The Walrus Audio Slötåvå is a multi-texture reverb pedal with a sustain footswitch, built around three reverb algorithms and three programmable onboard presets. Guitar World's review described it as "the Slö with three programmable onboard presets," meaning it takes the company's earlier Slö Multi Texture Reverb and adds preset memory1. Walrus describes the Slö platform as a pedal that "allows players to create lush, modulated, sleepy and ambient soundscapes"2.
The three reverb modes
A toggle switch selects between three algorithms, and each does a different job in an ambient rig134:
- Dark: adds a lower octave to the reverb trail. Guitar World's reviewer called it "well-named for the ominous atmospheres that it generates"1.
- Rise: an ambient swell with a slow attack on the reverb, so notes bloom into the tail rather than hitting it all at once34.
- Dream: a latching pad controlled with the sustain footswitch, letting you freeze and hold a wash underneath your playing34.
Alongside the three algorithms, the Slötåvå offers three modulation wave shapes, Sine, Warp and Sink, that can be applied to the reverb1.
The sustain switch and bypass
The sustain footswitch is the pedal's second onboard control beyond the normal effect switch, and on the Dream mode it latches the pad in and out. When you turn the effect off, the Slötåvå uses a DSP bypass with switchable trails, so you can set whether the reverb tail keeps ringing after bypass or cuts off1.
Power and connections
The pedal needs a 9V power supply and draws 100mA, so plan a supply slot with enough current headroom rather than a low-output daisy-chain output1. Connections are simple: one input, one output and the power socket1.
How it compares
Within Walrus Audio's reverb range, the Slötåvå sits as the preset-equipped version of the Slö1. The company has since built on the same ambient territory with pedals such as the Lüm Texture Engine, which draws on elements of the Fable, Lore and Slötåvå algorithms5, and the stereo Slöer Stereo Ambient Reverb. For other approaches to the same effect, see the site's Reverb Pedals page.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's review, published in July 2022, summed the pedal up this way1:
"It's extremely creative, a lot of fun and it sounds spectacular."
The same review listed a street price of $229 in the US and £209 in the UK at the time of publication1.
Questions
Does the Walrus Audio Slötåvå have presets?
Yes. Guitar World's review describes the Slötåvå as the Slö with three programmable onboard presets, so you can save and recall three of your own settings without an external controller.
What are the Dark, Rise and Dream modes on the Slötåvå?
Dark adds a lower octave to the reverb trail, which Guitar World's reviewer found well named for the ominous atmospheres it generates. Rise is an ambient swell with a slow attack on the reverb. Dream is a latching pad controlled with the sustain footswitch.
Does the Slötåvå have trails when bypassed?
Yes. The pedal uses a DSP bypass with switchable trails, so you can choose whether the reverb tail continues to ring out after you switch the effect off.
What power supply does the Slötåvå need?
The Slötåvå runs on a 9V power supply drawing 100mA, according to Guitar World's review. It has a single input, a single output and a power socket.
How is the Slötåvå different from the Slö?
Guitar World's review describes the Slötåvå as the Slö with three programmable onboard presets added. Both are multi-texture reverbs from Walrus Audio sharing the Dark, Rise and Dream algorithms.
Sources (5)
- Walrus Audio Slötvå review, Guitar World, 2022-07-06
- Slö Multi Texture Reverb, Walrus Audio
- Walrus Audio Slö Multi Texture Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2023-04-19
- Review: Walrus Audio Slö Multi Texture Reverb, guitar.com, 2019-04-15
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X
