
Could this distortion machine be too powerful for its own good?
Mind-boggling number of options. Excellent modulation tones.
Mind-boggling number of options. Limited control without the desktop or mobile editor.
$249
Source Audio Ultrawave Multiband Processor
sourceaudio.net
Source Audio's new Ultrawave Multiband Processor lives where distortion, tremolo, and EQ all intersect. It can generate everything from lo-fi fuzz freakouts to synth-pop pulses and beyond. At first glance, the control interface seems simple enough: a four-knob, one-toggle setup. However, those initial assumptions would grossly underestimate the power that lies underneath the hood, and the complex tone recipes that are possible.
Source Audio's processing-intensive pedals are always pushing the boundaries of control and tweakability. The key to the Ultrawave is its multiband capabilities, which enables the pedal to split a signal into 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, or 10 frequency bands and process each one individually. There are 37 different band-splitting options and 44 types of distortion inside the Ultrawave. By my calculations that means there's just enough combinations to get through a blues jam, a Muse tribute gig, and an after-hours space-psych session in the same night and still have scores of unexplored tones left over.
All clips were recorded with a Fender Stratocaster and a Revv D20 loaded with a Two-Notes virtual 1x12 cab and 57-style microphone.
Playinā With the Bands
Hooking your stomp up to your computer for deeper editing is essential to getting the most out of the Ultrawave, because there are loads of editable parameters that are not accessible otherwise. When you first open the editor, you face a somewhat imposing array of options. The heart of the editor is the distortion controls section, which allows you to choose distortion type, as well as band-splitting and tremolo options. But as scary as it might look at first, it was big fun simply cycling through the distortion options and moving the sliders up and down looking for happy accidents. And because the Ultrawave allows you to manipulate frequency groups individually, you can, for instance, dirty up your low end while allowing high-end information to ring cleanly. I also loved tones with a cleaner midrange and a filthy low end. The editor even has a very powerful and flexible compressor. The number of possibilities is impressive.
It was big fun simply cycling through the distortion options and moving the sliders up and down looking for happy accidents.
Distortion highlights included the foldback and octave settings. Foldback-style distortion (where the peaks of distorted waveforms are inverted rather than regularly clipped) isn't that common in guitar pedals. It's a cool effect that can lend a throbbing intensity and extra high end to your signal, among other things. Meanwhile, in the octave settings, you can cop subtle vintage-style tones or full-on freakouts with fuzz and feedback. According to Source Audio, the octave effects are created using a proprietary technology rather than traditional full-wave rectification. Determining precisely what affect Source Audio's octave-generating methods have on the output is difficult to determine, but I found the audible results to be unusually smooth and well suited to the complex distortion and tremolo effects.
The multiband tremolo also offers many tweaking options. You can place the tremolo either before or after the dirt and choose between a host of different band styles. For me, the more unsettling the rhythm, the better, and some modulations are intense enough to make you lose your musical lunchāin the very best way! Each band style offered non-traditional options that drove to create stuttering loops.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the Ultrawave also has extensive I/O options for those who want to experiment with the stereo spectrum, utilize the pedal's two independent channels, or alter parameters on the fly with full expression-pedal control. We're used to Source Audio packing a ton of features into their pedals, but kudos are due to the development team for creating such a unique and varied effect in a standard-sized stomp.
The Verdict
Though extreme and unusual effects are plentiful in the Ultrawave, its tone palette is broad. Finding a sound that suits you is just a matter of dedicated tweaking. It's an extremely powerful sound processor, but that power does come with a rather hefty learning curve once you dive into the editor, which is probably more essential to getting the most from the pedal than traditionalists would like. Thankfully Source Audio has a free, easy-to-download collection of Ultrawave presets and an active community of users with their own presets and tips to share. If you live on the bleeding edge of distortion sounds and enjoy mixing modulation, then the Ultrawave might be the best thing going.
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PG contributor Tom Butwin reveals his favorite songwriting secret weapon: the partial capo. Watch how the Shubb C7 and C8 can simulate alternate tunings without retuning your guitarāand spark fresh creative ideas instantly.
Shubb C8b Partial Capo for Drop-D Tuning - Brass
The C8 covers five of the six strings, leaving either the low E or high E string open, depending on how it's positioned.
