Walrus Audio has been very active during the “pandemic year” with the release of a series of compact multi-mode stereo pedals under the Mako label (D1 delay, R1 reverb and ACS1 Amp Simulator. Because of this, many of us were expecting the next release to be a multi-modulation pedal to complete that series, but the Oklahoma builder surprised us all with something else: a mono analog flanger pedal called Polychrome.
The pedal obviously pulls inspiration from the company’s very successful Julia and Lillian chorus and phaser, so – in a way – it does complete an existing series of pedals, just not the one we were expecting!
Like its siblings, the Polychrome offers a wide modulation palette through several controls and switches that affect the voicing, with a very useful Blend knob to reintegrate some of the clean signal to taste.
Among the tone-altering switches, the d-f-v knob gives access to three flanger flavors: Dry, Flange, and Vibrato, while the Shape switch changes the LFO wave: the options are sine, triangle, or random LFO.
The Voice switch gives you a more traditional and full flanger in the down position, and a more complex and notched effect with less low end in the up position.
The other controls are pretty straightforward. Check out how the Walrus Audio Polychrome sounds in the videos below.
Walrus Audio Polychrome Analog Flanger, Builder’s Notes
The Polychrome Flanger is a true bypass, all analog Flanger pulling in familiar layout controls from the Julia and Lillian. Dial in a wealth of colorful flange with the D-F-V blend knob and the shape and voice switches.
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.
