Walrus Audio Mako M1 High-Fidelity Modulation Machine

The Walrus Audio Mako M1 High-Fidelity Modulation Machine is a digital modulation pedal that packs six studio-quality programs into one compact enclosure: chorus, phaser, tremolo, vibrato, rotary and filter, each with three different types for 18 modulation effects in total¹². Released in 2022, it completed Walrus Audio's Mako series compact workstation lineup, following the R1, D1 and ACS1³. Even though the pedal is digital, it emulates analog-style modulation effects, with sounds guitar.com reported as inspired by "analogue modulation circuits of old"⁴².

For a player, the appeal is breadth: one box covers most modulation duties, from subtle chorus to rotary speaker swirl, with a lo-fi mode that adds vintage character on top of any program³¹.

What the M1 does: six programs, three types each

The central control knob is a rotary selector choosing between chorus, tremolo, phaser, vibrato, rotary speaker and filter effects⁴. Each program then offers three types, which is where the M1's range lives¹⁸.

MusicRadar's reviewer found the chorus offers "more familiar 'Traditional' type, then airier Series and warm, watery Tri-Chorus," while the phaser covers 2- and 4-stage phasing along with a Univibe type⁸. The same reviewer noted that a filter program instead of a flanger was "an odd choice to us"⁸. There is no dedicated flanger program on the original M1; the MKII addresses this by putting flanger sounds in the chorus algorithm¹⁰¹¹.

The controls and lo-fi mode

The M1 follows the same dual-footswitch, six-knob, three-switch format as its Mako siblings³. Its stepped enclosure has two footswitches, three toggle switches and six control knobs⁴.

• Program selector: rotary switch for the six programs³⁴
• Rate and Depth: single-function controls for the modulation speed and intensity⁴
• Lo-Fi knob: sets the amount of lo-fi effect added⁴
• Tweak and Tune: multi-function knobs offering extensive deep-editing of each program's behavior⁴
• Tone: controls the overall tone of the signal passing through the M1¹
• Left footswitch: bypasses the pedal or toggles lo-fi mode⁴
• Right footswitch: tap tempo, also usable for a Skip performance effect³

The lo-fi mode is the M1's signature extra. Walrus describes it as "a dedicated lo-fi knob allowing you to mix various lo-fi parameters to every program"¹. The six parameters that form the lo-fi effect are warble, age, drive, space (ambient reverb), noise and envelope⁸. You enter the mode by holding down the Bypass/lo-fi switch and keeping it held while tweaking the parameters⁸. MusicRadar's verdict called the M1 "an especially rewarding pedal for fans of lo-fi and ambient modulation"⁸.

Power and connections

Power requirements are 9VDC at 300mA minimum, from an adaptor that is not supplied¹³. That draw rules out a battery and makes a robust power supply a practical necessity.

Connections are standard 1/4-inch mono and stereo inputs and outputs, MIDI IN, MIDI THRU and USB⁸. MIDI allows control over most of the M1's parameters³. The onboard presets are arranged in three banks and scrolled through by pressing both footswitches simultaneously, with the right LED lighting red, green or blue to indicate the active preset³. Bypass is selectable between True Bypass, DSP+True Bypass with trails, and DSP Bypass³. The enclosure measures 4.9" x 2.52" x 2.64" with knobs, in a dark blue finish with red, orange, cream, gold, green, purple and blue ink¹.

The MKII version

In September 2024 Walrus Audio announced the Mako MKII, an updated version of the Mako M1 with a new screen-based control interface¹²¹³. The MKII is a stereo, all-in-one modulation pedal with the same six studio-grade programs, and adds a 2-inch OLED screen measuring 128x32 pixels, total BPM control with a tempo readout on the menu screen for the Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo and Vibrato programs, and a left encoder knob for features like effect type, BPM and wave shape⁹. USB firmware updates can be done via www.walrusaudio.io⁹. It lists at $399.99¹⁴. Guitar Pedal X's first-hand impressions noted the MKII runs 18 algorithms in total, three for each effect type, with a tap tempo switch for real-time synchronization of the modulation rate¹⁵. Full details are on the Walrus Audio Mako Series MKII M1 page.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's Trevor Curwen concluded in 2022 that the M1 delivers "perhaps not all but most of the modulation effects you'd need, complete with optional lo-fi character, in a classy pedal that won't hog valuable 'board real estate"³. MusicRadar praised the "great selection of effects with three types of each," the "huge scope for manipulation with an array of parameters," and found that "the Rotary sounds in particular are so good they win a lot of favour with us," while noting the price represents "an extra investment for players"⁸. Of the MKII, Guitar World's Jonathan Horsley gave four stars overall, calling it "a superb choice for players serious about modulation" but not cheap and daunting for casual users¹², and guitar.com's Josh Gardner rated it 8, finding top-class sounds and deep tweakability but reduced intuitiveness versus the original¹².

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