SIR-COMPRE

NAMM Show 2016, Dave Friedman announces the first models of his new range of pedals, including the very attractive SIR-COMPRE. So what's hiding in this little black box... a high-quality Opto-Compressor and a Friedman-style Overdrive. The SIR-COMPRE being one of the first pedals in the range to be available and certainly not the last, Dave Friedman couldn't miss it!
Light to handle (it's an advantage), it comes in a pretty box with a small fabric bag and marketing that goes well, it's always appreciable. The case is nice and the aesthetics of the pedal is very reminiscent of the brand's graphic charter. In the program, the compressor section has a Volume and a Comp button that adjusts the intensity of the effect, a Treble button to adjust the high end of the spectrum and a Tight control that will act like a contour by tightening the low for more precision and hold at the bottom of the spectrum when raising the Gain via the Overdrive section. Inside, there is a small switch that adjusts the amount applied globally via the Gain knob. Note, the pedal can be powered by 9-18V for maximum headroom.

Superstrat connected to a slightly twisted Morgan SW22R, here is our test configuration. So you're going to tell us, why the hell slightly twisted? Well quite simply because it is necessary to understand the optimal positioning of the SIR-COMPRE. To our ears, where it excels is as a slight crunch boost to push your amp by adding gain, compression and the ability to tune it all through a formidable EQ. It can also be used on a clean basis, but it was designed with the notion of "boost" above all. What could be nicer than being able to add a slight compression to an overdrive, where normally a lot of gain would be needed or a dedicated pedal? The SIR-COMPRE gives you all of this in one compact pedal.
So let's talk about the sound. The Overdrive part is spitting Friedman. Marshall trend, mediums present, no honeycomb but an open and dense side at the same time. It's rich in harmonics, with low, forward mids and of course a very nice compression that can be adjusted on the fly via the dedicated compression stage. What does that give you? This allows you to add gain on another pedal or a slightly crunchy amp, to add a very musical compression that will bring sustain, fluidity and density. You will be able to grow your Drive in a very natural way, where a classic clean boost would only bring volume and precision. Each control is very effective and precise, especially the Tight button which is a formidable weapon to "thin" your sound depending on what you stack the pedal on. All this put together, you could say that the SIR-COMPRE is an "everything" pedal, because it simply adds everything. Everything you need to go from a rhythm sound to a lead sound. Or from the wiser of crunch sounds to a big nasty Rock sound. This, without damaging or altering anything.

Dave Friedman still hits very hard with this original and extraordinary pedal that will transform the smallest amp or the smallest drive pedal into a war machine. Quality, musicality, everything is there. We are already waiting for the next one in the range to be pleasantly surprised again!