The ThorpyFX ER-2 Block 2 Uni-Vibe is a chorus-family modulation pedal: a Uni-Vibe style effect with switchable Uni-Vibe Chorus and Vibrato (wet signal only) modes, built by British maker ThorpyFX. It is the second version of the ER-2, which was first released in June 2023 and then re-engineered in November 2024 after Light Dependent Resistors (Vactrols) were hit by an evolving RoHS hard ban on cadmium sulphide components1. The Block 2 launched on 15 November 2024, and Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson noted ThorpyFX was "first to market with his new ER-2 Block 2 by a country mile" among re-engineered, Vactrol-free vibes2.
The point of the redesign was to keep the sound while losing the outlawed parts. As Karlsson put it, "the brief was always to get to the exact same tonality as the original," and "the new devices sounds identical to the old one and has some performance improvements"2.
A Uni-Vibe without Vactrols
The classic Uni-Vibe sound comes from optical circuitry: the vintage original used four light-dependent resistors reacting to a lightbulb's changes in brightness, a four-stage optical phase-shift topology34. The original ER-2 kept that lamp-powered LFO system at the heart of its circuit5, which is exactly what made it vulnerable to RoHS rules. Vactrols containing cadmium sulphide were banned, so Adrian Thorpe retired the ER-2 and several other models in the fall of 20236.
The Block 2 answers that with a circuit built up from scratch once more, using OTA components to replace the Vactrols1. For a player, the practical changes are:
- The lightbulb and LDRs are removed, making the output more consistent and a little louder6
- Quite a bit more headroom than the original ER-22
- Better power handling, with current draw reduced from a 150mA idle (and around 300mA peak surge) down to just 50mA2
That last figure matters on a pedalboard. The original ER-2's 150mA idle and 300mA surge2 demanded a robust power supply; the Block 2's 50mA is easy for any isolated supply to serve. ThorpyFX also sells a Power Supply Isolator accessory for the ER-2, with an IN side that plugs in from your power supply72.
The controls
The Block 2 keeps the control set of the original ER-2: four knobs and two footswitches25.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Intensity (Photocell Luminosity) | Sets the depth of the effect28 |
| Speed | Sets the modulation rate1 |
| Offset | Sets the ratio of dark (unlit) to lit effect, subtly changing how the LFO ramps up19 |
| Volume | Sets the output level1108 |
| Vibrato/Chorus footswitch | Switches between Uni-Vibe Chorus and fully wet Vibrato23 |
| On/Off footswitch | Bypass2 |
The Offset control is the unusual one. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer called it "the most unique control on the ER-2," describing it as "a little like waveform symmetry," working like Attack/Release times between the Lit and Unlit photocell phases, with the "ultimate throb" found between 2 and 3 o'clock on the knob2. ThorpyFX frames it as a way to tailor your Uni-Vibe sound to your preference11.
The enclosure is engineered to be robust but functional, with recessed knobs, a sloped front and top mounted jacks5.
The Block 3 Edition
In September 2026 ThorpyFX released the ER-2 Uni-Vibe Block 3 Edition, an evolution of the Block 2 that adds a Phase toggle11. The switch sets the modulation in-phase (down) or out-of-phase (up), with in-phase as the default1. ThorpyFX describes it plainly:
"This new switch gives you the ability to not only play the vibe in-phase, but out of phase too."11
The Block 3 keeps the two footswitches, ON/OFF and VIB/CHO, the latter giving a fully wet signal when engaged11, and comes with blue knobs matching its LEDs1. It is available from the ThorpyFX Webstore and leading international dealers at £299.99 / $389 / €3491.
What reviewers said
Reviews of the ER-2 line have been positive across the board. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen listed "Authentic Uni-Vibe sound with thoughtfully added variations" among his reasons to buy3. Guitar.com's Richard Purvis rated the original 9 out of 10, concluding:
"Sounds great when it's trying to be a Uni-Vibe; can sound even better when it isn't10."
Richard Purvis, Guitar.com10
Purvis found the chorus mode "a straight-up Uni-Vibe, nailing that uniquely chewy swirl without any obvious coloration to the overall EQ balance," and judged the internal construction to be of equally high quality as the enclosure. On value he wrote, "It's not cheap, but the ER-2 is good vibes all the way"10. Guitar Pedal X, naming the ER-2 among its 2023 picks, called it "a unique take on a Uni-Vibe, which deliver ultimate note clarity, meaning this is superb for use with higher gain pedals and fuzzes in particular"12.
Adrian Thorpe's own description of the pedal, quoted by MusicRadar at launch, positions it as a Uni-Vibe "for those that want the swoosh without the loss of low end, for those that like control without complexity and for those who need massive sound with pedalboard-friendly size"13. On the Block 3, Guitar Pedal X's writer noted that he is "still very happy with my V1 ER-2, so an ER-2 Block 3 is not immediately on the cards for me," while Thorpy has given newcomers one more reason to go for one1.
Videos
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R.J. Ronquillo
Philip Czarnecki
Questions
Why did ThorpyFX re-engineer the ER-2?
The original ER-2 used Vactrols, light-dependent resistors that contain cadmium sulphide and fell under an evolving RoHS hard ban. Adrian Thorpe retired the pedal in the fall of 2023, and in November 2024 the circuit was rebuilt from scratch with OTA components replacing the Vactrols, becoming the Block 2.
Does the Block 2 sound the same as the original ER-2?
According to Guitar Pedal X, the brief was always to reach the exact same tonality as the original, and the new device sounds identical to the old one while adding performance improvements: more headroom, better power handling and a more consistent, slightly louder output.
How much current does the ER-2 Block 2 draw?
The Block 2 draws 50mA. That is a big drop from the original ER-2, which idled at 150mA and surged to a peak of around 300mA. The lower draw makes the pedal much easier to run from a standard isolated power supply.
What does the Phase switch do on the Block 3 Edition?
The Block 3 Edition, released in September 2026, adds a Phase toggle that lets you run the modulation in-phase (switch down) or out-of-phase (switch up). The pedal defaults to in-phase operation, and the switch gives players another voicing of the vibe effect.
How much does the ThorpyFX ER-2 Block 2 cost?
At launch in November 2024 the ER-2 Block 2 sold for around £300 in the UK, about $325 in the US, from the ThorpyFX Webstore. Its successor, the Block 3 Edition of September 2026, is listed at £299.99 / $389 / €349.
Sources (13)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-09-18
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-11-15
- ThorpyFX ER-2 Uni-Vibe review, Guitar World, 2023-12-13
- Deluge Optical Vibe / EQD The Depths, Aion FX, 2026-07-03
- Thorpy FX ER-2 Univibe, Delicious Audio, 2024-01-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-03
- Power Supply Isolator for ER-2 UNI-VIBE, ThorpyFX
- ThorpyFX ER-2 Uni-Vibe: Hendrix on steroids, gearnews.com, 2023-07-05
- Thorpy FX’s new ER-2 offers a twist on the classic Univibe pedal, Guitar.com, 2023-06-30
- ThorpyFX ER-2 review: is this the ultimate modern Uni-Vibe?, Guitar.com, 2023-09-04
- ER-2 BLOCK 3, ThorpyFX
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-19
- ThorpyFX promises Uni-Vibe perfection from the compact and easy-to-use ER-2, MusicRadar, 2023-06-30
