Origin Effects Cali76 V2: FET Compressor and Bass Compressor
5,0 / 5,0 | 
Origin Effects has launched the Cali76 V2 FET Compressor and Bass Compressor, updating the original design, refining it, and making it slightly more compact.
Cali76 V2
These new Origin Effects Cali76 V2 FET Compressor and Bass Compressor pedals refine the original design. Their 1176-inspired circuitry has studio-style controls and is now more compact than the previous iterations.
LED Metering
The most noticeable visual difference is the new 10-LED gain reduction metering on the front panel below the control knobs.
Controls
They have a similar feature set, so whether you opt for the FET or Bass version, they work similarly and should be easy to use.
The two models are tailored towards either guitar or bass (the bass version has a High Pass Filter, for example), but they can each go beyond just being used with stringed instruments with the new updates.
Dry, Out, In, and Ratio are standard for both units. The Bass model combines Attack/Release into one control plus the HPF I mentioned above. Meanwhile, the FET version has dedicated controls for Attack and Release.
What’s New?
Apart from the new 17% smaller housing and LED metering, Origin Effects has also given these two compressors an improved side-chaining design that now equals their larger-format compressor pedals. They have also increased the internal voltage from 9V to 24V for better headroom.
Should you Upgrade?
If you enjoyed their previous FET compressor models, these new, refined models could be worth checking out. However, the marketplace has dramatically changed since the original Cali76 models were released in 2012.
I suspect that having the 24V operation will make a lot of difference for anyone wanting to put a hotter signal into the compressor. Origin Effects states that this new version can handle hot pickups and line-level signals like keyboards. This makes these new V2 versions more flexible for musicians. The dry control allows for parallel compression, so it is essentially a very compact studio-quality compressor.
Compression is an excellent tool for musicians, and we have seen many studio-grade compressors in pedal form in recent years. Origin Effects’ price point is premium for guitar pedals but affordable compared to full-sized rack-mounted studio compressors.
I suspect these will be a great addition to any working musician’s rig, and the added flexibility will make them even more appealing.
- Cali76 V2 FET Compressor and Bass Compressor available at Thomann
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