Walrus Audio Polychrome Flanger

true bypass analog flanger with vibrato option and a shape switch

Item details

Pedal Type
Flanger
Batteries
1x9v
EQ / Controls
N/A
Price
$219.99
Features
Dry / Flange / Vibrato blend
Voice switch
Shape switch (includes random shapes)
Other Specs
Soft switch (with relay) bypass
walrus-audio-polychrome.jpeg
From the Walrus Audio web site:

Like the Iguana that’s malleable to its environment, blending into its surroundings for harmonious balance or standing out with vibrant confidence, the Polychrome Flanger is a uniquely colorful tool for adding modulated textures to songs.

The Polychrome is a true bypass, analog Flanger pulling in familiar layout controls from the Julia and Lillian. Dial in a wealth of colorful flange with the D-F-V (Dry, Flange, Vibrato) blend knob and the shape and voice switches.

The Shape Switch lets you select from sine, triangle, or random LFO wave to modulate the delay line.

The Voice Switch lets you select between two voices for the flanging effect. In the down position, the flanger is more traditional and full frequency. In the up position, you get a more complex and notched flange effect with less low end.

Like the other members of the Walrus Audio modulation family, the Polychrome has a blend knob. The D-F-V (Dry, Flange, Vibrato) knob lets you blend the dry and delayed signal from full dry at minimum (no effect), to traditional flange at noon to full pitch vibrato at maximum. Don’t sleep on the vibrato sounds in the Polychrome. Set the D-F-V knob to maximum, feedback to a minimum, and the voice switch up for some unique pitch vibrato.

Top-mounted input, output, and power jacks as well as soft switch relay bypassing make the Polychrome fit well on your board and ensure smooth operation for years to come.

Latest reviews

Build Quality
5.00 star(s)
Features
5.00 star(s)
Value
5.00 star(s)
Pros
  • Lots of great flanger sounds
  • Vibrato as well as flange
  • All analog
  • Interesting voicing and wave shape options
  • Top mount connectors
Cons
  • Not specifically for bass, so a bit subtle with mids and highs rolled off
I'm a big fan of flanger for bass. It does more for me in most cases than phaser or chorus. But I really prefer analog. It's nice to see analog flangers becoming more common. This one does a great job. The range and feel of the controls is wonderful. It's somewhat subtle (but still gooey flangeiness) if your tone is all low end, but as you add mids and highs, it really shines.

The vibrato is a logical addition, and one I was happy to see. This is a true frequency-modulated vibrato, as if you are wiggling a finger on the fretboard, rather than a tremolo, which modulates volume. With only a single blend control to go from dry to flange to vibrato, you are a bit restricted, but there's still a huge tonal palette; you really need to just okay with the control to understand it.

The shape select is great to have. Sine and triangle wave are intuitive; the random setting, as far as I can tell, is random about wave shape and to some extent frequency. It's useful when you want to not be in control.

In the down position, the Voice switch just lets the other controls do their thing. In the up position, it gives a "more complex, notched" effect, with less low end. I haven't found it useful so far for bass, but YMMV.

I dearly love the paint job.
Price Paid
$220

Item information

Category
Effects
Added by
Miles_ONeal
Views
293
Reviews
1
Last update
Rating
4.50 star(s) 1 ratings

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