The Toneczar Effects Halophaze Two-Speed Stereo Phaser is a phase shifter and vibrato in one pedal, with two dedicated speed settings you can switch between by foot. Pedal of the Day's 2021 review described the two independent, footswitchable speed channels as providing "a flurry of pulsing and rotary-inspired glory"1. It sits among phaser pedals with a vibrato character on tap, and its stereo connections let it work in front of an amp, in an effects loop, or into a mixing board1.
Controls
The Halophaze carries two knobs for each speed channel, plus switches that shape the voicing. Besides the two Mix knobs and two Speed knobs, Pedal of the Day noted "there's a bunch of switches and other parameters available"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed (one per channel) | Sets the speed for that channel1 |
| Mix (one per channel) | Sets the mix for that channel1 |
| Feedback | Produces either negative or positive feedback settings1 |
| Width | Adjusts how wide the sweep range is, from low to high1 |
| Plus/Normal switch | Goes from bright and clean to a deeper, chewy sound that adds in more phasing stages1 |
| Dual Phase/Vibe mode switches | Can be set in any combination, for classic phase and vibe settings, or a unique voicing when the two are mixed1 |
An external expression pedal can be plugged in to control Speed 1, so that channel's rate can be swept by foot1.
Two speeds, one voicing
The two speed channels are independent and footswitchable, but the pedal's phaser and vibrato characters are not assigned per channel. As Pedal of the Day put it, "the Halophaze is NOT a dual pedal, meaning you can't set one Speed as a phaser and the other as a vibrato"1. Instead, the Dual Phase/Vibe mode switches set the voicing for the pedal as a whole, in any combination, covering classic phase and vibe settings or a mixed voicing of the two1.
Each Speed setting has its own differently-colored LED, and the LEDs stay lit even when the pedal is bypassed, giving instant access to the current rate1.
Stereo use
The Halophaze features mono or stereo connectivity, making it useful in front of an amp, in an effects loop, or in mixing board applications1. Players with stereo rigs or recording setups can run it in stereo, while a single cable into an amp works as usual.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the pedal on 13 June 2021 and came away emphatic1:
"the Halophaze Two-Speed Stereo Phaser is one of the best we've encountered, seriously"1
Pedal of the Day, 13 June 20211
Videos
Dennis Kayzer
Pedal of the Day
Daniel Tan
Questions
Can the Halophaze run a phaser on one speed and a vibrato on the other?
No. Pedal of the Day's review is clear that the Halophaze is not a dual pedal, meaning you cannot set one Speed as a phaser and the other as a vibrato. Both speed channels share the same Phase/Vibe voicing, which is set by the Dual Phase/Vibe mode switches. Those switches can be set in any combination, so you can get classic phase and vibe settings or a unique voicing when the two are mixed, but the phaser and vibrato characters apply to both speeds.
Does the Toneczar Halophaze work in stereo?
Yes. The Halophaze features mono or stereo connectivity, which Pedal of the Day notes makes it useful in front of an amp, in an effects loop, or in mixing board applications. Run it mono into an amp as usual, or use the stereo connections when you want a wider, two-channel setup such as a stereo rig or a direct recording path through a mixing board.
Can I control the Halophaze with an expression pedal?
Yes, on one channel. You can plug in an external expression pedal to control Speed 1, sweeping that channel's rate by foot while the second speed channel stays where its knob is set. That makes it possible to move between a fixed rate and a swept rate during a song without bending down to turn knobs.
What does the Plus/Normal switch do?
The Plus/Normal switch changes the depth of the effect's voicing. According to Pedal of the Day, it goes from bright and clean to a deeper, chewy sound that adds in more phasing stages. In practical terms, Normal is the brighter, more open setting, while Plus engages additional phasing stages for a thicker, more pronounced sweep.
Does the Halophaze show the speed when bypassed?
Yes. Each Speed setting has its own differently-colored LED, and the LEDs stay lit even when the pedal is bypassed. That gives you instant access to the current rate at a glance, so you always know which of the two speed channels you are about to switch to before you stomp.
Sources (1)
- Toneczar Effects Halophaze Two-Speed Stereo Phaser, Pedal of the Day, 2021-06-13