While it was the analog chorus that initially set our hearts ablaze in the world of multitracking, it was that early digital gear that infiltrated the studios and found its way onto any number of ‘80s and ‘90s records. The music with what feels like the entire mix bathed in digital rack choruses went by many names but eventually settled on the name “dream pop.” While the term shares origins with shoegaze, it is one meant to convey atmospherics in equal measure with the melodic hooks and moods commonly associated with pop music. We’ve thrown our hat into the dream pop ring with the Wake, an eight-voice chorus that works with your other pedals rather than against them, while imparting dynamics and mood. As you might expect, “mood” is something the Wake has in spades, from wide-ranging rate and depth controls to a mix knob that imparts a gentle pitch vibrato. New to the chorus world is the implementation of a mixable octave-down control that adds a new dimension of depth without impeding the musicality. Many analog chorus units sound too much like an “effect,” which is why some people turn their noses up at the thought. The Wake aims to integrate effortlessly into any setup and provide a foundational building block that livens up your playing without sounding like total cheese. It’s easy to dial in, easy to leave on, and easy to get lost in. Enter: the Wake.

CONTROLS

• OCTAVE: This control runs in parallel with the chorus effect giving you a whistle-clean octave down without shedding any artifacts into the chorus path. Use this along with the Mix control to give yourself a killer three-part effect that adds a great amount of depth to your tone.
• MIX: The bulk of the chorus effects is found on every Mix position other than maximum and minimum. When the knob is maxed, the Wake imparts some interesting pitch vibrato tones due to its eight-voice architecture. When rolled back, the Wake gives you a dry signal, same as you put in.
• RATE: This controls the speed of the chorus modulation. Those here for the atmospherics may like this control set low, and those looking to jump out of the mix at a moment’s notice may prefer this higher.
• DEPTH: This controls the depth of the chorus modulation. The voices allow the Wake to get extremely deep while still giving note clarity. Back off on this control for a subtler effect.

POWER SUPPLY
The Wake accepts any center-negative DC power supply between 9 and 18 volts. Plugging in anything other than this (center-positive, AC, higher voltage, etc.) will potentially brick the Wake. I cannot recommend doing this. Check your supply and make 100 percent sure it says all the right stuff. If you plug in the wrong supply, the dreams will turn to nightmares, in that the Wake will no longer function. Be careful to follow the instructions closely and don’t void the warranty.