The Jānis.lv Effect Pedals Laika Plūsma is a reverb pedal built around a deliberately small control set: four knobs and one toggle switch. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in June 2021, described it as "a subtle effect, but one that can climb into ambient oscillation territory with ease," which is the pedal's whole character in a sentence: at low settings it sits quietly behind your playing, and pushed harder it becomes a self-oscillating ambient wash1.
What it does to your sound
As a reverb, the Laika Plūsma works in two modes of behavior. Turned down, it adds a subtle sense of space. Turned up, the Atbilde knob drives the effect into oscillation, where the reverb regenerates and swells on its own, the kind of behavior ambient players look for in a wash pedal. The toggle switch shapes that oscillation, producing either Fat or Thin oscillation, so the runaway wash can lean full-bodied or sparse depending on the setting1.
The controls, labeled in Latvian
The pedal's controls are labeled in Latvian, in keeping with the maker's Latvian identity. Here is what each one does1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Skaļums | Controls your output volume |
| Tonis | Either brightens or darkens your reverb tone |
| Mikss | Mixes the wet and dry signals in a ratio of your choosing |
| Atbilde | Controls the Decay, Feedback and Oscillation together |
| Toggle switch | Produces either Fat or Thin oscillation |
Atbilde is the knob that matters most, since it governs decay length, feedback and oscillation at once. Pedal of the Day called it "an important parameter indeed"1.
Where it came from
The Laika Plūsma features a PCB layout by Deadastronautfx, the UK pedal designer known in DIY and small-builder circles. Pedal of the Day's review placed it in what it described as a string of impressive, well-built pedals from the maker1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Jack JD
sp3ct3rs d3mos
Questions
What do the Latvian knob labels on the Laika Plūsma mean?
The pedal's four knobs are labeled in Latvian. Skaļums controls your output volume, Tonis either brightens or darkens your reverb tone, and Mikss mixes the wet and dry signals in a ratio of your choosing. Atbilde is the most powerful of the four: it controls the Decay, Feedback and Oscillation together, making it an important parameter indeed.
What does the toggle switch do on the Laika Plūsma Reverb?
The toggle switch produces either Fat or Thin oscillation. It works alongside the Atbilde knob, which governs Decay, Feedback and Oscillation, so pushing the reverb into self-oscillation gives you a choice between a fatter or a thinner character for the wash.
Can the Laika Plūsma Reverb self-oscillate?
Yes. Pedal of the Day described the Laika Plūsma as a subtle effect, but one that can climb into ambient oscillation territory with ease. The Atbilde knob drives the oscillation, and the toggle switch selects between Fat and Thin oscillation voices.
Who designed the PCB layout for the Laika Plūsma?
The Laika Plūsma Reverb features a PCB layout by Deadastronautfx, according to Pedal of the Day's 2021 review, which called the pedal well-built.
Sources (1)
- Jānis.lv Effect Pedals Laika Plūsma Reverb, Pedal of the Day, 2021-06-26