The Magnetic Effects Midphoria is a fixed wah pedal: it puts the sound of a wah pedal left parked in one position into a small stompbox, with no treadle to rock. Magnetic Effects released it on June 8, 2017, describing it as a way to get classic parked-wah lead tones "in a smaller, more convenient pedal"1. Instead of moving your foot, you dial in the "sweet spot" with a sweep control and leave it there.
The sound it chases has a long pedigree. As Magnetic Effects put it at launch, "Many classic lead tones were recorded with a wah left in one position instead of being rocked back and forwards"1. The company names Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Mark Knopfler, Mick Ronson, Michael Schenker and Marc Bolan as players who used the fixed wah sound on famous recordings1. The intensity is variable: in the maker's words, "You can go from a subtle hint to all out mids!"1
How it works and how it is controlled
A wah pedal is a bandpass filter whose center frequency you shift with a treadle. The Midphoria holds that filter at one point and gives you knobs to choose where. Premier Guitar's reviewer explained that the sweep control "moves through the filter's range the same way an expression pedal potentiometer would, except you can" set it at a fixed point2. The rest of the panel shapes how much of that filtered signal you hear.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sweep | Moves through the filter's range like an expression pedal potentiometer, and can be parked at a fixed point2 |
| Clean | Blends the dry and filtered output2 |
| Volume | Sets output level; rolling it counterclockwise while turning up the clean control produces a clean boost2 |
| Range toggle | 2-way switch; down emphasizes the lower-frequency range of the sweep, up gives access to the higher, "toe-down" frequencies2 |
The Range toggle is the quick way to shift character: down for lower, throatier midrange, up for the sharper "toe-down" frequencies a wah produces when pushed forward2. Gearnews described the Range control as extending the frequency range, working with the Sweep control to find the desired sweet spot3.
The V2 update
The Midphoria V2 keeps the same fixed wah concept in a smaller, more convenient pedal format4. Its addition is a Clean Blend control, which lets you dial in the dry signal to balance the amount of Fixed Wah style mid boost, so the effect can go from a subtle hint to all out mids4. The V2 sells for £115, roughly $142, and began shipping August 15.
- A Width control, which alters the Q, that is, the sharpness of the filter's midrange peak4
- A wider Sweep range than the original4
- An internal voltage doubler for increased headroom4
The V2 also renames the blend control Clean Blend, which "allows you to dial in the dry signal so you can balance the amount of Fixed Wah style mid boost"4, and its Frequency toggle switch extends the frequency range4. Guitar World reported the V2 at £115 (roughly $142), shipping from August 1, 20195.
Power and build
The Midphoria runs on a 9 to 18V DC center negative adapter1. Gearnews noted it can be run from either a 9V supply or an 18V one "for more internal headroom"3, and the V2's internal voltage doubler brings that extra headroom to a standard 9V supply4.
There is no battery option, so the Midphoria needs a pedalboard power supply or a standalone adapter2.
Inside, Premier Guitar found "the guts of the Midphoria are handwired and very well put together"2. The pedal is handmade in the UK3, and the input and output jacks sit on the crown of the box rather than the sides2. The enclosure wears what the reviewer called an "impressive psychedelic-meets-deco paint scheme" on a small footprint2.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Midphoria in August 2021 and listed its pros as "Surprising versatility. Simple controls. Small footprint."2 The reviewer's overall take:
"Magnetic Effects has done an excellent job making the most of those possibilities with their new Midphoria pedal."2
Part of that versatility comes from the clean blend, which the maker says "has enough output level to be used as a booster on its own"1. That lets the pedal pull double duty as a boost pedal when you want level without the midrange hump.
Where it came from
The original Midphoria was released on June 8, 2017, handmade in the UK13. Gearnews listed its UK retail price as GBP 109 RRP3, and the street price was given as $1552. The V2 carries the same fixed wah concept forward in a smaller box, at £115, roughly $1425.
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Questions
Can the Midphoria be used as a clean boost?
Yes. The clean blend has enough output level to be used as a booster on its own1, and Premier Guitar's reviewer noted you can also get a clean boost by rolling the volume knob counterclockwise and turning up the clean control2.
Does the Magnetic Effects Midphoria take a battery?
No. Premier Guitar's review reports there is no battery option inside the enclosure2. It runs from a 9 to 18V DC center negative adapter1.
Is the Midphoria true bypass?
Yes. Magnetic Effects specifies true-bypass switching1, so the filter circuit is out of the signal path when the pedal is off.
What does the Width control on the Midphoria V2 do?
It alters the Q of the filter, the sharpness of the midrange peak4. The V2 also adds a wider Sweep range and an internal voltage doubler for increased headroom4.
Sources (5)
- Magnetic Effects Introduces the Midphoria, Premier Guitar, 2017-06-08
- Magnetic Effects Midphoria Review, Premier Guitar, 2018-03-30
- Magnetic Effects Midphoria: Fixed wah tone with a boost, gearnews.com, 2017-06-09
- Magnetic Effects Releases the Zig Zag and Midphoria V2, Premier Guitar, 2019-07-24
- Magnetic Effects Updates Midphoria Fixed Wah Booster, Guitar World, 2019-07-26