I bought this instead of the cs400 because I don't want another tone control in the chain. Compression is solid, low noise, keeps the bottom end.

The Behringer CL9 is a pretty great compressor pedal. I got one for compressing the output of my Roland TR-8 for live situations and studio monitoring. It works perfectly. It definitely sounds polished & professional. This sounds way more expensive than it actually is. The value on this pedal is ridiculous. I insist on running my live hardware through a compressor for a properly studio mixed sound. That's what this pedal does for me. My electronic drums sound great through this. I use the attack time all the way at zero and the sustain at about two o'clock, varying the level control depending on my output needs. Honestly I can imagine replacing this with a fancier pedal if I get a huge payday but for now I CANNOT imagine wanting to or needing to replace this. The CL9 delivers compression and, while compression isn't the most overtly sexy effect, it does so much for a studio quality sounding performance.

I bought a bunch of these berhinger pedals some of them where dead on arrival this one worked for a day or two in the end only the digital reverb multifx pedal lasted long enough to be used on the pedal board, and that one is still working

I've used compressors off and on for decades, and I like this one more than the others I've tried (mainly an old Dynacomp). You can use it subtly, where you don't really notice it until you click it off, or as more of an overdrive/sustain thing. Shades in between too of course. I mean, it does what you want it to do, and more. I use it along with the Behringer Digital Reverb (really nice), various OD pedals, Behringer tremolo pedal, and that's really all I need to get the various tones I prefer (I play pre-60's blues/jazz/country mainly). I've been happy with every Behringer pedal I've tried. When you're not made of money you learn to get the most for every dollar and these pedals definitely do that.

Reading some of the reviews of this unit here, I decided to take a chance on this compressor. I wanted a unit to improve overall tone. I can say that I saw some effect, and, considering the price, it was not awful. Compared back to back with a TC Electronic pedal, the CL9 is muddy and not nearly so clear sounding.
If you don't have the money, this one is ok. Believe me, I can understand that! But unless you cannot wait, my advice would be to spend more and get better. The difference is noticeable.

A great pedal for the price, compresses the sound as it should. Doesn't have any unwanted noise. Would definitely recommend buying.

Great way to try out compression on a budget I got one for he kid and he's got it on his board and I gotta admit it ain't too bad he's happy with it so from what I've seen it's 5 star because of price/performance

I use this box along with just a couple of others. My Boss CL2 crapped out so I replaced with this.
It's fine. I'm not ultra particular although I started Vermont's largest music store (sold to Guitar Center-Burlington ) and have had access to tons of units. I'm more focused on playing than tone searching.

I put this compressor ahead of a Dan Electro Billionaire Boost pedal into a BOSS KATANAll and this took my sound to another set the output levels on the pedals low and this keeps the signal to the amp clean and quiet. This pedal sounds natural, is flexible and the case looks durable. Had I known how well this compressor would fit my rig I would have been willing to pay a premium price. As it turns out, at least in this particular case with the CL9 you get high performance without all the costly hype.

Great value! About as good as it gets for the price!

It is built in shoddy plastic and I believe it will break very soon. Its weight is given by that iron plate in the lower part, I guess they applied it only to deceive the customer…
As a channel compressor is completely unsatisfactory: I tried it on vocals, synths, drum machines, no way. Where this effect can be useful is when used in an extreme way, in fact, with the release wide open, it generates a pretty good distortion (and noise also)
If you are looking for a good compressor, look elsewhere.
Notes: wallwart not included

Lazy? Undisciplined? Guilty. That's not why I wanted to try this compressor, completely… I wanted my bass to sound like the bass on Spirit album "Dr. Sardonicus" without resetting my rig, when I wanted. This little gem does it easily. Plug in your Pbass or clone thereof and "Mr. Skin" jumps out clear and round. Couple it with a little overdrive (or your dirt of choice) and Audio Slave, Chili Peppers and Jack Bruce are within your sonic grasp. Wide open there is hiss from hell, but you will never need to do that… if so, a noise gate helps, but finesse is easy to come by because it has the three knob solutions you won't get with two. This is a monster tool for live performances. I don't mind the plastic box it's in and if I was I'd just buy two or three. It's not always on, for me, but it's hard to resist.

