The Diffractor Soundings Chromatic Journey is an analog stereo phaser with digital controls, released in September 2024 as the follow-up to the maker's Arboretum Stereo Tremolo. It sits in the phaser category, but it is built on a much larger scale than a typical one-knob phase shifter: ten knobs, an LFO with eight waveforms, and a dedicated knob-and-footswitch combination for manipulating the modulation in real time12.
An analog stereo phaser with digital controls
The audio path is analog, while the controls are digital, a design Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes as "an analog stereo phaser with digital controls"1. Running in stereo means the effect can be placed in a stereo rig or used with two amps without collapsing the signal to mono, which matters for a modulation effect where the stereo field is part of the sound.
Pedal of the Day reviewed the pedal on its release in September 2024 and placed it in context with the maker's earlier work2:
"The [Arboretum Stereo Tremolo] from our new friends at [Diffractor Soundings] was one of the best pedals we've seen in a..."
The controls and the 8 waveforms
The Chromatic Journey carries ten knobs. Some cover familiar phaser ground, others go further1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Depth, speed, feedback, mix | Familiar phaser settings1 |
| Waveform | Selects one of 8 LFO waveforms1 |
| Height, Interactor | Less familiar controls unique to this pedal1 |
| EXP/CV rotary knob | Selects which of 4 parameters the expression or CV input controls1 |
The LFO was developed specifically for the pedal and offers 8 different waveforms, which Pedal of the Day describes as running "from classic to experimental"2. The same review notes that the phasing stages and feedback shape the character of the effect: "The varied phasing stages as well as feedback control contribute in bringing a lot of color to this effect"2.
The Interactor is a knob/footswitch combination located on the bottom left of the pedal. It allows the player to manipulate the LFO's oscillation in 6 different ways, which Delicious Audio describes as playful and creative1. That makes it a performance control rather than a set-and-forget setting: the player can bend the modulation live with a foot while both hands stay on the guitar.
The EXP/CV input covers three jobs through one connection: an expression pedal, a CV signal in the 0 to 5V range, or an external tap tempo switch. The EXP/CV knob chooses which of four parameters that input controls12.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio covered the pedal in a December 2024 article on phaser pedals, with Paolo De Gregorio writing that it "really looks like the mother of all phaser pedals"1. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it at release, called Diffractor Soundings "our new friends" and had praised the Arboretum Stereo Tremolo from the same maker, framing the Chromatic Journey as the work of a maker the site had already taken note of2.
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Questions
Is the Diffractor Soundings Chromatic Journey analog or digital?
The Chromatic Journey has an analog audio path with digital controls. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes it as "an analog stereo phaser with digital controls," meaning the phasing circuit itself is analog while the switching and control layer is handled digitally.
Does the Chromatic Journey work in stereo?
Yes. It is a stereo phaser, so it can process a stereo signal or spread the phasing effect across two outputs rather than collapsing to mono.
Can you control the Chromatic Journey with an expression pedal?
Yes. The pedal accepts an expression pedal, and the EXP/CV rotary knob lets you choose which of four different parameters the pedal controls. A CV signal in the 0 to 5V range works through the same input.
Does the Chromatic Journey accept CV input?
Yes. The pedal accepts a CV signal from 0 to 5V, alongside expression pedal and external tap tempo options, with the EXP/CV knob selecting which of four parameters is being controlled.
Does the Chromatic Journey support external tap tempo?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists an external Tap Tempo among the pedal's control options, together with expression pedal and CV (0 to 5V) input.
Who makes Diffractor Soundings pedals?
Diffractor Soundings is a French one-man company based in Toulouse. The Chromatic Journey is its follow-up to the Arboretum Stereo Tremolo, which Pedal of the Day called one of the best pedals it had seen.
Sources (2)
- Diffractor Soundings Chromatic Journey Stereo Analog Phaser, Delicious Audio, 2024-12-11
- Diffractor Soundings Chromatic Journey Stereo Analog Phaser, Pedal of the Day, 2024-09-17