The Shin-ei Vibe-2 is a 1960s vintage style chorus-vibrato effect pedal, designed with the basic circuitry found in the original Uni-Vibe and the Vibe-Bro. It is made by Shin-ei, the Japanese company behind the original Uni-Vibe.00 USD1.
For a player, the Vibe-2 delivers the two classic Uni-Vibe sounds in one box: Chorus mode, the watery, rotating speaker style sweep the original circuit is known for, and Vibrato mode, which pitches the whole signal up and down. Shin-ei describes it as a vintage style effect rather than a modern recreation, and houses it in a pedal board friendly compact design measuring 5.5 x 4.5 x 1.75 inches (13.5 x 11.5 x 4.5 cm)1.
The controls: two speed knobs and the Chorus-Vibrato switch
The control set is deliberately vintage. On the face of the pedal are two variable speed control knobs, which set the rate of the sweep in each mode, and a Chorus-Vibrato switch built from NOS (new old stock) vintage Uni-Vibe style Japanese Miyama black switch stock, the same type of switch used on the original units1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Two variable speed control knobs | Set the sweep speed of the effect |
| Chorus-Vibrato switch (NOS Japanese Miyama) | Selects Chorus mode or Vibrato mode |
| Bypass-Preamp toggle switch | Face mounted toggle that switches the preamp section in or out of the signal path |
The Bypass-Preamp toggle is worth a note for anyone comparing the Vibe-2 with the original Uni-Vibe: it lets you run the pedal's preamp section in the chain or take it out, a flexibility the faceplate of the 1960s units did not offer in this form1.
Power: 24V DC, 400mA
The Vibe-2 runs on 24 volts DC and comes with its own 24 volt DC wall power adapter, with Shin-ei shipping the proper wall adapter based on the customer's country1. The official adapter is the Vibe-2 24 VDC unit, rated at 1000mA (1 amp) for use with 120 volt AC wall power in the U.S.A.23. Shin-ei describes it plainly:
"It is by far the safest and best way to power your Vibe-2 and will sound better than any other power supply!"
If you want to run it from a pedalboard power supply instead, Shin-ei states the requirement directly: the Vibe-2 can run on one 24 volt output, with no doubler cable necessary, as long as the minimum amperage is 400mA1. That means the pedal needs a dedicated 24V tap with enough current behind it, and Shin-ei warns that power supplies exceeding 24 volts DC will damage the Vibe-2 and void the warranty1.
Shin-ei warns that improper use of commercially available power supplies exceeding 24 volts DC will damage the Vibe-2 and void the warranty. Damage from third party power supplies or non-official speed control pedals is not covered by the warranty1.
Colors and the Speed Control Foot Pedal
The Vibe-2 comes in several colors. Standard finishes are Machine Gun Gray and Vintage Black, with custom colors Hot Rod Purple, Voodoo Red and Mean Toxic Green also offered1. The full color list also includes Woodstock White, Vintage Black with metallic red knobs, Gypsy Gold, Radioactive Toxic Green with black knobs, and Hot Rod Purple with black knobs, with Gypsy Gold carrying a +$10.00 USD surcharge over the $798.00 base price41.
The pedal also accommodates Shin-ei's optional 1960s vintage style "Double Rubber" speed control pedal, a non canceling design, for players who want to change the sweep speed with their foot the way original Uni-Vibe users did1.
The optional Speed Control Foot Pedal (product code VB2-FC) is an exact reproduction of the vintage "Double Rubber" style foot controllers that came with the first year Uni-Vibe models made in 19682. It comes in Machine Gun Gray, Vintage Black, Woodstock White and custom colors Hot Rod Purple, Voodoo Red and Mean Toxic Green1.
The Speed Control Foot Pedal works with the Vibe-2 only. Shin-ei states it will not function when used with original vintage 1960s and 70's Uni-Vibe effects or the Vibe-Bro2.
Where it came from
The Vibe-2 sits at the end of a long lineage. The Uni-Vibe was introduced in the 1960s by Shin-ei as a Leslie speaker emulator, designed by Fumio Mieda, and Univox released it in North America in 1968 as the Uni-Vibe, with Shin-ei adding an external speed control pedal to the design. The Vibe-2 offers its own optional external speed control foot pedal, sold separately under the product code VB2-FC2. The Vibe-2 itself is described as a 1960's vintage style chorus-vibrato effect designed with the basic circuitry found in the original, in a pedal board friendly compact enclosure measuring 5.5 x 4.5 x 1.75 inches1.
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Questions
Can the Shin-ei Vibe-2 run on 9V?
No. The Vibe-2 runs on 24 volts DC and comes with its own 24 volt DC wall power adapter. Shin-ei warns that improper use of commercially available power supplies exceeding 24 volts DC will damage the Vibe-2 and void the warranty, so the supplied adapter is the safe choice.
Can I power the Vibe-2 from a pedalboard power supply?
Yes, with conditions. Shin-ei says the Vibe-2 can run on one 24 volt output, with no doubler cable necessary, as long as the minimum amperage is 400mA. The official wall adapter is rated at 1000mA (1 amp) for use with 120 volt AC wall power, and Shin-ei calls it the safest way to power the pedal.
Does the Vibe-2 work with an expression pedal?
It accommodates Shin-ei's optional 1960s vintage style Double Rubber speed control foot pedal, a non cancelling design and an exact reproduction of the foot controllers that came with the first year 1968 Uni-Vibe models. That pedal works with the Vibe-2 only, and will not function with original vintage Uni-Vibes or the Vibe-Bro.
What does the Bypass-Preamp switch do on the Vibe-2?
The Vibe-2 has a face mounted Bypass-Preamp toggle switch. It selects between bypassing the pedal's preamp section and running the signal through it, alongside the NOS vintage Uni-Vibe style Japanese Miyama black Chorus-Vibrato switch that selects between the two effect modes.
Sources (4)
- Vibe-2 Chrous Vibrato, Shin-ei
- Shin-ei Vibe-2 chorus/vibrato effects pedal, shin-ei.com
- Shin-ei Vibe-2 Wall Adapter, shin-ei.com
- Vibe-2 Chrous Vibrato, Shin-ei (shin-ei.com)
