The Eventide Riptide is a compact stereo pedal that combines two classic effects in one metallic blue enclosure: a Shin-ei Uni-Vibe-inspired modulation and a touch-sensitive overdrive distortion, each available in two distinct voicings12. Eventide announced it in October 2023 as the latest in a line of pedals that includes the TriceraChorus, Rose and UltraTap Delay3, and it reached US dealers on November 16, 20231.
The pedal is digital, and its algorithms trace back to Eventide's H90 Harmonizer4. Guitar World's reviewer Paul Riario summed up the concept in his review:
"The Eventide Riptide packs a walloping punch of Uni-Vibe swirls and crunchy overdrive in one pedal that sounds even more present and detailed in stereo"5
A Uni-Vibe and an overdrive in one stereo pedal
The Riptide pairs cascaded overdrive distortion with Shin-ei Uni-Vibe-inspired modulation, each in two distinct voicings1. The vibe side is an emulation of the original Shin-ei Uni-Vibe, captured in stereo6. The drive side is described as a balanced distortion with superb dynamics and touch sensitivity6.
Each effect has a green and a red voicing, indicated by LED color above the engaged footswitch6:
| Effect | Green voicing | Red voicing |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe | The traditional Uni-Vibe sound, capturing the richness and modulation of the original62 | A deeper, phase-y effect with a deeper phase sweep and increased high-frequency emphasis6 |
| Drive | A classic, mid-forward voicing with dynamic mid-range crunch61 | A fatter, smooth boosted overdrive6 |
Premier Guitar's reviewer described the red vibe setting as "a more phase-forward take on the green Uni-Vibe sound," and the red overdrive as "a less midrange-y red overdrive (selected via the small button above the drive footswitch)"4.
The vibe knob itself covers a lot of ground. At some counterclockwise settings it effectively doubles as an effects-level control, at noon it approximates the Uni-Vibe chorus mode, and at its furthest clockwise position it removes the unaffected signal, producing pure pitch vibrato4. There is also an extra blended Chorus/Vibrato mode that is 30% wet and 70% dry for a subtler effect7.
The controls
The front panel keeps things simple: 3 Drive knobs and 3 Vibe knobs, no deep menu diving6. The drive side's three knobs, drive, tone and level, are the same as the Tube Screamer and other drive pedals, so anyone who has used a classic overdrive will be at home immediately4.
- Drive knobs: Drive, tone and level, as on a Tube Screamer-style pedal4
- Vibe knobs: Three knobs controlling the modulation, including the vibe knob that sweeps from dry-blended to pure vibrato4
- BIAS toggle: A 3-way switch with Low, Mid and High settings that modifies the shape and timing of the warble as well as frequency emphasis7
- Voicing buttons: Small buttons above each footswitch select the green or red voicing per effect64
- Order swap button: Interchanges the overdrive and vibe placements, so the signal can run Drive into Vibe or Vibe into Drive62
- Footswitches: A dual-action Active Footswitch that can be set latching or momentary6
The two effects can be used independently or together, and the routing of both can be flipped4. Any combination of parameters can be mapped to an expression pedal through the configurable expression input62.
Routing, presets and MIDI
The Riptide stores five onboard presets, with more available using Eventide Device Manager (EDM) software1. MIDI capability works over TRS, using a MIDI to TRS cable Type A or a converter box, and over USB6. For players building a modern rig, this puts it among MIDI pedals that can be programmed and recalled from a controller.
The Riptide draws 300mA at 9V DC5, which is well beyond what a standard 9V battery or a small daisy-chain output can supply. Plan on an isolated power supply with a high-current output.
Where it sits in Eventide's pedal line
The Riptide is the latest effect in a series of Eventide pedals that includes the TriceraChorus, Rose and the UltraTap Delay3. Where those pedals brought Eventide's rack heritage to stompbox format, the Riptide has origins in algorithms from the capable and expansive H90 Harmonizer4. Guitar World framed it as "a more down-to-earth, compact 2-in-1 pedal with an onboard overdrive and Uni-Vibe effect that can be run in stereo"5, a simpler and more affordable entry point than Eventide's flagship multi-effects units.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's Paul Riario reviewed the Riptide and found it "sounds even more present and detailed in stereo," noting that "you forgive its digital heart ably replicating an analog" circuit5. Pedal of the Day called it "2 classic effects into one very easy to use and incredible-sounding pedal"2. Premier Guitar's reviewer, testing it in early 2024, highlighted the flexible routing and the two voicings per effect as the pedal's core strengths4.
On pricing, sources differ: Guitar World listed it at $299 in its 2026 review5, while Premier Guitar's 2024 review carried a $249.00 retailer listing4. Gearnews reported €379 at Thomann at launch3.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Eventide Riptide analog or digital?
It is digital. Guitar World's reviewer described it as having a digital heart that ably replicates an analog circuit, and its algorithms have origins in Eventide's H90 Harmonizer. The drive and vibe sounds are modeled on classic analog designs: a Shin-ei Uni-Vibe and what Eventide calls legendary overdrives.
Can the Riptide put the vibe before the overdrive?
Yes. An order swap button lets you interchange the overdrive and vibe placements, so the signal can run Drive into Vibe or Vibe into Drive. The two effects can also be used independently or together, and you can flip the routing of both.
Does the Eventide Riptide work in stereo?
Yes. The Riptide is a stereo pedal with two 1/4-inch outputs that can run mono or stereo, one 1/4-inch input, an expression pedal input, mini USB and a center negative DC input. Reviewers found the stereo presentation made the effect sound more present and detailed.
Can you control the Riptide with MIDI?
Yes. The Riptide has MIDI capability over TRS, using a MIDI to TRS cable Type A or a converter box, and also supports MIDI over USB. Five presets are stored onboard, with more available through Eventide's Device Manager software.
What does the BIAS switch on the Riptide do?
The 3-way BIAS toggle has Low, Mid and High settings that modify the shape and timing of the warble as well as the frequency emphasis of the vibe effect. It works much like the bias control on vintage Uni-Vibe-style units, letting you tune the character of the modulation sweep.
Is the Riptide true bypass?
It offers multiple bypass options: Buffered, Relay, DSP+FX or Kill Dry. Relay bypass acts like true bypass when the pedal is off, while the buffered and DSP options keep processing in the signal path, so you can choose the behavior that suits your rig.
Sources (7)
- Eventide Releases Riptide Effects Pedal, www.premierguitar.com, 2023-10-16
- Eventide RipTide Uni-Vibe Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2023-10-11
- Eventide Riptide combines Uni-vibe and Drive in one pedal, gearnews.com, 2023-10-11
- Eventide Riptide Uni-Vibe Plus Overdrive Review, Premier Guitar, 2024-03-30
- Eventide Riptide review, Guitar World, 2024-01-30
- Eventide Riptide Stereo Uni-Vibe / Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2023-11-14
- The 9 Best Uni-Vibe Pedals In 2024: A Guide To UniVibe Clones, Delicious Audio (delicious-audio.com), 2024-02-16
