and scintilating.

it's about 30 years old, i've never had another... it shorted out one time when the foam rubber sheet they wrapped the internal IC board in finally dissolved and grounded out against the metal shell... I always use batteries, and soemtimes leave it on.... if your battery dies it still works in bypass mode... and I believe that makes this true bypass.

never had to deal with it... I hear that these are never really an issue for repairs... but the FLANGER is another matter... (I love their flangers and wish I still had mine... it died and apparently can't be repaired).

I play cover and original rock... although this works for everything... it ESPECIALLY works for country... I also use an expression (active volume) pedal... (very important, in my opinion) but using the dyna-comp with the volume, and also a whammy bar, you can fool ppl into thinking you're playing pedal steel... not if they're LOOKING at you per se, but in a lot of these recordings, on more than one occasion, it totally fooled fellow musicians.

Very easy to use, noone should have a problem. First set the volume, then the sensitivity.

I am using a fender clapton strat with a small marshall combo solid state. No other effects.
The problem is that I have to set the volume on max in order to achieve the by-passed volume. I keep the sens. on 9 in order to "broaden" the sound. It also changes the tone, doesn't make it worse but certainly different. Doea anyone know how to install a true bypass in this effect?

Works fine

Never dealt with

I play blues and rock and have played 15 years.
Didn't really try other effects but saw that it it possible to modify. Is this easy?

Very easy. Just an output knob and a sensitivity knob. I just fiddled until the output would be the same as the level when the pedal was turned off and found a good sensitivity.

AWESOME! Gives me the clicky clean sound and also creamy sustain when the distortion kicks in. With this pedal, distortion, and the Bigsby on my axe I can get violin-like lead lines. And for soloing, the sustain can't be beat.

As with all MXR stuff, built like a brick.

N/A

The best compressor/sustainer out there. GET IT!

Dead easy to use. Output control essential to match volume of uneffected and effected. SEnsitivty adjusts the "strength" of the compression and then there's the obligatory on/off footswitch.
Intuitive.

Recent Fender US Srat and Tele. Dyna-comp, Boss noise suppressor, Boss Power Wah, Boss Tuner, Boss GE7 equlaizer, Boss Super Overdrive, Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer, Boss Giga Delay, MXR FLanger (J Dunlop), EHX Holy Grail reverb,Pete Cornish ss2/P2 duplex pedal (giggle!!). 2 Power bank Ac-DC adaptors and Boss PSA adaptors for the P2/SS2 and wah - which for some reasons makes these units run quieter. High qulaity cables all running into an Orange AD15 revalved with Harma's from Watford valves.
The sound from the Dynacomp - the latest edition to my board is even better than I'd hoped. It hardly colours the sound at all and gives a great push to squeeze even more sustain - whether playing clean crunch or searing lead. This set-up is remarkably quiet and hiss free.
Just waiting for my Dejavibe Ebay purchase and EMG DG pickup set to arrive to complete my ever evolving set-up. I am not sure it gets mmuch better than this. At 48 it's taken a life time to assemble this kit. And it's been worth every hard earned penny.
Guess who influences me. Yeah David Gilmour. Also Jeff Beck, Keith Richards and Robin Trower. I can get as close to Gilmour as I need to - I love his tone - although there's no way I can play like him. A few licks come close though.

Only had it a couple of days.

No idea.

Very basic rock and blues with a Gilmour Beck Trower mix/influence and if I cant get close with this lot it is time to give up and take up (that even more expensive hobby, as I keep telling the wife) Golf.
Bought the Dynacomp after years of hearing Mr Gilmour uses one. I used to have a Boss GT6. It just didn't compare with the (yeah I know more expensive) individual pedals option - but it was very, very good for what it was. Especially with the cheaper amp I had before investing in the Orange. The GT6 was great for recording direct to tape too.
Anything else I'd like? Yeah a Boss RC-50 loop station as soon as they hit the shops. No point going down the computer route for jamming etc after having invested in this tasty lot.

I guess it depends on your tastes. But, only two knobs, one for volume and the other for amount of compression. Super easy.

I play an Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 5 through an Ampeg SVT-350H head, that goes to an Avatar 2X12 cab. Its pretty noisy, but as most will agree, thats to be expected with a compressor. If you crank the sensitivity, you get distortion, but you can get a really good amount of compression at a low level, so I don't know why you would want to turn it up that high...it does suck a rather large amount of high end out of your tone, which I was dismayed over, but there are at least 5 people that will do mods on this thing to fix that problem.

http://www.monteallums.com/Product_links.html

Thats who I suggest. Cheap and very high quality work. If you buy one of these and get a hi-fi mod, they best compressors costing 100's of dollars more. Me, I can live without the mod...it sounds fine as it is to me, but I'll probably get the mod anyways.

Honestly, if I needed a light weapon, this is what I would use if it was handy. Its small and made of metal, none of that plastic crap that you get with Danos. You could seriously throw it as high as possible and it would most likely still be functional.

Never dealt with them.

I play in a band that does pretty much everything. Even though my setup is as simple as they come, its as versatile as I'll ever need it to be. I needed very good compression that was cheap, and this delivered with flying colors. I highly suggest it...if it were lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another one. I've tried the Boss bass limiter, and it was only good for extreme compressing...plus the enhancer made my bass sound overprocessed.

Output Volume & Sustain are the only 2 buttons !
Very easy

I have an 1979original DynaComp, and for me it sounds very good ! I really like the "pop" at the string note's attack (intentioned by MXR), and also the "Santana"'s medium enhanced sound. But i recognize that you cannot have a flat frequency response. The noise is quite OK at normal settings. (Before it i had a ElectroHarmonics OTA-based (NOT Tube) original1978 BlackFinger, but i did not like the too fast attack and too clear sound).
I play with a US1975 Strat, which i had replaced the bridge's single coil pickup by a doubleCoil DiMarzio's SuperDistorsion. My amps are Marshall JCM900 5881Tubes & MesaBoogie MarkIV. I use also a ElectroHarmonix Flanger original1979 Electric Mistress.

Very rugged case, the only drawback is that you have to remove 4 screws to change the battery !

Never had to call !

Very good for the price that i did not remember: so it should not be very high at that time !

Two knobs. Output and Sensitivity. The only two knobs you really need for a stomp box compressor.

I have the block logo Dyna Comp from the early 80s. There's no LED, but you can usually tell when it's on or off.

I've tried several different compressors and none of them match up to the Dyna Comp. I use this with my Strat (my humbucker guitars simply don't need the compression), and I get a very juicy, quacky, snappy sound that's very pleasing to the ears. If you play Nashville chicken-pickin, you'll probably like this pedal as well.

It's easy to get a good sound out of it...in fact so easy, that I don't even have settings that I use on a regular basis. I just turn it on, twist the knobs, and go. It sounds great on every setting.

I've played the newer models too. They're really not as bad as everyone says they are - there's a certain magic about the early 80s models, but if you're stuck with a reissued version, don't sweat it...you still have a great pedal on your hands.

Very reliable. Have used it several times out. Great pedal!

An excellent pedal for the money. I'd dare to say it's the best compressor on the market (unless you're some tone/pedal snob). I don't need the best of the best. I need what works. And this pedal does exactly what I need it to, and doesn't take too much time to figure out.

After all, if you're going to buy a pedal, you want to spend time playing through it - not learning how to operate the damn thing.

Simple, reliable, and pleasing to the ear. The Dyna Comp is all you could ever ask for in a stomp box compressor!

I found it pretty simple, only 2 controls.
However, be careful, remember that a compressor should not do too much, try and balance the level to your own level (in other words when you turn the compressor on it shouldn't really cut or boost your volume much).

My setup can be found under my review for the Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi USA reissue.
I have only used Boss compressors in the past, and for years used a compressor as a way to make it easy for me to play fast. I trem-picked a lot and used loads of hammer on's, the compressor evened out the notes and made it easy.

Now i know better...... a compressor works best when used to tame your sound, to even it out a little and keep it balanced.

This is a really good compressor. As used my Dave Gilmour.
It does alter your sound a little, hard to describe, it kind of flattens it but also makes it cut through better by being better balanced.
At first I missed an attack control, as i tried to play as fast as i could, but then i realised that it's better without it, as I can use it to clean up my playing, and use this to make my overall sound better.
It works really well with my Big Muff and Electric Mistress, and it keeps my Phase 90 under control. I would never replace it now.

BAD POINTS - set it too high and it will distort, it is not best suited for sparkling clean tones, this will darken them a bit.
It can be a bit noisy (Use with an NS2 to completely cure this).

However, overall I love the sound, it really helps sculpt my tone and is a great pedal.

It is solid, well made and seems like it will last forever.

Dont know

I play in a Pink Floyd tribute band, and also enjoy playing rocky blues, funky rock stuff and mellower clapton styles. I have been playing for 18 years.
This is a great pedal. I love it.
It's not the same as my old Boss CS2, it's not as clean or as transparent, and it doesn't do that sharp attack sound you can get with other compressors. However, what it does do is give you control over your sound, it evens your tone without making it sound dull, and it adds a hint of a lovely dark and rich effect.

