The Colortone RoundHouse is a multi-mode tremolo pedal with a preamp and a spring reverb, voiced after a Silverface amp's onboard reverb. It offers three modulation modes: Harmonic Tremolo, Optical Tremolo and Vibe. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as Colortone's "luscious multi mode tremolo pedal featuring three modulation modes"1. For a player, it covers a lot of the classic tremolo and rotary-style territory in one box, with reverb and saturation shaping what feeds the modulation circuit.
The three modes
Each mode approaches the tremolo effect differently:
- HARM (Harmonic Tremolo): a Magnatone-style harmonic tremolo. Premier Guitar describes it as adding "a more complex and modern Magnatone-style tremolo sound that brings depth and dimension to the user's playing"2.
- OPT (Optical Tremolo): a classic, vintage tremolo sound with warm and smooth waveforms, in the manner of an optical tremolo circuit2.
- VIBE: emulates the classic psychedelic sound of a rotating speaker, which Premier Guitar notes is "perfect for adding a unique flavor to guitar sounds"2.
The modulation mode switch selects between the three1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| SPEED | Adjusts modulation speed2 |
| Modulation mode switch | Selects between the modulation modes1 |
| Wave shape switch | Selects between triangle, sine and square waves1 |
| Phase | Changes the peak of the LFO wave towards the beginning or end of the cycle, creating a more pulsating effect1 |
| Mix | Blends the effects with the clean signal to taste1 |
| Reverb | Controls the intensity/mix of reverb added to the input feeding the modulation circuit; a classic Silverface amp style reverb with a static decay time1 |
The Reverb and Saturation (Grain) controls sit at the input of the circuit and can be dialed in to excite the pulse and sustain of the effect1. The Phase knob deserves a second look: it reshapes the LFO cycle itself, so two pedals set to the same speed and depth can still pulse differently depending on where the wave peaks1.
The square wave shape is not selectable in Vibe mode1. If your sounds rely on a hard-edged square LFO, you will be using the triangle or sine shapes there.
Footswitches and the speed multiplier
The BYPASS footswitch activates relay-based soft touch true bypass12. The Tap Tempo footswitch does more than set the speed: a sustained hold activates a momentary Speed multiplier, which ramps the speed up to a multiple of the current setting while the switch is held1.
At slower modulation speeds the ramp time is relatively slow, emulating a mechanical rotary speaker changing speed1. That makes the held-Tap function particularly at home in Vibe mode, where a slow speed-up is part of the rotating-speaker character.
RoundHouse compared to the Colortone VibroVerb
Colortone later released the VibroVerb, a full stereo LFO multi-modulator with optical tremolo, harmonic tremolo and Rotovibe rotary modes, plus three presets. Reviewing it for Guitar Pedal X, Stefan Karlsson drew a direct line between the two pedals:
"The Roundhouse erred towards subtle a lot of the time - while the VibroVerb delivers a more full-on JAM Pedals style experience - where the waveform is almost tactile!"3
In other words, if you have played a RoundHouse and found its effect on the gentle side, the VibroVerb pushes the same family of sounds harder and adds stereo and presets. The RoundHouse remains the simpler, more compact take on the multi-mode formula3.
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Questions
Is the Colortone RoundHouse true bypass?
Yes. The BYPASS footswitch activates what Colortone describes as relay-based soft touch true bypass, so the pedal takes itself out of the signal path entirely when off. The relay switching is a step up from the simple mechanical footswitches found on many pedals and is designed for quiet, reliable engagement.
Does the RoundHouse have tap tempo?
Yes. The RoundHouse has a dedicated Tap Tempo footswitch. It also has a secondary function: a sustained hold on the Tap switch activates a momentary Speed multiplier, which ramps the modulation speed up to a multiple of the current setting while the switch is held down. At slower speeds the ramp time is relatively slow, emulating a mechanical rotary speaker changing speed.
Can you use a square wave in Vibe mode on the RoundHouse?
No. The wave shape switch selects between triangle, sine and square waves, but according to Delicious Audio the square shape is not selectable in Vibe mode. In Vibe mode you are limited to the triangle and sine shapes, with the Phase knob available to reshape the LFO cycle further.
How does the RoundHouse compare to the Colortone VibroVerb?
Both pedals come from Colortone and share the multi-modulation approach, but reviewer Stefan Karlsson at Guitar Pedal X found the RoundHouse erred towards subtle a lot of the time, while the VibroVerb delivers a fuller, more full-on output profile in the style of JAM Pedals. The VibroVerb is also a full stereo unit with preset storage.
Sources (3)
- Colortone RoundHouse Multi-Mode Tremolo, Delicious Audio, 2024-04-26
- Colortone Introduces Trio of Guitar Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2023-08-23
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-23