The Magma57 is an Amp Vibrato & Drive pedal from Origin Effects, an English builder that recreates classic amp sounds in stompbox form. It combines two things vintage Magnatone amps were known for: a true pitch-modulating vibrato, where the pitch of the note itself wobbles rather than just the volume, and a raspy, organic overdrive. Origin Effects says it captures the warm clean tones and raw overdrive of these amps, from warm, jazzy cleans to full-on swirling psychedelia1.
The reference point is a sought-after American amplifier of the 1950s. The modeled amp is described as a highly sought-after American guitar amplifier with no master volume, with three models released in 1957, all with vibrato, the largest in stereo2. The overdrive section is based on an analog circuit inspired by the Magnatone 213 "Troubadour"3.
Magnatone amp vibrato and overdrive in one pedal
Magnatone amps from this era are prized for their pitch-shifting vibrato, a sound most tremolo and vibrato pedals do not reproduce because most "vibrato" circuits are actually volume-based tremolo. The Magma57's vibrato is taken from the Magnatone 260, and Origin Effects describes the source amps as having a raspy drive character and a thick, pitch-shifting vibrato all their own67. Pedal of the Day called the result "lush, shimmering vibrato with a smooth, clear overdrive tone" and said the true pitch-modulating vibrato "conjures up classic tones of past decades"8.
The drive side is an amp-style circuit rather than a conventional overdrive. Guitar World's reviewer found it "not overly gainy but has a solid midrange character and tightly controlled bottom-end"5. Guitar.com's reviewer described it as "a distinctive kind of dirt that's rich and gurgly but tight and snappy at the same time"9. Origin Effects says the pedal can work as a clean platform or be pushed into full overdrive, which, paired with the vibrato, suits psychedelic rock and blues6.
The pedal is built into a hand-polished brushed stainless steel enclosure with aluminum controls, Neutrik jack sockets and a heavy-duty footswitch1. There are two footswitches, with the left one dedicated to the vibrato, so drive and modulation can be switched independently3. Guitar World called the Magma57 and its sibling RevivalTREM "likely the most solidly constructed pedals we've ever seen"5.
The Blend switch: vibrato, chorus and rotary modes
The Magma57's controls are Output, Tone, Drive, Intensity, Speed, a Blend switch, a Multi switch, a Post Drive EQ switch and a Post Drive EQ adjust5. The Blend switch is where the pedal earns its versatility, because it changes how the wet vibrato signal and the dry signal are combined.
| Blend position | What it does | What reviewers heard |
|---|---|---|
| Top (0 degrees) | Wet and dry blended in phase | "One of the most convincing and thick Uni-Vibe-style sounds we've heard" (GuitarPlayer)10; Guitar World found it close to the chorus setting on a Uni-Vibe5 |
| Center | Wet signal only, the stock Magnatone vibrato | "Pure vibrato that's elegantly watery and smooth" (Guitar World)5; GuitarPlayer heard it as slightly chorusy, like the modulation circuit on an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man10 |
| Bottom (180 degrees) | Wet and dry blended out of phase | "A rotary speaker-like flavour" (Guitar World)53; Guitar.com heard "an almost Leslie-like effect with a pronounced bass cut"9 |
Delicious Audio summarizes the three modes as classic vibrato, chorus and out-of-phase chorus, all through a toggle that slightly changes the phase of the wet and dry signal3. The Multi switch adds a speed multiplier: GuitarPlayer found that bringing it up to the X3 position creates "the kind of fast, organ-like churn you'd get out of a very rapidly rotating Leslie speaker"10.
For players comparing vibe-style pedals, the top Blend position puts the Magma57 in the same territory as pedals like the Fulltone MDV3 or JHS Pedals Unicorn V2, while the center position is a genuine pitch vibrato closer to the Diamond Vibrato. See the vibrato pedals page for the wider field10.
The Magma57 has no battery option. Origin Effects dropped the 9V battery to save space and allow a high-current design, and it draws 100 mA, so it needs a proper 9V DC supply rather than a daisy chain. Origin Effects recommends the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power series, Cioks supplies, Truetone 1 Spot Pro series and the Strymon Zuma1.