I will admit that it did grow on me, at first i was a bit puzzled as to how to use it best, but now that i've set it up and figured out how to use it im amazed, it's great... dont let the negative reviews put you off, try it out for yourself, set both controls midway to start with and take it from there. As with all my effects - use a Boss NS2 to reduce any noise.

A footswitch and two knobs, how hard can it be? A couple of minutes of tweaking and I knew what I could get out of it. I bought it brand new about six months ago. I wasn't very satisfied with the sound out of the box so I did some research online about modding it. I ended up contacting Mike at vodkamods.com to see about purchasing a kit. He does some really cool mods but this one was so easy that he just emailed me a drawing for free and told me I could get the parts at Radio Shack. His mod changed it to the Ross compressor circuit. Unit is much more transparent and less noisy now. Sustain is great!! I'm an amateur at modding pedals so you know it wasn't hard.

Post vodka.com mod the sound gets a 9. Out of the box I'd give it a 6. I play a Hamer FM with Seymour Duncan 59 humbuckers and a '91 Strat '62 reissue through a Carvin MTS head into 4X12 Marshall cab w/vintage 30's. I run an assorment of pedals including a Visual Sound H20, Boss SD-1 modded to a Fulldrive, modded Crybaby, Boss Phaser, Duncan clean boost. Dynacomp adds sustain to both clean and distorted leads. The Duncan 59 bridge pickup will sustain a note for about three days with the compressor cranked..

Seems to be built like a tank. No worries about using it live.

Never had a reason to call.

The band plays a very wide variety of covers in local bars. From Zep and Cream to Maroon 5 and Green Day plus a little of everything in between. I find that I use the Dynacomp quite extensively. If it was lost or stolen I'd head back to G.C., work the salesman over for a discount and immediately mod it to Ross specs. I've used numerous compressors over the years including rackmounted during my digital/midi phase. This compares favorably with any of them.

10. The easiest pedal to use. EVER.

The sound on mine is pretty amazing and vintage. It packs a TEENY bit of distortion, which is the cause of the 9. It really sounds awesome, perfect for Trey Anastasio's compressed sounds on Phish records. I'm using it with a triple fat strat and a Marshall stack. It sustains notes amazingly well, though it feeds back with too much gain.

Solid. It's lasted since 1978 without breaking.

I use the pedal for Phish and for sustaining notes. I've been playing for 8 years, and this is my favorite compressor. I would have to get another if it were stolen. Keep in mind that this is a VINTAGE no LED model (by far superior) that has a 1/4 inch power supply slot added. Get a vintage one, it's a great pedal.

Easy 2 knobs. Use your ears to fine tune it. I usually set it so that when it comes on its roughly the same volume as if it were off. And when i click it off there isnt much volume change. I like the sound, a little noise but so is my setup.

My setup: Gibson SG Standard->DynaComp->Teese Pic Wah->TS808 reissue ->Boss PH-3-> Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401. Like i said before my rig is noisy. On the clean channel not to bad but when i go to the OD channel there is plenty of noise. Adding a compressor doesnt really help it increases the noise but i dont care, i'll buy a noise suppressor at some point. I can get that liquidy, clicking sound its pretty cool. I like Phish so i can get close to that Trey sound. I can get some insane sustain when I add some more OD to it, think the opening to AC/DC's Shoot to Thrill, where the A chord is sustained then feedsback, its great!!!

Yes i can depend on the red brick. I would gig without a back up.

never dealt with them

I play classic rock AC/DC, Zepp, The Dead, Phish and the like. This pedal has a bypass i dont know if its a true bypass or hard wire or whatever all i know is when i took the battery out and played thru my amp my sound came thru. As far as i know this means its got a bypass. I would have bought the Super Dyna Comp but i have a Large Bi-Compressor from Analogman on the way so I went for the cheaper model. I tried the Boss and Digitech compressors and thought they had too many knobs and not a lot of sound and over priced. Then i saw a used dynacomp on the shelf and christ what a sound!! I was in love so i went home and bought a new one from Samedaymusic.com.

easy! blah blah, two knobs. Easy to adjust with a foot while you're ripppinn fatty licks!

yeah it's noisy, but playing live who cares!? It's a great overdriven sound, very analouge with feedback for days. I turn it up all the way! I thought about buying distortion pedals and all that crap, but I don't need it with the DC. I have a Rat and a Marshall Gov'ner, I use the Dyna Comp instead. Great for cheap guitars with quiet pickups or guitars that don't give even volume on all the strings, like the bottom strings don't ring out as much (blah blah, it's cheaper than a setup or new pickups). Some songs where I'm not playing chords all the time, like lot's of riffs, I leave it on the whole number and I can have every note come through, at least audibly. let's you get the sustain no matter what you're useing.

no complaints. once you play it a few practices and know where it needs to be set for various songs, it's easy.

who cares, buy a used one for less than $40. They're a dime a dozen.

It sounds fine, yeah it's not a keeley or a george martin or whatever, but in most situations who cares. you're playing cheap guitars and tube amps, single coils; that's a lot noiser than this. It looks badass, simple, little red bro down on the stage. Batterys last a long time. I haven't changed it in like 10 or 12 months.

try it. It's cheap, sounds fine, and won't let you down.

It's really easy. Just volume and sensitivity

I'm using it with a Telecaster plugged into a TopHat.

The sound of this compressor is pretty warm for the price. It is extremely sensitive and it has a very strong and noticable compression above 9 o'clock. It's also not the most natural compression. It really gives a noticable pumping sound above 9 0'clock. I'm not sure why it is so strong because I couldn't imagine ever putting above 12. It would be nice if it was less extreme, then you would have more usable compression settings.


It is not an overly noisy unit for a compressor. A compressor by nature will raise the noise level. It raises the low volume sounds and lowers the high level sounds.

Haven't had it long enough to comment.

I haven't dealt with Dunlop.

Overall for the price I would recommend this compressor. It has a pleasant sounding compression when it's used at a very low setting, especially for clean picking, and it's really inexpensive.

Geez two knobs.

Mine is a script I bought new in the early 70's not to tell my age. The pedal along with my phase 90 is about 25 yrs younger than I am. I set the gain knob about 1 o'clock and the sensitivity around 11 o'clock and I "never" turn it off. So it never ruins my sound. If it died I would have it repaired ASAP.

They're older than my oldest son. I did drill holes in the side for power. Go ahead and gripe. I will "never" get rid of them no matter what unless they wind up stolen.

NA

The perfect compressor at least the script ones

Very easy to use, two knobs "output" and "sensitivity." This unit definitely has a subtle but still noticeable effect on your tone. It squashes it.

I am using this to play heavy metal. The pedal acts by raising the volume of low notes and lowering the volume of high notes, to produce a consistent attack, consistent volume, and gobs of sustain if you want it. I leave it on all the time to regulate my playing, so everything comes out at the same volume. Any noise you were producing before will be doubled, as the compressor raises the volume of any signal passing through. So be prepared! What I am not happy about is that for some reason, I have to turn the output to 3:00 to make it the same volume as the un-compressed signal. This leaves very little headroom and flexibility. The sensitivity is at 12:00, any higher and there is too much noise.

Very reliable product, though others have complained about the flimsy footswitch button on some MXR pedals.

Never had to deal with the company.

I definitely recommend some kind of compressor, it has many applications. As I said above, I use this to even out my sound for a consistent attack. I don't have to worry about playing too loud or too soft with this pedal on.

Received Analogman's modified MXR DynaComp very soon after I ordered it. The model I ordered includes an Attack knob, unlike the original MXR Dyna Comp, I paid slightly more for the Attack knob. I took the pedal out of the box, and bam! I was able to get that funk sound I've wanted for so long.

I'm using the Analogman "(Small) Comprossor" as they call it, with a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier and Paul Reed Smith McCarty model guitar. I can get a fabulous funk sound without the noisy single coil pickups in a Strat. The Comprossor is extremely quiet! I can get that funky Prince sound a la "Kiss".

My rig runs as follows: Gtr-Vox Wah-Boss Octave-Comprossor-Ibanez Tube Screamer-Boss Heavy Metal-Boss Phaser-Boss Flanger-DOD A/B switch for Boss Rackmount Delay-Volume Pedal-Amp.

Haven't had any problems whatsoever.

I emailed Analogman for some information and received a response within a day...try to get that kind of response from Dunlop.

I'm the guitarist for a 9-piece funk band...the pedal sounds great, you have to have a compressor if you're playing funk. I've been playing 22 years...also own a Larrivee D-09 acoustic, Kramer Pacer Electric, Fender Champ 30...a whole bunch of other stuff. If this pedal was stolen, I would DEFINITELY buy it again. I was in heaven when I first plugged my guitar into the Analogman Comprossor.

What do I love about it? I love that it's quiet. I love the sound I get. And the Attack knob feature provides more versatility than what you'd get with the MXR DynaComp.

