Trying Out the Strymon V2 Series!

Strymon's six compact pedal products from theV2 series have been redesigned for 2022. Since many of the models do not change much in appearance, many guitarists may be wondering in what ways they have been upgraded. This time, as the Sound House staff who’s in charge of effects pedals, I would like to share with you my review and impressions of the 6 products from the V2 series by actually playing them!

Overall Impression of the V2 Series

For guitarists who love effects pedals, the look of the pedals is also important. Upon seeing the actual products, I felt that all of them looked cool with their solid aluminum bodies! Judging from their texture, I thought they must be quite heavy, but when I actually touched and lifted them, I was a little surprised to find that they were lighter than I had expected. I think guitarists will be happy to have such a durable and lightweight specification when mounting it onto an effects board.
All Strymon models are MIDI-compatible, using both TRS and USB-C cables, and can be used with a MIDI controller for very fine control! If you collect several pedals from Strymon, you can use them like a multi-effects pedal!

Now, let me tell you my impressions of each product as I actually played them!

STRYMON /
blueSky V2

First up is the BlueSky V2 reverb pedal. The old model is said to have revolutionized reverb in the compact pedal world with its high quality.
As with the previous model, there are three reverb types: Plate, Room, and Spring. The previous model had three selectable modes, Norm, Mod, and Shimmer, but the V2 replaced them with a Mod switch. It allows you to select from Off, Light, and Deep Modes, which seems to have expanded the range of reverb arrangements.
One thing I wanted to particularly mention is the newly added Shimmer knob! The Shimmer sound is characterized by a synth-like sound with shimmering overtones, which is created by adding notes an octave above the original note. In the previous model, you had to use a toggle switch to activate the Shimmer mode, but now you can add a tone to the reverb sound by simply turning the knob an octave higher and 5 degrees higher for the Room reverb, and an octave lower for the Spring reverb. The Spring reverb can add a note one octave higher and one octave lower. When I actually used it, I felt like I was playing guitar in a church with a massive organ in the background! This sound that made me want to play forever!

STRYMON /
El Capistan V2

The next pedal I played was the El Capistan V2, a pedal that thoroughly reproduces the unique fat and warm tape sound! I was very impressed with the reproduction of the unique analog tape sound with a very high degree of accuracy. As with the previous model, the head mode can be selected from Fixed, Multi, and Single, allowing for detailed simulation settings. Also, as one of the advantages of it being digital, the delay time can be synchronized by MIDI control, so you can get a truly hybrid analog-digital sound!
The Spring knob, new to V2, recreates the sound of the small spring reverb tanks that used to be inside tape echo machines! The Tape Age knob can cover a wide range of sounds, from new, stable echoes to the noisy sounds of the old, worn-out reverbs. Combined together, these features make it possible to pursue sounds with retro textures!

STRYMON /
FLINT V2

FLINT includes two types of effects: reverb and tremolo. After touching all the models, I felt that the FLINT V2 was the simplest to operate among the V2 series. It seems to have specifications that make it easy to handle for beginners who are not accustomed to operating pedals.
The LFO speed range of the Speed knob was wider than the previous model. This effects pedal can be used for a variety of music regardless of genre, as it can produce sounds ranging from very slow wavering to intense tremolo sounds!
There are many models with spring reverb in the V2 series, but the '60s mode of this model in particular is my favorite because it has a very realistic and vivid spring sound!

STRYMON /
Lex V2

The Lex V2 reproduces the sound of a vintage rotary speaker. 2 knobs and 2 switches have been added from the previous model, and the knobs have been changed from black to white. This model looks the most different from the previous one among the 6 products. The retro visual appearance of THE rotary speaker is very nice.
The most noteworthy feature is the added Mic Distance knob. Turning the knob to the left gives it a slightly rough sound n, while turning it to the right gives a mellow sound! Other new features include an MIC switch that allows you to choose between front and rear microphone position, and a Ramp switch that allows you to control the rotor rise speed in three speeds. The added functions give the impression that the range of sound creation has been greatly improved over the previous model.

STRYMON /
DECO V2

Deco is a tape saturation effect that reproduces the sound of an open-reel tape machine, which is rare among guitar effect pedals. This was my first time using a tape saturation effect pedal, and although it is a digital device, the tone of its analog-era sound was shockingly good!
One of the major changes from the previous model is the addition of a Tone knob. This allows adjustment of tones from dark to bright, making it easier to create sounds than previous models. The Voice switch allows the selection of two modes, Classic and Cassette. Compared to other effect pedals, it does not have flashy effects and is a bit of a guitar nerd effect, but its uniqueness is very appealing! Although I prefer retro sound creation, I also wanted one when I started playing with it lol.

STRYMON /
DIG V2

DIG V2 is a unit that contains two different types of delays: a rack delay developed in the 1980s and a modern delay in the style of Strymon. As same as the previous model, there are 3 types of delays; ADM, 12 bit, and 24/96. The crystal clear delay sound of the 24/96 mode, which is a high-resolution delay, is especially amazing. It is indeed a very good example of Strymon! (FYI, for a detailed explanation of the three delay types, please refer to the manufacturer's official DOG: Technical White Paper! It's a must-read!)

The major change from the previous model is the addition of a Tone knob. It’s responsible for the filtering function of the feedback sound, allowing for easy adjustment of detailed sound nuances!
It allows for extremely complex settings by synchronizing two types of echoes, so it is a pedal for rather advanced players. However, complex sounds will pop out just by touching the knob, so I recommend that you try it without thinking too hard!

Conclusion

How was it? I hope you were able to see what makes Strymon's V2 series so appealing! All models are MIDI-compatible, which allows you to have more control at your feet, so if you are worried about spatial pedals, why not incorporate one into your effects pedalboard! Its sound quality and ease of use will surely take your board to the next level! Have a nice Strymon life!