Strymon Volante magentic echo
- fuzzjunkie
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Strymon Volante magentic echo
https://www.strymon.net/products/volante/
I thought this would be posted already, since it seems to be the only pedal creating buzz at NAMM 2019, but I really wish they had brought it out 3 years ago.
I rebuilt my board a couple of years ago and really wanted a pedal like this. There were other pedals doing Echoplex and Echorec and Space Echo sounds, but not all in one box.
The Volante does all 3 in 1, which is exactly what I wanted, plus a decent spring reverb and a saturated pre-amp tone and a few cool sound tweaks, plus note divisions. How cool is it to dial from a straight note tempo, to triplets, to Fibonacci ratios without breaking out a calculator?!?
Other than the size and only one memory slot, what are the drawbacks? Price? I would pay that! At least 2-3 years ago I would have. I may still, as I do like me some echo and delay.
I use a Strymon El Capistan and an Eventide Time Factor for my delays. Sure, one box could replace two, actually three since there is a pre-amp as well, but with only 2 presets I would have to spend an inordinate amount of time twisting knobs between songs. I have 8 presets on the Time Factor and 2 on the El Capistan that I can use separately or combine to achieve any of the Volante sounds that I would want. On its own it sounds great, and has an intuitive layout, but for me it doesn’t beat having easy access to 16-18 sounds.
Still a neat box, I might still get one, just not for my main board.
I thought this would be posted already, since it seems to be the only pedal creating buzz at NAMM 2019, but I really wish they had brought it out 3 years ago.
I rebuilt my board a couple of years ago and really wanted a pedal like this. There were other pedals doing Echoplex and Echorec and Space Echo sounds, but not all in one box.
The Volante does all 3 in 1, which is exactly what I wanted, plus a decent spring reverb and a saturated pre-amp tone and a few cool sound tweaks, plus note divisions. How cool is it to dial from a straight note tempo, to triplets, to Fibonacci ratios without breaking out a calculator?!?
Other than the size and only one memory slot, what are the drawbacks? Price? I would pay that! At least 2-3 years ago I would have. I may still, as I do like me some echo and delay.
I use a Strymon El Capistan and an Eventide Time Factor for my delays. Sure, one box could replace two, actually three since there is a pre-amp as well, but with only 2 presets I would have to spend an inordinate amount of time twisting knobs between songs. I have 8 presets on the Time Factor and 2 on the El Capistan that I can use separately or combine to achieve any of the Volante sounds that I would want. On its own it sounds great, and has an intuitive layout, but for me it doesn’t beat having easy access to 16-18 sounds.
Still a neat box, I might still get one, just not for my main board.
- maortojn
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
It actually has 8 presets! From Strymons website:
But yeah, I'm still waiting for more clips. I'm especially curious about the sound-on-sound mode and how that flows with live playing. Also interested about Frippertronic applications...Even without using MIDI, Volante gives you instant access to eight presets. The playback/feedback buttons represent preset locations, and you can use the FAVORITE footswitch to recall from or save to any of those eight locations. Of course, if eight is not enough, MIDI gives you access to 300 preset locations!
- fuzzjunkie
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
8 presets! That changes my outlook a little, or a lot. Hmm. Somehow I missed that after looking at 3 reviews and 2 videos?
I really like the low cut dial. That is something integral to the sound of tape that gets left off almost all the emulators, everyone just wants to roll off the high end and make it “Warm.” That and random modulation which this unit has, or sounds like it does? The Wampler is the only tape delay emulator that did this previously that I know of and the Fairfield Circuitry analog delay does, but it isn’t trying to sound like tape. Multiple, selectable heads with independent feedback and being able to go from straight to triplets to golden ratio at the tap of a foot are all something I have wished for.
I really like the low cut dial. That is something integral to the sound of tape that gets left off almost all the emulators, everyone just wants to roll off the high end and make it “Warm.” That and random modulation which this unit has, or sounds like it does? The Wampler is the only tape delay emulator that did this previously that I know of and the Fairfield Circuitry analog delay does, but it isn’t trying to sound like tape. Multiple, selectable heads with independent feedback and being able to go from straight to triplets to golden ratio at the tap of a foot are all something I have wished for.
- Telliot
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
That’s pretty great. I can see that working nicely as a studio tool, too.
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.
