The Visual Sound H2O is a two-in-one pedal that puts a chorus and an echo in a single enclosure. MusicPlayers.com described it plainly: "The H2O Liquid Chorus & Echo is exactly what the name entails, one part Chorus and one part Echo."1 The chorus side is analog, built on classic bucket brigade chips, while the echo side delivers up to 800ms of digital delay1. MusicRadar called it "a well-loved Visual Sound 'twofer'"2.
The pedal dates from the late 1990s and early 2000s, and JHS Pedals notes it is now discontinued3. It went through several generations, including the V2 Liquid Chorus era and the V3 Series H2O Liquid Chorus & Echo, both of which now sit in the archive on Truetone's site, the company Visual Sound became45.
A chorus and echo in one analog pedal
The H2O's chorus section is an analog circuit using classic bucket brigade chips. MusicPlayers.com reported that Visual Sound acquired the manufacturing rights to some classic, discontinued Panasonic chips for its pedals rather than relying on New Old Stock parts1. Bucket brigade chips are the delay-line devices that give analog chorus its character; they pass the signal down a chain of capacitors, one small step at a time, which is what thickens a single guitar into a shimmering, doubled sound.
The controls cover a wide range of modulation territory. On the V3 Series version, Guitar World found the chorus section's controls could dial in "a wide variety of lush chorus and vibrato effects that include classic analog and flanger-like chorus, Uni-Vibe-style chorus and vibrato, Leslie-esque rotating speaker simulations and seasick pitch-bending vibrato wobble"6. The chorus controls on that version include:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed, width, depth (full-size knobs) | Set the modulation rate and how deep and wide the effect sits |
| Tone, chorus/vibrato (smaller knobs) | Shape the voicing and choose the modulation flavor |
| Three-position intensity switch | Sets how strong the effect is |
| Detune on/off switch | Adds a subtle pitch-shifted layer |
The echo side is a digital delay of up to 800ms, with a switch for Short or Long Echo values1. The two effects are independent: each has its own footswitch, so you can run chorus alone, echo alone, or both together6.
Wet/dry outputs and custom wiring
The H2O's most distinctive wiring feature is its two outputs. MusicPlayers.com explained that they are "wired for one wet signal and one bypassed signal (to route to an alternate amp or effects bay)"1. In a normal single-output setup, the signal is buffered1.
Visual Sound also provided instructions for custom wiring the unit so both outputs deliver an effected signal, but that configuration is dual-mono rather than true stereo1. On the V3 Series version, the routing went further: the echo section has its own mono input and output jacks, while the chorus section has a mono input and two outputs for mono or stereo signals6.
The wet/dry output configuration means the second output is a bypassed signal, not a second effected signal. Players wanting both outputs wet need to follow Visual Sound's custom wiring instructions, and the result is dual-mono, not stereo1.
How it differs from a regular chorus pedal
A standalone chorus pedal does one job. The H2O gives you a full modulation section plus a delay in one box, with independent switching and independent jacks for each effect. Guitar World's reviewer judged that "the H2O's chorus and echo effects are more versatile than many competing standalone chorus and hybrid delay pedals that sell for about the same street price"6.
Physically, it is bigger than a typical single effect. MusicPlayers.com called it "larger than most stomp boxes"1, and Guitar World compared the V3 version to "two small MXR Bud Box, style pedals placed side by side"6. JHS Pedals described the original case as "kind of heavy and awkward" with "totally unique" shaping3. The housing is aluminum with heavy-duty metal footswitches1, and the V3 version uses a pair of custom-designed clickless Forever Footswitches to switch the chorus and echo on and off separately6. Vintage Guitar reported that Visual Sound's in/out/power jacks were hand-wired7.
Versions and history
The H2O line ran through three main generations:
| Version | What changed |
|---|---|
| Original H2O | Late 1990s, early 2000s dual chorus/echo pedal in a heavy, awkward case with a totally unique shape; now discontinued3 |
| V2 Series | Updated format; Truetone lists it as an "Analog Chorus & Echo · Fully Analog" pedal, now in the V2 Series archive5 |
| V3 Series | Later version, now part of the V3 Series archive on Truetone's site4 |
MusicRadar notes the H2O became available in V2 form2, and both the V2 and V3 pages now sit in Truetone's archive54.
What reviewers said
MusicPlayers.com gave the original H2O an overall rating of 3.1, comparing it against the BOSS CE-5 Chorus Ensemble and Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus1. Guitar World's 2014 review of the V3 Series version found the dual pedal delivered full-featured analog chorus and hybrid analog/digital echo with independent routing, and judged it more than the sum of its parts6.
"The H2O's chorus and echo effects are more versatile than many competing standalone chorus and hybrid delay pedals that sell for about the same street price."
Videos
Guitar World
N Stuff Music
intheblues
Questions
Is the Visual Sound H2O analog or digital?
The chorus side is analog, built around classic bucket brigade chips, including discontinued Panasonic chips for which Visual Sound acquired manufacturing rights. The echo side is digital, with up to 800ms of delay. So the pedal as a whole is a hybrid: analog chorus and digital echo in one enclosure.
Is the Visual Sound H2O discontinued?
Yes. The original Visual Sound H2O is discontinued, and the later V2 and V3 versions now sit in the archive section of Truetone's site, the company Visual Sound became. The H2O line ran from the late 1990s and early 2000s through the V3 Series era.
Can the Visual Sound H2O run in wet/dry stereo?
It offers two outputs wired for one wet signal and one bypassed signal, so you can route the effected and dry signals to two amps. Visual Sound also provided instructions for custom wiring both outputs to deliver an effected signal, but that configuration is dual-mono rather than true stereo.
What is the difference between the H2O and the V2 version?
The V2 kept the same basic recipe, analog chorus and echo in one pedal, in the updated V2 Series format. MusicRadar notes the H2O became available in V2 form, and Truetone's V2 page describes it as fully analog chorus and echo. The V3 Series followed with Pure Tone buffer, true bypass and a lifetime warranty.
How is the Visual Sound H2O different from a regular chorus pedal?
A regular chorus pedal does one thing. The H2O combines a full chorus section, covering chorus, vibrato and rotating speaker sounds, with an echo section of up to 800ms, each with its own footswitch and its own input and output jacks. Guitar World found it more versatile than many standalone chorus and hybrid delay pedals at a similar street price.
Sources (7)
- Visual Sound H2O Liquid Chorus and Echo Pedal, MusicPlayers.com, 2007-01-07
- Visual Sound Liquid Chorus review, MusicRadar, 2008-05-23
- MUST HAVE 2-IN-1 PEDALS, JHS Pedals
- V3 H2O | Truetone Archive, Truetone, 2026
- V2 H2O | Truetone Archive, Truetone, 2026
- Review: Visual Sound V3 Series H2O Liquid Chorus & Echo Pedal -Video, Guitar World, 2014-07-15
- Visual Sound’s Route 808, Visual Volume, and Comp 66, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2010-04-13
