The Reflector V3 is a chorus pedal from Old Blood Noise Endeavors, an update of the original Reflector Chorus that the Oklahoma maker introduced three years earlier1. Where a straightforward chorus pedal gives you one modulation flavor, the Reflector V3 gives you three, chosen with a toggle switch: Wrinkle, a pitch-shifted chorus; Washed, a chorus feeding into a reverb; and Mirrors, a detuned chorus meeting a flanger23. Old Blood Noise describes it as "a chorus with a bent, an ephemeral voice floating between aural dimensions"2.
The pedal is no longer in production. Old Blood Noise's product page lists it as sold out and notes that "The Reflector Chorus is no longer in production, but many units exist out there in the world"2, so it remains findable on the used market.
The three modes
A three-way toggle switch on the enclosure selects between Wrinkle, Washed and Mirrors23. Each mode is a different effect built around the same chorus engine.
| Mode | What it is | What the Modulate knob does |
|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle | A deep chorus with an additional pitch shift, from one octave down to one octave up2 | Sets the pitch: fully counterclockwise an octave down, noon close to pitch unity, fully clockwise an octave up5 |
| Washed | A simple lush chorus feeding into a reverb2 | Sets the reverb blend; clockwise gives splashy echoes and longer, stretched-out chorus sounds2 |
| Mirrors | A chorus and moving filter linked via the chorus rate; detuned chorus meets flanger23 | Controls the depth of the flanger5 |
At launch, coverage described the V3 as keeping the original's pitch shifting, flanging and multi-voice chorus capabilities while adding a reverb chorus mode4. In Mirrors, the Rate knob corresponds to both the flanger speed and the detuned chorus speed5.
The controls
Four knobs govern the modulation: Rate, Depth, Mix and Modulate3.
- Rate: Sets the speed of the chorus LFO2
- Depth: Sets the depth of the chorus LFO2
- Mix: Balances the unaffected and affected signal2
- Modulate: A different control in each mode, pitch shift in Wrinkle, reverb blend in Washed, filter depth in Mirrors2
The Modulate knob is the heart of the pedal's flexibility. Because it changes jobs with the toggle, one knob covers pitch selection, reverb wash amount or flanger depth depending on the mode3. In Wrinkle, Delicious Audio described the result as "a Vibrato-esque warble chorus with the added option of pitch selection, meaning the Modulate knob goes from one octave down to one octave up, with noon being close to pitch unity"5.
An expression jack allows external control of the Rate or Modulate parameter, so either can be swept on the fly with an expression pedal12. Output level is not on a knob: it is set by an internal trimpot, so changing the pedal's overall volume means opening it up1. Switching is clickless, with no audible pop when the effect engages2.
Power
The Reflector V3 requires 9V DC center negative power with a current draw of 110mA2. That draw is on the higher side for a compact chorus pedal, so it expects a proper pedalboard power supply rather than a battery. Premier Guitar's launch coverage confirmed the standard 9V DC center negative requirement1.
Where it came from
Old Blood Noise Endeavors built the Reflector V3 as a chorus with a bent, what the maker calls "an ephemeral voice floating between aural dimensions"2. The V3's headline change over the Reflector V2 was the new Washed reverb chorus mode, added to the pitch shifting, flanging and multi-voice chorus the pedal already carried13. Derek Nobbs created the art of Reflector2.
Videos
Old Blood Noise Endeavors
The Pedal Zone
Pedalboard of the Day
Questions
Is the Old Blood Noise Reflector V3 discontinued?
Yes. Old Blood Noise Endeavors states the Reflector Chorus is no longer in production, and its product page lists it as sold out. The maker notes many units exist in the world, so it can still be found on the used market.
What does the Modulate knob do on the Reflector V3?
It depends on the mode. In Wrinkle it sets the pitch shift, from one octave down to one octave up with noon near pitch unity. In Washed it sets the reverb blend, and in Mirrors it controls the depth of the flanger.
What is the difference between Reflector V2 and V3?
The V3 keeps the original's pitch shifting, flanging and multi-voice chorus capabilities and adds a new reverb chorus mode, Washed, which feeds a lush chorus into a reverb. It arrived about three years after the original Reflector.
Does the Reflector V3 have an expression input?
Yes. An expression jack allows external control of the Rate or Modulate parameter, so you can sweep either on the fly with an expression pedal.
Can you change the output volume on the Reflector V3?
Not from the outside. The output level is set by an internal trimpot, so adjusting overall volume means opening the enclosure and turning that trimmer.
Sources (5)
- Old Blood Noise Launches Reflector Chorus V3 Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2018-09-27
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors, Old Blood Noise Endeavors
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors launches the Reflector Chorus V3, Guitar.com, 2018-09-28
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors Introduces the Reflector Chorus V3 Pedal, Guitar World, 2018-10-03
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector Chorus V3, Delicious Audio, 2018-09-29