- Unicorn Warrior
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
I've been thinking about switching my eventide for something else. I like it, but wondering about these
- Larry Mal
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
Get that dub album done finally.
Cool pedal.
Cool pedal.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.
- Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
This seems like something that would be perfect for my bass rig. The only thing that concerns me is that every time I hear something that's DSP, it sounds great in demos, but in person sounds completely lackluster. I love that it's a looper too. I wonder how easy it is to go from delay to looper. If the reverb had its own foot switch, it would be almost perfect for me.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
- Embenny
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
Have you used Strymon pedals before? Nothing lackluster about them. They're the real deal.Shadoweclipse13 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 4:49 pmThis seems like something that would be perfect for my bass rig. The only thing that concerns me is that every time I hear something that's DSP, it sounds great in demos, but in person sounds completely lackluster. I love that it's a looper too. I wonder how easy it is to go from delay to looper. If the reverb had its own foot switch, it would be almost perfect for me.
I know what you mean though. I've tried a lot of terrible digital stuff in the past. Strymon is up there with Fractal and Kemper as the heralds of a new era of digital stuff that actually sounds - and feels - incredible.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- JVG
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
I like rhythmic delays, and this thing looks like it's got some serious options in that department.
Hopefully some comparison videos will pop up on YouTube to show how it sounds relative to stuff we're familiar with.
Cheers
J
Hopefully some comparison videos will pop up on YouTube to show how it sounds relative to stuff we're familiar with.
Cheers
J
- Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
I had a Blue Sky a few years back. I had it for a good few months. I loved what I heard from the demos, but it didn't sound right to me.mbene085 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:25 amHave you used Strymon pedals before? Nothing lackluster about them. They're the real deal.
I know what you mean though. I've tried a lot of terrible digital stuff in the past. Strymon is up there with Fractal and Kemper as the heralds of a new era of digital stuff that actually sounds - and feels - incredible.
It's like movie special effects: when they are practical effects, you know they're real because they look and feel real. But with CGI, even good CGI, you're not sure if it's real. That's how I felt with the Blue Sky. It's weird that I felt that way with reverb, as reverb is the one effect that sounding digital wouldn't be terrible thing compared to other effects for me.
It also didn't help that Strymon really packs things in with hidden features, which is also something I'm not a fan of with pedals.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
- mordecainyc
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
This! So much. I've always had this exact feeling with Strymon pedals too, but never heard anyone else express it before.I had a Blue Sky a few years back. I had it for a good few months. I loved what I heard from the demos, but it didn't sound right to me.
It's like movie special effects: when they are practical effects, you know they're real because they look and feel real. But with CGI, even good CGI, you're not sure if it's real. That's how I felt with the Blue Sky. It's weird that I felt that way with reverb, as reverb is the one effect that sounding digital wouldn't be terrible thing compared to other effects for me.
- Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
Cool that I'm not the only one. I mean, sure, it sounded better than the Mooer stuff, but it just wasn't right for me. It does make me cautious about the Volante, but I have to admit, I'm still very interested in the Volante.mordecainyc wrote: ↑Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:06 pmThis! So much. I've always had this exact feeling with Strymon pedals too, but never heard anyone else express it before.I had a Blue Sky a few years back. I had it for a good few months. I loved what I heard from the demos, but it didn't sound right to me.
It's like movie special effects: when they are practical effects, you know they're real because they look and feel real. But with CGI, even good CGI, you're not sure if it's real. That's how I felt with the Blue Sky. It's weird that I felt that way with reverb, as reverb is the one effect that sounding digital wouldn't be terrible thing compared to other effects for me.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
- SadFuzz
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
I dont think it looks nice. I can't afford it and have no need for it at this stage, but the look isn't nice for me anyway. Ugly colour.
icerinkband.bandcamp.com
- fuzzjunkie
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
Agree on the ugly color. It looks like they decided to match the color of the old Echorec but I would have rather they went Echoplex or Watkins Copicat for the color palette or just went with grey like the El Capistan or black like the Magneto.
- Shadoweclipse13
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Re: Strymon Volante magentic echo
I like the color just because it's not the same common color that so many other pedals use. It's unique, and I like that. That said, my favorite pedal color is the brown that's on the Catalinbread Echorec.
Pickup Switching Mad Scientist
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104282&p=1438384#p1438384