That's about it...highly recommended and worth every penny.

P.S. I have no affiliation with the company, I'm just a satisfied customer.

I just wanted to let everyone know that the post regarding Analogman's modified MXR DynaComp is out of date. Just received an email from Analogman today, and there is no wait on the modified MXR DynaComp w/Ross specs. I just ordered one today 9/14/03 and expect to receive it shortly.

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Easy.

Depends on what you like. The new boxes suck a lot of tone out of your instrument and continue to do so after they are switched off! I play a Carvin dc400 and a Yamaha SG2000 through a Rivera Fandango and I can tell you the testosterone is sucked out of your axe with this thing. Haven't tried the new SuperComp with attack control, but until they make a true bypass model, I'm staying away.

Previous dyna comps always had switch problems.

Dunno

Can't use this thing because it is a tone vacuum.

Very simple.

I use it with Fender Guitars -> Dyna Comp (in the Effect Loop of a Boss NS-2) -> other Effects -> Yamaha DG100 Amp. Yes, as all compresors it´s noisy at higher Sensitivity Levels, that´s why I use the wonderful NS-2. For me the Sounds of the Dyna Comp are exactly what I want from a Compressor - Country Licks sound cool and Funky Stuff even too.
Sensitivity set to 11 makes Distortion and Overdrive Sounds scream like Hell with a lot of Sustain. It´s not swelling like other devices (such as the Digitech Main Squeeze with that sucking dbx crap).

Like a pure Steel Block.

Not needed yet.

By the Way: My first Look at the MXR made me laughing out loud, cause it´s Rubber skirted Knobs gave me the Impression of the Johnny No. Five Robot looking at me...
It´s a good match, depending on your Musical Style. You have to test it, cause maybe you´re looking for something else. I have tested a lot of Compressors before - Digitech Main Squeeze (Bad), T-Rex Comp Nova (too expensive and not as good as the MXR Dyna Comp by far), Marshall ED-1 (crap), Nobels CO-2 (crap too) and Boss CS-3 (Noise Machine). If lost or stolen, I would surely by the same again. So check it out!

It is simple in that there are only two knobs, but it can be tricky to find sweet spots. "Sensitivity" is the ratio of compression, i'm guessing, and output is output. I read elsewhere that the attack speed is preset.

The biggest complaint I have about this pedal is the noise. Turning either knob up past 2 o'clock starts pushing the noise level to unpleasant levels. I have had best luck with the output at 1:00 and the sensitivity around 9:00. However, as is the nature of compression, the pick attack and biting treble are noticably reduced. The tone is certainly squashed, and this is okay for that country sound, but I would like a little more range of sound. Nevertheless, the DynaComp is a tried and true stompbox, and has served many well for decades.

My setup includes a MIJ Fender Strat>DynaComp>Russian Big Muff>Danelectro Daddy O>TS-7 Tubescreamer>Dunlop Univibe>EH Deluxe Electric Mistress>Ibanez DE-7 Echo>'59 Bassman RI.

Very reliable. I have had the same battery in it for four months, and it hasn't needed changed. I use it fairly often, too. It has a classic, tough MXR build. I don't doubt its dependability.

Never dealth with Jim Dunlop USA

I play classic rock, blues, and folk stuff, but I always tend to play more country licks with this pedal. It's not amazing, but it is a useful tool for generating sounds. I've considered having the DynaRoss mod done by Analog Mike, but haven't found it necessary yet. I don't really like Phish or Trey's tone, so I like the twangy country vibe of the pedal compared to the smooth "Phishiness" of a Ross compressor. If I lost this pedal, I would most likely replace it with a pre-1982 DynaComp. Nevertheless, it's a good little box.

Yep, easy to use. Some people like the fact that you can set-and-forget the knobs and just keep it on all the time. An inexperienced user of any type of sound-finisher (like EQ and compression) will likely go through a period of the getting-to-know-you phase with this pedal.

Noiseless? Hmmm...nope. Perfect? Hmmm...nope again. Better than most compressors?...that is up to its operator : ) But this is my third comp. I had an Ibanez Compressor-Limiter (10-series, I think) and the CS-3. I have since given up these other two with absolute glee and I am ecstatic with the DynaComp. Why? Cause it does what I need it to do with the sound quality that appeals to me within the price-range I can afford. ?Nuff said. I may have been happy to stick with the CS-3 had it not been for a particular sound artifact coming through the signal that gave a slight fizz to the sound ...not really wanting this Big Muff Pi ?feature? coming from a compressor, I ditched it.

No concerns. Mine is a slightly-used rental from a reputable Canadian music store chain. I believe my model is from the mid-to-later 90?s because the Output and Sensitivity knobs are the Hot Wheels slick tires version, not the hard plastic. Since it has been around that long and it shows no signs of failing, I can only give it a 10.

Compression is not a ?must? for most rock players, however, this effect is handy in situations where you need/want to play in a variety of situations. Despite what has been said about the Dunlop reissues of the MXR line, this pedal gives a pleasing effect in many applications. Try this before you buy, though, because it has a VERY strong character and you may not like what compression, or this model of compressor does to your sound. Those of us covet the script versions ? fine. Go get one. Many of us do not have time or money to seek out those and, instead, want a functional pedal to do the job at a reasonable price.

Very simple. 2 knobs, compression and output.

Nowhere near as good sounding as the original models i.e. script logo and original block letters. Even at it's lowest setting the compression is way too heavy and comprimises the bass far too much. The addition of an led usually comprimises the sound not to mention the battery life. I guess some people need to have the visual reinforcement but I usually find that a pedal that sounded good without an led almost never sounds as good after an led has been incorporated into the circuit.

Built well but still, it just doesn't sound that good.

Get an old one, don't bother with this one. They can never just leave things as they were can they?

Very easy, if you understand compression

Like any compressor, when signal is not present, it brings up all the noise and hum. At least the MXR has a relatively slow release time - not always desirable, but this keeps amateurs out of trouble. And like any compressor, the bottom end suffers. Such is the nature of compressors. A bass compensation circuit would be nice, or a low pass filter straight-thru. The new Dynas are way way deficient in output gain though. Old ones were way better......

Hammer nails with it...BUT, the goddam switch is the first thing to go, and they cost $9 each IF you can find them. I've thrown away 3 previous pedals when the switch has crapped out......

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha........
I just e-mailed them 2 days ago. No response.

DynaComps have been a staple on my pedal boards for over 25 years. I simply cannot do a gig without it. And I am tearing my hair out now, because I have just bought 2 recently, and they are both crap. The output gain when engaged is horribly inadequate - actually sounds lower in volume, even with the output knob all the way up. My older ones had TONS of gain - never ran the output past 2 or 2 o'clock. I am now about to spend another $60 to have the thing 'modded'. I'd buy something else, but the rubber skirted knobs make adjusting the thing with my toe a breeze while I'm playing.

Two knobs. Duh.

Ass. Total ass. Flat, warbly, noisier than your mom getting ass raped by a horse.

I could smash your skull with it, hose it off, and then gig with it no problem. Isn't it funny how the most worthless products are the ones designed to survive direct nuclear strikes?

Never deal with them. But, considering they've designed such a shitty product, then they have to be twits.

Absolute crap. The only hope this thing has is:

a) send it to analogman to get modded
b) trade it to someother unsuspecting 'tard
c) use it as a weapon

I'm going for "b"

easy to use 2 knobs only a fool would struggle with this

absolute shite, swamps attack ,sucks high end,over sensitive
if this pedal is a legend i will bare my arse in fenwicks(shop in newcastle) window.
if you want a good compressor youve gotta go for marshall ed1 far superior to boss cs3,retains high end superb
these guys that claim vintage dyna comps are better than reissue have their head right up their arse ,they (mxr)use same circuit just different pcb layout

reliable but crap tone

n/a they dont exist bud

MUCH EASIER TO USE THEN THE 2 BOSS PRODUCTS i HAD BEFORE. WISH MORE EFFECTS WERE THIS SIMPLE - PREFER 3 KNOB MAX. CAME WITH CRYBABY WAH MANUAL - WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

GOOD SUSTAIN - LOW NOISE EVEN AT THE HIGHER SETTINGS. USING WITH TUBESCREAMER, CRYBABY, H2O (GREAT PEDAL),AND OVERDRIVE CHANNELS IN MY FENDER STAGE 160. PRS STD., RIC 330-12 (NICE COMPRESSED MCGUINN VIBE), AMER. STD. STRAT.- PLAYING CLASSIC AND CURRENT ROCK IN A BAR BAND (CLAPTON, SANTANA,STONES,BEATLES,PETTY, MATCHBOX 20, ETC.)AFTER 2O YEARS THIS IS THE BEST RIG TO DATE - HOPEFULLY THIS IS IT (HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SAID THAT?). ALTERS TONE ONLY SLIGHTLY OTHERWISE WOULD BE A "10".

