#STRYMON VOLANTE REVIEW MOD#

The shimmering Digital mode as well as the dark and moody Detune mode are great for recreating the guitar and bass sounds of the ’80s. I really like Multi mode and the sound of the multiple LFOs undulating, it is a rich and unique tone that works great for thick and gooey chorus applications. I have owned several analog choruses and I really can’t tell the difference between dBucket and one of my old faves. This Chorus sounds very rich in dBucket mode. Each mode shares additional controls apart from what’s on the front panel in the way of Mode, Mix and Tone. Each machine might have several iterations per category. The Chorus Machine has five different modes including dBucket (bucket brigade analog), Multi (multiple LFOs), Vibrato (pitch modulation), Detune (thick digital) and Digital (clean digital).

#STRYMON VOLANTE REVIEW MOD#

The pedal has 12 fully tweakable, studio-class Mod Machines. You then have the ability to choose between preset A or B per bank or bypassing the pedal.

Selecting banks of presets is achieved by stomping on the B switch and Tap switch simultaneously for bank up and stomping on switches A and B simultaneously for bank down. The Mod Machine Type knob has the option of either pushing it to toggle between displaying the bank number and the tempo of the patch, or pressing and holding for few ticks to save the preset. Some of the knobs have push options like the Value knob which allows you to switch from controlling fine adjustment of the LFO when speed is displayed, selecting presets, pressing the knob like a button accesses an additional parameter mode for the selected Mod Machine, and holding the knob for a few ticks accesses Global Mode. When gazing at the unit from the top you see a decent sized LED display, Value knob, Speed knob, Depth knob, Level knob, Param 1 and 2 knobs, Type Knob and the A, B and Tap foot switches. I noticed that the unit had stereo in and out, MIDI in and out, an Expression Pedal input, and a routing switch that allows you to convert the pedal from standard stereo I/O to a unit suited to work pre or post your amp’s effects loop (selectable per preset). The LED display reads Mobius for a flash and then proceeds to display the title of the first of 200 presets. I plugged in the included 9V power supply and fired her up. Upon unboxing I found a sturdy yet lightweight dark blue anodized aluminum chassis with 3 foot switches and 7 knobs clearly labeled and ready to play. This time I have the TimeLine’s modulation-based counterpart, Mobius, on my bench for review. Needless to say I loved the pedal and its vast feature set. I reviewed the TimeLine a while back and gave an extremely detailed and long winded review. They use powerful DSP processing to create pedals that echo and sometimes surpass the most fabulous designs of the past, but with a modern spin of course. Strymon is a company that focuses heavily on… getting it right.

Strymon volante review