The Warble Swell Echo MkII is a lo-fi echo pedal from Mattoverse Electronics, a maker the press describes as building "a dynamic foot-controllable swell feature and 8 modulation waveforms" into this compact box1. Mattoverse calls it "a lo-fi echo exploration machine," covering ground "from silky smooth slapback and seasick swells, to the static filled wobble of a broken cassette tape and everything in between"2. It is an analog-voiced digital delay: the delay line is digital, but voiced to sound warm and vintage rather than pristine3.
The pedal is currently listed as sold out on Mattoverse's product page, at a list price of $219.00 USD1.
What it does to your sound
The MkII covers two layers of effect. The first is the delay itself: Delicious Audio reports echo times "from short clean slapbacks to long (up to 800ms) warm analog-esque repeats"3. The second layer is modulation, with a rotary Wave knob that "selects between 8 shapes for the modulation's LFO." According to Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio, this section "can deliver anything from subtle tape-like flutters to seasick warbles to random madness"3.
On top of both sits the swell, a dynamic effect you control with your foot, with its onset set by a separate knob3. The righthand momentary footswitch is a feedback control: Premier Guitar's review notes that "holding down the righthand momentary footswitch causes the delay repeats to feed back"4.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the basic delay time4 |
| Repeat | Sets the number of repeats4 |
| Wave | Selects between 8 LFO shapes for the modulation3 |
| Swell onset | Controls the onset of the Swell effect3 |
| Righthand momentary footswitch | Held down, causes the delay repeats to feed back4 |
How it sounds, according to reviewers
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the pedal held up before the modulation was even engaged: "Just playing with the delay sans modulation, I was already impressed. Though the delay line is digital, it has a warm vi"ntage voice recalling BBD delays like the vintage MXR Analog Delay and Moog MF Delay4. That places the MkII's basic delay character in the bucket of analog-style repeats rather than clean digital delay, which suits the lo-fi brief.
MkII versus the original Warble Swell Echo
The MkII is a revision rather than a redesign. It keeps the Swell effect of the original and adds a knob controlling the onset of the Swell effect, which the MkI handled through an internal trimmer3. The MkII also moves the control for the vibration shape to the top of the pedal: its maker explains that he "decided to try to place 7 buttons on the front so that the control for the vi"bration shape sits on top instead of on an internal trimmer5. The pedal comes in a compact enclosure with pedalboard friendly top-mounted jacks, measuring 4.77" x 2.6" x 1.39"1.
Gearnews quoted the maker on how the front panel came about: "I actually wanted to retire the pedal, but decided to try to place 7 buttons on the front so that the control for the vi"bration shape could sit on top of the pedal instead of on an internal trimmer5. The result is a compact enclosure with top-mounted jacks aimed at pedalboard use1.
Where it sits in the Mattoverse line
The MkII follows earlier pedals in the same family. The Warble Swell Deluxe Delay was reviewed by Pedal of the Day in January 2021 as "an analog-sounding digital delay" that "produces extremely warm, vintage-ish delay tones"6. That pedal carried a Warble switch that "activates the warble function," controlled by a latching footswitch and producing "tones from pseudo-chorus to wild pitch-shifting"6. Its Swell Rate control, used with the Warble function, "opens up the floodgates for experimentation and spaced-out, tape" echo exploration6. The MkII carries the same ideas forward in the smaller box, with the waveform selection moved to the top of the pedal.
Buying details
Mattoverse lists the pedal as sold out, at $219.00 USD, with a 7 day return policy and shipping via USPS Priority Mail within 1 business day1. Two finishes are listed: Yellow, and an engraved clear acrylic faceplate with pink LEDs1.
Videos
The Erratic Pedal Adventures
Questions
Is the Mattoverse Warble Swell Echo MkII true bypass?
Yes. Mattoverse specifies Soft-Touch Relay True Bypass Switching, so the pedal's circuit is out of the signal path when it is off, and the switch itself is a soft-touch relay rather than a mechanical click switch.
Does the Warble Swell Echo MkII need a battery or a power supply?
It needs a power supply. The pedal runs on standard center-pin negative 9VDC power only, which is not included, and draws approximately 50mA. There is no battery option.
How long can the Warble Swell Echo MkII delay go?
Delay times run from short, clean slapback up to 800ms. Delicious Audio described the long settings as warm, analog-esque repeats, and Premier Guitar's reviewer compared the basic delay voice to vintage BBD delays such as the MXR Analog Delay.
Is the Warble Swell Echo MkII analog or digital?
The delay line is digital but analog voiced. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that although the delay line is digital, it has a warm vintage voice recalling BBD delays like the vintage MXR Analog Delay and Moog MF Delay.
What is the Swell footswitch on the Warble Swell Echo MkII?
The swell is a dynamic, foot-controllable effect, and its onset is set by a dedicated knob. The pedal's righthand momentary footswitch is a separate control: holding it down causes the delay repeats to feed back.
What is different between the MkII and the original Warble Swell Echo?
The MkII delivers the same features as the original in a smaller, compact enclosure, and adds eight modulation waveforms that were not available on the MkI. Gearnews reported the maker put seven buttons on the front so the waveform control sits on top of the pedal instead of on an internal trimmer.
Sources (6)
- Mattoverse Warble Swell Echo MKII, Mattoverse Electronics
- Mattoverse WarbleSwellBadPassengerFuzzPhaseEcho, Mattoverse Electronics
- Pedal Update: Mattoverse Warble Swell Echo MkII, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-02
- Mattoverse Warble Swell Echo Pedal MkII Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-09-02
- Guitar Gear Gems: Sensation Fuzzdrive, Warble Swell Echo MKII & TWO, gearnews.com, 2022-05-17
- Mattoverse Electronics Warble Swell Deluxe Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2021-01-14
