Atlas Stereo Compressor

The Atlas is built as a compressor that can play more than one character. You choose from six compression types: two optical, one VCA, one FET and two dual-band versions. The optical types aim for warm, smooth compression in the spirit of the LA-2A, the FET version for full body with a lightning-fast attack, and the VCA setting for a tight response with a hard knee. A bass mode adapts all the factory settings; hold Alt while powering up and the pedal remembers the choice.

The pedal itself has controls for threshold, ratio, attack, release, output, tone and mix, with the Alt button giving the knobs a second function and a toggle switch calling up six presets. If you want to go deeper, you connect it to the Neuro editor on a computer or phone. There you see the gain reduction live, add a noise gate, choose a parametric or graphic EQ and bring in a sidechain signal through the second input. The dual-band types compress high and low frequencies separately, in series, in parallel or as a band split. It suits guitar and bass, and doubles as a stereo compressor for two separate mono signals.

The catch is the complexity. For beginners it is too complicated: the layout on the pedal is a compromise, and if you would rather set everything with knobs, you still have to go through the app. An LED shows how much is being compressed, but mostly invites you to trust your ears. The aluminium enclosure is compact, bypass is relay true bypass or buffered, and power comes from the supplied 9V adapter; no battery. Interesting for learning many kinds of compression or switching quickly live, less for one fixed sound.