I’ve been obsessed with guitar pedals ever since I got my first hardware synthesizer. And while I know that sounds a little backward, I’ve always loved the unique characteristics that boutique pedals bring to my sonic palette as a producer who uses hardware synths.
The Maestro Original Collection line of pedals released back in 2022 has given me a steady string of effect pedals to experiment with and use in the studio. The latest one up for review is the Maestro Arcas Compressor Sustainer Pedal. So, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of my thoughts on the pedal after using it on my guitars and synths over the past couple of weeks…
WHAT IS THE MAESTRO ARCAS COMPRESSOR PEDAL?
The Maestro Arcas Compressor Sustainer Pedal is a versatile effects pedal that offers both transparent dynamics control as well as more aggressive compression to the signal― enough to have the potential to be a true workhorse compressor for any situation (at least depending on your artistic sound and studio setup).
This pedal is entirely analog and, like all other pedals in the Maestro line, toggles between its two different modes of operation through the LO/HI switch centered at the top of the pedal. LO mode offers a less sensitive amount of compression, which adds a light amount of bite and presence to the sound’s attack without being overbearing or aggressive. If you’re looking for that aggressive sound, HI mode is for you as it is far more sensitive to the attack of your synth or the pick on your strings.
Staying in the style of all other Maestro pedals, the Arcas allows for easy and streamlined use through its intuitive three-dial interface. Featuring only the three knobs (Sustain, Attack, and Level), which apply the most direct effects to your compression, the Arcas leaves little room for error when you’re looking to dial in the amount of dynamics control to your signal.
THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THE ARCAS COMPRESSOR
After playing around with this compressor pedal for a few weeks, using it both on my guitars and my synths, there’s a lot to love about it that makes it stand out from the rest of the other compressor pedals on the market today.
Here are a couple of my favorite things about the Arcas pedal that make it worth your time and space in your effects board.
IT’S ACCESSIBLE ANALOG COMPRESSION
It’s no secret that analog compression has a completely different feel and sound than a digital compressor like FabFilter’s Pro-C plug-in. Analog compression is gritty, warm, and biting and does way more to the sound than tame the peaks of the signal.
But that functionality often comes at a price.
Analog compressors are usually high-end gear saved only for the most expensive Hollywood studios. Sure, you could get compressor plug-ins that do a fair job at emulating the sound of some of the most iconic hardware compressors. Still, even that will only be an attempt at recreating analog compression’s highly -sought-after tonality.
But the Maestro Arcas gives you real, out-of-the-box compression for a fraction of the price that a hardware compressor would. Plus, it will be much smaller and more conducive to smaller studios than a rack-mounted compressor! This alone makes snagging the Arcas a worthy consideration to invest in.
ITS VERSATILITY
Like many of the Maestro pedals, what I love most about the Arcas is the versatility that is accessed through the mode switch at the top of the pedal. Toggling between the LO and HI modes allowed me to fine-tune the exact coloration and sensitivity of the compression and adapt the sound to the production needs I had in the studio.
I often gravitated towards the LO mode for more delicate synth plucks from my Arp 2600 and Behringer Model D synths, whereas the HI mode sounded far better in the mix when used on low-churning bass lines from synths like my Korg MS-20. It certainly took some getting used to, and finding what works on what (which I will get to momentarily), but once I was able to find out the best ways for this pedal to fit into my own workflow, I couldn’t have loved the sound more.
WHAT I WASN’T THAT CRAZY ABOUT
Maestro has streamlined the Arcas utility through just a few dials on the interface, which is the pedal’s most significant benefit. And while one could argue that this is its strongest feature, therein lies its biggest issue.
IT’S ALWAYS ON
Analog compression always colors the instrument’s signal in a way that is unique to the compressor. Audio engineers love specific outboard compressors because of the exact coloration it brings to the signal, and the Arcas pedal does this too.
After a fair amount of experimenting, I found that the Arca’s’ primary coloration is in the higher frequency range, which adds a tasteful hiss and upper-harmonic tonality to the signal. While this coloration sounds fantastic on the synth plucks I mentioned earlier, it’s not always preferred in other circumstances.
By design, the Arcas’ effect is toggled on or off with nothing in between, making dialing in just the right amount of coloration on the signal impossible. This pedal slotted into my workflow in a handful of specific situations on a couple of choice instruments, so this was by no means a deal breaker.
SPECS ON THIS PEDAL
- Pedal Type: Compressor
- Analog/Digital: Analog
- Inputs: 1 x 1/4″
- Outputs: 1 x 1/4″
- True Bypass: Yes
- Power Source: 9V DC power supply (sold separately)
- Batteries: 1 x 9V
- Power Usage: 21.9mA
- Height: 2.50″
- Width: 3.45″
- Depth: 5.04″
- Weight: 1.20 lbs.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
