ao link
Filter content by area of interest
Amps
Boost and Overdrive
Delay
Distortion
Fuzz
Guitars
Modulation
Pitch
Reverb
Utility
All
All

Krozz Devices' Airborn Analog Psychedelic Flanger beautifully combines Highest Fidelity Components with smart extended range delivery

FlangerKrozz DevicesModulation
Share to TwitterShare to Facebook
2024-GPX-Krozz-Devices-Airborn-Flanger-700.jpg

As well documented on this site - I’m a huge fan of the Flanger modulation category - and the Airborn is my own 19th pedal of that genre - where I already own a number of superb High Fidelity Specimens - many with incredibly rare BBD chips onboard.

 

This Airborn itself also has a pretty rare NOS Matsushita MN3207 BBD Chip onboard - which is quite evident from its output on first encounter. Flangers are typically fairly variably musical - while this one is a particularly great example of a musical flanger.

 

For me it’s most reminiscent of my Spaceman Aurora - both have dual footswitches - with the ability to ramp up the speed of oscillation, while you can’t really operate the Aurora without a manual - in particular in order to remember all the different Trigger Modes. The Airborn delivers much the same experience - albeit via a slightly more effortless and elegant means.

 

The only thing that is particular unusual about the Airborn is its Oxidation Filter / EQ control - which delivers more sharpness and stridency as you wind it up, and a fatter profile if you wind it down! That’s the only wholly unusual thing about the Airborn. It also has an internal Filter / Matrix switch which allows you to park the LFO and use the Range more as a comb filter.

2024-GPX-SK-Flanger-Capsule-Collection-700.jpg

I tend to use my flangers in 4 main ways - as a super Sparkly Electric Mistress style voicing, EVH Brown Sound and Distortion accompaniment, Jet Flanger, and a full on Woozy more experimental sounding Flanger. And the Ariborn delivers beautifully on all fronts. It would have been nice to have the Filter/LFO switch externally accessible - but otherwise this is pretty much a perfect implementation of a full spectrum Flanger. It has the perfect complement of controls for the maximum sonic impact - of course including both Postive and Negative Feedback Flanging - and each of those controls delivers a lot of range. This is a properly full flavour and full-on Flanger, but one with a lot of delicacy and finesse to it also.

 

It's easily one of my favourites of the genre - but then again I only acquire those that I really love. This Airborn has been on the cards for a long time - it just took some time to establish a proper relationship with Krozz Devices' Murilo, and to get my good friend Steve from FX Pedal Planet fully on board for this project - indeed that's where this very pedal was acquired from. I'm delighted to have it in the collection at last, and hope to do a similar exercise with the also amazing Krozz Krakenheart Abyssal Uni-Vibe - that I did an overview feature on not so long ago.

2024-GPX-Krozz-Devices-Airborn-Flanger-Vivo-700.jpg

Controls - Level, Oxidation (Stridency), Range, Feedback, + Positive / - Negative Feedback Type, Rate, Bypass Footswitch, Hold Footswitch - Speed Flutter, Internal Switch : Filter / Oscillator.

 

I feel that this Airborn is one of the most easy to deploy flangers out there - I found it really super easy to dial things in - which is not always the case with flangers. Right from the get-go I was getting superior tones - and tweaking them to sweet-spot perfection was a breeze. It's important to recall that I have a number of fantastic flangers in that capsule collection - and this one is right up there with the top echelon of those. Super easy to use, and consistently delivering superior sounds! 

 

I'm always one for full flavour - and this one really delivers in that department - if that's what you want of course. You can also dial it back to be really subtle and elegant - which isn't really my thing for this genre. Subtle and elegant for me is more for core reverbs - I want my modulations to be distinctly heard!

 

Generally I prefer the fuller sound of Positive Feedback Flanging, while there is a place too for the more Hollow-Sounding Negative Feedback style - it's just something I tend to use a lot less - great to have it onboard though of course.

 

The top / below visual actually indicates a great starting position - in fact that all knobs in the middle setting is pretty much the perfect start! All I do is add a little more Level to make it sound a touch more imposing - but right from the get go you get a beautifully musical timbre and tone! Then to get to Jet Flange Mode I drop the Oxidation and Rate to 9 o'c and fully crank the Range and Feedback. What I would say is that this pedal is so very well behaved for me - that it doesn't quite get to the crazy eerie Whale-call sounds, nor some of the super woozy timbres that some of my other flanger do - but it brilliantly covers everything up to those points.

2024-GPX-Krozz-Devices-Airborn-Flanger-700.jpg

I have to say this is one of the most musical Flangers I've yet encountered - and its super easy dial-in will sway many to its charms!

 

This is one of those pedals that is just perfectly balanced - it has just the right number and type of controls - for maximum impact. And of course it has that beautiful dark green and gold artwork by designer Joey Melo - who was also responsible for the superb Krakenheart design. I might be tempted to do one more pass of UV Printing - to get that extra ridged detail effect into the finish - I think that would really suit the nature of the artwork - which has a very mechanical / steam-punk sensibility, and which theme I nicely extrapolated to my background image too - courtesy of some MidJourney and Photoshop magic!

 

I really feel that this is a Flanger for all seasons - and its vast range alongside its marvellous ease of use - will endear it to both Flanger novices and fanatics alike. I'm certainly delighted that this is finally in the reference collection - it was always going to happen, and was only a matter of when!

 

As mentionedl], I got mine courtesy of friend Steve's FX Pedal Planet Webstore, with significant input from Krozz Devices' Murilo too. It retails for £249 at FX Pedal Planet, and $249 on the Krozz Devices Webstore - also avaiable at selected international dealers.


Demos

close
close
close
close
close
close
close
close
close
Stefan Karlsson
Posted by Stefan Karlsson
PopularCommentsRSS FeedContent Subscriptions
Share to TwitterShare to Facebook
Add New Comment
You must be registered and logged in to comment
Profile
Stefan Karlsson
Stefan Karlsson
Guitar Pedal X
News Navigation






















































Justin O
Chase Bliss introduces Mystery Box Lucky Dip for the Festive Season
"Placed my order as well. With only 5 CB pedals "...
4 minutes ago
Josh Cea
Universal Audio's UAFX takes on the mighty Dumble Overdrive Special Amp with its Enigmatic '82
"Just picked one up. I have gone the gamut, went "...
6 days ago
PAUL LENARD EWING
2023 November Pedal-Chain Update - Episode XI - Delineated Duality
"The pedal that got my attention just came out. a B"...
10 days ago
Waiting