Here comes the sun...
Check out solar eclipses. That's not a joke, that's just something everyone should do. Wherever you land on the amateur astronomer scale, don't skip out on solar eclipses when they come around. When those days come, go outside, check 'em out. They literally don't happen all that often.
Science is all around us. Get out in the world. Cultivate soy beans on your windowsill, sort galaxies online, breed fruit flies in your apartment if you're comfortable weighing the importance of insect biology over the value of your security deposit. There's always new discoveries to be made!
When it comes to solar eclipses, like we said, they don't happen all that often. When they come around though, man, you gotta see 'em. It's sort of like the device we're talking about today. In name and illuminating experience, today's release shares a pretty good deal with the astronomical phenomenon. Let's get into it.
This is the Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation.
Speed of Light
Introducing the Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation
In the lane of '70s-inspired boutique effects, Vongon is a name that rises to the top fairly quickly. The Oakland, California-based operation specializes in robust effect units directly inspired by the sounds and styles of analog and early digital audio effect interfaces. Vongon is really a brand to check out if you're ever feeling nostalgic about that sweet spot in history right before the popularization of digital rackmount effects – or even if you're looking to learn about such effects for the first time! Just look for the matte black plate and the walnut block.
Vongon Effects, before today, was likely most commonly known for their mastery of vintage-style modulations, reverbs, delays, and other effects of that persuasion. Rolling through their current lineup, you find devices like their Polyphrase delay, their Ultrasheer reverb and vibrato, or their Paragraphs II filter. In all these cases, Vongon delivers something unique, powerful, and expressive.
Today's release is the Solarfaze. Joining in on the Vongon lineup in iconic Vongon fashion, the Solarfaze is a combo pedal, like their Ultrasheer, coupling a wide, stereo pitch modulator and – shocking – a multi-band saturation*. Correct: Vongon has taken the leap into a new territory. With the Solarfaze, Vongon introduces its first crack at a drive effect along with a striking take on a retro-minded stereo chorus. These two effects together combine for truly electric, effervescent effect palettes that run the gamut from more reserved and traditional to off-the-wall and discordant. The Solarfaze is an excellent addition to Vongon's celebrated lineup that's sure to please both experimental studio rats and traditional guitar purists alike. Let's talk some basics.
Gasp
Solar System Shaping
Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation Design
The Vongon Solarfaze is based around a combination of two hi-fi effects. First, the Solarfaze kicks off with a multi-band saturation effect with three bands of frequency shaping.
Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation "Saturate" Effect
Vongon's first foray into distortion, the Solarfaze's Saturate effect occupies the rightmost position in the pedal. Spoiler: For Vongon's first distortion, they knock it out of the park. The Solarfaze's Saturate effect is an authentic, tube-like distortion that warms up a signal with plenty of opportunities for tonal shaping. With three bands of frequency shaping available – one for Treble, Mid, and Bass – the Solarfaze opens wide for plenty of angles to attack its saturated signal. Sculpting particular frequencies in and out of your distortion is seamless alongside controls for overall drive output, tonal brightness, and wet/dry mix. With the Solarfaze, you're really treated to the kind of close tonal shaping you'd expect out of a name like Vongon.
The Solarfaze is then presented a number of additional positions from which to shape its sizeable distortion. Onboard, three clipping options appear to roll through that push the distortion into "Soft," "Heavy," and "Boost" clipping structures. These behave as you'd expect with options for more mild drives, taller orders of distortions, or more clean boosts all available at the push of a button.
Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation "Detune" Effect
Downstream from Saturate is the Solarfaze's other effect, "Detune." What Detune brings to the table is a wide, stereo-minded chorus effect that sends its modulation waves in opposite directions per each stereo channel. Where this sends us is on a path where things can get pretty warped and weird as modulations bend and buck on vast stereo fields.
The Solarfaze's Detune ain't called that for nothing, though. While the effect has its roots in a modest chorus, it quickly moves into the realm of a twisty vibrato. This is in part due to its dynamic input envelope. The pedal's pitch modulation effect is controlled by an input envelope that responds to your playing, meaning your pitch-bending modulation reacts actively to changes in playing dynamics where softer strumming and deep digs at your strings can result in actively different pitch bend responses. This reactivity is also shaped by the Solarfaze's independent detune amount and envelope presence controls. Like Saturate, Detune can be mixed in to taste by an onboard wet/dry signal control.
Holidays in the Sun
Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation Further Functions
With these two hi-fi effects at the helm, the Solarfaze rolls out with a number of features for playability and connectivity. Let's run 'em down.
- Stereo – Like many other Vongon creations, the Solarfaze is fully stereo capable. Two inputs and two outputs enable the Solarfaze to take part in any number of setups as complex or as simple as you'd like. All you mad scientist studio rats, take notice: Vongon has you covered even when it comes to distortions.
- Noise Gate – For even greater signal fidelity, the Solarfaze builds in an onboard noise gate function with an adjustable threshold. This threshold can be maximized or zeroed out to keep your distorted responses airtight or au-naturale, however it strikes you.
- MIDI – Keeping in Vongon's vintage-leaning yet thoroughly modern mindset, the Solarfaze features full MIDI implementation for total control over parameters and access to the pedal's nine onboard preset slots. If you've got the power of computers on your side, it’s time to call in the cavalry.
- Effect Order – To top off this entire experience, Vongon included an option to swap the order of the Solarfaze's Saturate and Detune effects. The use cases of this function are evident if you're a fan of less-traditional modulation-to-distortion mixes, though there's plenty of other players with whom effect order switching is sure to resonate.
All of these additional functions bring the Solarfaze solidly into the twenty-first century. These, alongside the pedal's soft-touch footswitches, selectable analog buffered or DSP bypass switching, and standard nine-volt DC center negative power operation make it fit into just about any rig you throw it in.
Vongon Solarfaze Multi-Band Saturation Final Thoughts
For Vongon fans, the Solarfaze is sure to at least turn a few heads. As the brand's first try at a new effect, was there ever any doubt it would be killer? We can't imagine. The Solarfaze is an excellent pedal for studio-bound experimenters and straightforward pedalboard users alike as its Saturate effect distorts as authentically as your favorite stompboxes. It's a marvelous effect to run through more than just guitars though, as all Vongon effect are. Try your hand at guitars, synthesizers, drum machines, whatever you've got laying around, and you're sure to hit some new creative highs. Keep it casual, go wild, the choice is yours. Vongon has you covered.
