Becos CompIQ Twain MK2 Pro Compressor Review

Here we have the latest version of the Becos Twain dual band compressor. You can read my review of the first iteration here: The Becos CompIP Twain Compressor In that review I said,

If you feel like the compressor you have is lacking, the Becos CompIQ Twain might be for you. If you are the type that wants ultimate control, the Twain might be for you. If you play a 5-string bass and feel compression adversely squashes your B string, the Twain is definitely for you.

You might want to read that review first to get an overall feel for the device. Here in this review I’ll highlight what has changed.

If you thought the original Becos Twain was some sort of  Swiss Army knife of compressor, well, get ready to meet the more refined next gen MK2 version, the Becos CompIQ Twain MK2 Pro Compressor. In my opinion, everything that made the original great remains intact: dual compression engines, deep control, extreme transparency, and that ability to make your instrument sound polished. The MK2 keeps the soul of the original while adding meaningful upgrades that push it further into studio-grade and extreme versatility territory.

A lot the same, but better

At its core, the MK2 is still a dual-band (or stacked) compressor built around two independent THAT 4320 Analog Engines, now joined by Burr‑Brown™ FET ICs for an even cleaner signal path. The feel is unmistakably Twain. Operation still centers on Dual‑Band and Stacked modes. Dual‑Band splits your lows and highs at a variable crossover point (70 Hz to 1 kHz, now recalibrated so the midpoint is around 300 Hz). Stacked mode chains two compressors for that “optical glue” texture. Switching modes while audio is passing can still pop slightly just like the prior version. It’s perfectly normal behavior for such a high‑headroom analog circuit.

Controls

All of the core controls remain: Threshold, Ratio, Knee, Timing, and Gain on each side. Attack and release remain dynamically adaptive, and both Fast (F) and Slow (S) settings track beautifully whether you’re feather-light with fingerstyle, digging in with a pick, or playing bass slap style. The MK2 responds to touch very well.

The enhanced Preamp Input Trimmer now offers a ‑12 dB to +12 dB range, with a smarter LED that glows green, orange, or red depending on input stage activity, a functional improvement over the MK1’s single yellow indicator. You can now push the circuit into its sweet spot with confidence, even with hot active basses or boosted guitars. With the Twain’s input Trim, the signal can be reduced to “normal” levels for normal processing. You’d be surprised how useful this really is. This type of function is really something typically found only in rack devices.. It’s served by the peak detectors (green LED to show the level at the input trim circuit level, red LED to show the level at the circuit output, giving an indication of how strong the gains are dialed in in between, and orange LED when both red & green are lit together, indicating over-reaching input-to-output). Truly quite remarkable in a pedal based compressor. 

New Feed switch

The new FEED switch might be the most underrated addition. It lets you choose between Feed‑Forward (FF) for tight, modern control; Feed‑Back (FB) for smooth, vintage character; or a hybrid mode using FF for lows and FB for highs.

Feed‑Forward mode nails transient control like a mastering limiter. Feed‑Back mode feels more open and organic. The hybrid setting strikes a perfect balance between solid low end and silky, uncompressed‑feeling highs. It’s one of those features you didn’t know you needed until you hear what it does. Experiment with it. You’ll be rewarded for doing so. 

New Independent Side‑Chain Filters

Where the MK1 offered a fixed three‑way low‑band side‑chain switch, the MK2 gives you fully variable Side‑Chain Filter (SCF) knobs for both low and high bands. Each can cut or boost selected frequencies. Specifically ±12 dB @ 70 Hz for lows and ±9 dB @ 3 kHz for highs.

This level of control is transformative. You can shape how the compressor sees your signal. For example, let big lows breathe by trimming them from the detection path, or tame bright attack transients before they hit the circuit.

It’s a surgical dynamic EQ built right into the compression topology. And this one is one of the very best implementations I’ve seen.

So much more useful than the three-way switch found on the prior edition. The three-way switch was certainly useful. Don’t get me wrong. But the dials take things to a whole new level.

No more tape saturation

The entire tape saturation section was removed in this latest version. You can read more about that function in my review of the original Becos Twain compressor. The whole point of the saturation circuit was to emulate vintage studio tape saturation compression effect of the '60s. It was definitely an interesting feature but given the choice I prefer the addition of independent side-chain filter dials to the saturation controls of the former version. 

How does it sound?

The Becos Twain MK2’s technical improvements pay off in silence, literally. With THD < 0.12 % (down from the MK1’s 1.5 %), it’s cleaner than compressors many times the price. The headroom question I raised about the first version is fully solved: the unit now runs happily anywhere from 9 V to 18 V, handling hot signals with room to spare.

