I've been messin around with vinyl sim lately for the first time n it seems as though it acts as a form of compression to a certain extent. It sounds excellent on kick drums....

Is vinyl sim, compression?

yeah.
if you are rocking the new SX i don't think it works as a compressor... from what I have heard
..but on the OG 404 (flash card version) if you turn the first effects dial on the left, all the way to the right, it will compress the signal.
its an old trick and is definitely softer than using the mfx 12 compressor

try messing with the 'radio tuner' (16)

^^ no doubt. ill have to try the radio tuner, i havnt used that effect yet...thanks for the feedback man!

does the radio tuner act as a compressor?

Yeah it does all knobs hard left. Move the third knob between nine and one o'clock.

that's the point lol...

vinyl compresses sound,
so the vinyl simulation is achieved by compressing the sound in a similar way that vinyl does (then adding pops/crackles)

^^^ thanks for the clerification

radio tuning sounds dope, imma try that out!