The Broughton Audio Wavering Radiant is an all-analog tremolo pedal that varies your guitar's volume rhythmically, from a gentle swell to a hard pulse. Broughton Audio describes it as delivering "a warm vintage tremolo without sacrificing lows or highs," and the design is an homage to the vintage Nobels TR-X tremolo. At its core is a genuine and rare Vactrol, which the maker says is true to the original units and ensures authentic response. Each pedal is hand made and individually tuned for maximum effect.1
What a Vactrol tremolo does
A tremolo pedal modulates the volume of your signal, so the sound rises and falls at a rate you set. Where many modern tremolos do this with digital control or optical chips designed for other purposes, the Wavering Radiant uses a Vactrol, a light-dependent component pairing an LED with a photoresistor. Broughton Audio calls the Vactrol in this pedal genuine and rare, and says the all-analog design is true to the original units it honors. For a player, the appeal is a vintage-style tremolo response in a compact, hand-made pedal.1
The controls
The pedal keeps things simple: two knobs and a four-position mode switch.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Controls the rate of the LFO1 |
| Level | Fine tunes the gain to match the level needed for the desired tremolo1 |
| Tone | Allows some highs to be unaffected by the tremolo1 |
| Mode switch | Gives four different low frequency oscillators (LFO)1 |
The Mode switch selects among four LFO shapes:
- A soft triangle wave for a gentle effect1
- A soft square wave for a pulse effect1
- A hard triangle wave for a dramatic rise and fall1
- A fourth LFO mode, listed on the maker's product page alongside the other three1
The Tone control is worth noting if you play bright single coils: because it lets some highs pass unaffected by the tremolo, the modulation can sit behind the top end rather than swallowing it. The Level control then lets you match output volume so engaging the pedal does not jump or drop your level.1
Power, size and practical details
The Wavering Radiant requires a 9V DC power supply, which is not included, with a standard Boss style connector and center negative polarity. Current draw is 10 mA, so it fits comfortably on a standard pedalboard supply. The maker's product page does not mention a battery option.1
The pedal needs its own 9V DC center negative supply, which is not included in the box. There is no battery option listed, so budget a power supply output for it.
At 4.77 inches long by 2.6 inches wide, the enclosure is compact enough to slot into a tight board layout. Broughton Audio covers its products for one year to the original owner.1
Questions
Is the Broughton Audio Wavering Radiant true bypass?
Yes. Broughton Audio states that the Wavering Radiant has a true bypass switch, so the pedal's circuit is removed from your signal chain entirely when it is switched off. That matters on a pedalboard where you want the tremolo out of the path until you engage it, and it pairs well with other true bypass pedals without adding buffering to your signal.
Does the Wavering Radiant take a battery?
No. Broughton Audio lists the pedal as requiring a 9V DC power supply, and the supply is not included with the pedal. There is no battery option mentioned on the maker's product page, so plan on a power supply with a standard Boss style, center negative connector.
What power supply does the Wavering Radiant need?
The Wavering Radiant needs a 9V DC supply with center negative polarity, using a standard Boss style connector. The supply is not included, and the pedal draws 10 mA, which is light enough for most pedalboard power supplies. Broughton Audio does not list a battery option for this pedal.
How big is the Broughton Audio Wavering Radiant?
Broughton Audio lists the pedal's dimensions as 4.77 inches long by 2.6 inches wide. That is a compact footprint by pedalboard standards, so it fits alongside other pedals on a crowded board without taking up much room.
What is the warranty on Broughton Audio pedals?
Broughton Audio covers its products for one year to the original owner. That warranty applies to the Wavering Radiant as well as the rest of the company's pedal range, and it applies only to the person who bought the pedal originally.
Sources (1)
- Wavering Radiant, Broughton Audio