Source Audio Ultrawave

The Source Audio Ultrawave is a multiband processor effects pedal that combines overdrive, fuzz and tremolo in one box. Instead of running your whole signal through a single drive circuit, it splits the signal into frequency bands, up to ten of them, and lets you treat each band differently: different distortion curves, different tremolo phases, different compression. Source Audio describes the result as a dynamic and multi-dimensional sound sculpting approach known as multiband processing¹².

Guitar World called it a first of its kind when it launched, a flexible multiband processing toolbox combining band-splitting, exotic distortion curves, multiband tremolo, compression, morphing and flexible EQ³⁴. It sits in Source Audio's line of distortion pedals alongside the Soundblox2 Multiwave Distortion and the AfterShock Bass Distortion, and it takes the multiband idea those pedals explored much further.

What multiband processing does to your sound

At the core of the pedal is band-splitting. MusicRadar explains the idea plainly: the Ultrawave splits your guitar signal into ten different bands, allowing you to apply different effects to each band⁶. Source Audio gives you 37 band-splitting options in total, including single-band (which behaves like a conventional distortion pedal), 2, 3, 4, 8 and 10 bands, and each option includes several sub-sets of different band-splitting frequency points²¹.

What that buys you in practice:

• Distortion per band: exotic distortion curves can be set independently across the frequency range, so, for example, the low end can stay cleaner while the top bands get fuzz³.
• Multiband tremolo: a tremolo stage lets you build custom LFO wave shapes and apply them to each band at a different phase offset point. Premier Guitar noted this produces sounds similar to sequencer or arpeggiator effects⁵.
• Compression and morphing: band-splitting is combined with compression, morphing and flexible EQ in one processing chain⁴.
• Stereo ping-pong tremolo: the Channel 1/Channel 2 Sync options and a Phase Offset control create stereo ping-pong tremolo effects¹.

Guitar World summed up the pitch at launch: the Ultrawave encourages users to explore a brave new universe of overdrive, fuzz and tremolo tones³.

Controls and presets

The original Ultrawave keeps its front panel simple. Guitar World reported three universal knobs controlling drive, level and treble, with a mix control added on the bass version, granting quick access to six pedal presets³.

The current Distortion Lab versions go further. All four knobs can be reassigned to whatever parameters you need for quick on-stage changes, and a different set of knob assignments can be saved per preset¹².

Preset memory holds 128 presets, with 6 accessible from the pedal's toggle switch and the full 128 available via MIDI¹².

Stereo signal paths

Yes, the Ultrawave is a stereo pedal. It has two independent signal paths, which allow for dual-mono, stereo, parallel, cascade and stereo imaging routings⁴. The stereo I/O works with the Channel 1/Channel 2 Sync options and the Phase Offset control for the ping-pong tremolo effects described above¹².

The 1/8" control input jack connects with the Source Audio Dual Expression Pedal for simultaneous expression control, and with software for editing⁴.

Designer and release

The Ultrawave Multiband Processor and the Ultrawave Multiband Bass Processor were released in March 2021, announced by Source Audio, the Massachusetts based effects pedal company, on March 22, 2021⁵. Guitar World had already reported the release on March 18, 2021, with both pedals shipping to retailers at a $249 street price³¹.

The designer is Bob Chidlaw, Source Audio's Chief Scientist. Company president Roger Smith described the project's origin³⁵⁴:

Premier Guitar called the Ultrawave Multiband Processor his latest creation⁵.

The bass version

The Ultrawave Multiband Bass Processor launched alongside the guitar version⁵. Source Audio's current product page for the Ultrawave Bass Distortion Lab lists it at $249.00, though it is currently sold out¹. MusicRadar's reviewer found the bass version leans more heavily into synth territory, with the potential for octave, brutal distortion and much more, and noted its mix control⁷³. Bass players comparing it against other bass pedals will find it a very different animal from a straightforward drive unit.

A related pedal: the EQ2 Ultrawave

Source Audio also makes the EQ2 Ultrawave Multiband Processor, a programmable EQ pedal rather than a distortion pedal. Guitar World's reviewer described it as a combination graphic and parametric equalizer with 10 fully adjustable frequency bands, plus shelving and high-pass options, a noise gate, limiter and tuner, at $265⁸. It carries the Ultrawave name and the multiband concept into pure equalization, with four presets instantly at hand and all 128 recallable directly from the pedal. Guitar World counted its programmable presets among the reasons to buy⁸.

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