Polyend releases intriguing Endless AI Prompted Multi-FX with Swappable Magnetic Face Plates

What we have here is a similar technology to that featured on recent Positive Grid Spark Modelling Amps - where you use AI Prompts to define sounds and effects.

The Polyend Endless consists of a main 3-Knob Pedal Unit with Swappable Magnetic Face Plates, and a ’Playground’ App (currently in Beta) - for generating the various effects and algorithms.

The pedal further has dual footswitches - so you can assign one for tap-tempo or boost duties presumably. In and Out ports are TRS compatible for full Stereo Operation, and there is an Expression Port also.

The pricing at launch is €299 / $299 / £299 and you get one blank face plate with the core unit - while the other fully styled Face Plates come with the pre-made algorithms - which cost you $20 a pop. So there is definitely a micro-transactional component to this pedal - while you’re mostly paying for those custom face plates. Where there are hints that you may be able to commission your own one day!

There is also a store - where you can buy further Facia Plates which correspond to particularly pre-made algorithms which you buy jointly for $20 a pop as such.

The units are up for preorders now - where they’re due to ship towards the end of February.

This is in part reminscent of the Ghost Note Audio Daedalus Series - where you get 3 algorithms in 1 pedal - and can then buy additional facia panels to represent each of these algorithms. So you can just buy one device - and then download and swap the core algorithm and buy the appropriate facia plate to match the changes.

The difference between Ghost Note and Polyend - is that for the former you’re just paying for the additional face plates - if you buy one algorithm you get all 3! For Polyend’s ’Endless’ you’re paying for both the Algorithms and Plates. So I’m still not sure what kind of library you get access to, and what your pedal comes loaded with. We know you can only deploy one effect at a time.

The limitations here seem to be the mechanics swapping that is required, and the fact that you only have 3 controls at your disposal - so leaning into rather less shapeable effects as such - while you can of course very precisely configure one via the AI Prompts - but seemingly there is less versatility thereafter.

If I were creating one of these - I would include 6 knobs, and some sort of mode switch - for further versatility. I would also eschew magnetic facia plates - and inserted use a colour E-ink screen. I’m sure we will get better variants of this new technology soon enough - the Endless seems like a pretty compelling start. I would imagine early days though - you have to take a lot of rough with the smooth - as it the same for most fledgling digital technologies - so these will involve numerous upgrades - and at times it will feel that the pedal is more connected with your laptop than guitar or pedalboard.

This kind of device is screaming out for more controls, bluetooth connectivity and a smart E-Ink Colour Screen that you will be able to upload your own custom facia plates to!

So the Endless is highly commendable - but still a very early version - this format will only get better and better.

Just a quick Note on the Tokens system. Basically AI works on a Token System - so every Prompt has a cost to it - around $4-$5 per action. Which means that for the $20 worth of Tokens you get around 4 or 5 attempts within the cost of the pedal. Where several of those Prompts will result in duds or hallucinations. Part of using AI can be frustrating - as it rarely gets it totally right on first attempt. When I’m using Midjourney - it takes several attempts and refinement to get a suitable output - and the same will be the case with this Endless - so some will get pretty frustrated - and costs can add up very quickly. So despite what’s advertised - this is very much a Micro-Transactional environment - that’s just the nature of AI Alas!

You can read more about the Endless on the Polyend Website.