The Endangered Audio Research Spectravibe is a tremolo and vibrato pedal that folds several other effects into one box. Pedal of the Day describes it as carrying elements of compression, overdrive, distortion, auto wah and rotary speaker sounds alongside its core modulation1. It sits in the same family as tremolo pedals and vibrato pedals, but with drive and filtering built in.
What it does
At the heart of the Spectravibe are the tremolo and vibrato circuits, first and foremost, according to Pedal of the Day1. It runs two modes:
- Trem mode: acts like a tremolo and overdrive, using triangle and saw wave shapes to cover the most useful modulation shapes1
- Vibe mode: a vibrato or Leslie simulator type of effect, with what the reviewer calls "a unique, lush filter that has extended range," running from sweet and shimmery to bubbly underwater sounds1
The Bias control adjusts the FET tube-like distortion to taste in Trem mode, and changes the center frequency in Vibe mode; sweeping it with the Blend knob gives parked wah sounds1. With that range on tap, the pedal touches on territory covered by dedicated overdrive pedals, distortion pedals, wah pedals and compressor pedals.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Depth | Wide range from slight warble to full-on chaotic stutter; in Vibe mode sets the amount of frequency modulation1 |
| Blend | Adjustable high-end air frequency booster; in Vibe mode adds back in some unfiltered signal for the classic rotary speaker sound1 |
| Gain | Range from clean boost to crunchy overdrive; helps to overdrive the filter in Vibe mode1 |
| Bias | Adjusts the FET tube-like distortion in Trem mode; sets the center frequency in Vibe mode1 |
Power, expression and CV
The pedal runs from a normal 9V adapter, and the circuit internally boosts the voltage to 18V total, which Pedal of the Day says gives plenty of headroom and lots of gain1. No separate 18V supply is required.
Because the 18V is generated internally from a standard 9V input, the Spectravibe does not need a dedicated high-voltage outlet on a power supply1.
For hands-free use, there are expression pedal inputs for Depth and Speed1. The Modulation footswitch can turn the modulation on or off, be set to either momentary or latching, or act as a control for internal and external modulation when an outside CV source is plugged into the Modulation input1. A set of dip switches on the back opens up still more sonic possibilities1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's 2018 review framed the Spectravibe as a pedal for players who like to experiment1:
"Not your ordinary pedal, by any means, this one is for the experimenters, noise makers and weird effects enthusiasts the"
Videos
Endangered Audio Research Video
Endangered Audio Research Video
Endangered Audio Research Video
Questions
Does the Spectravibe run on 18 volts?
No external 18 volt supply is needed. The pedal runs from a normal 9V adapter, and the circuit internally boosts the voltage to 18V total, which Pedal of the Day notes gives plenty of headroom and lots of gain. That means it can sit on a standard 9V pedalboard power supply without special provisions.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Spectravibe?
Yes. The Spectravibe has expression pedal inputs for Depth and Speed, giving hands-free control of the modulation. Plugging an expression pedal into these inputs lets you sweep the effect while playing rather than reaching down to turn knobs.
What do the dip switches on the Spectravibe do?
The set of dip switches on the back of the pedal opens up still more sonic possibilities beyond what the front-panel knobs offer. Pedal of the Day describes them as extending the range of sounds the pedal can produce, on top of its Trem and Vibe modes and its other parameters.
Does the Spectravibe accept CV input?
Yes. The pedal has a Modulation input that accepts an external control voltage. The Modulation footswitch can act as a control for internal and external modulation when a CV source is plugged into that input, so you can drive the effect from outside gear.
Sources (1)
- Endangered Audio Research Spectravibe Tremolo Vibrato Drive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2018-08-20
