Analog Optical Compressor
Categories : WHAT'S NEW , BASS GUITAR PEDALS , PEDALS & PEDALBOARDS , ELECTRIC GUITAR PEDALS ,
Brand : Walrus Audio
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HIGHPOINT
Analog Optical Compressor
Sculpt your sound with uncompromising precision using the Highpoint Analog Optical Compressor. Designed for players who live in the details, the Highpoint brings dynamic control and console style LED VU monitoring into a beautifully responsive analog format that feels as good as it sounds.
The Highpoint is built to be your always-on foundation, delivering depth, control, and refinement even at conservative settings. Elevate the feel of your instrument to its highest potential with the Highpoint Analog Optical Compressor.
The Highpoint delivers rich analog optical compression with expansive sustain, articulate transient response, and an exceptionally smooth attack and release curve that helps notes bloom and chords breathe. From subtle dynamic refinement to expressive sustain, the Highpoint responds with the depth, warmth, and dimensionality expected from high-end studio hardware.
A comprehensive control set lets you shape your compression exactly to your taste. True parallel compression via the Blend control allows you to preserve the integrity of your transients while layering in harmonic density and sustain. Dedicated Attack, Release, and Ratio controls offer the kind of shaping precision normally reserved for high-end studio rack gear. A carefully tuned Make-Up control ensures seamless gain staging, keeping your signal balanced and authoritative.
Internally operating at ±15VDC for increased headroom and dynamic range, the Highpoint maintains exceptional clarity even under aggressive settings, retaining punch, articulation, and harmonic detail without collapse or congestion. The result is compression that is not only accurate but unmistakably musical.
A refined 10-LED metering array gives you clear visual insight into your signal’s behavior. Instantly toggle between Input, Output, and Gain Reduction monitoring to see exactly how your dynamics are evolving in real time, like a miniature mastering console beneath your feet.
For advanced tone shaping, the Highpoint includes a selectable High-Pass Filter in the sidechain circuit. By preventing frequencies at 160Hz and below from disproportionately triggering compression, low-end clarity remains tight and controlled. The result is articulate bass response, preserved punch, and dramatic low-frequency dynamics, ideal for both bass guitar and extended-range electric guitar applications.
Controls:
THRESHOLD: Controls the level at which compression will begin to activate. Lower knob positions will create a more “squashed” compression with more sustain. Rotate clockwise for subtle leveling that keeps your natural dynamics intact. Technical range: Off to -32dB.
RATIO: Controls the maximum amount of gain reduction the compressor can apply. Unlike traditional compressors, this does not set a fixed ratio (like 4:1 or 10:1). Instead, it determines how strongly the signal is compressed overall. Turn it up for heavier compression and a more “squashed” feel, or turn it down for a lighter touch. At minimum, no compression is applied. Technical range: From 0dB up to -20dB gain reduction.
ATTACK: Controls the time in milliseconds (ms) at which the reduction will be applied after the input signal has crossed above the threshold. Lower knob levels will tame sharp transients and smooth things out. Higher knob levels provide a slower attack allowing your pick attack to be more present before the compression kicks in. Technical range: 8ms to 30ms.
RELEASE: Controls the time in milliseconds (ms) at which the reduction will be removed after the input signal has crossed below the threshold. Lower knob settings will give the compression a lively, percussive feel. Higher knob settings create a longer release resulting in more sustain and a “glued together” sound. Technical range: 50ms to 4s.
OUTPUT: Controls the overall output level of the device. This will set the gain staging for other effects downstream from the Highpoint. At minimum knob settings, the pedal will be silent. At maximum knob settings, the pedal will have a +6dB boost. Technical range: -inf to +6dB. (Depending on mix and make up setting, max dB can go above 6dB)
BLEND: Controls the blend between the dry input signal and the effect signal. Minimum knob settings will have a fully dry signal. Maximum knob settings will have a fully compressed signal. This means you can blend amounts of just enough compression to add sustain and control while keeping your natural pick attack and dynamics, or turn it up for full-on squash and consistency. Technical range: Full dry (Input Signal) to full wet (Compressed Signal).
MAKEUP: Controls makeup gain applied to the affected signal to compensate for signal reduction due to compression. Turning the knob clockwise will restore volume lost to compression and push your signal forward in the mix. This can also be used as a clean boost once your dynamics are dialed in. Technical range: +6dB to +34dB
SC (SIDECHAIN) BUTTON: Press the Sidechain button to enable a High Pass Filter to preserve specific low-end frequencies from engaging the compressor as much as higher frequencies. This filter is finely tuned and will be most noticeable when playing instruments with greater lower frequency content like bass guitar, baritone, or low-tuned guitars.
VU METER: The Highpoint features a VU meter with three different monitoring modes. Press the VU button to cycle through the following modes:
• Input level (Green) - Use this to check if the input signal is healthy.
• Output Level (Yellow) - Use to monitor output signal and adjust to match input signal level.
• Gain Reduction (Red) - Offers responsive feedback on how the Highpoint is compressing your signal.
Input and Output Meter Scale: -32, -26, -22, -18, -15, -12, -9, -6, -3, 0 (dB) Note: The 0dB point that the meter references can be adjusted with a boot up gesture described in the Boot Up Options section below.
Gain Reduction Meter Scale: 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 (dB)
Specifications:
