  9 out of 10
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"Compression = Expansion (of pleasure)"
Feature:
The rotaries are well-designed and target the full range of control that one needs for guitar work. The pedal plugs directly into a power source via an attached cable, which is nice. The device seems well-built.....maybe not as "heavy" or tank-ish" as some pedals of comparable size, but good nonetheless.
Quality:
Seems well-built. I don't tend to put my components through "the mill" the way that some might, as in, having a "stomp-Fest", or a beer-orgy. I won't be able to test the long-term quality of the On-Off switch or the jacks, because it'll always be ON and connected. The dials.....well, they should last, i hope. The rest is up to Providence.
Value:
I give this a high mark, because in general, quality devices COST $'s, that's just the way the stompbox market is. If you want quality and performance, you've got to antie-up. Also, i used to think that a minimum of dials for a compressor was best, but now, having owned this one, i feel that Carl Martin took the right approach. As in sound engineering for recording, you need to have enough control over the dynamic so that it doesn't control YOU....YOU control IT. Several of these other high-priced compressors, i feel, miss the mark in this regard ..... They're TOO simple. You can't get away with just one dial labelled "Sustain". A compressor ISN'T a "Sustainer" device, per se. It's a component for managing the full DYNAMIC of sound, and that requires a full complement of controllers. (Okay so i'm off my soapbox now.....sorry.)
Desirability:
I own it.
Sound:
Rich, dynamic sound. You can create ultra-smooth clean tones that just ring with clarity and fullness. Adds enormous amounts of depth to any clean or overdriven tone. Wonderful for adding body to chording or lead work. The effect of the compression (with proper adjustments of dials) can be made to come on very smoothly, almost undetectable. Or, if you want, you can create varying levels of exaggerated compression for effect. In all cases, the result is SMOOTH, quiet sound. I play with this thing all the time now....it's a permanent part of my setup, right along with my graphic EQ box.
Ease of Use:
Basically, very easy to use. It will require some dial-tweaking to find desired level and quality of sound....although this is NOT a downside, by any means. I hook it up as the first device in my chain, followed by either an OD box, or my Vox ToneLab, and/or a wah, then into the amp. I use a graphic EQ box through the FX loop, which allows me to sculpt the sound before the signal goes into the power stage. This is my present setup, and it seems to be working pretty well....minimum of "noise", maximum of quality sounds!
Support:
No opinion.
Overall:
Can't say any more than what i did above. The CM COmpressor is a great device, pure & simple. NOT over-priced, by common standards. Everyone should be playing with a good compression device....you need control over the sound dynamic, right along with EQ. It doesn't matter if you're recording or playing live. The CM COmpressor will deliver what you need. Just do it.
Submitted: 9/27/2006
Style of Music: light-to-hard rock, blues, light jazz, folk.
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