[Product Review] Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II by YamashiRoll

The “Phaser” is a typical modulation pedal that adds swells to the sound by using phase shifts and modulations.
You can hear these phaser sounds in many psychedelic and experimental music from the 1970’s.
This time, I tried out the Mutation Phasor II from Warm Audio, a manufacturer that has become popular recently for their reproduction of classic masterpieces at a low cost.

My first impression before playing this pedal was so overwhelmingly big for a pedal.
Although it’s smaller than the vintage pedal that was likely the original, the Mutation Phasor II can never be considered to be a small pedal by today’s standards where pedals are a lot more compact and musicians have to contend with the big issue of limited real estate on their pedal boards.
This size is where the manufacturer’s strong respect for the original pedal lies.
Some say that the size of the pedal casing may or may not affect the sound, but it is up to you whether you believe that or not.
The Mutation Phasor II has three knobs: Rate, Depth, and Feedback, and is powered by 9VDC.

When I tried out this Mutation Phasor II, I used an S-style Yamaha Pacifica USA-2 guitar with a clean channel on the Mesa Boogie Triple Crown50 amp, and a Shure SM57 mic to record on DAW software.

Now, let’s check out 5 different demos for the Mutation Phasor II.

■[Product Review] Warm Audio/Mutation Phasor II by YamashiRoll

01 Fusion Strumming

I set the Rate to 2 without increasing the speed of the swell too much, the Depth is also set to 3 and is shallow, and the Feedback is optional but I set it to 6 here.
The unique swell is different from that of a wah and it gives a groove to the sound and makes it nice and funky.

02 Neo-Soul Fingerpicking

Using almost the same settings as 01, but I personally recommend using the phaser effect as a hidden effect while retaining the nuance and attack of fingerpicking.

03 Jazz/Blues Walking Bass

Here, I raised both the Rate and the Depth to 4 in order to make the effect sound like a rotary speaker. This gives an organ-like nuance to the sound.

04 Pop Chord Arpeggio

I set all the knobs to 2 to add a slight effect.
The phaser effect gives the sound a fizzy depth even in simple phrases. This is another favorite setting of mine and it just makes me want to keep playing.

05 Rock Distortion Riff

This is a setting where a phaser is connected after the distortion.
Compared to the clean sound, the effect is more obvious and bold, and can emphasize the harshness and impact of the sound. It is sure to inspire your new riff ideas.
*The overdrive pedal I used here is the ODD Box v1 from the same Warm Audio.

My overall impression on the Mutation Phasor II is that the sound is fat, the knobs work well, it works well with both clean and distortion sounds, and it has an overwhelming presence with individuality.
For these demo performances, I mostly created settings that this pedal can be a good mix for a band ensemble with low Rate and Depth as my personal preference, but of course it can also be used to add a new dimension to the sound with high Rate and Depth settings.
Many possibilities are hidden in this square box and they are left to the player’s imagination and taste.
The Mutation Phasor II is a recommended pedal for those who want to add impact and character to their sounds.
Take the Mutation Phasor II on your journey into the enchanted world of swells.

コラム「sound＆person」は、皆様からの投稿によって成り立っています。
投稿についての詳細はこちら