The Shift Line Astronaut III Ribbons is a limited cosmetic edition of the Astronaut III, a compact multiverb pedal offering 22 reverb, delay and sampling algorithms in one box1. Shift Line describes it as a "Multiverb space unit" and the third generation of the Astronaut line, with a fully analog dry signal path so your unprocessed guitar tone stays untouched1. The Ribbons edition changes only the finish: the maker states it is "a limited cosmetic edition of the pedal with no changes to its sound or functions"1.
The Astronaut III grew out of earlier Shift Line pedals. Its algorithm set includes extended versions of sounds from the Astronaut, the Astronaut V.2 and the Shift Line Force, and Delicious Audio noted that the V3 "offers 22 different reverb, delay and sampling algorithms, compared to the 11 reverbs offered by the previous version"2. The same publication called it "an intriguingly deep and surprisingly small reverb"3.
The algorithms
All 22 algorithms are split into pairs and divided between two banks, with 11 algorithms in each bank1. The PROGRAM knob selects the algorithm, and pressing and holding the BYPASS switch while selecting an algorithm accesses Bank 21.
Among the sounds the maker documents:
| Algorithm | What it does |
|---|---|
| SkyNet 2 and 1 | Spacious, futuristic reverbs with controllable DECAY; CHARACTER provides mild low-pass filtering1 |
| ShimUp 2 and 1 | Classic shimmers with different sound characteristics; CHARACTER is a resonant low-pass filter on reverb tails in ShimUp 2, and on the input octaver in ShimUp 11 |
| ShimDown | Reverb with a lower octave controlled by CHARACTER; works with guitars, 5-string basses and synthesizers, and set to 100% wet it gives a string pad1 |
| Mechanics Delay | A combination of short delay and longer reverb reflections for futuristic soundscapes1 |
| Force Roar and Force OctDn | Differently voiced freeze reverb algorithms from the Shift Line Force; DECAY is inactive and CHARACTER controls a resonant low-pass filter1 |
The freeze algorithms were ported from the Shift Line Force microsampler and improved upon, according to the maker's documentation of the Astronaut III line4. Delicious Audio highlighted the same family of sounds in its coverage of the V3, including the SkyNet reverbs and Mechanics Delay2.
The controls
The Astronaut III keeps its control set small, with each knob doing different work depending on the selected algorithm142.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| PROGRAM | Selects the effect algorithm1 |
| DECAY | Controls the length and acoustic properties of the selected algorithm; determines tail fade speed and feedback in certain modes2 |
| CHARACTER | Controls an extra parameter depending on the selected algorithm1 |
| VOLUME | Controls the OUT volume, with an option to boost it1 |
| BYPASS switch | Multifunctional: press once for on/off, press and hold for Infinity Mode, press and hold while selecting an algorithm for Bank 2, and in Force Roar and Force OctDn press to freeze another sound1 |
Three LEDs provide indications2.
Infinity Mode is the pedal's infinite sustain mode, reached by pressing and holding the BYPASS switch1. In the two Force algorithms the same switch freezes another sound, which is what makes those algorithms work as freeze reverbs for pads and drones1.
Bypass and tails
Active bypass is used in the Astronaut III. The dry signal is completely unaffected, and because of the active bypass there are no clicks in the sound1. Three bypass modes are available1:
- Tails: the reverb continues after you bypass the effect
- No tails, no input monitoring: the standard mode
- Continuous input monitoring
Delicious Audio listed switchable reverb tails in bypass among the V3's features2.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on 9V DC at 80mA, negative tip, through a 2.1/5.5mm barrel connector, and the maker specifies a regulated PSU only1.
The regulated-PSU-only requirement means the Astronaut III is not a battery pedal, and it should be fed from a quality isolated or regulated supply rather than an unregulated adapter.
The input and output are both mono and unbalanced, with a 1MOhm input impedance and a 100Ohm output impedance1. Delicious Audio noted the V3's top-mounted jacks as an improvement for pedalboard connectivity2. Players needing stereo operation would instead look at Shift Line's stereo Everest II reverb and delay pedal.
The Ribbons edition and the Astronaut line
The Astronaut line goes back through several generations. Pedal of the Day covered the earlier Astronaut V.2 (2018) as a multiverb space reverb unit5, and the V3 arrived in a slightly wider case than that earlier version, hosting the expanded 22-algorithm set2. Delicious Audio described the V3's enclosure as compact and lightweight anodized aluminum with laser-engraved graphics2.
The Ribbons edition sits alongside the Shift Line A+ Astronaut III and the A+ Astronaut III Fireworks, a limited edition multiverb with the same 22 algorithms, the same 9V DC 80mA power spec and the same mono I/O4. Where the Fireworks is a limited edition in its own right, the Ribbons is explicitly a cosmetic variant: same sounds, same functions, different finish1.
Questions
Is the Astronaut III Ribbons stereo?
No. The pedal has mono, unbalanced input and output jacks, with a 1MOhm input impedance and a 100Ohm output impedance. Players who need a stereo reverb or delay would have to look elsewhere in the Shift Line range, such as the Everest II.
Does the Astronaut III have reverb tails when bypassed?
Yes, and it is selectable. Three bypass modes are available: Tails, which lets the reverb continue after bypass; No tails, no input monitoring, the standard mode; and Continuous input monitoring. The pedal uses active bypass, so the dry signal is completely unaffected and there are no clicks in the sound.
What is Infinity Mode on the Shift Line Astronaut III?
Infinity Mode is the pedal's infinite sustain mode. You reach it by pressing and holding the multifunctional BYPASS switch. In the Force Roar and Force OctDn freeze algorithms, a press of the same switch freezes another sound, giving you sustained pads and drones from a single note or chord.
Does the Ribbons edition sound different from the standard Astronaut III?
No. Shift Line describes the Ribbons as a limited cosmetic edition of the pedal with no changes to its sound or functions. The algorithms, controls, power requirements and bypass behavior are identical to the standard Astronaut III; only the finish differs.
Sources (5)
- A+ Astronaut III Ribbons, shift-line.com, 2026
- Shift-Line's A+ Astronaut III Reverb/Delay/Sampler, Delicious Audio, 2020-03-19
- 2024 UPDATE: Best Multi Reverb Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2024-10-25
- A+ Astronaut III Fireworks, Shift Line, 2026
- Shift Line Astronaut Multiverb Space Reverb Unit V.2, Pedal of the Day, 2018-02-02
