EarthQuaker Devices The Warden V1 Optical Compressor

The Warden is an optical compressor with a feature set usually reserved for studio grade units. Built with high grade components and internally powered by 18v, The Warden has loads of gain and sustain on tap. With complete control over attack, release, sustain and ratio, The Warden will allow everything from a heavy squash with fast attack and release to “barely there” subtle compression. Optical compression has a reputation for having more character than a VCA or FET based compression and The Warden is no exception.

True Bypass and Handmade with sweet loving care in Akron, Ohio.

Measures: 4 5/8″ x 2 1/2″ x 2.25″ with knobs

Power: A standard regulated 9-volt DC power supply with a negative center 2.1mm barrel, no battery option. The Warden internally boosts the voltage up to 18v, do not run at higher voltages! Current draw is around 20ma. We recommend and use Voodoo labs PP+ power supplies.

Controls: Tone: This pedal was designed to slightly color your tone, the coloration can be dialed-in to your taste. Counter clockwise is treble cut, clockwise is treble boost. The tone is nearly flat around 11 O’Clock.

Level: This controls the overall output and is affected by the sustain and ratio settings. There is no specific unity setting, adjust to taste when you find your perfect compression setting

Sustain: This is the heart of The Warden. It controls how hot the signal is, which changes the dynamics of the compression. The Warden is a feedback style compressor, the hotter the signal, the more active the compression. Very little sustain= very little compression, less active attack and release and a cooler signal, Max sustain= heavy compression, longer sustain, hotter signal and more lively attack and release.

Ratio: This determines how much the gain reduction affects the signal. All the way up is full compression and the compression is reduced as you turn this counter clockwise which allows more of the boosted, less compressed, signal to come through. There are no defined ratios here.

Attack: This controls how quickly the compressor reacts and starts leveling the signal. All the way counter clockwise is a fast, nearly immediate reaction. Turning the attack clockwise slows the reaction time.

Release: This controls how long it takes the signal to raise back up to the level determined by the sustain & ratio settings. All the way counter clockwise is a fast release and the release time slows as you turn it clockwise.