The Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer is a multi-effects pedal aimed at players creating vast, ambient soundscapes. Walrus describes it as "an inspiring companion for any synthesist seeking to create vast, ambient soundscapes"1. The pedal's status is currently shown as sold out on the blemished listing2.
What it does
Walrus Audio describes the Qi as designed to deliver "rich textures, expansive atmospheres, and dynamic layers," combining chorus, delay, granular effects and reverb "into a creative playground for atmospheric exploration"3. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio calls it "a stereo multi-effects pedal designed for immersive atmospheric soundscapes"4, and in a buying guide for multi-effects with synthesizers he wrote that "the Walrus Qi Etherealizer is an inspiring companion for any synthesist seeking to create vast, ambient soundscapes"1.
The pedal is the debut of MDSP, Walrus Audio's proprietary digital processing platform. Premier Guitar reported that "the Qi includes the debut of Walrus Audio's own proprietary digital processing platform, MDSP"56, and Guitar World's news coverage noted that "the ARM-based Cortex M7 processor at its core places elite-grade algorithms in a compact, conventional-looking format"6.
Controls and features
The Qi carries a long control surface covering all four effect blocks. Guitar World's review lists the controls as Mix/Dry, Tone, Space, Grain Mix, X, Playback, Delay Mix, Time, Feedback, Chorus Mix, Rate, Depth and a Flow switch7.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Digital delay time, up to 2 seconds4 |
| Feedback | Delay feedback47 |
| Space | Adds ambient reverb to the entire output4 |
| Grain Mix, X, Playback | Granular section controls7 |
| Chorus Mix, Rate, Depth | Chorus section controls7 |
| Mix/Dry, Tone | Overall mix and tone7 |
| Flow switch | Effects routing7 |
Beyond the knobs, the Qi offers:
- Momentary Grain Freeze and Momentary Grain + Max Reverb Freeze3
- Tap tempo, a resonant low-pass filter and granular freezing1
- Series or parallel effects routing
- Three delay subdivision options: quarter, dotted eighth and eighth4
- True stereo input and output1
Grain playback modes
The granular section has three playback modes selected by the Playback control2:
What reviewers said
Guitar World's reviewer Trevor Curwen reviewed the Qi in 2026, listing its full control set and confirming its US origin7. Delicious Audio highlighted the pedal's suitability beyond guitar, noting that "its true stereo I/O is a crucial feature for synths" and pointing to "deep features like tap tempo, a resonant low-pass filter, and granular freezing"1.
Walrus Audio's blemished-unit listing for the Qi Etherealizer is marked sold out as of October 2026.
For more on where the Qi sits in Walrus Audio's range, see the Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer page, the Walrus Audio Mako Series MKII R1 High-Fidelity Reverb, or the broader multi-effects pedals category.
Videos
walrusaudioeffects
Mark Johnston
yvette young
Questions
What is the Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer?
It is a stereo multi-effects pedal from Walrus Audio, developed with guitarist Yvette Young, that combines chorus, delay, granular effects and reverb in one unit. It is the first product built on Walrus Audio's proprietary MDSP digital processing platform, which runs on an ARM-based Cortex M7 processor, and it is aimed at players building rich, atmospheric soundscapes.
What effects does the Qi Etherealizer include?
The Qi combines chorus, digital delay, granular playback and reverb. The delay offers a Time control of up to 2 seconds, a Feedback control and three subdivision options for quarter, dotted eighth and eighth notes. The Space knob adds ambient reverb to the entire output, and the effects can be routed in series or parallel.
Sources (7)
- The 7 Best MultiFX Pedals For Synths, Delicious Audio, 2025-08-22
- Qi Etherealizer, Walrus Audio
- Qi Etherealizer, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer, Delicious Audio, 2025-03-19
- Discover the Qi Etherealizer by Walrus Audio, Premier Guitar, 2025-01-16
- Walrus Audio and Yvette Young launch Qi Etherealizer pedal, Guitar World, 2025-01-16
- Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer review, Guitar World, 2025-06-25
