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Walrus Audio Mira Optical Compressor Pedal

This pedal has been discontinued by Walrus and is being offered at closeout savings!

Compressors are typically not the first effect that a player purchases, but they have a variety of uses. You can use it to help smooth out your signal for better recordings, using as an "effect" drastically alter your dynamics and sustain, or fine tune your tone to sound bigger, richer and more even.


The Walrus Mira is an analog optical compressor that affords the guitar player a huge range of tools in a very compact format. While there are a number of famous "two knob" or "four knob" compressors out there, the Mira gives you the type of control you might only experience in a piece of rack gear or plug-in. Compressors can be tricky, and oftentimes the "more is better" school is not always helpful. When applied carefully, a compressor is one of those tools that it's hard to tell what it's doing when it's on, but it's immediately apparent when it's off. Let's take a quick look at the features of the Mira:

  • Threshold - Sets the level at which the compressor starts to engage. Lower settings starting compressing sooner, while higher Threshold allows more dynamics
  • Ratio - Ratio is how much the signal is compressed once it reaches the Threshold. Lower ratios apply less gain reduction, and high ratios the opposite. High ratios will really "squish" your signal and dynamics
  • Attack - Super important. Attack is how quickly the compression is applied. If your signal is super peaky, attack can help smooth it out. But be careful as too much attack can interfere with your picking dynamics and alter the way your guitar feels. In most situations, we prefer slower attack so as not to alter the initial response of the signal.
  • Release - The is the "sustain" part of the compressor. High release setting will hold out the note longer, and create lingering sustain. Using moderate amounts of attack and release can make your playing sound more even and smooth, but still natural
  • Blend - This blends the balance between the natural and compressed signals. Blending the natural "dry" signal in with the compressed signal can help restore attack and dynamics while still allowing the compressor to smooth out and sustain the notes
  • Make-up - When you compress a signal, there is a reduction in gain. Make-up helps you compensate for that
  • Level - Sets the overall volume level of the pedal. Some players always have the compressor on as part of their sound. Others will kick it in at certain times -- maybe for solo passages -- and the level control gives you the ability to tweak the signal output
  • HPF - Something we've not seen before in a stompbox format. Lower frequencies can trigger the compressor more than high frequencies, and make it overly active compression-wise. The HPF will take frequencies below 120Hz out of the compressor path.


As you can see there is a lot going on here, and fortunately Walrus provides a little pamphlet of suggested settings used by Walrus-endorsed players. These can serve as starting points to developing your own settings, as every player's style interacts slightly differently with the compressor. While it sounds complicated, it's not really: The key is getting an understanding of the controls and using them in moderation. As the saying goes, "with great power comes great responsibility." The Walrus has great power, and used responsibly, it can take your sound up several notches.

In the words of Walrus Audio:

The Mira is a true bypass optical compressor offering studio-grade sound sculpting and sustain packed with controls you’d normally only find on studio units. Use the Blend knob to mix in your compressed sound with your clean tone to maintain note clarity while offering increased sustain. Mira also offers in-depth control over Attack, Release, Ratio, and a Make-Up knob to help maintain unity levels after your signal has been compressed. For higher headroom, Mira runs internally at ±15VDC.

Adding to the bonus features, Walrus decided to also provide a push-button High Pass Filter in the side-chain (the part of the circuit that controls the optical element in the compressor). This is great for preventing bass frequencies 120Hz or below from engaging the compressor as much as higher frequencies. The keen result of this keeps the compressor from overworking on lower notes and is great for bass guitar or keeping low-frequency dynamics dramatic for guitar players.

Look to the Mira as your new always-on pedal. Even at low settings, not only will you hear rich, full clarity in your notes, but you’ll feel the difference in its response too.
  • True bypass.
  • Power requirements are 9VDC, center negative (200mA minimum). Runs internally at ±15VDC.
  • The use of an isolated power supply is recommended for powering all Walrus Audio Pedals.
  • Daisy chain power supplies are not recommended.
  • Power supply not included.