Electro-Harmonix Platform Compressor/Limiter Settings Guide
The EHX Platform is a stereo compressor/limiter with a Blend knob and separate Compress and Limit modes — Compress mode produces standard sustain-style compression; Limit mode produces hard-limiting for extreme dynamic control. Features Attack, Release, Ratio, and Output controls for full compressor parameter access. The stereo operation makes it particularly valuable for stereo guitar rigs.
The best Electro-Harmonix Platform Compressor/Limiter settings start with: Attack at 4/10, Release at 5/10, Ratio at 5/10, Output at 6/10, Blend at 7/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Funk: Attack 2/10, Release 4/10, Ratio 7/10, Output 6/10, Blend 8/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Attack | 4/10 | Fast → Slow |
| Release | 5/10 | Fast → Slow |
| Ratio | 5/10 | Light → Hard |
| Output | 6/10 | Unity → Boost |
| Blend | 7/10 | Dry → Wet |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Fast Attack, high Ratio — extreme compression for funk rhythm guitar. At these settings the Platform clamps each chord aggressively, producing the tight, punchy, even response of a highly compressed funk rhythm tone. Release 4 releases quickly enough for rapid rhythm playing. Blend 8 keeps the compressed signal dominant.
Fast Attack, moderate Ratio — country chicken-picking compression. Attack 3 catches the string transient quickly; Ratio 6 provides substantial dynamic limiting without complete signal squash. Blend 7 keeps enough compressed signal for even pick response.
Slow Attack, low Ratio, equal Blend — transparent jazz compression. The pedal at these settings barely audibly compresses the signal — it adds subtle level consistency for jazz where natural dynamics are important. Blend 5 maintains the natural feel of the uncompressed guitar.
A moderate, balanced setting adds usable sustain for rock lead playing without the aggressive squash of the funk preset, keeping pick dynamics reasonably intact.
Slow Attack and Release smooth out volume swells and sustained chords without clamping the initial pick attack, useful for building even, controlled ambient textures.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The Limit mode, engaged by toggle, produces a hard ceiling that prevents the signal from exceeding a specific level — useful for controlling the peak level from a loud guitar pickup or from a heavy strumming style that peaks unpredictably. Combine standard Compress mode for general sustain with the Limit switch engaged to prevent the output from clipping downstream effects.
- The Blend control separates this pedal from simpler compressors — using parallel compression, blending compressed and dry signal, keeps pick attack and dynamics more natural even at aggressive Ratio settings.
- Attack time controls how much initial pick transient passes through before compression engages — a fast Attack tames pick clicks for a smoother note onset, while a slower Attack preserves snap and definition.
- Placed early in the signal chain, before overdrive or distortion, this compressor evens out picking dynamics before the gain stage, producing a more consistent drive character than placing it after.
- For always-on use as a subtle dynamics leveler, keep Ratio around 3:1 to 4:1 with a high Blend toward dry — this preserves natural playing feel while still controlling the loudest peaks.
FAQ
Electro-Harmonix Platform Compressor/Limiter — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Electro-Harmonix Platform Compressor/Limiter: Attack at 4/10, Release at 5/10, Ratio at 5/10, Output at 6/10, Blend at 7/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Funk: Attack 2/10, Release 4/10, Ratio 7/10, Output 6/10, Blend 8/10. Fast Attack, high Ratio — extreme compression for funk rhythm guitar. At these settings the Platform clamps each chord aggressively, producing the tight, punchy, even response of a highly compressed funk rhythm tone. Release 4 releases quickly enough for rapid rhythm playing. Blend 8 keeps the compressed signal dominant.
For Country: Attack 3/10, Release 5/10, Ratio 6/10, Output 6/10, Blend 7/10. Fast Attack, moderate Ratio — country chicken-picking compression. Attack 3 catches the string transient quickly; Ratio 6 provides substantial dynamic limiting without complete signal squash. Blend 7 keeps enough compressed signal for even pick response.
Attack: Compressor attack time. (Fast to Slow). Release: Compressor release time — how quickly compression is released after the signal drops below threshold. (Fast to Slow). Ratio: Compression ratio — light (2:1) through hard limiting. (Light to Hard). Output: Output level after compression. (Unity to Boost). Blend: Parallel compression mix. (Dry to Wet)
The Limit mode, engaged by toggle, produces a hard ceiling that prevents the signal from exceeding a specific level — useful for controlling the peak level from a loud guitar pickup or from a heavy strumming style that peaks unpredictably. Combine standard Compress mode for general sustain with the Limit switch engaged to prevent the output from clipping downstream effects. The Blend control separates this pedal from simpler compressors — using parallel compression, blending compressed and dry signal, keeps pick attack and dynamics more natural even at aggressive Ratio settings. Attack time controls how much initial pick transient passes through before compression engages — a fast Attack tames pick clicks for a smoother note onset, while a slower Attack preserves snap and definition. Placed early in the signal chain, before overdrive or distortion, this compressor evens out picking dynamics before the gain stage, producing a more consistent drive character than placing it after. For always-on use as a subtle dynamics leveler, keep Ratio around 3:1 to 4:1 with a high Blend toward dry — this preserves natural playing feel while still controlling the loudest peaks.
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