Dan's Phaser Showdown

[WorkingClassDan]

Ok, so I've been a bit of a phaser junkie over the years and I've just got another one, so it's a fine time to do a bit of shootout.

 

All four phasers were lined up and tested through a Vox Pathfinder 15R (my practice amp) and Reverend JetStream 390. Deliberately not my finest gear but good for a test.

 

The phasers in the test: Boss PH1r, Electro-Harmonix Nano Small Stone and Prophecysound Infinitphase.

 

First cab off the rank: Boss PH1r

The Boss was my first phaser and this one goes back to 82-83. It's in good nick for its age, although I've just noticed the LED has died recently. Still functions perfectly.

 

The depth of the PH1r is quite extreme. Perhaps even the deepest of this test believe it or not. The sweep is wide and possibly accentuates a bit of dirt/noise and the extremities of the sweep.

 

The speed goes faster than most will need (I'm a fan of slow phasing) but it's the slowest of this bunch.

 

Reliability-wise, this has stood the test of time but I do worry when I use this about its bypass. It may be just in my mind but I feel like I hear the phase throbbing in bypass. The resonance adds some versatility to this phaser. Gets some good psychedelic swoosh with dirt.

 

 

Next up, the Nano Small Stone

I really love this little guy. I picked this up because it's been the phaser of some of my favourite phase users (Radiohead, Pumpkins) and I can see why. It's obviously limited by having a speed knob and 2 position colour switch but with the colour down for a less extreme effect is almost the perfect phase. It's quite bright sounding compared to the others.

 

This edition of the Stone is in a tiny box which is great for pedalboards. With the colour switch up is an extreme sound but a little nasal for my liking.

 

The speed goes up to a speed that's too fast really. You can get that pingy ring moddy sound with this. It's faster than the Boss or Retrosonic. As you raise the speed the intensity seems to rise too and at higher levels can get vibe-like.

 

 

On to the Retrosonic Phaser

This is my newest addition. I'm still sussing it out, so you can take this review with a grain of salt.

 

The speed goes up to a wobbly level, faster than the Boss, not as fast as the Stone.

 

This phaser is supposed to be a clone of the Phase 90 but it seems much less lighter on effect than I remember the phase 90 being. It's quite hi-fi and transparent. This is lighter than I like phasing really, doesn't really get wet. I want to push the depth to almost max all the time I use it (so far). I can get it to sound much like the Stone but it's darker.

 

The level knob is an interesting addition, mostly a set and forget setting.

 

Not feeling the mojo in this one yet. I bought this to replace the Stone and it's a similar size with the addition of the depth knob but I'm not convinced yet.

 

In its favour, it seems brilliantly constructed. It's more polite than some of these pedals and that's not really me.

 

 

Time for the grandaddy, the mighty Infinitphase

 

Firstly, this is in a bigger box than all the other three combined. Fair enough too, when you find out what this is capable of. I've always maintained this does exactly what it says on the tin and that's provide an infinite array of phasing options and sounds.

 

In the interests of fairness to the others, I've tried to compare some of the similar sounds. On the 4 stage setting you can get very similar sounds (which makes perfect sense). The IF (as Mike Both abbreviates it), sounds more hi-fi than any of the pedals here. I put this dowen to its power supply. It take a wall wart at 16V AC.

 

It's obviously extra flexible and can even go to pitch vibrato wobble.

 

I have always found myself using the 6 stage mode. It's a rarer phase sound. Deep without going over the top. The 4 stage sounds more classic and the 8 stage is very watery.

 

The speed can go faster and slower than anything here. With the high speed switch you can go to blippy ring mod pings. Never recorded that sound but it's original.

 

The size makes this a great studio phaser and I'll probably always have it for that role.

 

My model is one of the first ten prototypes and is marked 'Custom Audio Electronics' rather than Prophecysound. It has a 4/6/8 stage switch and the high speed switch mod.

 

The other negative as well as its size, is at some settings there is a volume drop. Not an issue if you're just recording with it. It can seem a little less swooshy than some.

 

Only the Moog might be a contender to this. Possibly the Doppelganger but the Infinitphase stands must at very least shoulder to shoudler with them.

 

 

 

How'd I go? Pass the audition?

[dangerous dan]

Good stuff, nice review. And I'm another Dan with a Phaser addiction.

 

I've got the following EVH Phase 90, Nano Small Clone, old Ibanez PT909, Boss PH-3 (for the comedy value) and my favourite the Hombrew Psilocybe.

 

The Psilocybe is a stunning good sounding phaser, very tweakable and easy to use.

 

I've used to have a Red Witch Tremolo - borrowed it for a year from a mate who was off travelling but alas had to give it back earlier this year.

 

I'm on the lookout for a PH1-R to complete my collection, I find the Ibanez PT909 has a similar sound to it, so I'm not too desperate yet to aquire it.

