Hologram Electronics's Chroma Console is a genuinely innovative 20-Algorithm Stereo Multi-Effector that you can route and shape in all kinds of clever ways
This is one pedal you definitely need to dip into the manual to understand fully what’s going on - while the Hologram Electronics engineers have imbued this device with so much intuitive smarts that you should be up and running in no time.
This pedal is a shoe-in for the Eventide H90 on my #35 slot while they’re quite different beasts really - and the H90 gets you more granular in some ways - with many more algorithms precisely modelled - while you can only deploy two in combination. While the Chroma Console allows you to run 4 Effects together - one from each column / section, and in any order.
The central light-up LEDs are actually push-buttons - which light up in different colours to represent your selection - and then in the black band of the facia you see additional control functions that you can access by pressing those 4 button-LEDs in combination. Pressing them individually just cycles around the Modes for that section, while pressing the first two gets you into Secondary Function mode - each knob has dual functions - indicated by Bold Black Text, and Lighter Grey Text underneath that.
Pressing the last 2 buttons takes you into ’Gesture’ control - where you in effect create manual modulation by tweaking and recording the movement of those knobs - so you could manually take a knob from Min to Max values - which would essentially oscillate that parameter - really clever!
Next is the FX Setup - where you press the two outer buttons - this allows you to re-route your 4-effect-chain in any order. And finally you have the CopySave function by pressing the two middle buttons to Copy/Save whichever Gesture or Capture Loop you were working on presumably.
Finally - the 5th killer function is a 30 second ’Capture’ phrase looper / sustainer - which allows you to capture decent sized loops - and then fold those further through the mix. The way you can manipulate sounds and phrases on this device is properly next level - which means it kind of leans more into the tabletop setup than a floor-based stompbox - but for sure I will be getting one of these. Probably not until the new year - as I’ve still not fully got to grips with my H90 - would like a few more months with that before I bring the Chroma Console into the rotation.
At the heart of the device are 20 Algorithms in 4 Blocks / Sections - defined as Character (Gain), Movement (Modulation), Diffusion (Spatial / Time-based Effects), and Texture (Special FX).
I've tried to simplify the overview per the visual :
CHARACTER
- DRIVE - Tube-like Drive
- SWEETEN - Sweet Preamp + EQ
- FUZZ - Vintage style Fuzz
- HOWL - Resonant Fitler style Fuzz
- SWELL - Envelope-triggered Volume Swell
MOVEMENT
- DOUBLER - Stereo Short Delay Doubler
- VIBRATO - Pitch Modulation
- PHASER - Classic Phaser
- TREMOLO - Versatile Amplitude Tremolo
- PITCH - Pitch-shifter : -1 to +1 Octaves
DIFFUSION
- CASCADE - Analog BBD style Delay
- REELS - Tape Echo style Delay
- SPACE - Versatile Reverb from personal to cavernous
- COLLAGE - Wild, Spontaneous Looping Delay
- REVERSE - Reverse Delay with variable playback speed / pitch
TEXTURE
- FILTER - Multi-Mode Filter
- SQUASH - Heavy-Handed Compressor and Overdrive
- CASSETTE - Tape FX / Saturator etc.
- BROKEN - Pitch drops combined with amplitude and frequency modulation
- INTERFERENCE - Dissolving Layer / Disturbance
INSTRUMENT CALIBRATION
The Chroma Console cleverly adapts to your instrument's output - you press both Footswitches together to access Calibration Mode - which starts off automatically calibrating the pedal to your input. You can then further tweak that manually - should you feel the need.
This is such an innovative concept - and kind of moves away from exact modelling of very specific effects - and instead concentrates on how they can be used and manipulated in combination.
There's plenty of pedals which allow you setup block chains with multiple effects combined - while all those use a screen, and deep menu diving. Hologram Electronics is not just clever with its core selection of Algorithms and functions - but the actual interface design and pedal use. Using smart colour keys to help you make immediate sense of everything you see.
You can of course use it at a pretty basic level - but combining the quad effect chains with Gesture Control and Capture Loops is the further next level of this device.
At $399 it's not exactly cheap, and on a number count basis doesn't necessarily compete that hard with dedicated multi-fx units of the liked to the Helix, Fractal or GT-1000 types - it's genius really is in its combinations and ease of use. There's definitely something in the water over at Hologram Electronics HQ - this is really brilliant design and something pretty genuinely different.
There are other devices out there which kind of hint at this direction, but no one put it all together before quite as well as this. I'm sold for sure!
Controls - Tilt (EQ) / Sensitivity, Amount / Effect Volume, Rate / Drift, Amount / Effect Volume, Mix / Output Level, Amount / Effect Volume, MODE BUTTONS } A : Character 1-5, B : Movement 1-5, C : Diffusion 1-5, D : Texture 1-5, A+B = Secondary Functions, C+D = Gesture Control, A+D = FX Setup, B+C = Copy/Save, Tap Tempo / Capture Footswitch, Bypass / Presets Footswitch.
Rear Ports - Input L, Input R, Output L, Output R, EXP, MIDI In, MIDI Out, USB-C, 9V DC [-] 500mA.
KEY FEATURES
- 20 Vibrant Effects
- 4 Rearrangeable Effect Modules
- Stereo or Mono Input/Output
- Sophisticated Input Level Calibration
- Knob Recording with GESTURE feature
- Sustain and loop audio with CAPTURE feature
- BYPASS Foot Switch Customization
- Configurable Filter Effect (TILT, Lowpass, or Highpass)
- 80 User Presets
- MIDI In/Out/Thru, clock synchronization • True Bypass Switching/Buffered Bypassed with trails
- Tap Tempo, which can sync time-based effects and modulation effects
- NOTE - no quoted dimensions / weight - looks about 1/2 a Microcosm, little bit taller perhaps
- MAP - $399
- Ships : starting January 2024 - first-come first-serve!
The only place to get a Chroma Console Multi-Effector is on the Hologram Electronics Webstore.
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
