Thermion's new Plug-into-Anything FREEWAY Analog Interface Amplifier and Speaker Emulator is derived from its superb Dynamic Hybrid Amplifier ZERO
The FREEWAY is actually a sort of shrunken down and evolved version of Thermion’s ZERO Amplifier - minus the Power Amp stage, and with some extra features for the modern player. Its key attribute is how you can pretty much plug it into anything - analog / amp / DAW - without the need for any additional interface.
As the above visual highlights - this features a version of the ZERO Analog Amplifier with further Analog Speaker Emulation, and an expanded Digital Reverb section from the ZERO - with heavy Analog post treatment.
The Amp Voicing is in the main controlled by the ’Middle’ knob - with its left-hemisphere representing a Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb voicing, and the right-hemisphere a more general Marshall Super Lead / Plexi style voicing. You then have the Amp Mode switch - which further allows you to adjust the voicing - Dark / Bright, and Clean / Crunch.
And of course you can select from 8 superb Stereo Reverbs - to really enhance the immersive quality of the amp’s output. Reverb Modes are featured below under Controls and Key Features.
The main aim of this device is to give you a proper analog amp that is as versatile and portable as possible, and sounds great under all conditions - so it sits in an equivalent EHX Memory Man style box, and while it does not have quite so many options as some of its competitors - what it does have has been honed to perfection. The engineers felt that the core output tonality was crucial across those Deluxe and Plexi voicings and everything went into making those sound as great as possible also across the various Speaker Emulation options. So the emphasis here is always on quality of output.
You next have the Speaker Modelling Section - an All-Analog Emulator which gives you dual options for :
- CAB : 1x12 / 4x12
- MIC : Sennheiser E906 / Sure SM57
- SPEAKER : Celestion V30 / G12
- MIC AXIS : On/Off
And finally a sort of Output Switch Modes section :
- XLR GROUND LIFT : On/Off
- DAW MODE : On/Off
- SPEAKER BYPASS : On/Off
Some of the controls may look a little fiddly at first glance - but the interface is remarkably simple and straightforward, easy to operate, and the pedal's output and connectivity are exceptional.
Controls - MAIN : Gain, Treble, Middle (6L6 > EL34), Bass, Out Volume, Mix, Reverb : 1. Room 3s / 2. Plate 2s / 3 Hall 1.5s / 4. Hall 2.8s / 5. Room 1.8s / 6. Hall 7s / 7. Reverse / 8. Gated, Amp Mode : Dark / Bright | Clean / Crunch, SPEAKER MODELLING } Cab : 1x12 / 4x12, Mic : 906 / 57, Speaker : V30 / G12, Mic Axis : On/Off, OUTPUT SWITCH MODES } XLR Ground Lift : On/Off, DAW Mode : On/Off, Speaker Bypass : On/Off. FOOTSWITCHES } Engage Stereo Reverb, Activate FX Loop, Activate Internal Preamp.
Ins & Outs : USB C Out, 9C DC [-] In 500mA, Input, FX Send, FX Return (L), FX Return (R), Preamp Send, Preamp Return, XLR Out (L), XLR Out (R), Unbalanced Out (L), Unbalanced Out (R), Phones
Key Features
- Analog Interface Amplifier
- Pedal format
- USB C recording interface
- Analog Speaker Modelling engine
- Full analog internal preamp
- Stereo effects loop
- Preamp Loop : Allows you to replace the internal preamp for an external one
- 8 Mode Stereo Reverb : Chapel reverb (3 sec.), Plate reverb (2 sec.), Small hall reverb (1.5 sec.), Big hall reverb (2.8 sec.), Room reverb (1.8 sec.), Church reverb (7 sec.), Reverse reverb (1.2 sec.), Gated reverb (0.8 sec.)
- Connections : Guitar input, Effects loop send, Effects loop return L (mono), Effects loop return R, Preamp loop send, Preamp loop return, Balanced XLR output L (mono), Balanced XLR output R, Unbalanced output L (mono), Unbalanced output R, Headphone output, USB C
- 9V DC [-] standard pedal power supply 2.1mm barrel, with 500mA Current Draw
- Dimensions : 15,5 x 12,5 x 5,7cm
- Weight : 625g
- Hand-soldered and built in Spain
- RRP : €309.92 exc. Tax / $330 / £270
Available for orders right now from the Thermion Webstore.
Demos
![First-hand Impressions of the Walrus Audio Mako Series II [M1] High-Fidelity Modulation Machine](https://d6a2e7ghqts3o.cloudfront.net/AcuCustom/Sitename/DAM/556/2024-GPX-Walrus-Audio-Mako-II-M1-Y-7001.jpg "First-hand Impressions of the Walrus Audio Mako Series II [M1] High-Fidelity Modulation Machine")