[WorkingClassDan]

Good stuff, nice review. And I'm another Dan with a Phaser addiction. I've got the following EVH Phase 90, Nano Small Clone, old Ibanez PT909, Boss PH-3 (for the comedy value) and my favourite the Hombrew Psilocybe. The Psilocybe is a stunning good sounding phaser, very tweakable and easy to use. I've used to have a Red Witch Tremolo - borrowed it for a year from a mate who was off travelling but alas had to give it back earlier this year. I'm on the lookout for a PH1-R to complete my collection, I find the Ibanez PT909 has a similar sound to it, so I'm not too desperate yet to aquire it.

 

The PH3 is as digital as they come. I'm not anti-digital per se, but side by side with any decent analog phaser the Ph3 comes off second best. It's a trick phaser though isn't it. Blippy 12 stage or stepped...or mega rise and fall.

 

I think the Ibanezes would be very similar. Haven't got to play them though or the Red Withc yet - I reckon I'd like the Red Witch. Psilocybe seems great too but it's an ugly-ass colour.

[gambit]

nice review. the Boss PH-1r is something i'd really like to try.. bossarea.com says it has something like 16 seconds of sweep at the slowest setting?! that must be pretty unbeatable.

 

i was disappointed that the red witch deluxe can't go so slow. the USA small stone can go slower.. and i think the DOD FX20 can aswell. DOD 201 is the least slow of all my phasers.

 

I'd like to hear the homebrew phaser.. it looks like it could be a good one, but they are like

[inuitdream]

just recently gotten interested in phasers! i currently use an RFX Phase-o-Vibe. It can go really slow to really fast, psychedelic fast (SY's diamond sea). Any suggestions for a phaser that can get as versatile as this? (under 100bucks!)

[WorkingClassDan]

Well the PH1r is versatile and cheap. I'd really go for one of those.

[thebazaar]

cool thread Dan.

the nano is an interesting one.

perhaps when i get back home we can arrange a good day for demoing each others gear. ill bring the tte and hopefully a red witch phaser, which you may like. its a std 4 stage phaser but with a gorgeous lushness to it. probably right up your alley. also nails that 2 stage vibe thing (much like the CC2). So far, its been my favourite phaser.

[WorkingClassDan]

Yeah, we'll have to do a day sometime.

 

For tomorrow's rehearsal I've popped the Retrosonic on my board. Gonna see how it goes for a while. The Red Witch does sound cool.

 

 

 

Where are you now Scott?

[thebazaar]

Still in london. leavin in a week

i tells ya. there are some crazy guitar stores here.

 

spent yesterday in this one place with some of the nicest gear ever

1966 epi casino (the best guitar ever made. i wish i had 2000 quid) and a 70-something strat

 

pedals:

Klon-the hype on this thing is well placed. the perfect strat pedal

Colorsound stuff. i may bring home a tonebender, colordrive and powerboost if funds allow. very righteous english guitar tones

Frantone compressors. still dont think you need to spend more than $100 on a comp.

 

i wish we got this sorta gear at home.

[6StrngStrangler]

Don't forget about about the Subdecay Quasar Phaser and the Moogerfooger 12 Stage Phaser. Excellent Phasers in their own right.

[Fender&EHX4ever]

Does anyone know a good website that explains the technology behind phasers with 2 stages/6 stages/12 stages ?

 

I'm also a phaser junkie, but only with EHX phasers right now. I still need a Bad Stone, and an XO Stereo Polyphase.

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1713663

[dangerous dan]

 

I'd like to hear the homebrew phaser.. it looks like it could be a good one, but they are like

[alteredsounds]

The 2 Ibanez are my favourite phasers, especially the Phase Tone 2, if you see one cheap, grab it! I was just working on the flanger, sounds very nice indeed.

 

[p90teleman]

Does anyone else experience significant volume boost with Dunlop Phase 90?

 

Is Nano Stone better or just different?

[iamthejazz]

I guess it may not technically be a phaser, but I have a good time with my Rotovibe. It's easy to adjust the depth and rate on the fly, and it's even more versatile if you pull off the bottom and adjust the pots inside the unit.

[gambit]

I guess it may not technically be a phaser, but I have a good time with my Rotovibe. It's easy to adjust the depth and rate on the fly, and it's even more versatile if you pull off the bottom and adjust the pots inside the unit.

 

when is was looking at buying a uni-vibe i had a listen to the clips online of the rotovibe and although it wasn't uni-vibe territory i'm recalling an overly lushious phase sound.. its kind of sparked my interest in trying one out..

 

need to find those clips again!

 

what is it actually doing? phase & chorus/vibrato? and what are the trim pots controlling? sounds like it could be quite tweakable..

[BmoreTele]

I did a phaser shootout a while back, but it seems to have been lost in the big computer storm.

 

Ones I have tried -

 

Ibanez PH99 - 4/8 stages, triangle/square wave, positive/negative resonance, nice sound, a little big, uses regular 9v power.

 

3ms phaseur fleur and a 4ms version too - 6 stages, speed, depth, height (moves center frequency), blend (vibrato to smoooooth), ring (resonance). The build quality varies with the maker. These are available as kits, so you don't know if a pro or amayeur wired it up. Lotsa options are available - multiple LFO's, expression pedal controls. I was underwhelmed. Too subtle for me, volume drop.

