The Dogmatek Arctic Wolf, sold under the full name Arctic Wolf Twin Modulator, is a full stereo analog/digital hybrid modulation pedal from New Zealand pedal company Dogmatek1. Its primary function is a phaser, but it also covers tremolo, ring modulation, 18dB of boost and Leslie-type rotary speaker tones12. The signal path is analog while the control side is digital, which is what allows tap tempo, eight presets and a rate range of 0.05Hz to 100Hz12.
What it does to your sound
The Arctic Wolf is built around a rare "pulsed switch" system, which Dogmatek says creates a lush and transparent sound different from standard LFO and FET phaser designs1. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the core phasing sound analog in character, with a voice not far removed from a vintage MXR phaser3. Despite the word "twin" in the product name, it employs a single LFO, but with true stereo inputs and outputs3.
The rate control has an unusually wide range, from sweeps so slow you barely perceive them to fast, audio-range pulses that generate clangorous ring modulation3. Pedal of the Day described the range of sounds available:
"Conjure up sounds ranging from classic Pink Floyd-ish pulses to wild, ear-piercing ring modulation, gorgeous Leslie-type rotary speaker tones and more"2
Pedal of the Day2
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets phase speed, from very slow sweeps to audio-range pulses; can also be driven by an external expression pedal32 |
| Gain | Drives the signal from unity to +18dB of boost2 |
| Feedback | Turned up for a more intense phase sound2 |
| Symmetry | Adjusts the rise and fall times of the waveform, sharp rise with slow fall or the reverse2 |
| Upper | Sets how long the waveform stays at the top before returning to phase2 |
| Lower | Sets how long the waveform stays at the bottom before returning to phase2 |
| Stages button | Chooses 4, 6 or 12 phasing stages2 |
| Shape button | Selects five waveform modes: Triangle, Square, Sine, S/H (random, robotic) or Manual2 |
Premier Guitar's reviewer described the waveform choices as four types, triangle for a traditional phaser sweep, a smoother sine wave, a choppy square, and a random/chaotic sample-and-hold, plus a manual mode controlled by CV or an expression pedal3. The press release also lists five selectable waveforms with a symmetry control1.
How the pulsed switch circuit works
The circuit topology is the part Dogmatek says sets it apart: a rare "pulsed switch" system, different from the standard LFO and FET phasers most players know1. The company describes the result as lush and transparent phasing1. Inside, the build is tidy, with small surface-mount components and board-mounted plastic jacks, and the footswitches are soft-touch relays3.
There are two footswitches: a bypass footswitch and a multi-mode tap tempo/recall footswitch1. A single footswitch serves for both tap tempo and preset recall, with modes switched by pressing the switch for two seconds, and saved sounds requiring 1.5 seconds to load3.
Stereo, CV and expression connections
The Arctic Wolf is true stereo, configurable to accept stereo input, mono input, or two discrete mono inputs31. Pedal of the Day counted four differing mono and stereo options across the inputs and outputs2. The rear panel includes a jack for expression pedal input plus CV in and out, with the expression pedal not included3. The CV IN and CV Out jacks let you connect an external control voltage, an LFO from another source, to drive the effect2. An external expression pedal can adjust the phase speed2.
In stereo operation, Delicious Audio reported a distinctive motion: the phaser swirls to the left, pauses, then builds wildly across to the right4. The manufacturer claims absolute originality in the stereo character of the phaser4.
Presets and tap tempo
The pedal holds eight presets, which you can save and recall, selected via the tap/recall switch or an external footswitch12. Premier Guitar's reviewer found this a real strength on such an open-ended effect, with one practical drawback:
"it's awesome being able to save eight recallable presets on such an open-ended effect, the knobs no longer reflect the current settings"3
Premier Guitar3
The same reviewer noted that stepping from, say, program 7 to 8 requires eight foot taps, not one3.
Tap tempo is built into the same footswitch, with a tap multiply function for faster tapping1. Pedal of the Day reported that you can multiply your tapped speed by up to 16 times2.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day called the pedal extremely futuristic and sleek-looking, writing "we were mesmerized before we even plugged it in"2. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, writing when the company was new, said the Arctic Wolf "looks very sexy indeed" and sounds great, at least from the only video available of it at the time4. Premier Guitar's 2021 review called it "a compelling analog/digital hybrid"3.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Dogmatek Effects Pedals
Dogmatek Effects Pedals
Questions
Is the Dogmatek Arctic Wolf analog?
It is an analog/digital hybrid. The signal path is analog, which reviewers describe as classic phasing not far from a vintage MXR phaser, while the controls are digital. That digital side is what gives it tap tempo, eight presets and its wide rate range.
How many presets does the Arctic Wolf hold?
Eight. You can save and recall eight settings, selected either with the tap/recall footswitch or with an external footswitch. One reviewer noted that after recalling a preset the knobs no longer show the current settings, and moving between distant presets takes multiple taps.
Does the Arctic Wolf have tap tempo?
Yes. It has a multi-mode tap tempo and recall footswitch, with a tap multiply function for faster tapping. Pedal of the Day reported that you can multiply your tapped speed by up to 16 times.
Can the Arctic Wolf do a Leslie sound?
Yes. Pedal of the Day described it as covering Leslie-type rotary speaker tones among its range, alongside Pink Floyd-style pulses and ring modulation. In stereo, Delicious Audio reported the phaser swirls left, pauses, then builds across to the right.
How many phase stages does the Arctic Wolf have?
It is selectable: 4, 6 or 12 phasing stages, chosen with the Stages button. Fewer stages give a subtler sweep, more stages a more pronounced one, so you can set the depth of the effect to taste.
Sources (4)
- Dogmatek Releases the Arctic Wolf Twin Modulator, Premier Guitar, 2017-11-08
- Dogmatek Effects Pedals Arctic Wolf Twin Modulator Phaser, Pedal of the Day, 2018-09-13
- Dogmatek Arctic Wolf Review, Premier Guitar, 2018-06-18
- New Manufacturer: Dogmatek And The Arctic Wolf Twin Modulator, Delicious Audio, 2017-10-06