I never really considered Behringer pedals. I thought they were cheesy... PERIOD!
So I'm here to publicly admit, and confess that I WAS WRONG.... BIG TIME!
I did some research and found that TC Electronic and Behringer were "working together" somehow...
So I looked at Behringer.... The CL9 compressor.
Ahh so yeah when I first took it out of the box I thought it was made with thin metal.
I took a small tool, tapped the side to see if it was metal or not and nope it is plastic.
A strong plastic I must say. If you dropped it would it crack? IDK and I'm not into finding out.
Plugged it all up and was doing exactly what I needed it to do! Set it and forget it.

However there is one caveat.... (at least for me), the CL9 adds more hiss to my signal and I'm running it right after my tuner.
I know it's the nature of the beast unless you've got $500 bucks burning a hole in your pocket and you're looking for a compressor pedal!
Yes you can adjust the level and sustain to lower the hiss. What I did then was to run the CL9 first in my effects loop and
BINGO! All the hiss was gone.... But that's just for my application.
The housing is study enough,I believe especially if you're going to set it and forget it.

The BEST DOLLARS I'VE SPENT ON MY GEAR!!! Seriously..... Totally recommend the CL9

i have dabbled with compressors forever but never found them to be essential to my pedal. Then i met the CL9, and this pedal changed my mind and my life. i love the way it lifts the nuance out of my clean playing sound, and the strength with which it drives my dirt pedals and other signal sensitivity effected pedals (e.g. synth type pedals, think auto-wah). No turning back now, it is always in my chain, especially since pinning down the Ibanez compressor it is derived from is a $ crapshoot, i am very happy to stick with this little red powerhouse.

I have the venerable MXR DynaComp pedal and this Beringer is for all points and purposes every bit as effective.

I'd definitely tell my buddies to buy one. The quality is great, I have 2 other behringer pedals and I haven't been let down yet.

The title says it all... Btw, the Behringer CL9, performance wise, dial for dial and in any matching position with its "clone" (the Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter) it sounds exactly (as in identical) the same only it has a little better and more musically sounding bottom end which makes it especially applicable to bass playing.

I've never owned a compressor pedal before, but after hearing what a difference compression makes in my recordings in Logic Pro X, I decided to try one out in my rig. I'd like to think that after playing for 10+ years I have a pretty good sense of dynamics, but with the pedal everything is just that little bit tighter. It's another tool in my arsenal, and you really can't beat the price. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars is due to the all plastic construction which means it's not exactly going to last a lifetime like a Boss pedal, but I've got no complaints, and I'm sure it'll last at least as long as the old Arion and Danelectro plastic pedals.

Does what it says on the label. Perfect for dialing in your Bass Tone. Coasts practically nothing. Just a cheap awesome pedal!

The Behringer CL9 is a great beginner compressor pedal. It adds a nice amount of fullness and warmth to your tone. The housing is very cheap plastic so I wouldn't recommend stomping it to h*** but it'll last a little while. To me it doesn't really seem like there are a tone of good sounding tones you can get with this pedal, but the good ones you do get are very good for the $ price tag.

I use a Roland TR-8 and a sampler on stage, but the truth is that they sound a little dry and static after a while. Compression seemed to be the effect needed to add some spice to the drumming, so I started to look for options.

While the go-to compressor pedal nowadays seems to be the classic Boss CS-3, my budget is limited and I wasn't looking for a premium, boutique effect; just a basic, straightfoward way to enhance the sound of my sequences.

Works pretty well! It gives the "bite" I need without taking any highs or lows away. Depending of the position of the Sustain (Threshold) knob, you can have different results

- With the knob at 11 o'clock, you can apply soft, gentle compression as "glue" to tie everything up. The Attack knob changes are barely noticeable at this level
-With the knob at 3 o'clock you can now squash the signal and give it that gritty, punchy sound. The Attack knob effects can vary from pumping "oomph" on the kicks to sharp, clicky transients
- With the knob all the way up, it becomes a good ol' overdrive, although it's recommended to bring the level down a little.

Overall, it's a great buy. The bright red case looks good and while it's plastic, it can last if you're gentle with it. I use it with a power supply so there's no need to open it up for batteries.

For those curious about what's the difference between the CS400 and CL9:

CS400 is a Boss CS-3 clone.
CL9 is an Ibanez CL9 clone.
They do exactly the same thing, but the CS400 has an extra Tone knob. Try them both.

These pedals are great for the money that they cost, they do the job so you can get a feel for pedals and they are inexpensive but well made.