Radial Phazer

[peterpalmieri]

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Phazer/

I didn't do much research on this or do I need it being I have a Doubler.

But in any case it looks at first glance that it could be a useful tool for using a plain vanilla bass guitar amp...

[moles]

They need to build a version with a high-pass filter, instead of the low-pass that it looks like it has (although maybe it needs it to remove artifacts from the phase shifting?) and I'd consider getting one. Pair it with a decent parametric eq - and it could be pretty handy for fighting feedback.

[robgrow]

Looks like an interesting product.

There's also the Little Labs IBP Jr., which is professional quality and has been on the market for some time: http://www.littlelabs.com/ibpjr.html

[Barcza]

Sounds interesting to adjust the phaze instead to reverse by 180°. The input impedance is way too low, but inserting BigShot™ PB1 could fix that problem.

[Francois Blais]

Maybe it could be inserted in the effects send/return loop.
That way you don't need to worry about its input impedance.

[Mike Arnopol]

Finally someone else (besides for me) thought of this. This is exactly what the phase control on the Doubler does. If you have a Doubler you don't need it.

[drurb]

The description of this device was intriguing. It's not easy to build a broadband phase-shifter that's not a digital device. In English, that's a device that shifts a broad range of frequencies by the same number of degrees. So, I took a look at the info that radial provides. See for yourself:


Mauve - Shows the direct response when the phase effect is bypassed. Note the Phazer has a true-bypass - thus the perfectly flat response
Cyan - Shows the curve when the phase control is set with minimal phase shift. Note the phase effect is only applied on the high frequencies
Yellow - Shows the curve when the phase control is set to approximately 50% of phase shift. The phase effect is applied to both the mids and highs while retaining the lowest fundamental intact
Green - Shows the curve when the phase control is set to maximum 180º phase shift. Note the phase effect is applied to the whole signal with 130º of phase shift at 20Hz and 180º of phase shift on the rest
Blue, Red, Pink - Show the same three response curves but add 180º to the effect when the output polarity switch has been engaged. This allows the user to extend the effect to a full 360º

The curves clearly show that, save for a 180 degree shift (simple polarity inversion), the device hardly shifts all frequencies by a common number of degrees. For example, look at the yellow curve obtained when the phase-shift knob is set at its half-way point. The knob is marked in degrees, so the indication on the knob would be 90 degrees. What the device produces is an essentially linearly increasing phase-shift with frequency between 20 Hz and 5 kHz. That's essentially a time delay.

Radial's description suggests that this circuit function was intentional and that it's "musical." Whatever it is they're trying to achieve sonically, it's clear that this device does not act at all as what's commonly referred to as a phase-shifter.

[TimmyP]

Originally Posted by drurb

Radial's description suggests that this circuit function was intentional and that it's "musical." Whatever it is they're trying to achieve sonically, it's clear that this device does not act at all as what's commonly referred to as a phase-shifter.

It's not meant to be used on its own. Its meant to be used on one channel of a source when there are two channels on said source, for instance a DI on the bass and a mic on the bass amp. You tweak the Phazer's controls until the blend of the two channels sounds the best.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by TimmyP

It's not meant to be used on its own. Its meant to be used on one channel of a source when there are two channels on said source, for instance a DI on the bass and a mic on the bass amp. You tweak the Phazer's controls until the blend of the two channels sounds the best.

I understand very well how it is to be used. Your comment, in response to the quoted section of my post, suggests that you misunderstood my point. My point is that the device does not operate as a phase-shifter as suggested by the description and as assumed by folks here.

Radial says:
The Radial Phazer™ is a line level phase alignment tool that lets you bring two sound sources together so that the fundamentals play in sync.

Interestingly, as the curves above reveal, there is no single frequency or narrow band of frequencies at which the change in phase would correspond to what's marked on the phase control across its different settings. Their detailed literature shows that Radial recognizes the fact that, under real circumstances, it is the low frequencies of two inputs that one would like to bring into register. If that were the goal, then a device that provided for adjustable phase-shift over a range of low frequencies might be quite useful.

This is not to say that the device doesn't provide what, to some, would be a sonic benefit. I'm simply detailing what the device is and what it is not.