What's The Difference? Uni-Vibe and Phaser

Are Uni-Vibe and Phaser all that different in sound? This video explores several different units representing both effects to establish how (if at all) these effects are different.
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Product info:
Phase 90 Script
Often imitated but never duplicated, the elusive vintage “script” Phase 90 is at the top of the list for pedal collector’s world-wide. The original version-available from the company’s inception to the late 70’s - practically defined the classic phase shifter sound, and was heard on everything from hard rock, jazz-fusion, to funk hits. The MXR Custom Shop Script Phase 90 brings back the headroom and clarity of the original, along with its ultra warm and smooth phasing and reduced midrange swell. And it comes direct from the MXR Custom Shop.
MXR Uni Vibe
The Uni-Vibe is one of the most iconic effects in music history. Since the late ’60s, groundbreaking guitar players have used it to expand the tonal and textural palette of the electric guitar.
The MXR team has just remastered the classic effect for modern players. The MXR Chorus/Vibrato delivers the same chewy, Leslie-sounding goodness with a smaller footprint.
With its simple three-knob interface, you can dial up the iconic effect to your taste in short order. First, use the VIBE switch to select either Chorus Mode-dry signal mixed with pitch-shifted signal-or Vibrato Mode-only pitch-shifted signal. Then, use the LEVEL control to set the effect volume, the SPEED control to set the sweep rate, and the DEPTH control to set overall intensity.
The MXR Uni-Vibe Chorus/Vibrato comes in a Phase 90-sized housing-a fraction of the size and weight of the original Uni-Vibe pedal-and features true bypass switching. Perfect for taking this lush, swirly pedal out on the road.
Jim Dunlop Rotovibe
The Rotovibe Chorus/Vibrato features Vibrato and Chorus modes and rocker-controlled effect speed to create expressive rotating speaker effects with LED speed indicators.
PastFX Fox Foot Phaser
The Pastfx Foot Phaser Deluxe is essentially a tricked out Nick James Foot phaser, which in turn is based upon the foxx Foot Phaser V1.
The foxx Foot Phaser is made famous by Brian May of Queen. Made in the 70’s, its treadle design allowed the Phase speed to be controlled by knob or treadle.
Foxx released several versions of the foot phaser with different number of phase stages and circuit design. However it is Version 1’s design that is most synonymous with Brian May.
The Foot Phaser Deluxe requires considerable testing to find a set of 10 matching transistors. This involves testing thousands of transistors by hand, to get the perfect phase.
While being able to dial in the exact settings of the Nick James foot phaser, The Deluxe, can take the tonal options further, and also has an expression extension jack for those who wish to use a treadle to control the pedal

[@Mtn603]

Place a phaser before your drives, and harmonic tremolo after. That way you’ll have beautiful phasing options both before and after drives. And when you turn on both, running phaser into harmonic trem, you’ve created univibe. So many fun combinations this way.

[@MrJackrockerman]

Yes 👍 agree

[@stephenjames4937]

I have the dunlop rotovibe and it is a thing of beauty.

[@JackNance22]

Nice run down and impressive collection. I highly recommend running a Phase 90 into the MXR Univibe, sounds super chewy. I never use my MXR Univibe without the Phase 90 on too. Learned that trick from a comment on a KZbin video.

[@JasonAyalaSpare]

I'll give it a try.

[@CorbCorbin]

Gilmour used to run a Uni-Vibe, then Phaser, with Rotary, for certain tones, such as the Shine On signature intro. I’ve often use a Phaser, with the depth and speed really low, Volume up for a boost, into a Uni Vibe, at a deeper throb/depth, for the very thing you mentioned. I still use Phaser for a subtle mod, with nearly all my tones, unless a cover that it just doesn’t work on. I use the Whetstone from Blackout Effectors, because it has Vibrato option, Asymmetrical and Symmetrical switch, low pass and all pass, with four different range settings, from normal to Ring Mod and even a fixed position for really cutting mids. The feedback gives a wide range of different ways the Phaser works. Thorpy’s Pulse Doppler, reminds me of it a bit, with its Vibrato/Phaser abilty, and some of its other options. For Uni Vibe, Sabbadius makes the best I’ve ever played, including vintage units, that were in mint condition. Just his preamps are on another level. I also recommend the Kingtone 1968, as it can sound just like a vintage unit, or more modern with rolling off the Depth a bit. Two separate circuits in a very pedalboard friendly enclosure, with Chorus/Vibrato on both sides, and a nice ramping between the speeds and depths of the two.

