Chase Bliss's latest Reverse Mode C Multidirectional 3-Voice Stereo Delay pays tribute to one particular Mode / Algorithm from Empress Effects' 2008 Superdelay

Every new Chase Bliss release is always a major event - they certainly know how to spring a surprise - while the smart money has been betting on a stereo delay for quiet a while - either that, or a stereo version of the Dark World Reverb.

In any case this Reverse Mode C pedal evolves and massively expands on Empress’ Superdelay Rev Mode C algorithm - where you get a simultaneous 3-Voice delay - with elements of conventional forward moving delay, with parallel reverse delay and octave up voicings.

The top 3 knobs are the typical conventional Delay knobs of Time (Delay Time : up to 4.19s), Mix (Dry > Wet), and Feedback / Repeats.

Things get interesting in the second row with the Offset and Balance controls - the first of which sets the Delay Time Ratios between each of the 3 Voicings, while the Balance allows you to Isolate and adjust individual Voicing Volumes in the left hemisphere, and blend all 3 in the right hemisphere. The final control in the second row is a fairly conventional High Pass / Low Pass Filter - CCW to roll off highs, and CW to cut lows. Depth is Secondary / Alt for Offset, and Rate is Secondary / Alt for Balance - you can swap those Primary and Secondary Parameters via the ’SWAP’ dip-switch.

In the 3rd row the first 2 switches control the Modulation, the first lets to engage the Modulation synced to the delay or freely moving on its own, the second is where you select the modulation type : Vibrato / Tremolo (square) / Frequency Shifting (up), the ’Mod Type’ dip-switch allows you to select an alternate set of 3 - Chorus / Tremolo (ramp down) / Frequency Shifting (down).

And finally the Sequence switch allows you to engage a Sequencer which moves / fades between the different voicings - either freely running, or triggered by your input signal (envelope).

As with all Chase Bliss pedals you have a number of dip-switches which allow you to customise the output of the pedal :

• SWAP - Lets you make DEPTH and RATE surface-level controls instead of hidden options – useful if you want more immediate control over the modulation. (When engaged, OFFSET and BALANCE will become the hidden options.)
• MISO - Mono In, Stereo Out. Splits a mono input signal into a stereo output
• SPREAD - Hard pans the forward and reverse voices to create a spacious stereo image
• TRAILS - Echoes will fade out naturally when the pedal is bypassed, instead of abruptly disappearing
• LATCH - Changes the hold function for each footswitch from momentary to latching, so that it will remain engaged until the footswitch is held again
• FEED TYPE - Sets whether the octave effect is inside or outside of the feedback loop. This lets you choose between a steady amount of pitch shifting, or echoes that continuously ascend
• FADE TYPE - Controls how the sequencer moves from one step to the next – immediately, or in a smooth, gradual way
• MOD TYPE - Lets you engage a secondary flavor of modulation for each type (see modulation description for the specifics)

This is yet another kind of experimental delay - quite different from the Habit - but like that it can also be run fairly conventionally if that’s your desire. I’ve actually been using the Red Panda Raster 2 recently to make similar kind of crazy pitch-shifting and quirky modulated delays - and the Reverse Mode C would be a great swap out for that.

As always - Chase Bliss pedals can look pretty complicated at first glance - but then upon a little study the patterns reveal themselves fairly readily. I actually really like what I’ve seen and heard here - and will definitely be getting one for the reference collection.

Chase Bliss are following the Zvex ’Pre-Order Period’ model here to a degree where you have until the end of August to make your order - and then the batch is closed for up to a year. They say customers can expect these to starting shipping towards the end of November - will be interesting to see what the uptake on this is.

Of course my budget for July is long since blown - but this will for sure be part of the August budget. And overall Chase Bliss are pretty fair on shipping and import charges - which otherwise can be pretty stinging on a $399 ticked price.

This pedal has each of the 3 leads fingerprints all over it - Joel, Tom, and Scott - I’m not sure how much Empress’s Steve Bragg was involved in the production - but since this is a co-badged product and based on his original algorithm design - he will certainly get some royalties.

When I saw the white teaser shot from that fairly obscured angle - I though it might be some sort of compact EchoSystem - while I’m just as excited to see that it rather just expands massively on that one Superdelay Algorithm. A really cool delay effect - and being full stereo via TRS is perfect for me - in fact a really quick and easy swap out for the Red Panda Raster 2 that is currently on that likely slot!

Preorders are open right now - I guess the usual first-come first-serve basis applies - while I won’t exactly be in that earliest wave - anyone wanting to be in on the first batch has until August 31st. Preorder yours on the Chase Bliss Webstore.