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Akai Intelliphase

bass-shy

bass-shy

Jan 11, 2005
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#1
I pulled the trigger on one of these on the 'bay today. I did a search and came up with very little useful information, so I figured a dedicated thread would be appropriate.

Does anyone own one of these or have experience with them?

I've tried the Pigtronix EP-1, and it sounds awesome, but the size, cost and power requirement turned me away from it. The same goes for the EHX Stereo Polyphase...........a little smaller but stupid power and still pretty spendy.

How does the Intelliphase compare tonally to the Pigtronix and EHX?

Once it arrives, I'll post my impressions. Until then........let's hear it!
 

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#6
I owned one. It was much more successful on my passive bass and guitar than on my active bass. It didn't work at all with my active bass - the phase was really weak, volume drop and clipping. With my passives it sounded really great. I just thought the footprint was way too big. I'm also not that into phasers, I prefer flangers.

Overall a great pedal for passive instruments. It does however seem a little fragile...
 
#8
Chris V: Thanks for the info. I only have active basses, so I may be in trouble. :eek: What do you mean about it being fragile? The enclosure? Knobs, jacks and switch? Now I'm nervous.

Whoatherechunk: Yes. $55.00 BIN! There was another one with a BIN of $49.00, too. At least I won't be out too much $$$$ if I don't like it.
 
#9
bass-shy said:
Chris V: Thanks for the info. I only have active basses, so I may be in trouble. :eek: What do you mean about it being fragile? The enclosure? Knobs, jacks and switch? Now I'm nervous.

Whoatherechunk: Yes. $55.00 BIN! There was another one with a BIN of $49.00, too. At least I won't be out too much $$$$ if I don't like it.
Click to expand...

My MTD is very active, so maybe not!

I felt the enclosure seemed a little fragile, but it could just be because it was light. The knobs seemed fine and the jacks were relatively solid too.

Don't worry - it sounds great. :smug:
 
#13
had one years ago, thought it was OK
NOTE : the envelope system on the intelliphase (the touch phase) isn't the same kind of animal as the other two phasers you mentioned

the intelliphase's "touch phase" ACTIVATES a pretty standard LFO driven phaser depending on level -- it's more like "effect ducking"
whereas the other two (EP-1 and polyphase) use the instrument's volume envelope to modulate ("sweep") the phaser
 
#14
slight-return said:
the intelliphase's "touch phase" ACTIVATES a pretty standard LFO driven phaser depending on level -- it's more like "effect ducking"
whereas the other two (EP-1 and polyphase) use the instrument's volume envelope to modulate ("sweep") the phaser
Click to expand...

Yup. That is very much the case with the Intelliphase. However, with the speed and threshold controls set accordingly, it is possible to get a very similar effect as those found in the EP-1 and Polyphase. Although they achieve the effect differently, the end result can be similar, IMO and IME.

As for the overall phase tone, I would describe it as the "vocal" type as opposed to the "thick and chewy" type, which is what I was hoping for. The "Speed" range seems to be about average as compared to your typical Phase 90 or Small Stone pedals, neither incredibly fast nor super slow. The "Feedback" control really adds a lot of intensity to the effect but even at low feedback settings, I wouldn't call the Intelliphase subtle. It has a midrange presence that sounds pleasing throughout the whole range of the sweep. At the bottom, where some phasers either drop or boost frequencies, the Akai stays even and smooth, even with "Feedback" and "Depth" cranked. Nice! Slapping and popping while in the "Hard Touch" mode is awesome, IMO. Playing fast and busy lines gets an almost-kinda-pseudo envelope filter type sound making it the best "70's funk" phaser I have had the pleasure to play. I need to spend a lot more time with this pedal. I haven't really played with signal chain placement, dirt pedal combinations or with a band, so some of these findings will likely be different for other people. YMMV and such.........

I haven't found any issues with tone suck, clipping or volume drop/jump, but the housing is quite large. As Chris V., mentioned, it does feel a lot less solid and hefty as one might expect from such a large enclosure, but the knobs, switches and jacks are all solid feeling and firmly mounted. The battery compartment is also very easy to get into.............without removing the bottom!

Overall, I will definitely be hanging onto this pedal. I could easily justify having it on the same board as my Psilocybe because they sound so different, and for $55.00, I feel like I stole it.
 
#15
bass-shy said:
However, with the speed and threshold controls set accordingly, it is possible to get a very similar effect as those found in the EP-1 and Polyphase.
Click to expand...

Kinda depends on what you're using it for

I mean if you are playing synched and are used to fairly short, percussive style envelopes, you can try to "ride" certain parts of an LFO

If, though you have longer envelopes or envelopes that you can control post pluck (you play arco or with ebow, have a volume pedal before the phaser, are feeding the phaser an echo, etc) or are really relying on the dynamics to change the range of sweep...doesn't do so well copping the same thing types of contexts

and for $55.00, I feel like I stole it.

hey for $55 getting a reasonably low noise phaser that performas well is a good deal

I mean don't get me wrong - the stuff about it not being an EF style phaser isn't a criticism of the device, it's just not that animal, it's a different animal
my bicycle and my kayak do different things too
 
#16
slight-return said:
Kinda depends on what you're using it for


I mean don't get me wrong - the stuff about it not being an EF style phaser isn't a criticism of the device, it's just not that animal, it's a different animal
my bicycle and my kayak do different things too
Click to expand...

Agreed. It is different than the EP-1 and Polyphase. What I mean is that, at some settings, they all accomplish similar things. There are lots of features and uses on the Pigtronix and EHX units that the Akai can't touch.
 
#18
The Intelliphase sounds clear and "hi-fi" like a T.C. Electronics Classic XII Phaser or sorta like a Phase 90. I would describe these as being "vocal sounding".

The Psilocybe and Small Stone I would describe as having a thicker, fuller sound ie. "chewy".

A lot of phasers like the Pigtronix EP-1, EHX Stereo Polyphase, Boss PH-3 and Subdecay Quasar have such a wide range of tones that I won't even try to describe how they sound.

Also, I am not very good at describing sounds and tones with words, so whatever.

Hope this helps.
 
#19
Thanks, I'm going with the Small Stone for now because I know I like it. I do like the ducking thing though. I sort of got that kind of action with a Lazy Sprocket in front of a phaser. I'd love to try out an Envelooper some time but they are not cheap.
 

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