SO FAR SO GOOD (JUST GOT IT). SEEMS TO BE BETTER DESIGN THEN DUNLOP WAH - I USE DUCT TAPE TO HOLD BATTERY COVER ON CRYBABY.

NEVER DEALT

GOOD FOR CLEAN AND OVERDRIVE TONES AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A SOUND ENGINEER TO GET WHAT YOU'RE AFTER. FOR THE MONEY THIS A NO-BRAINER

Really easy to use,couldn't get a bad sound if I tried.

For a pedal that basically boosts noise, decidedly unnoisy. The best sounding compressor I ever heard, makes clean funky rhythm parts stand out. I love early Prince (ca controversy, 1999) style sounds, and when I play my Tele through this I get exactly that. I rarely turn it off. Also adds great sustain to leads.

look sturdy enough, never had any problems.

'Never dealt with them.

I play funk. This pedal makes my clean guitar sound much beter and helps me lock in with the drums because dry chucks come out loud and clear. It also evens out the sound so it sounds slick enough to fit in with Rhodes style keyboard sounds. I it were lost or stolen I would buy a new one the same day. I've compared it to a number of pedals and the compressors in multi-effects. The latter were pretty sad, but other pedals (boss, ibanez) sounded decent enough. I chose this one because it doesn't color the tone, sounds really funky (as opposed to country-ish) and doesn't sound over the top as easily as the other pedals. If I could only own one pedal, this would definitely be it.

can't believe how easy

Telecaster through dyna comp, bluesdriver, daddy-o, into peavey classic 50 amp. This pedal is noisless. I used it to boost my solos and add sustain. It did this purfectly without coloring the sound.

Like a rock.

who needs 'em

I play Americana/Alternative Country. This pedal is almost a must have. It was stolen along with all my other pedals, and my three electrics. Since guitars are more needed than pedals for work, I hade to spend my money on that first. Now I'm looking for pedals. The last guy must not know what he's doing, or he got a crap from the factory model.

Purchased new from Musician's Friend ($69)...comes with paperwork, (manual, warrenty card).. as stated before, don't really need the manual..there's two knobs. I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of compression pedals. Maybe I haven't found one that works like I think it should, or maybe it just doesn't fit the style of music I play, which is blues, classic rock, rockabilly, etc. I know, Lowell George (Little Feat) used two of these for his slide work..but I get better slide results with an overdrive pedal. This is the second compression pedal I've purchased.

Telecaster with Seymour Duncan '59's humbuckers in both positions into Boss Digital Delay into Analogman upgraded Boss SD-1 (love it!) into Peavey
classic 30, or Fender Hot Rod Deville 212.. I had heard this would make my country/rockabilly licks stand out, and make slide playing sound better, but I haven't been impressed so far.

The outside is built like a tank..however, the inside (once you get inside) has weak spots. First, getting in to change batter requires to unscrew four screws... Once you get in, the wires to the battery, and the connection to the battery plug, are very fragile. Also, there is almost not enough room for the battery and wires to fit in the battery compartment, which makes the fragile wiring stand out even more.. This would not be a problem, if you used the optional wall wart, or effects board with power source.

As previoulsy stated, this is the second compression pedal I've purchased...same thing happened as the first..I read reviews, thought I had to have it, bought it, and am now very dissappointed. More power to you all that use this piece of equipment, but for the rest of you, save your money..or try one out extensively at your local music store before wasting your cash.

Very easy to use. I'm a big believer that you shouldn't just "plug 'n play" with any pedal...you should definitely mess with it a little bit and find the sweet spots, get accustomed to the settings, etc. I was able to find several nice settings doing this. Basically, it sounds good on almost any setting though.

I'm primarily using this with my Rickenbacker 330/12, but have also thrown my other guitars (a couple of Telecasters and a Strat) through it. This thing is great! Really preserves the jangle of the Rick, and adds some muscle to some of quackier Strat settings, which I'm really a fan of. Works great with my reissue TS-9 and my Telecasters too, but I find I prefer the Telecasters run wide open with no compression at all. Hey, that's why it's a foot pedal..you turn it on when you need it, and off when you don't. Has a nice but subtle squash when hit hard. The noise on this pedal is almost non-existent...even on higher compression settings the noise was negligible at best...this was a very pleasant surprise considering that compressors by nature are somewhat noisy. The only quality of this effect that I would say is average at best is the sustain factor. It's not overly smooth. Not bad, but not fantastic either, and to some this would probably be significant consideration. But I'm not using it for that purpose, and it's sufficient enough for my needs. I get enough sustain from guitars anyway. This thing works so well for it's primary functions that I can easily overlook that.

Boeing, Airbus, et al should commission MXR to make the black boxes installed on airplanes.

never dealt

I like classic rock, blues-based rock, indie, and most of all "shoe gaze". I've been playing 14 years, and dig Fenders and Rickenbackers.

If this thing were lost or stolen I would be plenty upset. I got a great deal on this thing, and now I'll have to go buy one new. I like that it's nice and compact, and heavy duty. I wasn't looking for anything overly complex, just something that could do what I needed to do and do it well. This fits the bill to a T. It doesn't mess with the tone too much, but adds a nice old-school flavor to it. I'm finding I can't play my Rick 12 without it.

Unbelievably easy to use- there's only two knobs. I thought this would lead to a lack of flexibility, but the pedal is great. No manual is needed. Just screw with the sensitivity knob until you're happy with the amount of compression. MXR makes the simplest, yet best sounding boxes on the mainstream market today.

I'm using a Les Paul Standard, a Fender Standard Telecaster, a reissue Fender Jaguar, and an old Fender Mustang into the Dyna Comp, into a Thomas Organ Wah pedal, into a MXR Phase 90 (another GREAT, simple pedal), into an Ibanez Tube Screamer, into a ProCo Rat, into a Danelectro Dan-Echo. My amp is a reissue '65 Fender Twin Reverb. But who cares about my setup? This pedal is GREAT. Every guitarist out there should have one. It fills the wholes in your lines, and adds priceless definition to your playing. This pedal also works very well with both the distortions I'm using, particularly the Tube Screamer (helps me heavier overdrive out of it for leads). Also adds a great amount of sustain, which is invaluable for Fender-type guitars with bolt-on necks. Also helps you get feedback out of the amp at low volume settings because of the sustain, but doesn't feedback if you don't make it. In terms of noise, of course there's going to be some noise-- it's an effects pedal. Any pedal you plug into creates some amount of noise. If you want silent operation buy a pedal with true bypass, but this is a great comp. pedal for a low price. Is great to use with an E-Bow, as it fills in the holes for when you jump strings.

Built like a tank. MXR pedals can take some serious punishment and NEVER buckle. I'd definitely use it in a gig without a backup.

N/A

I play blues, rock, a little bit of Guitar Wolf and Sabbath-style metal, and hard "indie." It's a great match for every style I play. I keep it on all the time. Been playing guitar five years now. I'd definitely buy a new one if it was lost or whatever. Love how this pedal seems to even out your sound and fix slight picking or timing errors. This pedal is great for any lead work you may do. A damn fine pedal.

Very easy to use which keeps the confusion of having to play with every freaking knob until you're satisfied....Kind of like haiving too many pickup selections....I like this set up

I heard great things of the Maxon and tried them both side by side...The Maxon was a little bit quieter and more subtle, but for the money I liked the MXR pedal better.

looks pretty rugged and durable to me.

For the money, it simply can't be beat.

Manual not necessary. Two knobs. Fiddle with it until you're happy. No big deal.

Good compressor. About as good as five others I've used. A compressor is a compressor. Nothing to go "gah-gah" over. Much ado.

Only owned it about six months before I was underwhealmed enough to sell it.

No clue.

A compressor is a compressor. Some are marginally smoother than others. They all create problems in the effects chain. The country players love them. I break down and give them another chance every ten years, just to turn around and sell the darned things. The Dyna-Comp is smooth, but I still can't figure out what the the big deal is over the MXR. Yes, it works. Yes, it was used by some of the legendary guitarists, just like their favortite brand of socks or toilet paper. Bottom line is, of all the compressors I've tried, this is about as effective and useful as the rest of them were. Get a decent amp (Mesa) instead.

Very easy to use. It has output and sensitivity knobs. Adjust to your liking.

I use the DC with a strat and Washburn Nuno with Bill Lawrence pickups with a coil split in the bridge. My amp is a Peavey Delta Blues 210. I use the DC to add a little edge. I set the sensitivity around 9-11 o'clock. If you turn it up to around 1 o'clock or more, it gets a little too noisy for me.

Built well. I suppose it will last a lifetime, if I take care of it.

Have no clue...

I play light jazz and blues. The DC fits in well with what I do. I've been playing for about 37 years, give or take. I also use a Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive. When set on clean, it's pretty similar to the DC. I don't use the DC all the time. Just now and then when I want a certain sound. Quite honestly, I don't hear a huge difference in my sound with it on.

Very easy to use : only two Knobs! Really a great sound! Maybe it's a little different from the original guitar sound, but it gives to you much more sustain than BOSS cs3.

