The Klowra South Zoo Animal Voice Synth is a digital synth pedal that turns your instrument into animal voices. It is the third pedal in Klowra's Budding Bloom Mini series, and it runs on the company's WildSeed DSP engine rather than on recorded samples1. Where most synth pedals aim for organ, string or analog monosynth territory, the South Zoo goes somewhere else entirely: it makes your guitar meow, ribbit and whinny.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed it in June 2026 and described it as an oddball that "works well in combination with other pedals"1. It is a small-format pedal, at 38mm wide and 92mm deep, so it fits in a tight spot on a board.
What it does and how you control it
The pedal is built around three animal voices, each selected by its own button1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Cat Voice | A "meow" type voice1 |
| Frog Voice | A "ribbit" type voice1 |
| Horse Voice | A "whinny" type voice1 |
| Tails | Sets the sustain length of the effect1 |
The three presets are named "MEE-OWW," "RIBBIT" and "WHINNY-THE-WHO"1. Beyond the voice buttons, the pedal has three toggle modes that change how the footswitch behaves when held: Pitch Follow, Normal and Drone1. Pitch Follow makes the synth track what you play, Normal is the standard behavior, and Drone sustains a held voice, which is useful for layering other effects on top.
A Tails control governs how long the effect rings out after you stop playing, which Karlsson describes as the sustain of the effect1.
Synthesis, not samples
The South Zoo does not play back recordings of animals. Karlsson judged it to be native waveform synthesis, in contrast to Klowra's sample-based B's Music Meowdulator1. The engine is the WildSeed DSP platform, with 24-bit AD/DA conversion and 32-bit floating-point DSP processing at a 44.1 kHz sample rate1.
On the voices themselves, his review was mixed. He found the Frog voice the strongest of the three1:
"The Frog voice is the most versatile - and gets the closets to a 'Ribbit' and even some 'Frog Chorus' type sounds."
The dated event record of the review notes he judged the Frog voicing the most versatile and authentic, while finding the Cat and Horse voicings unconvincing1. If you are curious what a conventional synth pedal does instead, pages on the Boss SY-1 or the Electro-Harmonix Synth9 cover that territory.
Power and connections
The South Zoo runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply, drawing 150mA1. A power supply is required; there is no battery option in the listed specifications.
At 150mA, the South Zoo draws more current than a standard analog drive pedal. Check that your power supply's isolated outputs can deliver at least this much before daisy-chaining it with other digital pedals.
The rear panel carries a TS instrument input and output, a CTRL/Remote In port for a TS momentary footswitch, and a USB-C port for updates1. Input impedance is 500k Ohm and output impedance is 100 Ohm1.
Size, weight and what is in the box
The pedal itself measures 51mm high, 92mm deep and 38mm wide (2.0" x 3.6" x 1.5") and weighs 234g (0.515lb)1. Packaged, it is 59mm x 140mm x 140mm and 358g (0.788lb)1.
The box includes:
- 3.5mm TS (male) to 1/4" TS (female) audio adapter cable1
- Exclusive sticker1
- Quick start guide1
- Safety instructions1
- Product catalog1
Where it came from and where to get it
Videos
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Questions
Is the Klowra South Zoo true bypass?
It offers both options. The bypass mode is switchable between true bypass and buffered bypass, so you can choose whether the pedal's circuit stays in the signal path when the effect is off. Buffered bypass can help preserve high end in long cable runs, while true bypass keeps the untouched signal as direct as possible.
Does the South Zoo use samples?
No. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer judged it to be native waveform synthesis rather than sample playback, unlike Klowra's sample-based B's Music Meowdulator. It runs on the WildSeed DSP engine with 24-bit AD/DA conversion and 32-bit floating-point DSP at a 44.1 kHz sample rate.
Can you use an external footswitch with the South Zoo?
Yes. The pedal has a CTRL/Remote In port that accepts a TS momentary footswitch, alongside its TS instrument input and output. A USB-C port is also included, which Klowra lists for updates.
Where can you buy the Klowra South Zoo?
As of June 2026, Klowra pedals including the South Zoo Animal Voice Synth are available direct from Klowra and via Amazon.com, and increasingly at select international dealers.
How big is the Klowra South Zoo?
The pedal measures 51mm high by 92mm deep by 38mm wide, about 2.0 by 3.6 by 1.5 inches, with a net weight of 234g (0.515lb). The packaged pedal is 59mm by 140mm by 140mm and weighs 358g (0.788lb).
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-06-12
