The Walrus Audio Eons is a five-state fuzz pedal: one box, one five-position Mode knob, five different clipping configurations ranging from traditional silicon fuzz to a rowdy silicon-plus-LED voice. Walrus Audio describes it as "a five-state fuzz capable of massively thick sounds ready to test the limits of any amp's grill cloth," with "tons of gain on tap and a wealth of fuzz sounds with the combo of the mode and voltage knobs"1.
Released in late 2022, the Eons is the third pedal in Walrus Audio's Five-State series, following the Ages overdrive and the Eras distortion, and it shares their form factor and control layout2. Its core circuit is based on a Ram's Head Muff, the classic mid-70s Big Muff variant, which Guitar Pedal X called "massively elevated by another killer 5-option clipping" setup3.
What the Eons does: one fuzz, five clipping states
The heart of the pedal is a five-position rotary Mode knob that selects among five clipping configurations. Walrus Audio suggests thinking of them as different "flavors" of the pedal, and pairs the Mode knob with the Voltage knob for what the maker calls "nearly endless styles of fuzz tones"1.
Guitar World's reviewer, Trevor Curwen, summed up the concept as "a fuzz pedal to unite the silicon and germanium tribes," calling the super-versatile, compact format another winner in the Five States dirt pedal series2.
The controls
The control set matches the Ages and Eras before it: five knobs, a Mode switch and a bypass footswitch2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level3 |
| Gain | Sets the amount of fuzz7 |
| Bass | Active boost or cut of the low end1 |
| Treble | Active boost or cut of the high end1 |
| Voltage (lightning bolt icon) | Varies the circuit's operating voltage from 3V to 18V8 |
| Mode (I to V) | Five-position rotary selecting the clipping configuration1 |
| Bypass footswitch | True bypass on/off2 |
The Bass and Treble knobs are an active EQ, so they boost and cut rather than only cutting, which Walrus Audio says gives "tight control over the fuzz tone"1. Connections are a standard input and standard output2.
The five modes, from silicon to LED
Walrus Audio's own descriptions of the five positions:
| Mode | Clipping configuration |
|---|---|
| I | Silicon clipping, traditional fuzz that's well rounded with a huge sound; compressed and smooth1 |
| II | Silicon fuzz with a bass boost at the front end of the circuit, a quite different take with loads of extra girth2 |
| III | Germanium clipping, with a feel of "what if a distortion and fuzz had a kid?"; crunchy and dynamic8 |
| IV | LED clipping diodes with a slight high-end cut; dynamically dark1 |
| V | Hard clipping silicon transistors combined with LED and silicon soft clipping diodes; the rowdiest of the modes with tons of gain: compressed, loud, and angry1 |
In his Guitar World review, Trevor Curwen found Mode 1 "smooth and sustain-y" with "plenty of leeway for focusing" the sound, called Mode III "a lovely dynamic germanium fuzz," and described Mode V's combination of hard and soft clipping as "mightily impressive" and the most raucous of all2.
Power: 9V in, up to 18V inside
The Eons runs on a 9V DC center negative supply drawing 100 mA, and the supply is not included1. Walrus Audio recommends an isolated power supply for all of its pedals and does not recommend daisy chain supplies1.
There is no battery option. The pedal takes a 9V supply only, and the Voltage knob's 18-volt maximum comes from an internal charge pump, not from an 18-volt adapter32.
That internal charge pump is what makes the Voltage knob possible. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, noted the pedal "only takes a 9V supply, with 100mA current draw," with the charge pump raising the internal operating voltage3.
What the Voltage knob does
The Voltage knob, marked with a lightning bolt, varies the voltage fed into the circuit from 3 volts to 18 volts8. Guitar World called it "the secret weapon here," one that can starve the circuit "from 18 volts down to a 'battery-on-its-last-legs' three volts"2. At the top of the range you get massive, open fuzz sounds; starved toward 3 volts the fuzz turns sputtery and gated8. Guitar.com's reviewer, Josh Gardner, described it as a sweep "from a paltry three volts all the way through to a wide-open 18"5.
