COMPRESSOR- DSM & HUMBOLDT Clear Comp ____NEW____ a dead clean OD ??? Maybe so

DSM& HUMBOLT CLEARCOMP 

$300.00 USD

Without a comp when you strike a chord your sound is at its loudest. It then drops in volume by about a 3rd  followed by a short sustain and a longer fade away. To over simplify the compressor turns down that initial strike of that chord so you can turn up the volume and the sustain is as loud as with the pedal off. The final fadeaway is than also louder so it become part of the perceived sustain.  

A good overdrive compresses too but you get a bloom as it depends on dynamics. If you pick heavy it jumps into compression from how hard you hit. Hence the dynamics are caused by your touch. The thing is an OD or cranked tube amp adds distortion to all this. The Clearcomp appears to use a dynamic filter to the compressor so you get a very similar effect from the comp compressing more as you strike harder. The idea is to get a great dirt pedal 'feel' without any dirt :-)

It is not a new idea but the two I know of were pricey and did not work smoothly and lasted under the radar for about a year.

CONCLUSION

All I can hear is bit more fatness but many compressors can add that. 

I have OD that do great dynamics, others are OK and still others have none. Those without have better sustain so it's a trade off. $300 is heavy money for any pedal unless it is killer doing what you paid for. In short it is all about at the very least guys doing reviews and getting really excited about it or even better putting it on their board. So this pedal is a big fat MAYBE ????