The Flux Effects Liquid Ambience is an atmospheric reverb pedal from the New Zealand maker Flux Effects. Pedal of the Day described it as "capable of a wide array of sonic textures and gorgeous soundscapes," and later called it "a super-reverb drenched in ambient awesomeness"12. In its Polyphonic Reverb form, it combines two circuits: a hall reverb and a polyphonic octave generator, which together give it its lush tone3. It sits in the wider field of reverb pedals, but its reviewer found it hard to pin down as just a reverb.
What it does to your sound
Two different kinds of circuits contribute to the tone, as Delicious Audio put it when covering the Polyphonic Reverb version: "Two different kinds of circuits contribute to the lush tone, a hall reverb and a polyphonic octave generator"3. The octave generator can be blended in with the Voice knob, which can go up or down, and pushed further with the Evolve knob into synth-like territory. A Bend mode offers a slight detune effect, like a chorus or flanger, for a syrupy-thick tone34.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the pedal resists easy categorization: "this pedal produces anything but, instead exuding a totally different sound and feel than most reverbs would dare dream"1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Standard dry/wet blend between the effect and the guitar's dry signal13 |
| Space | Controls the size of the hall reverb, including its damping34 |
| Voice | Blend for the octave generator, can go up or down3 |
| Evolve | Manipulates the octave generator further, allowing for synth-like sounds and much more3 |
| More switch | Gives more extreme sounds; held down, it pushes the Evolve level past its maximum by 50%13 |
The More footswitch has a second function: if the Evolve knob is set to zero, it becomes a Manual control of that setting, letting you set the value exactly1.
Bypass and dry signal
The pedal runs in true bypass by default and can be switched internally to buffered bypass, which Pedal of the Day notes allows "luscious trails to carry on" after the pedal is switched out1. The dry through is all analog, keeping the original tone intact, and the pedal uses BiFET op-amps chosen for their super low noise JFET inputs and high output drive capability1.
The buffered bypass option is set by an internal switch, not a top-panel control, so changing it means opening the pedal up.
Availability and what reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Liquid Ambience in December 2015 and found supply tight, noting "if you can snag one, these puppies fly of the shelves!"1. Delicious Audio's buying guide of ambient and shoegaze reverbs included it among the pedals in that space, describing its Bend mode as creating a slightly detuned note for a syrupy-thick tone4.
Videos
Pete Thorn
FluxEffectsNZ
Curtis Kent
Questions
Is the Flux Effects Liquid Ambience true bypass?
Yes. The pedal ships in true bypass mode, and according to Pedal of the Day's review it can also be switched internally to buffered bypass, which lets the reverb trails carry on naturally after the pedal is disengaged. That internal switch means you can choose the bypass behavior that suits the rest of your board.
What does the Evolve knob do on the Liquid Ambience?
The Evolve knob manipulates the pedal's polyphonic octave generator further, allowing for synth-like sounds and much more, as Delicious Audio describes it. If the Evolve knob is set to zero, the More switch becomes a Manual control of that setting, letting you determine the value exactly.
Can the Liquid Ambience be switched to buffered bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review notes that the normal true bypass mode can be switched internally to a buffered bypass, allowing for luscious trails to carry on. The switch is inside the pedal rather than on the top panel.
Is the dry signal analog on the Liquid Ambience?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review states that the dry through is all analog, keeping your original tone intact. The Mix control blends that analog dry signal with the wet effect.
What is the More switch on the Liquid Ambience?
The More switch pushes the octave generator harder. Delicious Audio calls it a switch that gives you just that, more insane sounds to play with. Held down, it pushes the Evolve level past its maximum by 50 percent, according to Pedal of the Day. With Evolve at zero it works as a Manual control of that setting.
Sources (4)
- Flux Effects Liquid Ambience Atmospheric Reverb, Pedal of the Day, 2015-12-12
- Flux Effects Liquid Tremolo, Pedal of the Day, 2017-03-08
- Flux Effects Liquid Ambience Polyphonic Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2018-09-17
- The Best Ambient-Shoegaze Reverb Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-15