This is My Setup: BOSS TU 2 => MXR Dynacomp => BIXONIC Expandora => DIGITECH Whammy WH1 => VOX Wha => DANELECTRO Tuna Melt Tremolo => DANELECTRO Milkshake Chorus => SHALLER Volume Pedal => BOSS NS2 plus a parallel line to BOSS AC 2. All in a LANEY VC 30 with parallel LEXICON LXP 5 (only for delays and Harmo). Use different Guitars, from Tex Mex Strato to Godin Radiator, to customized Tele. The Dyna is noisy (a little) with the sustain knob over the 3 o'clock position. i succeed in obtaining very similar sounds from THE EDGE to David GILMOURE an Robert FRIPP(!!)

I play music from soundscapes (ambient as FRIPP does) to blues, rock, pop with several italian artists. Often i play guit performance on MULTIVISION installations (as a live soundtrack). I am 35 and i play guit since i was 12. i own 13 different gutars, often customized by miself.

two knobs, simple. boss adapter jack, perfect. this is reissue.

i play mandolin through this. this rocks! U2 sound, tightly compressed blues/rock sound, or even just as a volume boost. slight hiss, but it's less than the danelectro, boss, guyatone, which i compared this to. i started with the danelectro, which was great under battery power, but hissed on my pedalboard, so this replaced it. kind of redundant when used with distortion, but i use it clean most of the time. my setup: mandolin-> dyna comp-> danelectro EQ-> pharaoh boost-> danelectro octaver-> morley wah/volume-> boss os-2-> mxr noise gate-> peavey ecoustic amp.

awesome- metal housing, tough switch. solid brick.

amazing- everything i needed in a compressor. easy to use too. i've played violin for 15 years, mando for 1 year, guitar for 10. if lost, i would definitely replace, but try to find a used one. i don't really dislike anything about it... i guess it's impossible to get rid of the slight hum (seems like all compressors have it), but my noise gate takes care of that. i like this over the boss/danelectro, quieter but still has great character. this would be one of my most essential pedals, along with eq maybe.

Very easy, but takes alittle tweaking to get a good sound.

Very cool. Adds punch to clean single note runs, and tightens up distortion. I can get some great pink floyd sounds with it. It's alittle noisy but that's to be expected. I run my clapton strat into a crybaby into a DL4 into this into my mesa, and get some really great sounds. I mentioned floyd but this box enhances many styles from country to jazz.

I just bought it.

This is a cool little effect. I definitely hear the vintage vibe. Check one out.

2 knobs. very simple. reissue version.

compliments the sound very well. essential to get that early U2 sound. switch can be a bit noisy.
usual setup = telecaster -> big muff-> voxwah-> dynacomp-> boss sd1
-> boss ds1 -> boss bf2 -> boss dd-5 -> line 6 delay modeler -> vox cambridge & pathfinder (sometimes add tuna melt tremolo)

metal casing built well. not sure about the switch. i could see it becoming a problem after lots of use. (years and years...)

i've only tried one other compressor and this one is way better. the sustain and compression really help to give me the sound i want. (such as the early u2 stuff - think "sunday bloody sunday" and "11 o'clock tick tock")i now consider it one of my essential pedals.

It works 99% of the time. I did have to replace the switch though.
This pedal is simple to operate. Output (Volume) and Sensitivity (compression) are the only controls at your disposal. I set the volume at 1 o'clock and the compression at 11 o'clock. It works great on Fenders but not so great on Les Pauls. I only use it on my clean channel. It does suck up a bit of high end, but nothing too objectionable.

With fender guitars, this thing is great. Great for country. I don't recommend for use with any humbucking pickup guitars though. The loss of attack and high is too great.

I did have to replace the switch on it. luckily, it was the day after an important gig. It's been rock solid since then.

never delt with them

I'm still looking for a better compressor. I hear good things about the Guyatone ST2 pedal. I'll be trying that next. Since most of my tones are clean, compression is vital in my rig. The dynacomp is doing the job for now but will soon be on the way out.

The Dyna Comp I'm reviewing is a pre-Dunlop block logo model without the LED or power jack.

This is a pedal that you need to learn to use. If you just take it out of the box, plug it in, and expect to hear a dramatic effect, you'll be disappointed. Once you learn what it can do for you, though, you'll find a few applications that you may not ever want to do without.

MXR pedals come with a rubber knob cover that makes it easy to turn a knob with your foot, should you need a boost. This piece can fall off easily, but a shot of hairspray makes it stick like a Post-it note.

I'm currently using two EMG-equipped guitars with my DC. One is a HH Steinberger GL and the other is a HSS Ernie Ball Silhouette. The DC works quite well with the active pickups. My main amp is a Boogie Mark I, usually set up for a clean tone.

It is a noisy effect, and degrades my signal in bypass. I'll be fixing this soon with a Fulltone switch. My DC is so much a part of my sound, I've gone through great lengths to make it work just the way I want.

The MXR Dyna Comp, along with the Telecaster, creates the quintessential Nashville "twang." Listen to Brad Paisley's " " for a perfect example.

When used with a single-coil pickup in the neck position, the unique attack sound of the DC is most pronounced. When used with a bridge humbucker or single coil with distortion, a "squishy" sound is produced, like Jay Mascis or Greg McMullen. Sustain is increased, and the effect is very warm.

I use my DC for three applications--the "twang", the raw, sustained effect with distortion, and for the occasional boost. For it's effects, the DC is a 10, but its noisiness drops it down two notches.

While MXR made pretty solid effects (and the older ones are definitely superior in every way to the Dunlop-made models), I bring a backup. It's old, and I don't trust it not to fail during a club gig.

The old MXR Dyna Comp is a great match for many of the music styles I play. It's invaluable for country music, and helps make my sound much more aggressive for heavily-distorted music.

I've been playing for over 20 years and have owned hundreds of effects. I recently sold most of my gear and am down to only about a dozen stomp boxes. This one is a keeper.

If my DC were lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another, but not a Dunlop--I'd search for another vintage one or maybe plop down some serious money for a boutique clone.

I love how the DC can do so many things to my tones, and how it almost becomes a different effect depending on what pickups are selected or what effects come after it in the chain. I don't like its noisiness and lack of an LED. I will be adding a 3DPT switch and LED to this box soon.

I've owned a Boss Compressor, which did just what I expected a cheap compressor to do--it compressed. The DC has its own unique character, which is why it's such a valuable part of my effects arsenal.

It definitely helps me make music.

The Dyna Comp is not for everyone. Many musicians rave about it; someone hears the hype, buys one, then is sorely disappointed. Despite its drawbacks, I'm giving it a 10 because I would hate to play without it.

2 turny things...one shiny silver stomper switch.This is probably easy , if you know the use of a compressor.Dunlop doesnt think Manuals or sample settings or product descriptions belong with some products.

I use with a L.P. type guitar and an amp with TUBES in it . It does hiss a little bit turned all the way up , but you can not or hardly hear it in a band mix or on tape. I like to use it with the volume all the way up and the sensitivity at about 11 o clock. It provides a nice boost, fatter and more sustaining. Also driving a tube amp harder and making for a cleaner or more blusey type sustain or overdrive.It will also help big muffed , or ratted , or even clean type notes sustain better. If not careful...it can also help some sounds feedback BIG time.

I depend on it. But sometimes when I hit the switch it mutes ! I have to make sure I click it hard or this happens. It also happened to my Phase 90. In fact when I got it The light didnt work half the time and neither did the effect the first 10 times I used it.After I broke in it worked fine and has only mutes like 1 out 50 times.Even though I own it, I think Dunlop sucks.My friends cry baby aint too great either. They should make sure there products work just a little better. IF YOU BUY ONE AND IT DON'T WORK , TAKE IT BACK IMMEDIATELY !!! I was too lazy.

I've heard Dunlop is a Joke. Ha, ha ... on the unsuspecting consumer !!!

I play Rocky , Psycha , blues. I am now after 7 years of playing getting more heavily into good ol' fashion Blues tone, clean , dirty and Overdriven tubes.This pedal can give you some boost or a little more drive. It will also make notes, Tone , and solos stand out a bit more.It will also provide more sustain to single notes or distortion. It may seem a little subtle for some , but for me its becoming just what I needed.It is decently priced too !The be all end all of compressors...probably not, but it has a classic type sound.

Input volume and output volume controls. Easy to get a good sound.
It came with a crybaby manual which was useless, but a manual isn't really needed.

I use a Lonestar Strat --> dyna comp --> phase 90 --> teese rmc-1 wah --> metal zone --> line-6 DL-4 --> Fender Blues Deluxe. It can get noisy when the sensitivity is cranked, but what do you expect it's a compressor. It can sound a bit punchy if the sensitivity is high and there is no overdrive or distortion on after it, so generally if I'm using it for long sustain I will at least have my amps overdrive on.

It's a brick. The only thing that could break is the switch.

