The Walrus Audio Lore is what the maker calls a Reverse Soundscape Generator: a digital pedal built around reverse delay, reverse reverbs, and pitch shifting, aimed at ambient and shoegaze textures rather than straightforward echo. It runs five programs, each pairing two effects that feed into each other through separate feedback paths, so repeats and reverb tails keep evolving rather than simply fading1. The original Lore arrived in 2022 as a mono pedal and is now discontinued2; in October 2026 Walrus Audio released the Lore MkII, a stereo rebuild on its in-house MDSP processing platform, priced at $349.9913.
What the Lore does
Both versions of the Lore are built on the same idea: two DSP effects running in series, each with its own analog feedback path, so the delay and reverb push sound into each other instead of sitting in a simple chain4. Walrus Audio describes the result as "an ambient creation machine built around reverse delay and reverbs"6, and the pedal's five modes cover reversing, time-stretching, pitch-shifting and vast ambience462.
The five MkII modes, which follow the same layout as the original's five programs46:
| Mode | Pairing | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| I | Reverse delay into reverse reverb | Organically interacting feedback paths; the X knob sets how reversed the trails are |
| II | Reverse delay into octave-up reverb | A "light reverb" with octave-up harmonic feedback and an airy reverb tank; Regen adds shimmer |
| III | Reverse delay into octave-down reverb | A "dark reverb" with heavy filtering and harmonic distortion, thick and murky; Regen brings in a lower octave |
| IV | Reverse reverb into forward reverb | Dual harmonic feedback paths with time stretching; Regen dials in octave up, Feedback octave down |
| V | Pitch delay into pitch delay | Two "dueling" pitch delays shifting up and down; behaves like a sequencer at longer delay times and a harmonizer at shorter ones |
Mode V is where the Lore leans hardest into pitch: the two delays shift the signal in complementary or opposing directions, and the X knob reorders the 4th, 5th, and octave intervals they step through1.
Controls: the X knob, Tweak, and Dive/Rise
The X knob is the Lore's multi-function control, changing jobs with the mode. In Mode I it sets how reversed the delay trails sound before they hit the reverse reverb, from least reversed at full left to fully reversed at full right; in Mode IV it controls the forward reverb decay; in Mode V it reorders the pitch intervals1. Guitar.com's reviewer noted the same idea on earlier Walrus pedals, calling it "a multi-function free agent that we've already seen on a number of Walrus pedals including the Fathom and Slo reverbs"9.
The MkII adds a Tweak button and knob: pressing the button cycles through Width, Mod Rate, Mod Shape, Shift, and Ramp, and turning the knob sets the selected value1. Both footswitches carry extra functions. Holding the tap tempo switch momentarily shifts the pedal's clock rate down or up and holds it there as long as the switch is pressed, a Dive or Rise effect; on the original, the direction is flipped by pressing bypass and tap together, with a green LED indicating rise and blue indicating dive14.
MIDI on the MkII is deep for a compact pedal: MIDI clock sets delay time from 100 ms to 1000 ms in Modes I, II, III and V and drives the sample-rate stretch in Mode IV, and every knob is available over MIDI CC along with mode select, bypass and tap. Any knob can be assigned to the expression input, or the jack can be set up as an external tap instead1.
Power and connections
Both versions run on 9V DC, center negative, with a 300mA minimum draw146. That current requirement rules out a battery, and Walrus Audio recommends an isolated supply rather than a daisy chain for all of its pedals; the supply itself is not included16.
The original Lore is mono, with a single input and output. The MkII is fully stereo, with two unbalanced inputs and two unbalanced outputs, and Walrus Audio points out that running mono in and stereo out "is an easy way to make one guitar sound huge"19.
