Vintage Guitar - September 2017 - open - 131

A CLASSIC,
COMPRESSED
The MXR Dyna Comp Mini

I

n the '70s, the original MXR Dyna Comp
found its way onto a plethora of nowclassic vinyl sides and was a key ingredient
to the soundtrack of a generation. With an
eye toward the latest trend in miniaturized effects pedals with full-sized sounds,
MXR's Dyna Comp Mini Compressor
retains the same rich analog sounds of
the original while serving up even more
features in a much smaller package.
The setup is simple. Two knobs let the
player control Output and Sensitivity (i.e.,
the amount of compression), while a white
push-button labeled "Attack" switches the
box between slow and fast attack times.
(In the Fast Attack position a small red
light switches on; in slow Slow Attack
the light turns off.) These controls allow
adjusting the amount of squish for subtle

R&B double-stops or
the punchiest chicken
pickin' lines. Using the
Sensitivity knob in concert with the Attack
button yields a wide
range of sounds, ultimately letting the player
sculpt and fine-tune
their amp's personality.
With a Fender Deluxe
Reverb and an old Strat,
the Dyna Comp Mini
revealed all manner of
squish and spank. In
the Slow Attack position
the sounds were warm,
subtle, and musical, while in Fast the volume was slightly
boosted and accompanied by a tougher, edgier sound.

The Dyna Comp Mini
also worked great for
pushing clean singlenote funk lines higher
in the mix, and in Fast
Attack mode it gave
chords a more brittle
and chunkier quality.
To top it off, the pedal also added sustain to
overdrive pedals without changing their
tone. Notes sing
with more volume
a nd c onv ic t ion,
leaving the personality of the tonal
recipe intact. Those
looking for compression with musicality,
all in a travel-friendly
package, have come to
the right place. - Oscar
Jordan

Price: $99.99 (list)
Info: www.jimdunlop.com

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE
The Fire-Eye Red-Eye Twin DI

I

n a simple system, even a basic direct-input
box with little in the way of adjustments
will work fine. But what if your setup includes a plethora of pedals and effects? This
can lead to problems because each device
raises the impedance and noise floor while
lowering the overall signal output. Fire-Eye
electronics has a solution.
The Red-Eye Twin DI delivers high-input
impedance with a low-impedance 600-ohm
XLR balanced output. And the Red-Eye
Twin differs from the original Red-Eye in
supporting two inputs rather than just one.
The Twin has separate Gain and Treble
controls for each input. In addition to the
ability to switch from Input A to Input B,
the Red-Eye Twin has an adjustable Boost
Gain activated via a push-button switch
that allows you to set Boost for solo level
while the other level can be set for rhythm
parts. You can also activate both inputs at
once if needed.

Plugging in an instrument or connecting
to XLR phantom power turns on the RedEye Twin. It is normally powered by XLR
phantom power, but if phantom is not available, an internal 9-volt battery automatically
supplies power. And if you want to use a
phantom-powered electret microphone,
an available factory modification adds
a small switch to supply phantom
power to the Channel B input.
Although it's compact
at just 1.25" x 3.5" x
4.5" and lightweight
at 18 ounces, the
Red-Eye ha s a
roadworthy solidmetal case that will
survive any thing
short of being run
over by your tour
van. If you want a
DI that can handle

September 2017

131

your pedal array and two instruments with
aplomb, this is the box. - Steven Stone

VINTAGE GUITAR

Price: $295 (list)
Info: www.fire-eye.com
Vintage Guitar - September 2017 - open

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