I play all different kinds of rock, i've been playing for 2 years. If it were stolen or lost I would get it again. I compared it mostly to the boss which didn't sound nearly as natural, however I have heard that the boss compressor is better for humbuckers.

It's very user friendly due to having only two knobs. Mine is the new model with the 2.1mm barrel style plug and LED light.

My current set-up is guitar-Modified Vox Wah Wah - MXR Dyna Comp - Visual Sounds Jeckll & Hyde Overdrive - Boss DD-3 Delay - Fender Hot Rod Deville 410. Guitars used are an Ibanez AS200, Fender Telecaster Plus, Fender Stratocaster Plus. The Dyna Comp adds no noise or hiss or pumping as some of the other types do to my set-up, except on extreme compression ( which i don't use anyway). I use the output at about 3 o'clock and the sensitivity at about 9 o'clock for a slight compression and volume boost.

Only had it about two months...but i think it will hold up. The casing is pretty solid the only thing i can see breaking is the stomp switch. I would have to gig without a backup....can't carry a spare everything around.

Never dealt with them.

I love the way it makes my sound soooo much thicker when i use distortion. It is also very good for string balance problems when fingerpicking. I hardly ever use it at extreme settings....i find it best when settings are set in low moderation. I compared it to Boss, Ibanez's models but found the MXR best for my style of blues/rock. I would buy another right away if ever lost or stolen.

It is very easy to get a good sound out of it...if you know how to use compressors. But, if you didn't know how to use them, you wouldn't be reading this anyway, right? The manual is very simple, I think (I haven't looked at since I bought it; no need to).

I use a 79 Fender Strat through the MXRs (I use two so I don't have to manually switch between songs) and 9 other pedals, then to two 4U racks then I A/B/C it to either a Line6 AxSys212 (on AC-30 emulation only), a Fender Deluxe 85, or a Vox AC-15. It does tend to add a bit of noise, but I like that. I like a little mud in my music, so to speak. Plus, I've got a stereo noise gate (and one built-in to the Line6). I can achieve a very convincing Edge tone (w/ lots of other effects in addition). I mostly use it to exaggerate the "clickiness" of the AC-30 and to boost my guitar. The second one is set on maximum sustain. It tends to slightly remove the pick attack, which is what I prefer. Other people might not. I combine them at random w/ distortion to create a choir of birds (along w/ echo and extreme manipulations of delay time), as well as random other noises and "samples." (My fav being R2D2 having a panic attack)

Yes. These things are heavy and well-built. I'm sure I could use one as a hammer or weapon, if need be. I guess I technically gig with a backup since I own two; however, I never change their settings and it never even crosses my mind. I've used one for at least two years, the other for about a year. They sound just as good as the day I received them.

Never had to deal w/ them. They make good products, I feel.

The style of music I play isn't classifiable. Emotional, experimental, interesting are three words that come to mind. Musically, I guess you could possibly say we have Godspeed You Black Emperor's sense of dynamics, Radiohead's ... oddity/sonic experimentation, The Edge's melodicism, Coil's weirdness. Since I don't play a whole lot of "conventional" guitar (I am the band's "sampler."), I rely pretty heavily on my two pedalboards, two racks, three amps (one of them being digital, having every effect built-in and storable patches). If they were stolen, I would replace them w/ two of their brothers instantly and w/o any thought or consideration. I love these pedals. I never really compared them w/ anything else, except my amp's compression, which I wasn't too particularly fond of. I heard they were good and they are. For me they are a 10; however, I'm sure there are better compressors out there, but I bet they cost a lot more. So I'll give it a 9-and-a-1/2.

This unit is very easy to use. Two knobs: Sensitivity and Attack. If you know how to use a compressor, it is very easy to get a good sound out of it. Never had to look at the manual.

I actually use two of these babies (mine are the reissues, by the way); one where the pick attack is emphasized, the other on maximum sustain. That way, I don't have to change knobs during songs.
I play a 79 Fender Strat(w/ Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge) then into the Dynos then about 9 pedals and two racks later, I A/B it into a Line6 AxSys212 (VoxAC-30 emulation, of course) and a new Vox Pathfinder.
It sounds great, perfect when I play U2. It is a little noisy, but not much. Works really well for boosting slide solos. The compression is perfect for my applications.

It's an MXR. It is deceptively heavy. I'm sure I could use it for a hammer if I needed too . . . I guess technically I have a backup since I use two, but yes, I would gig without a backup.

Never had to deal with MXR/Dunlop.

The DynaComp is a must for U2. I've been playing for about three years and I own a lot of gear.(Another must if you want to play U2.) These Dynos are my favorite pieces of gear next to my Korg A3 and SDD-2000. If I had these stolen or lost, I would replace them instantly. They are vital in acheiving my U2 tone as well as my experimental band where I simply generate noise. I can create birds chirping, sonar noises, motorboats, jalopies, and R2D2 having a panic attack with a digital delay and these two pedals. :-)

Pretty simple to use and the literature was easy to understand.

Well, a compressor is not like a distortion unit or a delay, which you notice straight away. But if you listen carefully you'll notice you can get those lovely vintage squashed guitar tones. Listen to The Edge and you'll know what I mean. I play with a Boss CS-3 for convenience and flexibility but I'd always record with this little red box.

It makes the distorion of my amp jump like magic. Good pro-touch, if somehow extreme. I love it

It's built to last. Take care of the jacks though!

You what??

As I said I'm borroing it to the singer/ guitarrist in my band and with his rig it sounds great: Fender MIJ Telecaster Thinline '72 reissue + MXR Dyna Comp + Laney VC-30 all valve combo.

Very compressed tone, but great if you like The Edge's or David Gilmore's tones.

Not for everybody. Thank goodness for that!!

Two knobs, need I say more?

I'm using a mexican strat (they're better than the americans, oddly enough) with Texas Special pick-ups and my bridge anchored all the way down. I use 13s. As for other boxes, I have a Q-Tron, TS-9, Daddy-O, Comptortion, Small Stone, and a Crybaby 535-Q. It all goes through a Fender Blues Junior.

I bought the Dyna Comp to add a little sustain to my distortion without having to have it at an insane gain level (like the CompTortion). Unfortunatly, It isn't too great on sustain. To get a nice susatin, you have to have the sensitivity knob cranked which makes the attack very punchy and squeezes the tone more than I'd like it to.

The thing is built like a tank. I wouln't worry about anything.

N/A

Bottom line is that this thing is great if you're looking for a punchy tone. I play a whole lot of stuff. I study jazz formally, grew up on the Grateful Dead and I'm a huge fan of Fusion. I was just looking for something to add sustain to my overdrive. I think I'm going to get it modified to original Ross specs. From what I understand, that smooths it up a bit.

There are two knobs. One controls output, the other controls sensitivity.

My setup is a G&L Asat Deluxe into a TS9DX (volume on 10), DynaComp(w/ Ross mod, Soldano Reverb-O-Sonic preamp-section, Ibanez PH99, Budda Wah, Ernie-Ball Volume, Sabine rack tuner, Lexicon MPX100 (for reverb), back to the power section of the Soldano. The Ross modded Dyna-Comp has a weak hiss, but no more than would be expected. It is certainly not as noisy as the Boss CS-3. The effect it has is like no other. It keeps the signal nice and lound and sustaining. It causes my amp to feedback much sooner than without, which adds a rich dynamic sense to all sustaining lead notes. I modeled my setup based in part from Trey Anastasio's of Phish, and the tone is remarkably similar, even without using a hollow bodied electric. I give it a 9, only for the small amount of hiss. But, man, it's a great trade-off for the tone you can get, even at low volumes.

Have not had it to long, but it seems as though it would hold up through the roughest conditions with a little respect.

AnalogMan, who did the Ross modification for me, was true to his advertising. He treated me like a rock star.

I've been playing for about 6 years with some experience in a local band. This pedal was perfect for my setup, but I planned it that way. I would have to replace this if it were to disappear, because I feel it shapes the overall tone so much. I like the simplicity of the pedal. It is very sensitive and dynamic. I recommend obtaining one from AnalogMan. The vintage Ross compressors are extremely hard to find, and this is a great way to obtain that sound without paying an arm and a leg.

There are two knobs. One controls output, the other controls sensitivity.

My setup is a G&L Asat Deluxe into a TS9DX (volume on 10), DynaComp(w/ Ross mod, Soldano Reverb-O-Sonic preamp-section, Ibanez PH99, Budda Wah, Ernie-Ball Volume, Sabine rack tuner, Lexicon MPX100 (for reverb), back to the power section of the Soldano. The Ross modded Dyna-Comp has a weak hiss, but no more than would be expected. It is certainly not as noisy as the Boss CS-3. The effect it has is like no other. It keeps the signal nice and lound and sustaining. It causes my amp to feedback much sooner than without, which adds a rich dynamic sense to all sustaining lead notes. I modeled my setup based in part from Trey Anastasio's of Phish, and the tone is remarkably similar, even without using a hollow bodied electric. I give it a 9, only for the small amount of hiss. But, man, it's a great trade-off for the tone you can get, even at low volumes.

