The Paradox Effects Vitral is a microtonal shimmer reverb, released December 1st 2022 at a street price of $199.991. Shimmer reverb is the effect that folds a pitch-shifted copy of your signal back into the reverb, producing that glassy, octave-up bloom behind your notes. Paradox describes the Vitral as its take on the shimmering effects, expanded beyond the typical octave up1.
What sets it apart is the pitch machinery behind the reverb. The pedal carries two independent pitch shifters that, in combination, produce harmonizing chords within the reverberated blend1. Instead of a single fixed octave-up voice, you can build intervals and chords inside the wash.
Controls and intervals
The first of the pitch controls is Centro, which contains three fixed semitones, 5ths, 7ths, and 8ves1. That gives you a set of fixed interval choices for the shifted voices, from close semitone moves out to full octaves, which is where the microtonal part of the design comes in: the shimmer voices are not locked to the usual single octave up.
An expression pedal input on a TRS jack controls the Dimensión parameter, so that aspect of the reverb can be swept with your foot while you play1.
Build and origin
The Vitral is made in México, and Paradox describes it as handmade by non-replicant individuals in the border town of Tijuana1. The company's range includes the Arquitecto Fictional Space Reverberator, another reverb design from the same maker, and the Vitral sits in the wider field of reverb pedals alongside octave and pitch pedals, which handle pitch shifting outside a reverb context.
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Questions
Is the Vitral true bypass?
Yes, Paradox Effects lists the Vitral as true bypass1.
Can I use an expression pedal with it?
Yes, there is a TRS expression pedal input, and it controls the Dimensión parameter1.
Is the Paradox Effects Vitral true bypass?
Yes. Paradox Effects lists the Vitral as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes straight through without any buffering or processing in the way. That matters if you run a large pedalboard or place the Vitral among other effects, since true bypass switching keeps the pedal out of the chain entirely until you engage it.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Vitral?
Yes. The Vitral has a TRS expression pedal input, and it controls the Dimensión parameter. That means you can sweep that aspect of the reverb with your foot while playing, rather than reaching down to turn a knob. Any standard expression pedal with a TRS plug can be connected to that input.
What intervals can the Vitral shimmer play?
The Vitral's Centro control offers three fixed semitones, 5ths, 7ths, and 8ves. Combined with its two independent pitch shifters, which Paradox says produce harmonizing chords within the reverberated blend, that takes the shimmer effect beyond the typical octave-up sound that most shimmer reverbs offer.
Where is the Paradox Effects Vitral made?
The Vitral is made in México. Paradox Effects describes it as handmade by non-replicant individuals in the border town of Tijuana, which is where the company builds its pedals. The pedal was announced by Premier Guitar in January 2023 ahead of its December 1st 2022 release.
What did the Vitral cost at launch?
The Vitral carried a street price of $199.99 when it was released on December 1st 2022. That figure comes from the Premier Guitar announcement of the pedal in January 2023, which covered the launch details alongside the pedal's features and construction.
Sources (1)
- Paradox Effects Unveils Its Newest Pedal, Vitral, Premier Guitar, 2023-01-19
