Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Asheville's Analoger APH-12 1-to-12 Variable Stage Analog Phaser might very well be my favourite Phase-Shifter to date
This project has long been on the cards, as I’ve always intended to take the Asheville Music Tools journey - the Analog Modulations in particular. The Phaser ended up being the first on the list, and I will tackle the Flanger next, and then the Chorus / Vibrato after that.
I’m not short of a great Phaser or two - as the APH-12 is the 29th phaser in my reference collection (full list after the demos below). I have a soft spot for so many of these - including the Beetronics Larva, Caroline Guitar Arigato - also recently arrived, and so many more - including varieties from Boss, MXR, PastFX, Spaceman, and ThorpyFX. I really like the Strymon Zelzah DSP take also - so the APH-12 is in good company!
The Asheville is the first of mine to go as low as a single stage of phasing (as far as I recall), most others start on 2 Stages, and the Seymour Duncan Polarion goes as high as 16!
Everything about this APH-12 is expansive - both in terms of control topology and output.
Controls - EXP Selector : Sweep / Resonance / Rate / Amount, Sweep (All-Pass Filter / Manual), Resonance / Regen, Rate - Modulation Speed, Amount - Modulation Depth / Width, Mix : Subtle / Balanced / 100% Wet (Vibrato), Drive (JFET Preamp), Stages : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 12, MOD : Slow / Fast / Funky.
Ports - 1/4" TS In, EXP, 1/4" TS Out, 9V DC [-] 200mA.
I feel you’ve really got the perfect complement of controls to fully shape the Phasing in the most expansive of manners. And having those 8 different Stage options - from 1 to 12 really gives you every flavour of phasing - along with those MOD options.
The Purple Sparkle finish is highly appealing too, and I like the knobs on this. Just a really smart execution of an all-rounder Phaser - which I understand was 3 years or so in the making.
I’m in the process of doing a couple of features on my favourite Modulation pedals - both Compact and Mid-Size enclosure formats. And the APH-12 helps complete that snapshot. It’s highly likely that the other Asheville Modulations will end up on the favourites list too - there’s definitely no shortage of magnificent sounding ones. And the documentation for the pedal is incredibly thoroughly detailed.
It’s also a really quite easy pedal to dial in! It’s not as instantly pleasing as the Caroline Arigato - as for that one you can just set all the controls in the middle for a killer opening sound - while the kind of default settings for the APH-12 have the knobs in somewhat different positions. The 11 recommended presets are a fantastic overview of the pedals capabilities.
And the recommended starting positions for the Classic 4-Stager are very decent :
NOTE that I've tweaked all these to my own preferences - I prefer things a little more fuller-flavour!
Classic 4-Stage Phaser
Sweep @ 11:30 o'c, Resonance @ c, 11 o'c ±, Rate @ 2 o'c, Amount @ 3 o'c, Mix : Balanced, Drive @ 2 o'c, Stages : 4, MOD : Slow.
IKO IKO
Sweep @ 11:30 o'c, Resonance @ 3 o'c, Rate @ Noon, Amount @ 2 o'c, Mix : Balanced, Drive @ 3 o'c, Stages : 5, MOD : Funky.
Swirlitzer 12
Sweep @ 11:00 o'c, Resonance @ 10:30 o'c, Rate @ 11 o'c, Amount @ 10 o'c, Mix : Balanced, Drive @ 1 o'c, Stages : 12, MOD : Fast.
So a really satisfying Phaser all-round - with a tonne of range across those 6 dials and 2 switches.
As mentioned, the Caroline Guitar Co. Arigato is a little more instantly satisfying with everything tuned to the middle, while the APH-12 overall has more textural and sonic variations - but makes you work for it a little more on the dial-in.
The Expression control works really well - and I like how easy that Rotary control is to change which parameter you assert control over.
This is a high value ticket item for sure @ $397 / £419 - where I picked up the last one in stock at Joe's Pedals in the UK. Three years in development - and well worth it! Still available direct from the Asheville Music Tools Site.
