Mini Chase Bliss Clean Review

I recently acquired a Chase Bliss Clean Compressor that came from a holiday Chase Bliss Mystery Box. I’ve had the time to play it quite a bit and compare to my favorite compressors in my collection. I have some things to say about it.

Let’s call this a Mini Chase Bliss Clean Review.

Yesterday I wrote a post that discussed whether or not you truly need a compressor pedal on your pedalboard. While I was writing that I made a list of my 5 favorite compressor pedals. In that list you can find the Chase Bliss Clean Compressor. I’m going to take some time to focus on that pedal. There are various reasons which I shall explain here in a sec.

Why am I singling out the Chase Bliss Clean as the focus of a compressor pedal review when I even mention that I have a few pedals above it in my list?

The reason is simple, the Chase Bliss Clean can do things none of the other pedals in my list can do. The main draw for me is the MIDI control.

You can generate overdrive with various compressor pedals by boosting the signal. This works particularly well if the pedal can boost the signal into the compression circuit as it allows you to get overdrive and distortion, without raising the overall volume too much.

The Jackson Audio Bloom V2 can do this pretty well as it has a separate boost circuit that runs independently of the compression circuit. By the way, that pedal also has MIDI. However, the MIDI functionality isn’t as extensive as it is on the Chase Bliss Clean. After a lot of testing I’ve concluded that I prefer how boosted cleans sound on the Jackson Audio Bloom V2, even more than I do on the Chase Bliss Clean… BUT, the Chase Bliss Clean does a much better overdrive and distortion. Odd, I know. Specially for a pedal called CLEAN.

As a compressor alone, the Chase Bliss Clean does a very good job. It really sweetens everything. It also possesses all the important controls such as attack and release. Ratio is there too, but it’s controlled a little differently by using a combination of Dynamics and Sensitivity control. The level of compression is dialed in more by feel than by using exact ratios like on other compressors.

Here come the extra functions

Like other Chase Bliss pedals, there’s a whole array of extra functions by using the DIP switches at the back of the pedal. This opens a whole world of possibilities. But, before you even consider taking a look at those DIP switches, the pedal can already achieve sounds that no other compression pedal can by using the Mode and Physics switches. Making changes to the position of the Physics and Mode switches changes the function of the Dynamics and EQ knobs. These can produce sagging sounds that organically sputter or mimic a vibe pedal. You can compare these sounds to a gated velcro fuzz, but without the fuzz! These sounds are really inspiring and work extremely well for textured lofi effects. Yeah, you wouldn’t use these effects for playing 70s funk, but they are definitely very useful.

Let me also point out that the vibe sounds are different than your traditional vibe pedal. It’s almost as if the vibe movement is based on the dynamics or amplitude of a sound, almost like if the vibe were a tremolo, unlike a traditional vibe that uses frequency or pitch modulation depending on whether it’s based on a chorus or a vibrato.

The EQ dial on the pedal is very effective. It’s true that you don’t get individual low, mid and high frequency controls… but most compressor pedals don’t have this feature anyway. The Jackson Audio Bloom V2 does however.

Let’s talk about the blend, or dry knob

The Chase Bliss Clean Compressor also has a blend control which is called DRY. The more you turn it clockwise, the more dry signal you add to the mix.

I have a pet peeve regarding most compressor pedals that have a blend control and call it “blend” or “mix.” It’s something that REALLY bothers me. The reason is that they don’t mention what you’re blending in. Are you blending in dry signal or wet signal? Are you mixing in dry signal or wet signal? It gets worse when you realize some compressors use that knob to add dry, while other use it to mix in the wet signal. Basically, some compressors’ mix knobs work in reverse. AND I CAN NEVER REMEMBER WHICH DOES WHAT!

If the knobs says “DRY” or “WET” you know EXACTLY what you’re mixing in. This is something I praise the Chase Bliss Clean for. For my other compressors, I intend to make little sticker labels change what they say so I can remember exactly what they do.

Let’s wrap this up

Ok, true, I haven’t mentioned every feature of the Chase Bliss Clean Compressor. That was never the intention of this article. That’s why I called it a Mini Chase Bliss Clean Review. I didn’t go into sidechain use or expression control. But it doesn’t matter. That’s the beauty of it. Those features are there for you to explore and discover more once you have your hands on it.

My goal here is to point out that as a compressor pedal, the Chase Bliss Clean is up there with the best of them. Add the fact that it has MIDI control, which is something very few compressor pedals have and you have a clear (Clean?) winner.

While I’m here, I’ll mention the Source Audio Atlas and Strymon Compadre as the only compressors I’m aware of that have full MIDI implementation. Then there’s the aforementioned Jackson Audio Bloom V2 that uses limited MIDI switching. Lastly, we have the Suhr Koji Comp that only allows for external relay switching that can be integrated with MIDI. I’ll wager that switching is the most important feature, at the very least, to allow for MIDI control. But it must be said that having more control is better.

I’ll reiterate that I love the Chase Bliss Clean. I don’t expect to get rid of my Cali76 Compact Deluxe nor my two Thorpy Fat General compressors, but the Chase Bliss Clean is quickly becoming one of very favorites. Oh, and one more thing. This write-up isn’t sponsored. My CB Clean came from a Chase Bliss Mystery box, and I purchased it from a friend. He got one in a Mystery Box and already had one so he decided to sell the new one. Believe or not, I traded a Chase Bliss CXM 1978 and got the Clean and some cash in return. I’m happy with my trade but I do miss the CXM.

You can learn more about this compressor pedal right on CB’s website: Chase Bliss Clean.