Versions: the original Lore and the Lore MkII
The original Lore shipped in 2022 in a muted green die-cast enclosure, 3.62" x 4.79" x 2.25" including knobs, with art by David Hüttner410. It listed at $299 at launch11 and was later offered as a blemished unit at $254.99, with the blemish described as cosmetic only, such as scratches or dents in the finish4. Walrus Audio's product page now states it is discontinued and no longer available6.
| Original Lore (2022) | Lore MkII (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Mono | Stereo, 2 x 1/4" unbalanced inputs and 2 x 1/4" unbalanced outputs |
| Platform | Two DSP chips in series | In-house MDSP platform |
| Presets | None | 3 on the pedal plus 127 over MIDI |
| MIDI / expression | No | MIDI in, expression or external tap |
| Price | $299.99 at launch | $349.99 |
The MkII came out alongside a Fable MkII as part of Walrus Audio's Storybook Series, each at $349.99, available in an illustrated version with art by English illustrator Niall Grant or a Minimal Black version with a simplified icon38. Guitar Pedal X reported the pair as available direct from the Walrus Audio Webstore and at leading international dealers12.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the original Lore lived up to its ambient billing13:
"If you're after massive and mysterious sounds, Lore is a powerful enabler of that quest13."
Premier Guitar, 202213
Guitar.com's review praised the concept but flagged the mono I/O as a limitation, writing that "What might be a bigger concern for some is that this is not a stereo pedal"9. Guitar World covered the pedal as part of the Walrus delay and reverb line, quoting the maker's own description2, and Guitar.com's 2025 ambient pedal buying guide named the Lore its "Best compact soundscaper"14. Of the MkII, Guitar Pedal X described the Lore as "large Reverse Effect based", intriguing but offering less variety overall than the granular Fable12.
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Questions
Is the original Walrus Audio Lore stereo?
No. The original 2022 Lore was a mono pedal, and Guitar.com's reviewer flagged that as a possible concern for some players. The Lore MkII, released in 2026, adds full stereo operation with two inputs and two outputs, and Walrus Audio suggests running mono in and stereo out as an easy way to make one guitar sound huge.
What changed on the Lore MkII?
The MkII rebuilds the 2022 mono Lore on Walrus Audio's in-house MDSP digital platform with true stereo processing, five rebuilt algorithms, a Tweak button and knob, MIDI with 127 additional presets, an expression input that can also act as an external tap, and a USB-C port. It lists for $349.99.
Does the Lore come with a power supply?
No, the power supply is not included. Walrus Audio recommends an isolated 9V DC center-negative supply delivering at least 300mA, and does not recommend daisy-chain supplies for its pedals. The 300mA draw rules out most battery-powered options.
How many presets does the Lore MkII save?
Three presets can be saved and recalled right on the pedal, color-coded red, green and blue, plus a live mode shown in white. Another 127 presets are available over MIDI, and expression pedal assignments are stored with each preset.
Is the original Walrus Audio Lore discontinued?
Yes. Walrus Audio's product page states the original Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator is discontinued and no longer available. It was replaced in 2026 by the stereo Lore MkII, which is available from the Walrus Audio Webstore and authorized dealers.
What does the X knob do on the Lore?
It depends on the mode. In Mode I it controls how reversed the delay trails are before they pass through the reverse reverb, from least reversed fully left to fully reversed fully right. In Mode IV it sets the forward reverb decay, and in Mode V it changes the order of the 4th, 5th, and octave intervals the pitch delay steps through.
Sources (14)
- Lore Stereo Reverse Soundscape Generator MKII, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator review, Guitar World, 2022-09-15
- Walrus Audio revives its Storybook Series with MKII versions of its much-loved Lore and Fable pedals, Guitar.com
- Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator, Walrus Audio
- Black Edition Lore by Walrus Audio, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Lore Reverse Soundscape Generator, Walrus Audio
- Updated Pedal: Walrus Audio Lore MkII Reverse Soundscape Generator, Delicious Audio, 2026-10-14
- Walrus Audio Lore and Fable MKII, Bass Magazine, 2026-10-13
- The Big Review: Walrus Audio Lore, Guitar.com, 2022-07-08
- Walrus Audio Unveils Lore Reverse Soundscape Tool, Premier Guitar, 2022-06-03
- NAMM 2022: Walrus Audio unveils Lore, a lush reverse soundscape generator, Guitar.com, 2022-06-02
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-10-15
- Walrus Lore Guitar Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-09-09
- The best pedals for ambient music, from space-warping reverbs to experimental micro-loopers, Guitar.com, 2025-01-24
