Subdecay Quasar Phaser

The Subdecay Quasar is a multi-mode phaser pedal that has been in Subdecay's lineup in one form or another since 2005¹. Where a typical phaser gives you one or two fixed sweeps, the Quasar packs eleven distinct modes into one box, covering everything from a traditional sine-wave swirl to synchronized tremolo, step sequencing and envelope-controlled phasing. The current version, the Quasar mk5, is described by Subdecay as an all-analog phaser and tremolo with synchronized LFOs².

The Quasar v4, the version that preceded the mk5, is now discontinued and out of production¹. The mk5 carries the design forward, and at the time of writing it is listed at $199.00 on Subdecay's site².

What the Quasar does: a multi-mode phaser with tremolo

Subdecay's own description of the design philosophy behind the Quasar v4 is that it pairs the analog and digital worlds without compromising analog headroom or what the maker calls "that organic swirl"¹. In practice, that means the phase-shifting path is analog while the digital side of the circuit handles mode selection and modulation control. Subdecay describes the result as "pure analog tone with modern features"¹.

The standout feature is the synchronized tremolo. Mode 4 on both versions combines a synchronized tremolo with a slower phaser sweep¹². On the v4, the Depth knob controls tremolo depth, and the Offset knob sets the tremolo ratio to 2, 4, 8, 16 or 32¹. On the mk5, the ratio between the two LFOs is likewise controlled by the offset knob². Subdecay also cites synchronized tremolo and chopper effects among the v4's features¹.

The control surface is deliberately simple. On the v4, the Mode control selects any of the eleven modes, and the Offset knob is mode dependent: it can set anything from the phaser's sweep center point to synchronized modulation ratios¹.

The eleven modes

Both the v4 and the mk5 offer eleven modes¹². Subdecay groups the v4's modes into families:

The mk5 fills in more detail on several of these. Its Step Sequencer mode 5, Step Pattern, is a stepping pattern based on a triangle waveform, and offset alters the pattern². Mode 6, RND, is a random phaser sequencer with a choppy pulse tremolo, where offset controls the pulse tremolo per step, from 0 to 50 percent².

The Envelope Phaser, mode 8, is described by Subdecay as being "like an envelope filter, but with a phaser"². On the v4, the Rate knob controls envelope attack and decay speed in this mode, and Offset controls the phaser's resting point¹. On the mk5, offset slows down or speeds up the modulation when you hit the guitar strings².

The mk5's Traditional mode 9, Rotary/Vibrato, is inspired by the long-discontinued DOD FX22 Vibrothang². Subdecay characterizes the mk5's mode set as ranging "from fluid rotary effects to envelope phase sweeps and stepped sample-and-hold shapes"².

What changed between the v4 and the mk5

The mk5 shares a familiar footprint with the Quasar 4, but its analog phaser is refined for headroom and lower noise². The bigger functional change is connectivity: the mk5 adds control over all parameters and mode/preset customization via MIDI².

The mk5 also handles presets. When you save a mode select, it behaves as a preset, and the mode will load your exact settings every time it is recalled².

The Quasar family

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