Have not had it to long, but it seems as though it would hold up through the roughest conditions with a little respect.

AnalogMan, who did the Ross modification for me, was true to his advertising. He treated me like a rock star.

I've been playing for about 6 years with some experience in a local band. This pedal was perfect for my setup, but I planned it that way. I would have to replace this if it were to disappear, because I feel it shapes the overall tone so much. I like the simplicity of the pedal. It is very sensitive and dynamic. I recommend obtaining one from AnalogMan. The vintage Ross compressors are extremely hard to find, and this is a great way to obtain that sound without paying an arm and a leg.

Two knobs, Output & sensitivity. Comes with little rubber things so you can turn them with your feet. Cool.

Using a Tele (duncan alnico II's) and a nice strat copy (Duncan Custom Custom in rear, rest lace sensors). Into a Fender Hot Rod 4x10 or a Marshall 50 watt JMP with Celestion Vintage 30's.

Very squashed sounding. Fixes string balance problems, and allows for experimenting with the tone knob on your guitar without losing output. Clean staccato rhythms come thru nice. The output can only boost the signal a little. Anything before 3 o clock is cut. Strange. But this box works best when you're trying to keep clean, or balancing on the boundaries of clean & overdriven. I also use it for bass. Good for popping, and maintaining good string balance. I even use it on mics. It sounds pretty good, although not as flexible as a real rack compressor. It's a little noisy, but guitars are a little noisy, so what are you gonna do?

It doesn't look soft...
It's also very battery friendly.

I play a lot of different stuff, but I use it mostly for clean funky rhythm work, and to make solos sing without using distortion. It's a good effect, and cheap.

logic and easy
immediate and familiar

guitars:strat62reissue,rick330/6,tele thinline69
amps:vox ac30tb,vox cambridge15,park g15
fx:vox valvetone,watkins copycat,dallas arbiter fuzzface,eh bigmuff,boss dd5,boss trem,rat vintage,cry baby,tc electronic chorusflangepitchmod,lexicon mxp100

just a bit too noisy (mine's got moods)
really helpfull for fingerpicking on fenders
amazing onthe vox cambridge 15 with a bit of echo.
if you're looking for the edge's or daniel lanois kind of sounds,this is a musthave.with the bigmuff on and a strat you can go for some gilmour stuff and it does the job again.
can be usefull for some bass sounds in a homestudio.
great when used with tc electronic gear.
fantastic sounds with open chord tuned guitar;my strat is in ebef#be.
nice with some bottlnecks and helpfull with ebows.

it's a tank and when you've got it in hands you know you won't let it go.

no contacts .

fav.artists:hendrix,the edge,daniel lanois,john squire,nick mc cabe,ry cooder,malcolm burn,bill dillon,david gilmour,terry bickers,tom verlaine,paul weller,hank marvin,...

this unit really helps with most of u2 guitar parts.
try some funk stuff and you won't believe it.
much better than the blue boss comp.

Pretty darn simple box. Level and Sensitivity! I can't comment on the manual, because for some strange reason, I got a CryBaby manual with the compressor. Oh well, now I have a manual for my CryBaby!

Used with a Rick 330/12, Fender Strat 70's reissue, and an Epi LP Custom through a good size FX chain into an AC30 TBX. The thing is not incredibly noisy if you take two IMPORTANT precautions: run the pedal first in the chain and use the best cable you can find to go into it! This will eliminate any possibility of extraneous noise for the thing to amplify! I wouldn't want to use this on all songs, but when you want a nice, squashed sound with a lot of emphasis on pick attack, this thing does the trick.

A METAL BRICK. If the audience boos you, unplug this an throw it at them. You'll do some damage! Seriousy, although I wouldn't gig without a backup for anything, this wont break down! Make sure you use an AC adapter because a lot of noise will be added if the battery runs low!

No comment here.

A wonderful compressor for my style (80's and 90's rock, NO grunge or bang-on-the-garbage-can-scream-like-hell music!). It lacks a tone knob, and this is a GOOD thing. Tone knobs on compressors will mess you up. Use your amp and EQ for tone shaping. Compressors are made to compress, and this does a great job!

It's a Reissue just so you know. Two knobs, 'nuff said.

Very nice "squashed" compression sound. it takes it a second to kick in, but that creates a cool sound as well. It's not transparent, but it thickens your tone nicely as opposed to sucking tone. Great sustain characteristics and a smooth release as well.

It's a big red hunk of metal with an old-school metal stomp switch. basically, it's a tank. doesn't suck 9V batteries either

N/A

I love this compressor, it adds a nice dimension to my tone that I like to have. Some might prefer the Boss CS-3, but the Dyna comp sounds much more vintage than the Boss. It's just a matter of personal taste, and the Dyna Comp was the best way to go for me.

I think it adds a sound even when bypassed. Very easy cause it's only two knobs. Single coils.

With a Strat, single coils sound fuller and mellower, not squeezing the attack, but kicking a little late, it's wonderfull. 9 is for the noise you'll have to handle.

Fine.

Don't know.

With single coils, it's way cleaner than the CS3 boss. Combines awesome with other ODs (TS10, blues driver ). With humbuckers it can be used for leads, not necesary on rhythms. I think the best way to use this box is for rhythms and single coils.

This box is extremely easy to use.two knobs (output,sensitivity)
and on/off button. being able to turn the knobs easily with your footis one of my favorite things about MXR.

I am really satisfied with this compressor ive had it for about 7 months and havent grown tired of its sound which is impressive coming from me. I tried out many other brands none of them sounded quite as sweet, its perfect for jazz and funk sounds which is what i usually use it for, but also sounds quite well for blues and country. most of the time i play a standard fat strat through a crybaby,dynacomp and a peavey classic50 2x12 combo. the only bad thing i can say is it doesnt really sound that good through a solidstate amp. i recommend using a tube amp or a hybrid for this pedal

built like a tank and 9 volts last a pretty long time in it so an adaptor isnt really necessary.
i wouldnt worry about having a backup.

This is the perfect compressor for playing funk which is why i chose it. i tried several BOSS and DOD models and they just didnt match up.
its also more affordable than most compressors but i wouldnt pay more than $65 for it. if i lost it i would go get another one unless i found something better. I highly recomend trying this pedal before you buy it because its not the most versatile but if youre looking for versatility no compressor is in my opinion.

Couple knobs and a switch

It's not very transparent as far as compressors go, but if you want that squished and pumping sound this box is for you! There's no gating feature so be prepared for a substantial noise floor when your not playing. The attack seems to be a bit slow giving it a sound like a fast engineer "gain riding".

I've had this thing since 1984 and it has never failed. It may not be the best sounding device, but it is going to outlive me! You could run over it with a car and it would survive.

Who are these guys anyway?

I was surprised to see people raving about my first compressor, so I dug it out of the closet, put in a fresh battery, and re-discovered why I put it in the closet in the first place. I do think it would make an excellent projectile if needed (this thing is a metal brick!). Don't get me wrong, while it has done it's time serving as a door stop in my home studio, it is in fact, what I reach for when that cheesey pumpin' compressed sound is all that will do :-)

Two Knobs - Output and Sensitivity (which controls the amount of compression). I usually just keep mine at 2 O'clock and 2 O'clock.

I use a Strat and a '74 Gibson SG Std and a variety of amps, also Direct input. This is an original MXR made in 1978 - no LED or power jack but the battery lasts for months even when used for a few hours every night. By itself the Dyna-Comp adds virtually no noise to the signal but it will amplify any other noise so it is important to use high quality cables and take precautions to eliminate any hum. I always put the Dyna-Comp first in the chain which really makes the signal noise free. It does exactly what a compressor should and does it extremely well. It enhances the quality of the other effects especially distortion. Sustain is very pure and clean.

Very dependable - although I'm considering purchasing one of the new ones for gigs just because the original MXR's are difficult to find. I'd be heartbroken if mine ever got trashed or stolen.

It is twenty years old and still works beautifully. MXR is history though, so no support exists.

I play all kinds of music. This device is always in my chain and is usually on. The quality of this compression with virtually no noise is hard to find in a pedal. Wish I'd bought a case of these way back when (sigh).

Step on it.

I've played a vintage Dyna Comp, and I own a new one. The vintage pedal is a lot more quiet, and is a bit better than the new re-issues. But the new one is as good as a compressor as they come, and is a lot better than the BOSS models.

I always use it for all my gigs. If you use the pedal with a 9 volt, take an extra battery with you. The great advantage of the newer models is that they have a LED light, and you can use a DC/AC adapter with then(unlike the vintage pedals). But it's made like a tank, so no problem dropping it or jumping all over it.

