Just like some legendary studio units (think LA2A), the One Control Pale Blue Compressor is an optical unit featuring an intelligent attack/decay circuit that will adapt its reaction times live, according to the player’s dynamics. A three-band EQ allows for extra tone sculpting, while the very quiet amplifier circuit will allow placement before any gain pedals.
Get ready for a new level of playable and delicious compression amazing new EQ options as well as the ability to blend the compression with your base tone – you can paint the dynamic range of your signal using the palette of the One Control Pale Blue Compressor. Bjorn Juhl has been working with compression style circuits for many decades, and always leaned towards a musical, alive feeling compression that many loved in BJFe pedals like the Pine Green Compressor. However, the new PBC ups the ante with an all-new compression circuit that adds a blend knob – and also adds an entire new EQ circuit to help sculpt your tone from the lowest lows to the highest highs!
This new pedal is sure to be a favorite of many guitarists and bassists alike, with the ability to bring tube warmth and dynamics to nearly any signal – plug this into a loud and clean solid state amp and hear/feel the dynamics at play in the PBC. Slice your tone with the new EQ section and help dial yourself in to a variety of rigs or setups. Dial the compression in thick, or bring it back a bit for just a hint of that compressed feel. The Pale Blue Compressor will make many players who think they don’t like compressors change their minds.
Bjorns take:
I was asked if the EQ section from the Pale Blue Compressor might be derived from the BJFe Sea Blue EQ? No, the EQ it is a different type of EQ that allows boost and cut of three bands. Technically, this is made with an OP amp whereas in SBEQ the Treble and Bass controls are passive and amplified by transistors. The EQ is custom-tuned for three band eq with two shelving bands for bass and treble set at 100Hz and 7KHz and a bandpass for midrange set at center 700Hz. It has similarities with SBEQ in its tuning but is a different solution altogether. Also, the compressor has similarities with Pine Green Compressor I made with BJFe, but is a different solution.
PBC is an altogether new design that draws from conclusions drawn from experience that in order to get compression that does not pump the detection has an automatic detector of fast and slow transients that automatically adjusts decay time; range and tuning of EQ is defined by what is useful on electric guitar considering its frequency range and so guitar treble lies a lot lower than cymbals hence peak of treble at 7KHz
Typically, when EQ-ing guitar for recording you can increase 3KHz-8KHz for increasing level of distorted electric guitar without raising volume. Midrange on electric guitar to increase or decrease presence is around 700Hz Bass on electric guitar and the lowest note to play in standard tuning is about 70Hz. The EQ therefore varies level as of 4×12’s with Bass control; honk and scoop with Midrange and overtones with Treble at frequencies defined by experience.
