The SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical Vibraphase is a two-stage optical phaser pedal that takes the classic Uni-Vibe sound as its starting point and adds modern control. SolidGoldFX describes it as a "2-stage asymmetric phase shifter built around a pair of selected and individually controlled opto-isolators," with a "100% analog audio path from input to output" and precise digital controls1. The company says it draws inspiration from albums such as Band of Gypsys and Dark Side of the Moon, delivering "the lush modulation and heavy pulse" associated with the Uni-Vibe effect used by Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys12.
What sets the Aurras apart from a straight vintage-style vibe is its dual LFO design. Two independent LFOs can be offset against each other, which lets the pedal produce asymmetric, rhythmic modulation that a single-LFO Uni-Vibe circuit cannot. It is made in Canada1 and was priced at $209 when it launched in early 20243.
What it does: a two-stage optical vibe
The Aurras works like a Uni-Vibe in the broad sense: light shining on opto-isolators changes resistance in the phase-shifting circuit, sweeping the frequencies that get modulated. But instead of one LFO driving the sweep, the Aurras has two, and the relationship between them is the pedal's core idea1.
The two offset modes shape that relationship:
- Phase Offset mode: fine-tunes the throb by introducing asymmetry between the LFOs1
- Frequency Offset mode: adds rhythmic patterns by slowing down the second LFO1
A Dry Mix control blends dry signal back in, and SolidGoldFX says it covers "tones and textures ranging from soft Vibrato to lush Uni-Vibe like sounds"1. Run the dry signal all the way down and you get pitch-shifting vibrato; blend it back and you get the thicker, phasey sweep players associate with the vibrato and vibe family.
The controls
The front panel combines straightforward knobs with the offset system12:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets the rate of the effect3 |
| Depth | Sets the intensity of the modulation2 |
| Level | Overall output volume3 |
| Dry Mix | Blends dry signal, from soft vibrato to lush Uni-Vibe-like sounds1 |
| Offset Adjustment | Adjusts the asymmetry between the two LFOs, active when Frequency Offset slows the second LFO13 |
| Offset Mode switch | Selects between LFO Frequency and Phase Offset modes12 |
The pedal has two footswitches for ramping the vibe effect up and down2. The bypass footswitch uses soft-touch relay-based true bypass switching, and MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley notes that holding it down "will ramp down the the rate of the LFO, cutting it in half, and then half again"13. On-board tap tempo and speed ramping let you set the rate in real time, and an expression pedal input allows hands-free control1. SolidGoldFX fitted the pedal with soft-relay switches, with jacks on the top of the pedal3.
The Aurras runs on 9V DC from a pedalboard power supply3, so it is a powered-pedalboard proposition rather than a battery pedal.
History: the successor to the Athena Vibraphase
The Aurras follows a line of SolidGoldFX phasers. Its predecessor was the Athena Vibraphase, and like the Aurras it was built in Canada by SolidGoldFX1. The Aurras carries the line forward with a Dry Mix control for tones ranging from soft vibrato to lush Uni-Vibe-like sounds, and soft-touch relay-based true bypass switching with on-board tap tempo and speed ramping1.
SolidGoldFX's own product page frames the Aurras as the Athena's successor, saying it "meets the legacy of its predecessor the Athena Vibraphase"1. The Aurras was announced in February 2024 and was available immediately, priced £189 / $20932.
What reviewers said
Coverage of the Aurras was positive. Gearnews' writer, already a fan of the Uni-Vibe effect, called the demo impressive and wrote2:
"This could be a pedal to check out if you need that classic retro Vibe effect but with more modern control options and flexibility"2
MusicRadar included the Aurras in its roundup of new guitar effects pedals of 2024, noting the $209 price and availability4. For context on the family sound, the same Gearnews writer reviewing the Athena in 2019 found it "sounds lovely to my ears, nice and 'chewy'"5.
Videos
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
SolidGoldFX | Diamond Pedals
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Questions
Is the SolidGoldFX Aurras a Uni-Vibe clone?
No, but it is built in the Uni-Vibe tradition. It is a 2-stage asymmetric phase shifter built around a pair of individually controlled opto-isolators, the same optical approach as the original Uni-Vibe. Its Dry Mix control ranges from soft vibrato to lush Uni-Vibe-like sounds, and SolidGoldFX cites albums like Band of Gypsys and Dark Side of the Moon as inspiration.
Does the Aurras have tap tempo?
Yes. The Aurras has on-board tap tempo and speed ramping. It also has two footswitches for ramping the vibe effect up and down, and holding the bypass footswitch ramps the LFO rate down, cutting it in half, then half again.
Can you use an expression pedal with the Aurras?
Yes. The Aurras has an expression pedal input, so you can control the effect hands-free, in the spirit of the rocker pedal that came with the original Uni-Vibe. Combined with the tap tempo and ramping functions, this gives it modern control options beyond a vintage-style vibe pedal.
What is the difference between the Aurras and the Athena Vibraphase?
The Aurras is the successor to the Athena Vibraphase, which SolidGoldFX released in 2019 and has since discontinued. The Athena was a two-stage phase effect with pitch-altering vibrato; the Aurras keeps the two-stage optical approach but adds dual LFOs, tap tempo, speed ramping and an expression pedal input.
Is the SolidGoldFX Aurras analog?
Yes and no. SolidGoldFX describes a 100% analog audio path from input to output, with the phase shifting done by opto-isolators. The controls, including the tap tempo and speed ramping, are handled digitally, so the sound is analog while the control layer is digital.
Sources (5)
- SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical Vibraphase Pedal, SolidGoldFX
- SolidGoldFX AURRAS, gearnews.com, 2024-02-22
- “A harmonious blend of legendary, vintage Uni-Vibe textures and innovative, modern prowess”: SolidGoldFX puts Hendrix and Pink Floyd psych tones on tap with the Aurras Optical Vibraphase, MusicRadar, 2024-02-27
- Bored of your 'board? Stomp this way for the must-have new guitar effects pedals of 2024, MusicRadar, 2024-03-28
- Groovy, man! SolidGoldFX's Athena Vibra-Phase pedal is inspired by 1960s Uni-Vibe, gearnews.com, 2019-03-25