When I play with the Dyna Comp, I kind of didn't like how it held the sound to a certain level when I first start playing. BUT, if I turn it off, the tone I have created goes to pot. This pedal really does wonders for clean tone and distortion pedals. The sustain given really is awsome. And once you get that sustain, and you punch the pedal off, you will cut the pedal right back on because everything that you love about the tone is lost when you cut it off. Also, if you cut the pedal up in volume, it can help push your amp into some nice distortion. If you use a low watt tube amp, say a Fender Princeton, or a Blues Junior even, it will help push them a bit more, and get a nice dirty sound from them.
So this pedal is great, if you are going to get a compressor, buy this one. The end.

only 2 nobs, so it's easier than most compressors right off the bat. Not restrained, though, the 2 nobs really give everything you will need in a personal compressor (get a rack comp for extremely pro situations). There is a Sensitivity nob which controls the compression, and an output nob to control the level of the compressed signal leaving the box.

Really good. Creamy and sustains well. Makes my other effects sound better, except for my Small Stone phaser which sounds a bit less trebley on the non-color mode. Otherwise, it works good. Not th ebest personal compressor I have used, but definitly better than any Boss CS-1/2/or 3 that I have tried.

MXR are great, the jacks feel a little tight, though--I have to really try to get my chords in and out.

never had to deal with them

Really good compressor for the money. The only better compressor is a Ross one. The grey Ross compressor has to be one of the best compressors out there.

This is a simple little compressor box with 2 knobs, labelled "output" (volume) and "sensitivity" (threshold). Basically, you adjust the sensitivity to the desired amount of compression, them adjust your output to balance your original / compressed signal. Although I bought mine new (a Dunlop reissue), I never looked at the manual. It's pretty self-explanatory.

I generally use this for solos, as a boost & sustain box, also to add some pre-amp gain to my overdrive. It's hands-down the best-sounding compressor stomp box I've heard; very natural and milky, not harsh & thin at all. It is a little noisy. Mine seems to pick up any interference available. I use it for live shows, but have had to borrow an original from a friend for studio work. For some reason, his doesn't make as much noise, though the sound quality is the same. With a strat & a clean fender amp, it's easy to get a nice Robert Cray sound with it. Makes an overdriven amp sing.

This has to be more solidly built than a Boss pedal. It's a solid hunk of metal. Requires a screwdriver to take the bottom plate off, if you need to change the battery. Beware of power-drains when you're gigging with this thing. I use an AC adaptor, so I don't have that problem.

N/A

I actually got this (and some other pedals) in a trade. I find a compressor pedal to have a number of uses in contemporary guitar performance, for that reason I chose the Dyna Comp. it's the best I have heard so far. I would definitely replace it if it was lost or stolen. I love the tone & simplicity. I can live with the noise for live shows, but I wish it was quieter. I have used both Boss & Arion compressor pedals, and never cared for the sound of either.

Note: This is a Jim Dunlop MXR reissue <<
Two knobs: Level & Sensitivity -- very sturdy and straight forward. I like the rubber foot grips that slide over the knobs -- very handy for quick tweaks using the tip of your foot, I wish all boxes offered this feature.

I'm using this with an Epi Les Paul GoldTop going through a '65 Ampeg tube amp. No inhereint noise but it will amplify any other noises in the loop as all compressors will do.
This is the best sounding compressor I found in a pedal. The Boss and DOD just didn't compress enough and had no personality. The Ibenez actually had alot of compression which I liked, but it was very "poppy" on the attacks.
The MXR has alot of compression and never pops on your attack and has a nice warm sound -- I love it! For ryhthm, I use it with the Sensitivity set at 9 o'clock, for lead; I set the Sensitivity at 4 o'clock and combine it with my Boss Blues Driver.
This box gives great compression and sustain and has a very earthy/warm tone -- very nice indeed! If you want good sounding compression, you really owe it to yourself and band to find a music store that carries these reissues and demo this pedal.

Rock solid -- let me mention that if you use batteries for your pedals during performance, be sure to start out with a new battery as you have to unscrew the back cover plate in order to access the battery.

Never had to deal.

I play contemporary Christian pop/rock and have been playing guitar for 25 years, but electric primarily for only 3. As mentioned above, I have an old Ampeg tube amp and my effects chain is as follows: DOD Tuna(stage tuner) - MXR Dyna Comp - DOD Envelope Filter - Boss Blues Driver - SansAmp GT2 - Boss Dig. Delay 5 - Boss Flanger. Depending on what songs we're doing, I usually play with 3 to 5 pedals per performance, but the Dyna Comp is always one of the pedals in the set-up. This one's a true "must have".

this thing is unbelievably easy. It's pretty small, and it's red. i don't recall a manual, but this thing's got two knobs, output and sensitivity. Sensitivity modifies the amount of compression (though I can't imagine why anyone would want only a miniscule amount of compression). The output knob, well...

I use mostly Fenders with the Dynacomp, and most always a Vibroluxe amp. The dynacomp gives a great sound. It sounds wonderful with my strats and teles, but there are two particular instances in which it really stands out: with my Les Paul Standard (compressed, yet at the same time, very crisp), and with my baritone guitar. (I bought a reissue Fender Bass VI that they made in the 60's and had it adjusted to be a baritone tuned to a low B) Since the baritone is very bassy sounding, it really takes away a lot of the deep end and it makes it sound well rounded. It really sounds great.

i give it the lower rating because it's been my experience that it doesn't last very long on the battery. Be sure to use it with the AC adapter during a gig.

I've never dealt with the company. I must say, though, that the first one I bought didn't work at all, and it was the second one that I kept.

The only complaint I might have for it is that it goes through batteries kinda fast. But that's easily taken care of with a trusty AC adapter. It is VERY simple, not a lot of features or knobs or anything, but if you want is compression, this is where it's at. A wonderful compressed sound with strats, teles, les pauls, baritones. I would definitely reccomend this to anyone looking for a compression device, and I would buy it again immediately. (and when the battery runs low, it distorts and sounds really cool)

This compressor is easy to use as long as you know where to put it in the signal chain and how to fit it in your style of playing. The controls are real simple, sensitivity and output. It must be hooked up first in line, straight from your guitar before any other pedal. The sensitivity adjusts how much gets compressed and the output regulates the amount of signal released and boosted.

Yes dynacomps can amplify any noise already in your rig... noisy pickups, low effect batteries, too many feet of cheap cable ect. Aside from that, the effect quality is good. Also, the noise doesn't become apparent until you pause long enough for the output to release and amplify. At this point you should either: 1 back your guitar volume off(if it's a quiet passage in a song),2 get a noise gate,or 3 switch the effect off.

I've used mine with no problems for three years. My only complaint is the original MXR models don't have an on/off light nor do they have a n AC adaptor jack. I'm sure there's ways of getting around the lack of adaptor jack, my suggestion would be to go with the new Dunlop version(unless you find an old one cheap). They make the MXR line now with improvements like effect light and AC jack. Sound seems to be just as good.

I've had no need for customer support, but I would imagine Dunlop would stand behind their product.

This is not the kind of effect you just plug in and expect to use it on every song with big results. You have to know how to applie it correctly. Here's an example: With a bright guitar plugged in (strat. or tele.)you can use it to get a quacky chicken picken sound. The overall volume from your amp will remain fairly constant and solid as your pickin' or strummin' because the compressor is sqeezing the attack(the innitial pick noise which triggers the effect). But as you lay back and do longer sustaining chords or solo bends or whatever, the compressor releases it's squash on the signal and begins to amplify the sustain, resulting in more sustain,control,and (if desired)feedback than your guitar hooked up without the Dynacomp. Don't let the effect get in the way.Turn it off if you want normal punch and sustain.I only use this effect on about two songs out of set of twelve, but when used it's fantastic. Compared to other pedals the Dynacomp is still one of the best. Boss makes a good one thats got a tone knob. This allows you to overexaggerate the quack, or pick noise which can be cool if you want that.As far as the compression effect, the Boss is a little quicker. It compresses and releases faster than the Dynacomp.Still no reason for me to want to buy one,I prefer the MXR/Dunlop

Not hard to use, since it has fewer controls than real (rack-mount) compressors. But if you have a particular goal, it may be hard to hit, since the knobs aren't calibrated.

It sounds good when running into a distorted Marshall, but clean it sucks off the high end and makes my Strat sound dead. It's not especially quiet, either.

Seems sturdy.

It's ok but there are better things out there. Might be better for bass, where the high end loss and lack of fine control isn't as important. I compared it with a Boss compressor and liked the MXR better at the store. I'm not sure now whether I would.

Overview: compressor, red box, no fancy LEDs, two knobs: output and sensitivity. Requires 9v battery.
The only hard part is not overdriving the input (see below).

This guy is noisy. It's a compressor, it tries to boost everything to a certain level, noise included. It will even make your string squeaks louder. It has a tendency to swallow the attacks of all your notes.
If your input signal is already at that "certain level", you will get a very unpleasant distortion. Any reasonably hot pickup will cause this, and you'll have to back guitar the volume down to get a good sound.

This box was probably built in the 70s and is still functioning.

This box is useful for coaxing a reluctant guitar into feedback, but that's about it. With the output all the way up, it will also provide some boost (about 16dB) for solos, etc.