For far too long, guitarists have had to choose between two categories of compression. Some are subtle and nuanced. They give the small amount of compression that is needed to level-out their playing, but have a hard time making a transformative effect. Others are squish- city and give a very effected type tone, but lack any sense of subtlety. Rarely, if ever, have the positive aspects of these two different paths intersected. This was Heavy Electronics' demand with the Sonic Oppressor, to create a pedal that could produce delicate compression but also had the capacity to become a seriously effective compressor with significant peak reduction and some smash to it. Beyond that, it had to be right all the way in between these too extremes.