The Mentha Works Monk Echo is a digital reverb and delay pedal that puts the character of the human voice into your signal. according to RockBoard's PedalPedia, it "infuses your sound with the character of the human voice and lets you morph entire soundscapes with a single, effortless gesture"1. It is the debut pedal from Mentha Works, a new company founded by Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans, both formerly of Gamechanger Audio2.
The pedal brings together reverb, delay, a monk-voice engine, responsive modulation, granular pitch-shifting, distortion, and a degradation effect, all in one box1. Guitar Pedal X describes it as combining Human Formant Voicing with male, female and children characters, monk voice vowels, reverse delay, granular reverb pitch shifting, distortion, degradation and modulation2. The design is inspired by Baltic Choirs and Mystical Spiritual Spaces2, a sound Guitar Pedal X calls "somewhat angelic and celestial"2.
The monk-voice engine and what it does
The core of the Monk Echo is its voice-based processing. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes a monk-voice engine alongside reverb, delay, responsive modulation, granular pitch-shifting, distortion and a degradation effect1. Guitar Pedal X breaks this down as Human Formant Voicing with male, female and children characters, plus monk voice vowels, reverse delay, granular reverb pitch shifting, distortion, degradation and modulation2.
Formant voicing means the pedal shapes your guitar's tone around the resonant peaks that define human vowel sounds, which is why reviewers reach for choral and spiritual language to describe it. Delicious Audio reports the pedal as inspired by Baltic choral traditions4.
The delay side is substantial on its own. The delay time knob runs from 1ms to 10 seconds, with a reverse delay mode on the inner ring of the delay time control25. That range covers tight doubling effects through to long ambient washes.
Controls, presets and MIDI
The Monk Echo is built around a single macro control knob. RockBoard's PedalPedia says all of the pedal's effects can be controlled through it, turning the pedal into a performance instrument1. Guitar World notes the Macro Control knob allows its suite of controls to be reshaped with a single gesture3.
An 8x8 dot display provides visual feedback of every parameter movement4. The pedal also has pressure-sensitive and tap-tempo footswitches2.
- Presets: 8 onboard, 127 total via MIDI2
- MIDI: Full MIDI control with MIDI in, MIDI out and thru2
- Expression: An expression pedal input assignable to any single and multiple knobs at once, with control voltage response2
- Tap tempo: Tap tempo footswitch23
Guitar World points out that an expression pedal can do all the heavy lifting hands-free3, which pairs with the macro knob for live control of whole soundscapes.
Power and connections
The Monk Echo runs on 9V DC center negative at 300mA, or through a USB-C power inlet, so you can use classic pedal power or USB-C12. Guitar Pedal X notes the current draw is 300mA off a 9V DC center negative supply2.
At 300mA, the Monk Echo draws more current than most analog pedals, so plan for it on a powered pedalboard rather than a small daisy chain.
The pedal is fully stereo, with stereo inputs and outputs2, and its stereo signal path was highlighted at announcement4.
Release and pricing
Mentha Works announced the Monk Echo in November 2025 as its first pedal2. Guitar World reported a limited-time launch price of $380, limited to the first 500 units, with shipping due in February 20263. Guitar Pedal X later listed the introductory offer at €317 / £279 / $369, available direct from the mentha.works webstore2. The two figures differ because the later price reflects the introductory offer as listed in December 2025.
Who are Mentha Works?
Mentha Works was founded by Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans2. Guitar Pedal X describes the company as "a somewhat off-shoot from Gamechanger Audio, with the two key partners having been alumnis there"5. The Monk Echo is the company's debut stompbox, which Guitar World called "a quirky reverb/delay inspired by the human voice"3.
What reviewers said
Early coverage has been positive about the pedal's distinctiveness. Guitar World concluded that "it's certainly unique, and it bodes well for what the firm has in store for us next"3.
Guitar Pedal X went further, naming the Monk Echo in its 2025 best new delay and reverb pedals of the year:
"The Monk Echo is undeniably the most distinctive pedal design this year."
Guitar Pedal X, 2025 best new delay and reverb pedals of the year5
The same writer, reviewing the pedal in detail, said:
"From an observational perspective I love near enough everything about this pedal."
Stefan Karlsson, Guitar Pedal X2
He called the macro control amazing and the core mechanic singularly brilliant, describing the result as a unique reverb-delay with magical formant voiced choral accents, really spiritual and ethereal25.
Videos
Andertons Music Co
Mentha Works
Reverb
Questions
Does the Mentha Works Monk Echo have MIDI?
Yes. The Monk Echo has full MIDI control with MIDI in, MIDI out and thru on DIN ports. Presets can also be reached over MIDI: 8 presets live onboard the pedal and 127 are available in total via MIDI.
Is the Monk Echo stereo?
Yes. The Monk Echo is a fully stereo pedal with stereo inputs and outputs, so it works in a stereo rig without compromise. Its stereo signal path was one of the features highlighted when the pedal was announced in late 2025.
How many presets does the Monk Echo hold?
The Monk Echo holds 8 presets onboard, with 127 available in total via its full MIDI implementation. Presets can be saved and recalled from the pedal itself or over MIDI.
What is the longest delay time on the Monk Echo?
The delay time knob runs from 1ms to 10 seconds, and the pedal also offers a reverse delay mode on the inner ring of the delay time control. That range covers everything from tight doubling to long ambient washes.
Who are Mentha Works?
Mentha Works is a new effects company founded by Toms Lazdovskis and Matiss Tazans, both formerly of Gamechanger Audio. The Monk Echo is the company's first pedal, announced in November 2025 and available direct from the mentha.works webstore.
Sources (5)
- monk echo by mentha works, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-03
- New pedal by ex-Gamechanger staff is voice-inspired, Guitar World, 2025-11-28
- New Pedal: Mentha Works Monk Echo, Delicious Audio, 2025-11-24
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-10