The Tsakalis AudioWorks Phonkify X is an envelope filter and octave pedal in one box, handmade in Athens, Greece12. It is an evolved, vertical version of the company's original Phonkify, announced at NAMM in January 2025, with the filter and octave sections now independent of each other rather than fixed together12. Premier Guitar describes the result as fat envelope and wah sounds "made even wilder with the help of an expansive octave effect that can be used in tandem"3.
For a player, that means one pedal can cover auto-wah funk parts, octave-up or octave-down doubling, or both at once, with a mix control to blend the effects against the dry signal. Guitar.com quoted the maker's own pitch for it: "The Phonkify X isn't just a pedal. It's a total vibe machine, a groove generator and a tone tailor for the funky-hearted"1.
An envelope filter with a separate octave
An envelope filter listens to how hard you pick and opens a filter in response, producing the quack and sweep associated with funk playing. The Phonkify X builds that around three selectable filter types, Low Pass, Band Pass, and Combo-Blend (LP-HP), and pairs it with an octave section offering octave up, octave down, or a combination of both12.
The two halves are independent, each with its own footswitch, so the filter can run alone as an auto-wah, the octave can run alone as a pitch doubler, or both can stack2. A dedicated Order switch sets whether the octave sits before or after the filter in the signal path, a feature carried over from the original Phonkify, where Premier Guitar noted that placing the octave before or after the envelope filter "produces many" different combination sounds31.
Premier Guitar's review of the X found the filter itself had "great range, which is enhanced by effective mix, gain, frequency, and Q controls"3. On the octave side, the reviewer found the high octave "can be a bit cloying and full of digital artifacts in some applications, but when the low octave content is u"sed it is tempered3. In other words, the octave-up alone can get harsh in some settings, and blending in octave-down content calms it down.
"Fat envelope and wah sounds are made even wilder with the help of an expansive octave effect that can be used in tandem."
The controls
The Phonkify X is laid out in two sections, one for the octave and one for the filter, with shared controls at the top4.
| Control | Section | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Master Volume | Shared | Overall output level4 |
| FX Mix | Shared | Blend of effect against dry signal4 |
| Input Gain | Shared | Input level feeding the effects4 |
| Octave Level | Octave | Level of the octave effect4 |
| Order (Post) | Octave | Places the octave after the filter24 |
| Octave Footswitch | Octave | Engages the octave section4 |
| Q Bandwidth | Filter | Width of the filter's sweep24 |
| Frequency | Filter | Frequency range of the filter24 |
| Type (LP / BP / LP-HP) | Filter | Selects Low Pass, Band Pass, or Combo-Blend mode24 |
| Filter Footswitch | Filter | Engages the filter section4 |
The footswitches can be set for latching or momentary operation, so a player who wants tap-style momentary swells can have them2. An expression pedal can be added for control of the filter frequency range, which Premier Guitar describes as letting you use the filter "in traditional sweeping wah fashion" like a wah pedal rocked by foot3. That expression option also appeared on the original Phonkify, whose expression jack controlled the frequency range of the envelope and wah effects5.
Power and connections
The Phonkify X runs on a 9V DC power supply with a center negative 2.1mm plug, drawing about 120mA; the supply is optional and not included2.
At about 120mA the Phonkify X draws more current than a simple analog pedal, so it is better served by an isolated pedalboard supply than by a daisy chain shared with low-draw analog pedals2.
The pedal is true bypass, so with both footswitches off the guitar signal passes through unbuffered2. An expression pedal connects to the expression input for filter frequency control312.
Where it came from
The Phonkify X, announced at NAMM in January 2025, keeps the core idea but separates the filter and octave into independent sections, adds the third Combo-Blend filter mode, and moves to a vertical enclosure12. Guitar Pedal X called it "an evolved, vertical version of the original Funk Pedal" with "independent Filter and Octave effects, greater granularity, and an additional control"2.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's full review in July 2025 praised the filter's range and the shaping controls, while flagging the octave-up as potentially cloying with digital artifacts in some applications, tempered by low octave content3. Guitar Pedal X named it in a December 2025 roundup of the year's notable modulation, pitch, and multi-effects pedals, calling it "a great funky-fier pedal, which combines a Wah-like Filter with an Octave," and "really great looking and pretty distinct, perfectly honed for the task overall"4.
Pricing has shifted since launch: Guitar Pedal X listed the Phonkify X at $229 (with €219 and £189 pricing) in January 20252, and at $199 in its December 2025 roundup4.
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Questions
Is the Tsakalis Phonkify X true bypass?
Yes, Guitar Pedal X lists it as true bypass2.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Phonkify X?
Yes, an expression pedal gives optional control of the filter frequency range, usable in traditional sweeping wah fashion312.
What power supply does the Phonkify X need?
9V DC, center negative, 2.1mm, about 120mA, not included2.
Can the octave and filter be used separately?
Yes, each section has its own footswitch, and the Order switch sets the octave before or after the filter324.
Sources (5)
- “Not just a pedal, Guitar.com, 2025-01-22
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-01-21
- Tsakalis Audio Works Phonkify X Envelope Filter Review, Premier Guitar, 2025-07-01
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-12-09
- NAMM 2018: Tsakalis's Phonkify and Galactic Modulation pedals revealed, MusicRadar, 2018-01-22
