The Lichtlaerm Audio Kassandra is a phaser pedal built around a Voltage-Controlled Amplifier (VCA) core instead of the traditional JFETs used in most phaser designs. Lichtlaerm says this avoids the grainy artifacts of JFET-based circuits, and the maker describes the pedal as delivering everything from classic swirl to chaotic movement, otherworldly textures, and Univibe-style sounds1. It is one of the more unusual entries among phaser pedals, and Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio called it "a very flexible phaser" when he wrote it up in September 20222.
A VCA phaser instead of JFETs
Most phasers generate their shifting notches with JFET stages, a design that dates back decades and that can introduce a certain grain or distortion as the resonance is pushed up. The Kassandra takes a different route: its phase shifting is done with Voltage-Controlled Amplifiers, and Lichtlaerm says this lets the Resonance control create "crisp, vocal-like movement without harsh distortion"1. Delicious Audio's writeup, published 15 September 2022, describes the same idea from the designer's side: the resonance knob adjusts the amount of signal fed back to the first phasing stage, "resulting in a crisper, more vocal like phasing without ever distorting"2.
The pedal's name comes from Greek mythology. As Delicious Audio put it, it is "Named after the tragical heroine from Greek mythology our Kassandra is a unique VCA-based phaser"2.
Controls and modes
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Resonance | Adjusts feedback through the first stage of the phaser, creating crisp, vocal-like movement without harsh distortion1 |
| Volume | Volume control with up to +6dB boost to match or enhance your signal1 |
Beyond the knobs, the Kassandra covers speed and character in several ways:
- Tap tempo: tempo can be locked via tap tempo1
- Expression input: the tempo can be manually swept in real time via expression input, which Lichtlaerm describes as letting you "ride the modulation like a storm"1. Pair it with one of the expression pedals you may already own.
- Univibe mode: flip a switch and, in Lichtlaerm's words, "Kassandra becomes a Univibe, lush, asymmetric, and full of smoky swirl", all in the fully analog signal path1
- Wide LFO range: Delicious Audio notes that "The LFO has a way bigger range than usual giving you unprecedented depth and speeds way out of the range you've ever heard in a phaser!"2
Price and availability
Lichtlaerm Audio lists the Kassandra at €199.00 EUR including EU VAT, plus shipping, as of 26 October 20261. The pedal is made to order: the maker states that all pedals may take 14 to 20 days for production1.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Lichtlaerm Audio Kassandra fully analog?
Yes. Lichtlaerm Audio describes the Kassandra as having a 100% analog signal path. It is digitally controlled, but the maker says there is no DSP in the audio path, so the core tone stays untouched while the modulation moves around it.
Does the Kassandra have a Univibe setting?
It does. A switch transforms the Kassandra into a Univibe-style sound, which Lichtlaerm describes as lush, asymmetric and full of smoky swirl, and it happens in the pedal's fully analog signal path.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Kassandra?
Yes. The Kassandra has an expression input that lets you manually sweep the tempo in real time, so you can ride the modulation with your foot rather than leaving it locked to a set speed.
Does the Kassandra have tap tempo?
Yes. Tempo can be locked via tap tempo, according to Lichtlaerm Audio's product page, so you can set the modulation speed to match the song.
How long does it take to get a Kassandra?
Lichtlaerm Audio builds its pedals to order and says production may take 14 to 20 days.
How many stages does the Kassandra have?
The Kassandra has 4 stages of phase shifting, with the Resonance control feeding signal back to the first of those stages.
Sources (2)
- Lichtlaerm Audio Kassandra, Lichtlaerm Audio
- Lichtlaerm Audio Kassandra Phaser, Delicious Audio, 2022-09-15