Source Audio Vertigo/One Series

[Endless Mike]

I don't trust online demos. Too many variables and even in the best of recording set ups, you're *never* going to hear what it actually sounds like (I'll leave the existential and philosophical arguments out of this). But some months ago, I decided to replace my trusty and quite excellent GFS Liquid Trem. After listening to numerous pedal demos, and reading a ton of reviews, I initially went with the the Fulltone Supa Trem Jr. That's a really nice pedal, sounds great, and it can be a boost as well. But the PGS video for the SA Vertigo haunted me. I had a nagging feeling I didn't make the best choice, for my tastes.

So I went ahead and bought the Vertigo. I'm glad I did. As cool as the Fulltone is, the Vertigo is worth it alone just for the harmonic and bias settings. Never mind all the other features. I haven't even dug into the user presets and the software to create my own. I have the software for the desktop and phone, both, and the required cables. I've used the TC Flashback x4 and HOF for years, and have appreciated being able to 'beam' presets to those devices, and to alter or create presets.

Just the three stock tremolo types are worth the price of admission alone, and I'm really digging it. I'm wondering what else it's capable of. I need to look and see if it can mimic a univibe. The Harmonic setting leads me to think this might be possible. I'm quite impressed with the SA One Series, and am going to get their Gemini chorus at some point. Their drive pedal looks really promising as well. I go back and forth about replacing the x4 with the SA Nemesis. Dumb name for a delay, or any pedal really, except for one that never works properly, perhaps. None the less, I'm still entertaining the idea. It's smaller than the x4, but I'm really familiar with the x4 and know how to work with it, so I'm leaving that for some time in the future. Still seriously wanting the chorus.

I know digital pedals, and SA aren't everyone's taste, but if you like the TC Electronics Tone Print series, then you'll probably like these. You would *never* guess it's digital, it sounds that good. Highly recommended. My only complaint is that you have to access the pedal through the software to change the buffered/true bypass settings. It would have been cool if they had a 'beaming' feature like the TC Tone Print stuff, but that's probably asking too much.

 

[Bob Arbogast]

I haven't messed with the app. But harmonic trem feeding two amps is glorious!

 

[blueruins]

Agreed to all above. I love mine and have had it for close to two years now

 

[tele_pathic]

I've had a few SA pedals, and I always like them. A bit too complicated because of all the secondary functions. Their spring reverb was awesome, and you could add a tremolo also. I never disliked them because of the "digital" aspect.

 

[Endless Mike]

I haven't messed with the app. But harmonic trem feeding two amps is glorious!

I bet. I just began working with the software last night. I was disappointed there weren't more available sounds. SA offers just a few, and there are a few more from the user community, but many of them aren't tremolo, but flange/phase/vibe sounds. I'm interested in the tremolo sounds, thank you very much. The TC Tone Print series has far more available sounds from TC as well as other users.

I've had a few SA pedals, and I always like them. A bit too complicated because of all the secondary functions. Their spring reverb was awesome, and you could add a tremolo also. I never disliked them because of the "digital" aspect.

I can understand that, especially after spending some time with the software. I'm going to have see if YouTube has some tutorials. I like the stock opto sounds, but it needs a slight tweaking. Figuring out how to do that is a learning curve. I used to work with guitar synths, and had to learn how to program my own sounds with Roland, Casio and other manufacturers devices, so it's not completely foreign.

Freaking amazing sounding pedal in any case, and the price is very fair. Looking forward to getting the Gemini at some point.

 

[gkterry]

Source Audio tip from their website:

• It is possible to download ANY of Source Audio’s phaser, flanger, and chorus algorithms directly to your Mercury Flanger for no additional cost. The same goes for the Lunar Phaser and Gemini Chorus, so owning one of Source Audio’s One Series modulation pedals is essentially like owning all three.

 

[mad dog]

I had pretty much the same SA Vertigo experience Mike. Have tried so many trems - some really good ones too - but kept hearing interesting things about the Vertigo. It's the best trem I've used. Because it sounds so good, I turn it on much more often than I have with any other trem. It sits next to a Bigfoot Magnavibe - true pitch shift vibrato ala Magnatone - and gets used just as much. Excellent trem pedal.

 

[Killing Floor]

Source is awesome. The app is fantastic but only if you are willing to spend a little time learning it. I use C4 and EQ2 and Collider regularly. Crystal clear and versatile.
Also, the 4 modulation pedals are fully interchangeable. The chorus, trem, phaser, and flanger all run the full suite of mod effects. The name on the box is just that. That’s the cool thing about Source. Just like the C4 also has the Fulcrum and the OD and Fuzz pedal functionality.
Robert Smith, the owner, is active on some of the other player forums and he’s quick to personally answer questions.

 

[GearGeek01]

I just put the Vertigo on layaway... can't wait to pay it off and bring it home. I am a big fan of everything Source Audio One Series. The first thing I like is that right out of the box you can fiddle with them and get great sounds on day one with a very intuitive user interface and knobs. I'm old school and not a tech wizz, so Strymon, Boss and Line 6 stuff doesn't appeal to me at all. Strymon is really great to my ears but I am NOT a fan of sitting with a textbook sized owner's manual as the only way to (learn Chinese) and learn to use a pedal.

Source Audio makes pedals for guys like me that hate manuals. I had the Boss RV-500 reverb... had it on layaway for the full stretch... finally got it home... plugged in... spun the knob for all 12 presets and to my ears all 12 sucked donkey bats...

Took it to a local Sam Ash and sold it for wholesale to get it the hell out of my house as quickly as possible. The ONLY way to get any kind of decent sounds would have been major butt time with the manual... just what I hate more than anything... trying to decifer use by reading. I do not learn by text. Might as well learn to speak Chinese before using the pedal (to me).

The same day I was getting rd of the RV-500 as fast as possible, a guy came in with a used SA Ventris Reverb. I snatched it up from him, took it home and immediately was creaming my jeans with great and awesome and useable sounds. That for one glued me to be a forever SA fan for life...

Then I tried the Nemesis Delay... same great user experience right out of the box... easy to understand, lot's of choices on the easy to use front face... so far ZERO butt time with a manual with either one.

Next, I did some experimenting with the (free downloadable) SA Neuro DEsktop Editor. Again, I didn't need to pick up the manual to et around. I'm not really into the desktop thing, but with this series of pedals, they are easy to gtet great sound out of on day one, no manual necessary... and if you want to dive deeper, they have the eidtor and a very intuitive GUI interface. Plus with the editor, you get a buttload more algorhithms for each of their One Series pedals.

I'm sold... old guy discovers new technology from SA and doesn't have to have a PhD in manual reading to get great stuff from each of them... For me, being the single pedal guy and never has bought into the multi-effects worlds, these are a cat's meeeeee-owwwwww

 

[loco gringo]

I'm sold... old guy discovers new technology from SA and doesn't have to have a PhD in manual reading to get great stuff from each of them... For me, being the single pedal guy and never has bought into the multi-effects worlds, these are a cat's meeeeee-owwwwww

I'm with you on the old guy and manuals. I am so out of date I still get my reverb from my amp. I have one knob 1-10.