The NativeAudio Rising Sun is a tremolo pedal built on an optical circuit, the same approach used by the tremolo circuits in vintage guitar amplifiers. NativeAudio describes it as an "analog tremolo with tap and ramp capability" with an "analog design, digital control": the audio path is analog and optical, while a digital side handles tap tempo, divisions, and switching1. The current version carries firmware 2.0, and the V2 hardware was announced in February 2022 at $23921.
What sets the Rising Sun apart from a basic tremolo is its two operating modes. In Tap mode you set the speed by tapping a footswitch in time with the music, with four note divisions available. In Ramp mode the pedal glides smoothly between two tremolo speeds you have dialed in, which lets you move from a slow pulse to a fast chop within a phrase1.
An optical tremolo with tap and ramp modes
Optical tremolo works by using a light-dependent element to vary the signal's volume, the method found in vintage amplifier tremolo circuits. Delicious Audio describes the Rising Sun as "an analog optical but digitally controlled optical tremolo with four waveforms and tap tempo voiced after vintage units," and says the analog-optical circuit "provides vintage tremolo sounds"4. MusicRadar similarly called the V2 "a vintage amp-inspired optical tremolo with dual modes and selectable waveforms"2.
The two modes are selected with a single toggle switch52:
- Tap mode: Tap tempo with four subdivisions, set with the Control footswitch. The Rate knob sets the tremolo speed, and the Divisions control chooses half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth note values15.
- Ramp mode: You dial in two tremolo speeds and the pedal makes a smooth transition between them. Pedal of the Day called this ramping between two speed settings "the main feature" of the mode15.
The V2 redesign, announced in February 2022, brought a new layout, top-mounted instrument and power jacks designed to save pedalboard space, 9 to 18V DC operation for expanded headroom, and the buffered bypass design34.
The controls
NativeAudio's interface pairs three knobs with a toggle and two footswitches. The maker describes it as "the intuitive interface features volume, waveform, and depth controls for a warm-analog tremolo experience"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls the overall volume of the signal1 |
| Waveform | Selects sine, ramp up, ramp down, or square1 |
| Depth | Sets the depth of the tremolo effect1 |
| Rate | Sets the tremolo speed in Tap mode5 |
| Divisions | Sets the tap tempo division: half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth (Tap mode)1 |
| Mode toggle | Selects Tap or Ramp mode52 |
| Control switch | Sets the tempo (Tap mode)1 |
| On (Hold) switch | Turns the effect on and off; hold while on for a fast rate1 |
The four waveforms cover a wide range of tremolo character. Pedal of the Day wrote: "Choose from 4 waveforms as well, for a multitude of sonic options, pick from Sine, Ramp Up, Ramp Down or Square options"5. Sine gives the smooth, rounded pulse associated with vintage amps, while square chops the signal hard on and off; the two ramp shapes sit between them with asymmetric rises and falls.
The footswitches: latching or momentary
The On (Hold) switch has two switching methods, latching or momentary1.
- Latching: Press and release the switch quickly to toggle the effect on and off1.
- Momentary: Hold the switch while the effect is off to temporarily turn the effect on, and release it to turn the effect off1.
Pedal of the Day noted that the momentary setting "lets you temporarily turn the effect on and off in controlled bursts when it is bypassed," which suits quick stabs of tremolo rather than leaving the effect engaged5. The same switch has a second trick: when the effect is on, holding it accesses a fast rate1.
Power and connections
The Rising Sun runs on external power only; Premier Guitar's news listing states plainly, "External power only (no battery)"3. The maker specifies a 9V DC supply at 50mA with a 2.1mm center negative plug1. The V2 accepts 9 to 18V DC, which NativeAudio and Premier Guitar describe as delivering expanded headroom34.
No battery option means the pedal needs a power supply or an isolated pedalboard output from the start. The center negative polarity matches the standard 9V "boss-style" plug used by most pedal power supplies.
The V2's instrument and power jacks are top-mounted, a layout Premier Guitar described as "designed to save pedalboard space"3. The audio output is mono1.
Bypass and signal integrity
The Rising Sun uses buffered bypass rather than true bypass. NativeAudio lists buffered bypass under its switching specifications1, and Premier Guitar described the V2's "buffered-bypass design to optimize signal integrity with any instrument cable length"3. For a player with long cable runs or a large pedalboard, a buffered pedal keeps the high end from dulling; players who prefer true bypass throughout can read more in buffer pedals.
Where it came from
NativeAudio is a small builder whose founder, Mike Trombley, designs the pedals and signs the product copy1. The Rising Sun's artwork carries personal meaning: Pedal of the Day described it as "a tribute to owner Mike Trombley's Blackfeet (Amsskaapipiikuni) heritage, with the artwork telling" of the Eastern sky as the sun rises over the horizon5. The V2 was announced on 4 February 2022 as a redesign of the original, available immediately at $2392.
What reviewers said
Press coverage around the V2 launch was positive about its feature set. MusicRadar highlighted the dual modes and noted that while the sounds "might have been inspired by the tremolo circuits found on vintage [guitar amplifiers]," the pedal's tap tempo and ramp capabilities go beyond what a vintage amp offers2. Pedal of the Day called it "a vintage-sounding modulation monster that expands on the technology found in vintage amplifiers"5. Delicious Audio's coverage emphasized the V2's updates, including the expanded rate control, the half-note division, 9 to 18V DC operation, lower noise, and the updated bypass design4.
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Questions
Does the NativeAudio Rising Sun take a battery?
No. The Rising Sun runs on external power only, with no battery option. It takes a 9V DC supply with a 2.1mm center negative plug, and the V2 accepts 9 to 18V DC for extra headroom, drawing about 50mA.
Is the Rising Sun true bypass or buffered?
It uses buffered bypass. NativeAudio and press coverage of the V2 describe a buffered bypass design intended to optimize signal integrity with any instrument cable length, rather than a true bypass switching scheme.
What waveforms does the Rising Sun tremolo have?
Four: sine, ramp up, ramp down, and square. The waveform control selects between them, which covers the smooth pulse of a vintage amp tremolo through to the harder chop of a square wave.
Can the Rising Sun footswitch work as momentary?
Yes. The On (Hold) switch can be set to latching or momentary. In momentary operation, you hold the switch while the effect is off to temporarily turn it on, and release it to turn the effect back off.
How much does the Rising Sun V2 cost?
The Rising Sun V2 was priced at $239 when NativeAudio announced it in February 2022. It was available at participating NativeAudio dealers and directly from nativeaudio.com.
Sources (5)
- NativeAudio: Native-owned effect pedal company, NativeAudio
- NativeAudio unveils the Rising Sun V2, a vintage amp-inspired optical tremolo with dual modes and selectable waveforms, MusicRadar, 2022-02-04
- NativeAudio Launches Rising Sun V2 Tremolo Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2022-02-03
- NativeAudio Rising Sun Optical Tremolo V2, Delicious Audio, 2022-03-18
- NativeAudio Rising Sun V2 Optical Tremolo, Pedal of the Day, 2022-01-28