KEY SPECS
- Type : 100% Analog signal, modulation and control path
- Stage options : 8 Total, 1-12 stages: 1-6, 9, 12. Odd # = out of phase
- SWEEP Range : Center 25Hz to 10kHz typical. 3Hz to <50kHz with use of LFO, Envelope or external Control Voltage
- RESONANCE : Off to self-oscillation using EXP input coupled with knob position
- RATE : LFO RATE, Type: Sine Wave
- Slow <0.01Hz to 2.3Hz (3.3Hz with CV control)
- Fast <0.3Hz to 78Hz (~115Hz with CV)
- Envelope : Positive SWEEP control of modulation. Fast Attack, medium release
- AMOUNT : LFO depth control from OFF to ~60% of SWEEP
- DRIVE : Up to 30dB of boost with increasing saturation and mid emphasis as gain is increased.
- MIX Switch : 3 Position; FX: Mostly dry, 50/50, VIB: 100% wet
- MOD Switch : LFO Selector: Fast, Slow, Envelope
- Expression / CV : 4-way switch: Sweep, Regeneration, Rate or Amount external control additive to front panel knob, extending range
- TRS jack usable with CV or Expression pedal, (CV range 0-5V). Ring supplied current limited ~5V output. Control input on Tip
- • BYPASS Footswitch : Effect on/off. True Bypass : LED indicates LFO rate or Envelope pre-amount signal
- Power : 9VDC @ <125mA. 70-100mA typical. Up to 200mA start up - Standard pedal center negative 2.1mm x 5.5mm barrel
- Input impedance : >1MΩ
- Output impedance : 1KΩ Max
- Maximum input signal : -10dBµ / 0.25VRMS = 1% THD,+1dBµ / 0.87VRMS = 10% THD
- Maximum output signal : -0.9dBµ / 0.7VRMS
- Noise Reduction : 12.5dB HF emphasis 3dB = 1.4kHz
- Genuine Hammond™ die-cast aluminum enclosure
- Dimensions : D=4.95” (12.5 cm), W=3.75” (9.4 cm), H=2.25” (5.8 cm)
- Weight : 14oz (425g)
- MAP / RRP : $397 / £419
Demos
Personal Phaser Capsule Collection
- Alexander Pedals La Calavera 3-Mode Phaser, inc. 10 Stages
- All-Pedal 2/4/8 Stage Optical Analog Phaser
- Asheville Music Tools Analoger APH-12 Variable Stage Analog Phaser
- Beetronics Larva Dual Morphing Analog 6-Stage Phaser
- Boss PH-1R 4-Stage Analog Phaser
- Caroline Guitar Co Arigato Phaser + Vibrato + Vibe
- Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone 2/4/6 Stage Analog Phaser
- Crazy Tube Circuits Cyclone 2/4 Stage and Dual Analog 4-Mode Phaser
- Death By Audio Destroyer Series Moonbeam Analog 6-Stage / 6-Mode Phaser
- Drunk Beaver 2/4/6 Stgae Dual Range OTA Analog Phaser
- Flower Pedals Castilleja 4-Stage Optical Phaser / Vibe
- Fuzzrocious Electric Ocean OTA Fuzz-Phaser
- Magnetic Effects Eye to Eye 4-Stage OTA Phaser
- Mattoverse Electronics Just a Phase Analog Phaser
- MXR Deep Phase 4/8 Stage Mini Phaser
- MXR Phase 95 2/4 Stage Mini Phaser
- MXR Phase 99 Dual 4-Stage Stereo Phaser
- PastFX Gallstone Small Stone style Expanded Range 2/4 Stage Analog Phaser
- PastFX Classic Phase PX99 4/6 Stage Phaser
- PastFX Foot Phaser Deluxe JFET 6/10 Anlog Phaser
- PastFX Rotary Phaser Stereo Photocoupler 4/6/8/10 Stage Phaser
- Ritual Devices Fay Phase Filter Modulator
- Seymour Duncan Polarion 2-16 Stage Analog Phaser
- Sitek Phasia 4/5.6 Stage OTA Phase Shifter
- SolidGoldFX Aurras Optical VibraPhase 2-Stage Optical Phase-Shifter
- Spaceman Effects Explorer 6-Stage Analog Optical Phaser
- Strymon Zelzah Dual Channel 4 + 6 Stage Multidimensional Phaser
- ThorpyFX Pulse Doppler 4-Stage Multi-Mode Analog Phase Shifter
- Zvex Vibrophase 4-Stage Electro-Optical Analog Phaser/Vibrato
I will do another Phaser rundown feature when I get to 30!
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