The pedal also has a TRS footswitch socket for an external footswitch or an effects switching system, which supports tap tempo and remote vibrato on/off, with an LED that flashes in sync with the speed setting5.
What reviewers said
Reviews have been consistently positive about the sound, with price the main criticism5.
- Guitar World (2026): "The Magnatone sound is the Holy Grail of vibrato for many players and this pedal delivers it. Superb." The review credits the pedal with nailing the legendary vibrato sound of vintage Magnatone amps, praises the top-quality build and tweakable design, and lists "expensive" as the main con5.
- Guitar.com (2020): Richard Purvis highlighted the three distinct vibrato effects and the drive's tight, snappy character9.
- GuitarPlayer (2022): James Volpe Rotondi singled out the in-phase Blend position as one of most convincing Uni-Vibe-style sounds he had heard, and the X3 speed setting for its fast Leslie-style churn10.
- Pedal of the Day (2021): "The pedal's amp circuitry delivers complex clean and overdriven tones dripping with vintage vibe"8.
- Delicious Audio (2021): The Magma57 placed 26th with 1 point in the site's best pedals of 2020 poll11.
"The Magnatone sound is the Holy Grail of vibrato for many players and this pedal delivers it. Superb."
At $459, it sits at the premium end of vibrato pedals, a price Gearnews flagged directly in its coverage, calling it "rich vibrato and classic drive tones at a premium price"52. For players who want the Magnatone pitch-vibrato character specifically, it is one of the few pedals built around that circuit; for those who just want a vibe-style sound, the lower-cost options above cover similar ground.
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Questions
Does the Magma57 take a battery?
No. Origin Effects left out the usual 9V battery option to save space and allow a high-current design, so the pedal runs only on a mains 9V DC adapter with a 2.1 mm center-negative plug, which is not included. It draws 100 mA, so a quality isolated supply is the practical choice.
Is the Origin Effects Magma57 true bypass?
No. The Magma57 uses a high-impedance buffered bypass with silent footswitching rather than true bypass. Pedal of the Day described it as high-quality buffered bypass circuitry, and Guitar World lists buffered bypass with silent switching among its features.
Does the Magma57 have tap tempo?
Yes. Guitar World's review lists tap tempo and remote vibrato on/off through an optional external footswitch, with an LED that flashes in sync with the speed setting. The pedal has a standard TRS footswitch socket for the external switch or an effects switching system.
Is the Magma57 analog?
Yes. Guitar World describes the Magma57 as part of Origin Effects' all-analog amp-in-a-box line, and Delicious Audio reports that its overdrive section is based on an analog circuit inspired by the Magnatone 213 Troubadour combo.
Can you use the Magma57 drive without the vibrato?
Yes. Origin Effects says the Magma57 can work as a clean platform or be pushed into full overdrive on its own, and the vibrato has its own dedicated footswitch, so you can run the amp-style drive section independently and bring the vibrato in when you want it.
Sources (11)
- MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive, Origin Effects, 2026
- Origin Effects MAGMA57: Rich vibrato and classic drive tones at a premium price, gearnews.com, 2020-11-18
- Origin Effects Magma57 Amp Vibrato And Drive, Delicious Audio, 2023-04-26
- Origin Effects captures the legendary Magnatone 200 amp sound in a pedal with its new MAGMA57, MusicRadar, 2020-11-17
- Origin Effects MAGMA57 & RevivalTREM review, Guitar World, 2021-04-30
- 2026 - Our Guitar Amp Recreation Line Up - Origin Effects, Origin Effects, 2026-08-18
- Product Spotlight, Origin Effects, 2024-02-02
- Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2021-01-27
- Review: Origin Effects Magma57 & RevivalTrem, Guitar.com, 2020-12-23
- Origin Effects MAGMA57 Review, GuitarPlayer (Future), 2022-02-21
- The Best Guitar Pedals Of 2020 according To The Internet Experts, Delicious Audio, 2021-01-21
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