The RFO Electronics Real Vibe Chorus Vibrato is a vibrato and chorus pedal built around the same optical circuit and function as the Univibe, the classic effect whose original version carried a Chorus/Vibrato selector switch12. Pedal of the Day called it "a great-looking and gorgeous-sounding vibrato and chorus pedal" and praised its "Warm, inviting, classic, vintage…the Real Vibe Chorus Vibrato produces all the tones that make your ears smile"1. If you are after the Univibe family of sounds, it sits alongside the chorus and vibrato types covered on the site's Chorus Pedals and Vibrato Pedals pages.
The controls: Level, Depth, Speed and Cancel
The Real Vibe keeps its control set close to the Univibe formula, with three knobs and the Cancel switch doing the extra work1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets your output volume, and works with both the Chorus and Vibrato modes |
| Depth | Sets the intensity of the LFO (low frequency oscillator) |
| Speed | Sets the rate of the LFO |
| Cancel | Takes the modulation out of the effect and lets your signal pass through the pedal's circuitry |
All control descriptions come from Pedal of the Day's review1.
The Cancel switch and clean boost use
The Cancel switch is the feature Pedal of the Day singled out. It removes the modulation while leaving your signal running through the Real Vibe's circuitry, which turns the pedal into a clean boost: "This lets you have a clean boost at your disposal, adding some sparkle and presence to your tone"1. For a player, that means the pedal earns its board space even in songs where the vibe effect stays off, and it can double as a route into the kind of lift usually handled by Boost Pedals.
Build and power
Pedal of the Day reports that "the Real Vibes are hand-built and tuned using 24mm Alpha potentiometers and high quality photo resistors"1, hardware choices aimed at the vintage-style optical circuit. On power, the pedal ships with a dedicated supply and can also be run from pedal power supplies at 18V to 24V1.
The Real Vibe runs at 18V to 24V, so make sure your pedalboard supply offers the right voltage before adding it to a daisy chain.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict, published on 27 October 2021, was warm on both the build and the sound: "Cheers to RFO Electronics on a wonderful build and ability to recreate these sounds"1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
michael keith
PJ and the Beard
Questions
Is the RFO Real Vibe based on the Univibe?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes the Real Vibe as using the same optical circuit and function as the Univibe, the classic pedal whose original version carried a Chorus/Vibrato selector switch. The Real Vibe follows that same two-mode approach, with chorus and vibrato sounds and a control set built around them.
What does the Cancel switch do on the Real Vibe?
The Cancel switch takes the modulation out of the effect and lets your signal pass through the Real Vibe's circuitry. Pedal of the Day notes this gives you a clean boost at your disposal, adding some sparkle and presence to your tone while the pedal stays on the board.
Can the Real Vibe be used as a clean boost?
Yes. With the modulation cancelled, the pedal acts as a clean boost, adding sparkle and presence to your tone according to Pedal of the Day's review. That makes it a two-in-one unit: a Univibe-style chorus and vibrato, and a boost for pushing an amp or lifting a solo.
Does the Real Vibe come with a power supply?
Yes, the Real Vibe includes a dedicated power supply. Pedal of the Day also notes it can be powered using 18V to 24V pedal power supplies, so it can run from a supply with the right voltage rather than only from the included unit.
Is the RFO Real Vibe hand-built?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, the Real Vibes are hand-built and tuned, using 24mm Alpha potentiometers and high quality photo resistors, which fits the pedal's aim of recreating vintage Univibe sounds.
Sources (2)
- RFO Electronics Real Vibe Chorus Vibrato, Pedal of the Day, 2021-10-27
- What was the original univibe effect?, Strymon, 2015-06-30