Pedal Type: Optical Compressor / Sustainer
Controls: Volume, Sustain, Treble, and Blend Knobs
Bypass Layout: True Bypass Switching
Power Requirements: External 9VDC Power Supply Only (Internal charge pump raises operating voltage to 18V rails)
Current Draw: 35 mA (Max current overhead 100 mA)
Dimensions: 1.5” W x 3.75” L x 1.75” H (38.1 mm W x 95.2 mm L x 44.4 mm H)
The Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro packs the celebrated, award-winning optical compression engine of the full-sized original into a highly streamlined mini enclosure designed to maximize pedalboard real estate. Moving far past standard VCA-based clipping layouts that inject unwanted background noise, this handcrafted analog signal path achieves endless, noiseless clean sustain. By utilizing a specialized optical circuit network, the compression tracks instrument dynamics smoothly without clamping down abruptly on your frequencies. This ensures lines retain their natural acoustic richness while maximizing overall note duration.
To guarantee uncompromised dynamic tracking, the device accepts standard external 9VDC power but uses an internal charge pump to step the operational voltage up to 18V rail-to-rail power. This increased electrical ceiling delivers immense clean headroom, allowing the optical circuit to easily accept high-output active pickups, line-level studio signals, or hot humbuckers without inducing pre-compressor input clipping. Fine-tuning your attack is handled via an integrated parallel Blend knob, letting musicians seamlessly mix their unprocessed dry signal right alongside the compressed wave. This layout is paired with an active Treble EQ offering up to 6dB of cut or boost at 2kHz to easily restore top-end snap or tame excessive brightness.
Setting the master Sustain control past 2 o'clock while backing the parallel Blend control down to a 10 o'clock position unlocks a highly musical studio tracking profile. This combination injects long, singing sustain into single-note lead arrangements while allowing your natural pick transients to pass through underneath the compression loop. This keeps your performance punchy, expressive, and perfectly defined without washing out your hand dynamics.
Positioning the micro pedal at the absolute front of your signal chain with mild Sustain settings allows it to function as a premier rig sweetener and line stabilizer. Boosting the active Treble control slightly to 1 o'clock introduces an articulate, high-definition chime that counteracts tone loss from extensive cable lines. This setup conditions your raw instrument transients ahead of secondary overdrive or fuzz pedals, ensuring your tone remains focused and crisp even under heavy downstream clipping.
THIS PEDAL OPERATES ON STANDARD EXTERNAL 9V DC POWER (CENTER NEGATIVE PIN CONDUIT) AND CONSUMES 35mA CURRENT DRAW. THE MICRO FOOTPRINT CHASSIS MEASURES 1.5” X 3.75” X 1.75” AND DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNAL BATTERY OPERATION. DO NOT SUBMIT AN EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY SOURCE HIGHER THAN 9V DC TO THE INPUT JACK, AS THE INTERNAL COMPONENT ROADWAY CONVERTS THE REQUISITE 18V VOLTAGE ENTIRELY INSIDE THE DEVICE. EXCEEDING THE INBOUND 9V SPECIFICATION RISKS FRIED INTERNAL COMPONENTS AND WILL VOID YOUR FACTORY WARRANTY.
Pedal Type: Optical Compressor / Sustainer
Controls: Volume, Sustain, Treble, and Blend Knobs
Bypass Layout: True Bypass Switching
Power Requirements: External 9VDC Power Supply Only (Internal charge pump raises operating voltage to 18V rails)
Current Draw: 35 mA (Max current overhead 100 mA)
Dimensions: 1.5” W x 3.75” L x 1.75” H (38.1 mm W x 95.2 mm L x 44.4 mm H)
The Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro packs the celebrated, award-winning optical compression engine of the full-sized original into a highly streamlined mini enclosure designed to maximize pedalboard real estate. Moving far past standard VCA-based clipping layouts that inject unwanted background noise, this handcrafted analog signal path achieves endless, noiseless clean sustain. By utilizing a specialized optical circuit network, the compression tracks instrument dynamics smoothly without clamping down abruptly on your frequencies. This ensures lines retain their natural acoustic richness while maximizing overall note duration.
To guarantee uncompromised dynamic tracking, the device accepts standard external 9VDC power but uses an internal charge pump to step the operational voltage up to 18V rail-to-rail power. This increased electrical ceiling delivers immense clean headroom, allowing the optical circuit to easily accept high-output active pickups, line-level studio signals, or hot humbuckers without inducing pre-compressor input clipping. Fine-tuning your attack is handled via an integrated parallel Blend knob, letting musicians seamlessly mix their unprocessed dry signal right alongside the compressed wave. This layout is paired with an active Treble EQ offering up to 6dB of cut or boost at 2kHz to easily restore top-end snap or tame excessive brightness.
Setting the master Sustain control past 2 o'clock while backing the parallel Blend control down to a 10 o'clock position unlocks a highly musical studio tracking profile. This combination injects long, singing sustain into single-note lead arrangements while allowing your natural pick transients to pass through underneath the compression loop. This keeps your performance punchy, expressive, and perfectly defined without washing out your hand dynamics.
Positioning the micro pedal at the absolute front of your signal chain with mild Sustain settings allows it to function as a premier rig sweetener and line stabilizer. Boosting the active Treble control slightly to 1 o'clock introduces an articulate, high-definition chime that counteracts tone loss from extensive cable lines. This setup conditions your raw instrument transients ahead of secondary overdrive or fuzz pedals, ensuring your tone remains focused and crisp even under heavy downstream clipping.
THIS PEDAL OPERATES ON STANDARD EXTERNAL 9V DC POWER (CENTER NEGATIVE PIN CONDUIT) AND CONSUMES 35mA CURRENT DRAW. THE MICRO FOOTPRINT CHASSIS MEASURES 1.5” X 3.75” X 1.75” AND DOES NOT SUPPORT INTERNAL BATTERY OPERATION. DO NOT SUBMIT AN EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY SOURCE HIGHER THAN 9V DC TO THE INPUT JACK, AS THE INTERNAL COMPONENT ROADWAY CONVERTS THE REQUISITE 18V VOLTAGE ENTIRELY INSIDE THE DEVICE. EXCEEDING THE INBOUND 9V SPECIFICATION RISKS FRIED INTERNAL COMPONENTS AND WILL VOID YOUR FACTORY WARRANTY.
