The Empty Head Effects Big Talker is a double tremolo pedal: two tremolo circuits built into one box and run in series, so your signal passes through both stages one after the other. It is an analog design, and the two stages are set up differently, which is where most of the pedal's range comes from1.
What two tremolos in series do
Running two tremolo stages in series means the volume modulation of the first stage is itself modulated by the second. Set both at similar speeds and the two waves interact; set them apart and you get more complex, less even pulsing than a single tremolo can produce. Because the Big Talker is analog, that interaction happens in the analog audio path rather than through digital processing1.
The controls
The two stages are not identical, and the difference is the point of the pedal1:
| Stage | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Trem #1 | Square wave LFO with speed and depth control, or a random wave instead of the square wave |
| Trem #2 | Square wave LFO with speed and depth control, plus envelope modulation |
Trem #1 is a square wave LFO, the sharp on/off style of volume chop, with speed and depth controls, and it can be switched to a random wave for irregular, unpredictable pulsing. Trem #2 is also a square wave LFO with speed and depth, but it adds envelope modulation, so the effect responds to how hard you play1.
The second tremolo's speed can also be controlled by expression. RockBoard's PedalPedia lists "EXP control over the speed of the second tremolo," so an expression pedal can sweep the rate of stage two while your hands stay on the guitar1.
Power and bypass
The Big Talker runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 100mA1.
At 100mA, the Big Talker needs a supply output with enough current headroom. A low-current output rated well below 100mA will not run it reliably.
Bypass is by soft switching relay bypass rather than a mechanical true bypass switch1.
Videos
Empty Head Effects
Empty Head Effects
collector//emitter
Questions
Does the Empty Head Effects Big Talker have an expression input?
Yes. The Big Talker provides EXP control over the speed of the second tremolo, so an expression pedal can sweep the rate of tremolo two while you play. That makes the second stage the one to use for on-the-fly speed changes, while the first tremolo keeps its own set speed.
Is the Big Talker true bypass?
No. The Big Talker uses soft switching relay bypass rather than true bypass. Relay bypass switches the effect in and out with an electronic relay, which gives quiet, reliable switching without a mechanical footswitch contact in the audio path.
What power supply does the Big Talker need?
The Big Talker runs on a 9V DC, center negative supply and draws 100mA. Use a dedicated supply output or a daisy chain with enough spare current, since 100mA is more than some low-current outputs provide.
Is the Big Talker analog or digital?
The Big Talker is an analog pedal. Its circuit type is listed as analog, and it builds its sound from two analog tremolo stages run in series rather than digital processing.
Sources (1)
- Big Talker by Empty Head Effects, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026