Each engine still delivers up to +20 dB of make‑up gain, but the internal design now distributes gain more gracefully, preventing overload. There is plenty of gain on tap.If you unbalance the gains the crossover acts like a variable tilt-eq pivot, because it can be set for instance at 70-150Hz and then either make the highs gain a bit lower, or boost the low gain a bit higher and you have a form of direct eq-ing, which is very coloring. But it has to be used creatively. The dual-band mode can be kept very transparent or eq-ed, your choice. The stacking mode benefits more of the full range mix, because there the overcompression feeling can be balanced by the clean mix. If the MK1 was already close to rack‑mount studio performance, the MK2 takes it even closer by being cleaner, quieter, and smoother under whatever scenario you throw at it.

If you’ve ever worked with an Empirical Labs Distressor, you’ll recognize that same “do anything” spirit here. Unlike the Distressor’s distinct sonic fingerprint though, the Twain is colorless in the best possible way. It doesn’t impose a tone; it elevates yours, the way a mastering engineer polishes.

The result? Compression that tightens, glues, and enhances with absolute transparency, preserving your instrument’s voice and adding a studio-level sheen to any rig.

I think bassists will especially appreciate how this new version handles low‑end aggression and top‑end detail. In Dual‑Band mode, you can clamp those boomy fundamentals while letting high‑register articulation breathe. It’s like slapping through a tube preamp minus the weight, noise, or maintenance. Having played both a 4‑ and 5‑string through the MK2, it simply owns the lower register with precision and presence.

Guitarists, too, will find plenty to love. Smooth out funk stabs, tighten heavy rhythm tracks, or push it into limiter territory without losing touch response. Even stacked after drives, it delivers clarity instead of haze. Placed at the end of my pedalboard, it brought a genuine studio gloss straight from my board output.

Optional DITOS Transformer Output

My Becos Twain MK2 has the optional DITOS output transformer which I highly recommend because it simply sounds fantastic. It’s a  transformer‑coupled TRS out providing +6 dB of extra gain. This turns the MK2 into a self-contained DI solution. Yes you could plug guitar or bass into this thing and run it out direct to front of house. Plug it straight into a mixer or interface and you’re rewarded with tight, punchy lows, velvety mids, and warm highs that recall boutique transformer gear.

It’s the “more bigger” and “more spacial” type of sound and feel. 

There’s even a ground‑lift jumper for hum-free operation. Really nice design from end to end.

Summary

The CompIQ Twain MK2 Pro Compressor keeps everything that earned the MK1 series credibility in my book and eliminates some functionality I suspect was less notable or useful. It builds upon all that was good with impressive maturity. Feed‑Forward/Feed‑Back topology, expanded side‑chain control, better metering, and an optional transformer DI all push this pedal into serious studio hardware territory.And on the subject of metering, the metering is so good. It’s not something common in dual bands. Pretty much best in class here for dual band compressors. 

It’s not here to dazzle you with vintage coloration. it’s here to work everywhere, flawlessly. And it does.

Whether you’re reshaping live bass, polishing guitars, or running tracks through it in a studio, the MK2 is a piece of gear that makes everything sound better without leaving fingerprints.Transparent is an easy word to throw around, but here I use the word literally.  The Twain MK2 compressor doesn’t impose tone at all. Rather, it frames your tone. Plug in and your instrument still sounds like your instrument, only more even, more dimensional, and more expensive somehow.

If you push the compression hard, you hear tighter note front‑ends, steadier sustain, and that invisible “studio shine.” Think of it like a high‑end mastering compressor in miniature: no distinct flavor, no fingerprint, just confidence, weight to the notes, and presence.

This thing is one of the most versatile two‑band dynamics processors on the market.

The Becos Twain compressor can handle instrument or line sources. I’m not sure there is another two band pedal format compressor out there that could rival it. The closest competitor to the Becos Twain Compressor is probably the Phil Jones Bass X2C compressor. Get the Becos. It’s the better compressor. 

Input and output jacks are side mounted as is the power input. There’s a lot to like here.

Pros:

• Even cleaner signal path with Burr‑Brown front end

• Feed‑Forward / Feed‑Back architecture

• Fully adjustable side‑chain filters for both bands

• Optional transformer‑balanced DITOS output

• Expanded preamp gain range (+/‑12 dB)

• Immense headroom and ultra‑low noise floor

• Dual LED metering and clean mix control

• Extreme versatility (input trimmer, dual gain, crossover, side chain filter, dual band or stacked mode, etc.)

Cons:

• Still densely packed for on‑the‑fly tweaks

• Steep learning curve for newcomers

• Expensive, but there is a ton of functionality for the price

• Size. It will take more space on pedalboard for sure

Price: $399/$499 with DITOS BecosFX.com Get it at GearHero.com