- Standard setup: Placed on the 2nd fret while leaving the low E string open, it simulates Drop D-style soundsāexcept you're still in standard tuning (key of E). You get that big, droning bass feel without retuning.
- Reverse setup: Flipping the capo allows the high E string to ring, giving you shimmering drones and new melodic options across familiar chord shapes.
- A flexible tool that lets you simulate alternate tunings and create rich sonic texturesāall while keeping your guitar in standard tuning.
Shubb C7b Partial Capo for DADGAD Tuning - Brass
The C7 covers three of the six stringsāeither D, G, and B or A, D, and Gādepending on how it's flipped.
- Typical setup (D, G, B): Creates an open A chord shape at the 2nd fret without needing your fingers. This frees you up for new voicings and droning notes in the key of A.
- Reversed setup (A, D, G): Gets you close to a DADGAD-style tuning vibe, but still keeps you in standard tuningāgreat for modal, spacious textures often found in folk or cinematic guitar parts.
Use it alone or stack it with the C8 for wild, layered effects and truly out-of-the-box inspiration.
The Future Impact V4 is an incredibly versatile pedal with an exceptional range of sounds. In addition to producing synthesizer sounds such as basses, leads and pads, it can function as an octaver, chorus, flanger, phaser, distortion, envelope filter, traditional wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, etc., and even has a built-in tuner. It can potentially replace an entire pedalboard of dedicated single-effect pedals.
The very powerful signal processor of the Future Impact V4 is able to replicate the various oscillator, filter, amplifier and envelope generator blocks found in classic synthesizers. In addition, it contains signal processing blocks more traditionally used for processing the sound of an instrument such as a harmonizer block and audio effects such as chorus, distortion and EQ. These architectures complement each other in a very flexible way.
Setting the standard for the bass guitar synth pedals since 2015, together with an enthusiastic community and long line of great artists, the Future Impact V4 is the guitar synth platform for the next decade.
Belltone Guitars has partnered Brickhouse Toneworks to create a one-of-a-kind, truly noiseless Strat/Tele-tone pickup in a standard FilterāTron size format: the Single-Bell pickup.
The Single-Bell by Brickhouse Toneworks delivers bonafide single-coil Strat and Tele tones with the power of a P-90 and no 60-cycle hum. Unlike typical stacked hum-cancelling designs, Brickhouse Toneworks uses a proprietary āsidewindā approach that cancels the 60-cycle hum without sacrificing any of the dynamics or top-end sparkle of a Fender-style single coil.
Get the best of both worlds with clear bell-like tones on the neck pickup, signature quack when combining the neck and bridge pickups, and pristine twang in the bridge position backed with the fullness and power of a P-90. Push these into overdrive and experience the hallmark blues tone with plenty of grit and harmonic sustain ā all with completely noiseless performance.
Key Features of the Single-Bell:
- Cast Alnico 5 Magnet, designed to be used with 500k pots
- Voiced to capture that signature Fender-style single coil tone without the 60-cycle hum
- Lightly potted to minimize squeal
- Made in the USA with premium quality materials
The retail price for a Bridge and Neck matching set is $340.00 and theyāre available directly and exclusively through BelltoneĀ® Guitars / Brickhouse Toneworks at belltoneguitars.com.
Designed for players who demand flexibility without sacrificing tone, the Aquanaut fuses the rich warmth of classic analog delay with the extended range and clarity of modern digital designs. Featuring up to 600 milliseconds of delay time, the Aquanaut easily covers everything from tight slapback echoes to lush, ambient textures and rhythmic soundscapes ā all with a simple, intuitive control layout.
Unlike many digital delays that can sound sterile and detached, the Aquanaut retains an organic, analog-inspired voice. Repeats are smooth and musical, gently fading into the mix to create depth and dimension without overwhelming your dry signal. Whether youāre chasing vintage tape echo, adding subtle space to your solos, or building massive atmospheric layers, the Aquanaut keeps your tone clear, present, and inspiring.
Berserker Electronics Aquanaut Delay/Echo
Key features include:
- Up to 600ms of delay time for expanded creative possibilities
- Analog-voiced digital architecture for warm, natural-sounding repeats
- Ambient-style echo that enhances, not distracts from, your core tone
- Simple, intuitive controls for delay time, feedback, and blend
The Aquanaut is available direct at www.berserkerpedals.com and Reverb at a $149 street price.