As with all Walrus Audio pedals lately, this one is yet another super-useful addition to their already impressive lineage of products. The best thing about the Mira is that it can serve majestically well for many different purposes. In addition to that, it is very carefully thought out and well-built.
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Final verdict on the Walrus Mira
The Mira is an optical compressor pedal of the highest order of quality. As with most optical compressor pedals, the sound quality of this stompbox is just stunning. Personally, I deem this pedal equally worthy of both live and studio situations. The sheer number of different features is sure to fulfill all your compressing needs and desires.
Another thing I think is fantastic about this pedal is the fact that you can use it for almost any instrument you’d like. Whether it’s vocals or drums, you are sure to find the controls of this pedal useful for multiple recording and performing purposes.
What I like
- High-quality sound.
- Gain reduction monitoring.
- A high-pass filter ensures no undesired loss in low-end frequencies.
What I don’t like
- Although reasonable, the price may be a turn-off for some.
Contents
Use these jump links to navigate to the desired section of the review.
Features
The internal voltage of the pedal of 15 V DC ensures a high-quality, pristine-clear output signal.
One of the coolest (not so) hidden gems of this pedal is the LED signal lamp. It serves the purpose of letting you monitor how much gain reduction is taking place while you play away. This is a rare feat on a compressor pedal and a tip my hat off to folks at Walrus Audio for including it here!
Another great thing about this pedal is that it allows for a pretty long-sustaining sound. If that is what you prefer, that is.
The fast attack setting possesses a special kind of charm – you really have to hear it for yourself!
Controls
As far as controls go, this one is pretty much straightforward. It is as user-friendly as compressor pedals go, and all of the controls are what you would usually find on a compressor pedal. In accordance with the aforementioned, the Release and Attack controls go without saying.
The Threshold knob defines the loudness parameters upon which the compression would take place. The Ratio knob determines the amount of gain reduction every time the original signal crosses the set threshold.
The Make-up allows you to compensate for the gain lost due to compression. The Blend controls the ratio of the original sound to the compressed sound in your output signal.
The Sidechain HPF is a high-pass filter that is used to exclude the low-end frequencies from being compressed.
Effects
Other than the compression itself, one of the coolest effects here is the one you achieve by engaging the Blend knob. It blends the compressed and the non-compressed signal in parallel allowing for incredible versatility, note separation, signal evenness, dynamism, and precision.
The sidechain high pass filter is set at 120 Hz and it excludes all of the bass frequencies below that set parameter. It is a very clever addition to this pedal as it preserves the low-end and eliminates that ever-dreaded “choking” sound you get with many other compression pedals.
Build quality
As with most Walrus Audio products, this one is also built to survive nuclear warfare! It is very well-built and it is comprised of high-quality materials. It is sure to survive many years of stage beatings and traveling excesses.
Who is the Walrus Audio Mira for?
All in all, this is a fantastic piece of gear! By that I mean not just the guitar gear, but the gear in general. You can use this baby for guitars and bass, but also for any other instrument you’d like.
It is well-built, and very thoughtfully designed in terms of electronics and the user interface. The sound is stunning, and the multipurpose nature of the pedal just makes the whole package worthy of your attention. Highly recommended!
Buy Walrus Audio Mira at: SweetwaterAmazonGuitar CenterVideo demo
Watch this video by my colleague Fabio where he puts the Walrus Audio Mira optical compressor pedal to the test.