History: the third Five-State pedal
The Eons arrived in late 2022 as the third edition to Walrus Audio's multi-state drive pedal series, after the Ages Overdrive and the Eras Distortion6. Premier Guitar reported it was available at launch for a retail price of $2296, and Guitar Pedal X noted it "completes its 5-State Series" as a trifecta3. Guitar.com's Josh Gardner wrote that "the Eons completes the dirt triumvirate by offering five different fuzz sounds in one impressively compact pedal"5.
The enclosure is a sandy tan with red, cream and black ink, and the artwork features a four-horned Markhor goat illustrated by Adam Forster8. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described it more bluntly: "it's got a big, ol' cloven-hoof beast on the front of the pedal"7.
The Onyx Edition
Walrus Audio also issued an Eons Five-State Fuzz Onyx Edition in its Onyx Series, with the same five modes, controls, true bypass and 9V DC center negative power910. That edition has since sold out at Walrus Audio9.
What reviewers said
Reviews were positive across the board, with versatility the recurring theme.
- Guitar World (Trevor Curwen): "With five flavors in one housing, Walrus Audio serves up a fuzz pedal to unite the silicon and germanium tribes," calling it another winner from the Five States series2.
- Guitar Pedal X (Stefan Karlsson): "The Eons is certainly a very capable device with lots of different textures and tones onboard," though he noted some overlap between the clipping section's overall voicings3.
- MusicRadar: its demo article ran under the headline "The Walrus Eons is the most versatile fuzz pedal of 2022 and this demo proves it," with Matt Webster of Let's Play All running it through fuzz riffs in the styles of Muse, Black Keys, Mudhoney, Smashing Pumpkins and Jimi Hendrix11.
- Guitar.com (Josh Gardner): an "impressive showcase" of five fuzz sounds in one compact pedal5.
"Is this the new GOAT of fuzz? It's certainly an impressive showcase."
Videos
Sweetwater
walrusaudioeffects
walrusaudioeffects
News
Questions
Is the Walrus Audio Eons true bypass?
Yes. The Eons uses true bypass switching, so with the pedal off your signal passes through without the circuit coloring it. Walrus Audio lists true bypass on both the standard Eons and the Onyx Edition.
Can the Walrus Audio Eons run on a battery?
No. The Eons takes a 9V DC center negative power supply only, drawing 100 mA, and Walrus Audio recommends an isolated supply rather than a daisy chain. No battery option is offered, and the supply is not included.
Is the Walrus Audio Eons a Big Muff circuit?
Its core circuit is based on a Ram's Head Muff, the mid-1970s version of the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, according to Guitar Pedal X's review. Walrus Audio then layers five selectable clipping configurations on top of that core.
What does the Voltage knob on the Eons do?
It varies the voltage fed into the circuit from 3 volts to 18 volts. At the top you get massive, open fuzz sounds; starved down to 3 volts the fuzz turns sputtery and gated, like a battery on its last legs.
What was the Eons Onyx Edition?
A variant of the Eons Five-State Fuzz in Walrus Audio's Onyx Series, with the same five modes, controls and true bypass. It has since sold out at Walrus Audio.
Sources (11)
- Eons Five-State Fuzz, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Eons Five-State Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2023-01-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2022-09-28
- Eons Five-State Fuzz, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Eons review, guitar.com, 2023-01-03
- Walrus Audio Announces Eons Five-State Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2022-09-28
- Walrus Audio gives fuzz the Five-State treatment with the super-tweakable Eons, MusicRadar, 2022-09-27
- Walrus Audio Eons Multi-Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-08
- Eons Five-State Fuzz, Walrus Audio
- Eons Five-State Fuzz, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- The Walrus Eons is the most versatile fuzz pedal of 2022 and this demo proves it, MusicRadar, 2022-10-17
