VS Audio Further Refines its already great 6-Presets Alchemy Analog BBD Chorus - now in Smoother and Brighter MKII Edition
The original VS Audio Alchemy is already one of my favourite Choruses - where it borrows from the Chase Bliss Audio playbook of Analog Signal combined with Digital Control Layer. So you get those gorgeous warm Stereo Analog BBD sounds - but with the added benefit of 6 onboard presets - which with the manual panel settings gives you a combined 7 possible settings you can rapidly flip between via right hand footswitch - for superior live playback!
The upper left hand output socket - as well as being for stereo output can also be used to Sync your different VS Audio pedals together - so you can simultaneously channel / preset switch across multiple VS Audio devices. I will of course be using it for Stereo Output mostly!
This is really the perfection of elegance and usability - my only wish about the former edition was for it to be a little bit brighter, and that’s exactly what VS Audio have done here - while they’ve gone somewhat further than that - in enhancing a number of aspects of the LFO modulation in particular, as described below :
MKII Updates
- The Triangle LFO Modulation is significantly enhanced to make it sound smoother and more natural
- Tap-Tempo footswitch control has been added for the LFO
- The Delay Range has been greatly extended with more steps - which generate the broadest variety of Chorusing effects
- Improved Output is now Brighter, Smoother and Warmer
The Alchemy's 4 controls are as follows :
- MIX : Dry to Wet Ratio - dial up for more Effect
- DELAY : Controls the center delay time that the LFO modulates around - you can get some really cool phasey-chorus sounds with this - now with significantly broader range than before
- SPEED : Sweep Rate of the Effect
- DEPTH : Intensity of the Effect
Those 4 knobs give you the most fantastic range of flavours. I variously have my manual default set as a sort of medium-bold standard chorus - with the delay turned almost totally back - or I go with the Purple Rain style variety which setting I collaborated on with VS Audio to get as near as possible (se below previous visual).
The 6 Onboard Presets are as also detailed in the below visual :
- BLUE : Standard Chorus - Minimal Delay, otherwise median / moderate values
- GREEN : Gentle Wash - Low Speed combined with otherwise median / moderate values
- RED : Rotary-Esque - Maximum Speed with Minimal Delay for those swirly rotary style tones - this is what the Stereo Output was made for!
- MAGENTA : Walking on the Moon - Classic 80’s Police-style Chorus
- YELLOW : Phasey-Chorus - Somewhat more pronounced than Purple Rain - but in that general ball-park - with Maximum Delay applied here
- WHITE : Seasick-Warble - That Fluttery Vibrato-esque Detune-style Chorus which is so much fun in small doses
Said visual is from the launch of the first edition - while I assume those default values will be mostly the same - just better sounding now! Analog BBD Chips as before are 3207 / BI3207.
The Alchemy MKII Analog Chorus is available right now on the VS Audio Webstore, and imminently at leading dealers - priced at €249.
Mine should land in a week or two and I will share further insights when I compare the two different versions first-hand!
The original is already one of my favourite Choruses of all time - do any of you have one?
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
