The Lichtlaerm Audio Trugbild is a chorus/vibrato pedal built around an analog signal path with digitally controlled controls. Lichtlaerm describes it as "a digitally controlled analog chorus with a few delightful LoFi twists," and RockBoard's PedalPedia calls it "a super lush analog chorus/vibrato with a lot of unique features."12
How it works and what it does
The design splits the jobs: while the whole signal path stays analog, all controls are controlled by small digital brains2. That puts the Trugbild in the same family as pedals like the Mr. Black Analog Chorus/Vibrato Deluxe, which Mr. Black describes as having "digitally-controlled true analog-output waveform/modulation"3, and differs from fully analog designs such as the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus, which Voodoo Lab simply states is "really analog!"4
The three main controls are depth, lag (intensity) and mix. RockBoard's PedalPedia says that with them "you can dial in every nuance from super subtle to a full on pitch-vibrato"2. At the vibrato end of the range, RockBoard's PedalPedia describes "a full on pitch-vibrato with a flutter quality to it that almost sounds like old comic soundtracks"2.
The LFO
The Trugbild's modulation engine is unusually wide-ranging:
- Speed: 0.05Hz up to 25Hz. The slow end is "super slow and almost not noticable," while the fast end, RockBoard's PedalPedia says, creates an effect approaching ring modulation2
- Waveforms: three choices, from "classic triangle-chorus, over a more lush sounding sine-wave up to a random" LFO2
For comparison, the Mr. Black Analog Tremolo tops out at a fastest speed of 15.4Hz, about a 65mS cycle5, so the Trugbild's 25Hz ceiling reaches well past most modulation pedals and into territory where the effect stops sounding like chorus at all.
Status and what came after
The Trugbild is an analog design, and it runs at a current draw of 86mA, a figure worth checking against a pedalboard power supply before adding it to a chain2. RockBoard's PedalPedia gives the pedal the tagline "Enjoy the journey - because the destination is a mirage"2.
The Trugbild carries the maker's tagline: "Enjoy the journey - because the destination is a mirage"2.
Videos
JS Rivulet
PEDALBOARD ORG
Room89
Questions
Is the Lichtlaerm Audio Trugbild analog or digital?
Both, in a specific way. The whole signal path stays analog, while the controls are run by small digital brains, so the audio never leaves the analog domain but the modulation is managed digitally. Lichtlaerm describes it as a digitally controlled analog chorus with a few LoFi twists.
What polarity does the Trugbild power supply need?
The Trugbild runs on 9V DC, center negative, the same polarity as standard pedal power supplies. It draws 86mA, which is worth keeping in mind when sharing a daisy-chain supply with other pedals.
How fast can the Trugbild LFO go?
The LFO frequency spans from 0.05Hz, slow enough to be almost unnoticeable, up to 25Hz, which Lichtlaerm says creates an effect close to ring modulation. Three waveforms are available: triangle, sine and random.
Is the Trugbild still made?
Lichtlaerm released the Trugbild years before the Nostalgia, and it is no longer the current model of this design. The company's own page for the Nostalgia refers back to the Trugbild as an earlier release.
Can the Trugbild do vibrato as well as chorus?
Yes. It is a chorus/vibrato pedal, and the depth, lag and mix controls dial in everything from super subtle chorus to a full on pitch vibrato, which Lichtlaerm describes as having a flutter quality that almost sounds like old comic soundtracks.
Sources (5)
- Nostalgia, Lichtlaerm Audio
- Trugbild by Lichtlaerm Audio, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Analog Chorus/Vibrato Deluxe, Mr. Black
- Analog Chorus FAQ, Voodoo Lab, 2026-07-24
- Analog Tremolo, Mr. Black
