The Diffractor Soundings Arboretum Stereo Tremolo is a stereo tremolo pedal designed, as Pedal of the Day put it, "to be a truly versatile stereo tremolo"1. It sits in the broader family of Tremolo Pedals, but it is built to go further than the standard volume-chop effect: a Mode feature takes it beyond classic tremolo use into experimental territory, and the stereo design lets the effect move across two channels rather than a single mono output1.
What it does
At its core, the Arboretum is a tremolo, the effect that rhythmically varies the volume of your signal. What sets it apart is the LFO, the low-frequency oscillator that shapes that volume movement. In the Arboretum it is digital, and it was "specifically created to be able to offer a wide variety of waveforms to modulate the input signal," while the signal path itself stays fully analog1.
The waveform selection runs from sine to square. Pedal of the Day described the range as spanning "the warmth of a sine waveform to the 'hardness' of a choppy square waveform," giving players a choice between smooth, traditional swells and hard-edged, percussive chops1.
The Mode feature is where the pedal departs from a conventional tremolo. According to the review, "it is the 'Mode' feature that makes this pedal particular, as it allows you to go way beyond the 'classic' use" of a tremolo, opening the pedal up to experimental sounds1.
Expression and CV control
The Arboretum can also be controlled externally. It works with an expression pedal or with a CV signal in the 0 to 5V range, which Pedal of the Day noted gives "more control over your sound"1. For players who already use an Expression Pedals on their board, that means the tremolo's parameters can be swept by foot in real time rather than only set by knobs.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review, published on 17 August 2024, was strongly positive about the pedal's scope1:
"Today's pedal takes everything you thought you knew about tremolo and ramps it up 1000x, in all the best ways1."
The reviewer found that the pedal takes tremolo far beyond expectations, sounds impressive in stereo, and offers many knobs and sounds overall1.
Videos
Diffractor Soundings
Diffractor Soundings
Diffractor Soundings
Questions
Is the Arboretum analog or digital?
The Arboretum uses a digital LFO, which generates the waveforms that shape the tremolo effect, while the input signal itself stays 100 percent analog. That combination lets the pedal offer a wide variety of waveforms without putting your guitar signal through digital processing, according to Pedal of the Day's review.
Can the Arboretum be controlled with an expression pedal?
Yes. Pedal of the Day reports that the Arboretum works with an expression pedal or with a CV signal in the 0 to 5V range, giving players more control over their sound. That makes it possible to move a parameter in real time from an Expression Pedals or a CV source.
Sources (1)
- Diffractor Soundings Arboretum Stereo Tremolo, Pedal of the Day, 2024-08-17