 

Alesis Faze - from the ModFx line. Digital design for DJ's. Problems with signal level since it was designed for line level use. Digital artifacts to the sounds. But it has some powerful and weird settings - S&H, random, 5 different waveforms, tap tempo.

 

Arion SPH-1 - decent 4 stage phaser - speed, depth, and resonance, two outputs (wet/wet or wet/dry), plastic box. Strong effect.

 

Cusack Tap-A-Phase - very creative design with 24 different waveforms, tap tempo, depth, feedback, color, phaser/vibe switch, presets. Very deep power and controls. The sounds vary. Some of the waveforms including the "random" one are spectacular, others are weak. I also have a Tap-A-Whirl, and feel the multiple waveforms work better with tremolo. The best tap tempo control ever.

 

Digitech HyperPhase - digital artifacts abound. I actually like some Digitech pedals and this one sucks.

 

EHX Stereo PolyPhase - lush phaser with controls to fine tune the sweep in a lot of ways PLUS funky envelope mode. A keeper.

 

Lovepedal Magicboy Vibe - really a 4 stage phaser with an asymmetrical sweep, speed control only. Nice sound. Would be nicer with LED and 9V jack.

 

Sweet Sound MoFaux - another 4 stage, asymmetrical phaser. I prefer this over the Magicboy on tone. The LED and 9V jack don't hurt.

 

Maxon PT999 - simple, speed control only. On the subtle side. Some folks experience volume drop, mine didn't.

 

Moog M103 - 6/12 stage, DEEEEEEEP phasing sound, tons of controls, most of them accessible by expression pedals, cream of the crop.

 

Pigtronix EP-1 - mixed results. Very funky envelope mode. Noticeable clock noise in early versions. Add-on mods fill out the potential of the pedal, but they come at extra cost. Big awkward sized pedal, proprietary power supply.

 

Prophecysound Infinitphase - another very creative design, tons of controls, hard to find the same sound twice, some volume drop. Excellent studio tool.

 

Rastop Phaser/Vibrato - small box, strong phasing, has a distinctive voice, I had this pedal twice and I may get another one, very seductive, plus you can get it customized to suit your needs.

 

Red Witch Deluxe Moon Phaser - very nice tones, strange control labelling (Velocity, Cosmology, Trajectory) made tweaking a little more challenging, but almost every setting was a winner. Big "pop" on TB switch.

 

Subdecay Quasar - simple plus. 4 stages plus +/- resonance, big range of great tones. I tried this in a tour box and it's on my GAS list.

 

Sobbatt Phasebraker 2 - phaser, resonant phaser, and vibrato modes. Wide speed range. Another distinctive voice. Works well with dirt pedals.

 

Studio Electronics ModMax Phasor - I had this one twice too. Too many controls for me. Another good studio tool. Shares the same control parameters with the Ring Mod and Filter versions and some just don't work with the Phasor. This makes for a buncha cool tones hidden among lotsa wacky tones. For future reference - 2 stage square wave phasing is tremolo. This one does have S&H and three kinds of envelope controlled phasing (speed, depth, center frequency) and they can be combined.

 

The ones I still have - Ibanez PH99, Faze, SPH-1, PolyPhase, Sobbatt, Moog, MoFaux.

 

Ones I would still like to try - TC XII, Toadworks Phantasm, Quasar, HBE Psilocybe, Maxon PH350.

[gambit]

good stuff!

[Grinder63]

Fantastic thread. I've been shopping for a phaser recently. Still haven't found my match.

 

dangerous dan, is the EVH Phase 90 a gimmick or is it good?

 

G.

[WorkingClassDan]

I liked the EVH phaser but don't like paying extra to show allegiance to another guitarist.

[Purplexi]

I've tried most of the above except the 4ms.The Phantasm sounds really great.I didn't get to try out all of it's six stage features but it had incredible fidelity at high vol levels.

[aeon]

First cab off the rank: Boss PH1r The depth of the PH1r is quite extreme. Perhaps even the deepest of this test believe it or not. The sweep is wide and possibly accentuates a bit of dirt/noise and the extremities of the sweep...Gets some good psychedelic swoosh with dirt.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the reviews. The Boss sounds tasty.

 

That said, I know my next two phasers will be the forthcoming Diamond and the Moog.

 

Right now I use an Electro-Harmonix Small Stone w/analogman mod, Lovetone Doppleganger, and fully-blown ProphecySound infinitphase mkII.

 

And yes, analog phasing is the business.

 

 

cheers,

Ian

[willburford]

Can the psilocybe cop a small stone sound?

 

I'm trying to decide between the two..

[D34dBaWx]

i have a boss ps-3 i didnt realize it was that terrible. sounds cool to me.

[WorkingClassDan]

The PH-3 is weird and it's easy to think it's cool. But only when you put it alongside an analog phaser do you go "eek, this sounds like poo!"

 

I'm not against digital. I may have said that before, but it was one time when the digital thing grabbed me and made me puke.