Gamechanger Audio Auto Series

They might come in guitar pedal format, but the Auto Series effects have much in common with modular synths...

Gamechanger Audio’s Auto Series pedals are a sort of hybrid between traditional effects pedals and synth modules: yes, you can still plug a guitar in and stomp on them, but not only can they modulate parameters automatically based on the dynamics and pitch of your playing; they also boast an advanced tracking engine and patchbay (a generous array of patch cables is provided) that makes possible control‑voltage automation of any parameter, whether based on the level or pitch of the main input signal or of a secondary one. Such features definitely mark these pedals out as being unique, but as the algorithms available on each one are of really high quality, the sounds can be equally remarkable.

There are currently three pedals in this range: a delay, a reverb and a chorus. For this review, I was sent the delay and chorus, so it’s their features and sounds that I’ll explore below. But the reverb shares the same design concept and form factor, so much of what I write will apply to it too.

Overview

These pedals share the same enclosure design, with a patchbay protected in a recessed central section, and the main parameter controls on either side. They use 24‑bit/44.1kHz conversion and 32‑bit processing, and each offers a choice of three algorithms. For the Auto Delay these are Tape, Dig and Analog, and the Auto Chorus offers you Chorus, Ensemble or Flanger. (I’ll explore those below.)

On the rear panel are two power inlets, one accepting a standard 9V 250mA centre‑negative supply and the other USB‑C, and there are various analogue I/O either side, with two slide‑switches at the top. One switch sets the input level as EU (+10dB), Line (+5dB) or Inst (+0dB), while the other changes the mode of the Level knob (of which more later). Two pairs of quarter‑inch jack sockets provide the main inputs and outputs, and the lower one of each pair can carry either the left channel of a stereo pair or a mono signal, while the other can carry the right channel or act as a single stereo TRS connection.

There’s also a mini‑jack Track In input, and this can be used in a couple of ways. Gamechanger say that the tracking engine will be most effective when it ‘sees’ the cleanest possible signal so, should you want to use other effects before the main input, you can use the provided splitter box to feed a clean signal directly into this Track In input. Alternatively, in the spirit of experimentation, you could plug an external source into this input, to act as an automation source. A corresponding Track Out mini‑jack carries a copy of the Track In signal or, if nothing’s connected to the Track In, a copy of the main input. There’s also a clock/MIDI in, again on a mini‑jack, that can accept an analogue clock signal or act as a MIDI input.

Alongside the main audio I/O, on quarter‑inch jacks, are mini‑jack I/O for the tracking signal — these can optionally be used to feed a clean tracking signal to the unit, to track an external source, or to pass the tracking feed along to other pedals or synths.

On the top is the main control panel, and top left you’ll find the Level knob, and its function is set by the Knob Mode switch I mentioned above. This can be set to In, Wet or Mix, and when In is selected the knob sets the amount of signal that’s sent into the effect engine — the higher the level of this signal, the more extremely the signal will be altered by the effect. In the Wet position, the knob acts in much the same way, except that the dry signal is muted. In the Mix position, it becomes a wet/dry blend control.

Three more of these larger knobs adjust parameters specific to each pedal. On the chorus, these are Rate, Depth and Feedback, and, with Rate ranging from 0 to 819.16 Hz, you’re able to access anything from very subtle chorusing to abstract ring‑modulation. For the delay, there are Time, Repeat and Tone. The time ranges from 40ms to 2 seconds, which is just enough for some short phrase‑looping possibilities, and...