The KOMA Elektronik FT201 is an analog filter pedal that combines a voltage controlled vactrol state variable filter with a 10-step sequencer in one enclosure1. Released in 2011 as one of the first two products KOMA Elektronik put out2, it was discontinued in February 20181, so it is now a secondhand find rather than a new purchase.
What makes it unusual among filter pedals is the pairing of parts. The filter itself is a state variable design built on vactrols, light-dependent components that KOMA credits for its sound quality, with a cutoff range spanning 20 Hz to 20 kHz1. On top of that sits a step sequencer that modulates the cutoff frequency, and an infrared expression controller that lets you sweep the filter by moving a foot or hand over the pedal, no expression pedal required1.
The filter and the three outputs
The FT201 is a state variable filter, which means it produces band pass, low pass and high pass responses from the same core circuit. All three outputs work simultaneously and are accessible on the patch bay, so you can take one, two or all three into separate signal paths1. The cutoff frequency range runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which KOMA describes as very large, covering ultra low and high frequency filter effects1.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer Sam B found this multi-output design one of the pedal's most rewarding features4:
"It is fun to mix two or all three more of this filters outputs through separate signal paths, and the sequencer and IR sensor in combination provide very interesting modulation sources."4
For a player, that means the FT201 is not just a wah-style sweep. The FT201 has 3 different filter outputs: band pass, low pass and high pass, which all work simultaneously and are accessible on the patch bay, and it is fun to mix two or all three of the filter outputs through separate signal paths14.
The controls and the infrared sensor
The top panel carries six knobs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Cutoff | Sets the base filter cutoff frequency |
| Resonance | Sets the filter's resonance |
| Input Gain | Sets the level feeding the filter |
| Seq Speed | Sets the speed of the sequencer's internal clock |
| Seq Length | Selects how many steps the sequencer runs, 2 to 10 |
| Seq Steps | Sets the control voltage values of the sequence steps |
The sequencer runs through the selected number of steps, from 2 to 10, and in each step it adds its control voltage to the value set by the Cutoff knob, modulating the cutoff frequency as it goes1. Pedal of the Day confirmed the sequence length is selectable between two and ten steps4.
The infrared expression controller is the other half of the modulation story. KOMA describes it as allowing the user to create filter sweeps by moving feet or hands over the pedal1. Instead of rocking a treadle, you hold a foot or hand above the sensor and change its height to move the cutoff, which leaves your hands free while you play. The rear panel adds CV connections for Sensor Out, Resonance In, Cutoff In and Sequencer Out1, so the sensor's output and the sequencer's output can drive other gear, and external control voltages can drive the FT201's own parameters.
Power and connections
The FT201 runs on 9V DC, center negative, with a minimum of 500mA, and KOMA states that only the KOMA adapter shipped with the pedal should be used1. That current draw is well above what compact 9V pedals typically draw, which rules out sharing a low-current daisy chain supply.
The patch bay inputs are Audio, Ext Clock (CV), Cutoff (CV), Resonance (CV) and Seq Reset (CV)1. The Ext Clock input means the sequencer can be synchronized to an external CV clock instead of running on its own Seq Speed setting, and Seq Reset lets you restart the pattern from step one. The pedal comes with a solid footswitch, as MusicRadar reported at launch3.
Where it came from
The FT201 is KOMA Elektronik's voltage controlled vactrol state variable filter combined with a 10-step sequencer1. The pedal went through four production runs, alongside the BD101, including a 50 unit special black edition and a special edition made for the Scottish post rock band Mogwai2. It was priced at €3493.
The pedal went through four production runs over its life, including a 50 unit special black edition and a special edition made for the Scottish post rock band Mogwai2. In December 2017 KOMA announced the BD101 and FT201 would be discontinued, with limited units available while parts lasted, and the FT201's discontinuation was confirmed as February 201812.
KOMA's own account of the pedal's reach names a wide roster of users: Alessandro Cortini, Pole, Addison Groove, Henning Baer, RAC, Jimmy Edgar, Lee Ranaldo, Vessels and Chvrches2.
Build and specifications
The enclosure is a powder coated aluminum casing with silk screened text and wooden side panels1, a look distinct from the standard folded-steel stompbox. The pedal carries a 2 year warranty from the maker1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Product | Voltage controlled vactrol state variable filter with 10-step sequencer1 |
| Cutoff range | 20 Hz to 20 kHz1 |
| Sequencer | 2 to 10 steps, selectable1 |
| Dimensions | 23 cm x 15 cm x 5 cm (9" x 6" x 2")1 |
| Weight | 850 g / 1.8 lb1 |
| Shipping weight | 1 kg / 3.0 lb including adapter and manual1 |
| Power | 9V DC, 500mA min, center negative, KOMA adapter only1 |
At 23 cm long and 1.8 lb, the FT201 takes up real board space, closer to a small desktop unit than a compact stompbox, which fits how KOMA positioned it as a studio and stage instrument rather than a background effect12.
Videos
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Questions
Is the KOMA FT201 discontinued?
Yes. KOMA Elektronik discontinued the FT201 in February 2018, after four production runs that included a 50 unit special black edition and a special edition made for the Scottish post rock band Mogwai. Finding one today means looking at the secondhand market.
Can the FT201 sequencer sync to an external clock?
Yes. The patch bay includes an Ext Clock CV input alongside Audio, Cutoff CV, Resonance CV and Seq Reset CV inputs, so the sequencer can be driven from an external control voltage clock rather than its own Seq Speed knob.
Can I use a regular pedal power supply with the FT201?
No. It runs on a 9V DC adapter with center negative polarity drawing at least 500mA, and KOMA states you should only use the KOMA adapter shipped with the pedal. That current draw is well above what most compact pedals need, so a typical daisy chain will not do the job.
How big and heavy is the FT201?
It measures 23 cm x 15 cm x 5 cm, about 9 by 6 by 2 inches, and weighs 850 grams, about 1.8 lb. Shipping weight with the power adapter and manual is 1 kg, about 3.0 lb. It is a large pedal by compact-stompbox standards.
Is the FT201 analog?
Yes. It is a voltage controlled vactrol state variable filter combined with a 10-step sequencer, built as an analog design. KOMA says the vactrols it uses are what give the filter its sound quality.
Sources (4)
- FT201 - Analog Filter / 10 Step Sequencer (Discontinued) - KOMA Elektronik, KOMA Elektronik, 2018
- KOMA Elektronik BD101 & FT201 effect pedals to be discontinued., KOMA Elektronik, 2017-12-13
- Koma Elektronik BD101 and FT201 pedals, MusicRadar, 2011-10-25
- KOMA Elektronik FT201 Analog Filter / 10 Step Sequencer, Pedal of the Day, 2014-11-22
