MusicRadar Verdict
Workmanlike compression for a variety of tasks.
Pros
- +
Useful compression. Tone knob useful for adding top end. Nice build.
Cons
- -
Not a huge amount.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Something may have been lost in translation when naming Russian-makers Yerasov's Black Formica, as it's actually blue, and we wonder if the designers are aware that Formica is more commonly known here as a decorative laminate rather than a species of ant.
"Based around a high-quality VCA it is capable of some pretty strong compression"
We digress. The Black Formica is a four-knob compressor based around a high-quality VCA made by that corporation, and it is capable of some pretty strong compression.
Juxtaposition of the attack and sustain knobs is the key: between the two, it's possible to vary the amount of squash, from getting the dynamics a little tighter and evening out chords to a squishy effect, and settings that will eke out sustain.
The tone knob is effective for replacing top end lost through compression, or just offering a brighter sound when the pedal is engaged.
Its name might suggest something you'd find in a goth's kitchen, but this is a useful compressor for keeping your signal consistent and adding sustain.
"I believe I’ve got the last recording Jeff Beck ever did in the studios": Guitarist Mick Rogers thinks he's in possession of a piece of musical history
“If you want a good vocal, you gotta drink snake sperm”: Singer Jessica Simpson reveals the unusual drink that keeps her vocal cords in tip-top condition
“I was thinking at the time, if anyone wants to try and copy this video, good luck to them!”: How ’60s soul music, African rhythms and a groundbreaking video fuelled Peter Gabriel’s biggest hit
