Thorpy's ER-2 does for the Uni-Vibe format the same as his Camoflange did for Vintage style Flanging - with extraordinary note clarity at all levels of intensity and throb

As always with ThorpyFX there are a couple of innovations on this ER-2 not found elsewhere - and this 4-knob Vintage-inspired Photocell Uni-Vibe has a pretty unique control topology - also in how interactive those knobs are.

Controls - Intensity (Photocell Luminosity), Offset (Photocell Lit to Unlit / Dark phase Offset), Speed (Pulse / Throb Rate), Volume (Output), Vibrato / Chorus Footswitch, On / Off Footswitch.

The ThorpyFX ER-2 is named after NASA’s Lockheed ER-2 High Altitude Atmospheric Research Platform - a sort of flying science lab which measures all manner of atmospheric conditions and emissions - including having several sensors onboard to scope out and measure light-emissions - which is how it mirrors the Uni-Vibe format - which is in essence a light-sensing modulation device.

When I started talking with Thorpy about this pedal around last autumn I think it was - there were several options for what symbol might best represent this particular effect type - while the ER-2 was the one which eventually provided the best visual profile - and so that was selected as the ambassador of choice as such - so much thought and detail goes into these deliberations!

And where a number of the controls are of somewhat standard notation, they actually work slightly differently to most other Uni-Vibes.

The first thing I always try to do is calibrate which settings produce the maximum throb - which is not necessarily as straight forward as you might think here! It’s certainly not just maxing out the Intensity dial - which controls the degree of luminosity or light emission of the photocells - where at maximum you get a kind of flare effect - which can add further brightness to the output at its peak, but at the same time attenuates slightly the impact of the ’throb’. Meaning that the optimal throb setting for that knob is actually around 2 o’c - where currently I have it set just a touch past 2 o’c.

The most unique control on the ER-2 is the (Dark) Offset which you can think of as being a little like waveform symmetry or Attack/Release times between the Lit and Unlit phases of the photocell illuminations. So where Speed sets the kind of BPM / Pulse of the illuminations, the Offset allows you to adjust the unlit to lit ratio - which further helps you refine the character of the throb. Ultimate throb can be also found on this dial between 2 & 3 o’c - at least for my rig - where Offset is currently set to just before 3 o’c.

Interestingly both Andy (Martin) and I seemed to have ended up at the exact same settings for Intensity and Offset - so there must surely be something in that!

Speed / Rate further impacts on the degree of throb - where I actually mostly have that dial either fully dialled back or at around 3 o’c - which latter position is where I get my ultimate throb - so Intensity @ c 2 o’c, Offset @ c 3 o’c, and Speed also at 3 o’c. You can then adjust Volume to taste - where around 3 o’c is about right for me.

The ER-2 is my 11th / 12th Uni-Vibe device as such (depending on whether you classify its arrival or launch date) - where it landed at a similar time to my Tru-Fi Ghost Vibe. What is fairly distinct about the ER-2 besides its incredible granularity of control is how it maintains note clarity across different levels of intensity and throb. Where most Uni-Vibes can get a little wooly for maximum intensity - the ER-2 somehow has a magical way of preserving the articulation of your dry signal - so while you can get the same potent degree of throb impact as with similar devices - you also get a quite unique note clarity at the same time for the ER-2. 

This also means that the ER-2 is especially great with fuzzes and higher gain devices as it seems to preserve so much more of their inherent textures and dynamics.

All of Thorpy’s modulation pedals have been killer - but I’ve been particularly impressed with the Camoflange and this ER-2 - which kind of do somewhat extraordinary things.

I’m looking forward to hearing of your own first-hand experiences of using this particular Uni-Vibe. Thorpy really has a knack of delivering something a little extra special every time.

Thorpy’s also been very reasonably on the pricing of these - as many Uni-Vibes are priced around the $500 / £500 mark - so this is actually very good value at £299.99 - available for orders right now on the ThorpyFX Webstore and at leading dealers imminently.