[@JackNance22]

@@CorbCorbin Cool, I hadn't thought of running it the opposite way with univibe into phaser, I'll have to see how that sounds. I bought a Behringer Vibrato pedal for $20 from Sweetwater, sounds great running it into the phaser and then uni-vibe. I'm about to do the mod to get the vibrato rate to go slower. Sabbadius seems to be the winner of the vibe wars, I'll likely splurge and get their 68/69 combo at some point. Going to listen to a demo of the Whetstone and 1968, thanks for the tip!

[@joshcarlton9184]

Oooh im going to have to try that

[@morenoteslesstalk]

I recently purchased and showcased on my channel the BST LM-200 (ake Univox PHZ-1 Phazer) and was stunned when I discovered that on max speed the phase could drift into univibe territory. Best of both worlds.

[@evanwilliams8908]

The best way I can describe univibe is like a phaser paired with a tremolo pedal set to a fairly shallow depth.

[@Explivious]

thats what I was thinking, saw someone say the spider has a hidden univibe section on the phaser presets, i noticed theres like a group of about 5 of them, and I noticed that theres one thats like a better tremolo right at the end and thats what they said, so i watchedthis to hear a comparison

[@MattJarz]

My two favorite modulation effects. Excellent video.

[@CorbCorbin]

Nice selection of different types of designs, and great demo of them. I wish I could’ve kept all of the ones I’ve had over the years.

[@evamalmberg]

Det var en intressant test. Dock använder jag inga av dessa pedaler. I morgon firar vi Midsommar här i Sverige med sill och potatis och jordgubbar till efterrätt. Det blir gott! Önskar dig en trevlig helg!

[@JasonAyalaSpare]

Njut av din sommar. Är det väldigt varmt? Jag hörde att det är en värmebölja i Europa.

[@evamalmberg]

@@JasonAyalaSpare Idag, fredag, ska det bli 27 gradet och den värmen håller i sig till måndag. Värmeböljan på över 40 gradet är längre ner i Europa, tack och lov.

[@ЯрославШевченко-х7й]

Thaks for test pedals!

[@onlyusernameleft2]

I'm more puzzled by the label "chorus/vibrato." Sure, when part of the dry signal of a univibe is removed it sounds like a traditional vibrato. But that means there is additional processing of the dry signal, wet signal or both. If I understand correctly it's some sort of phase cancellation which causes the blended signal to modulate in and out of phase in sync with the vibrato effect of the duplicated signal. Where I get confused is phase shifting without pitch modulation became its own effect and chorus/vibrato in the modern sense has no phase shifting. Worst of all it makes it hard to browse for univibes on Reverb.

[@wesmitchem825]

You tell us to put the fuzzface first yet your shirt has it second in line..great video

[@nedim_guitar]

13:23 Incubus! The song "It's Just A Phase". Nicely done!

[@GuitarsAndTea]

I love the Uni-Vibe, it's my favorite pedal but I was curious about the phase 90, after your video I think I still prefer the Uni-Vibe, but I'll probably get a phaser at some point just to fool around with.

[@markpickardlife]

Excellent demo. Thanks!

[@pablomusicgear7288]

Incredible explanations! Love that work.

[@shaft9000]

I've always held the Roto in highest regard...but 99.x% of the audience will never tell the difference between vibes or even a deluxe phaser that skews the LFO sine oblong. I have a Whetstone (OTA per the original SS) and the Empress (mxr90 variant) - both have functions to get proper 'throb' and approximate a vibe better, so I don't even bother with the 'lazy lightbulb' thing even though purists will swear by it, and that's cool.

[@zel6t9]

Nice phasers you have there.

[@LuvBiteFGC]

i love your socks in this video.

[@wesmitchem825]

Phaser and univibe are my favorite effects the only real difference is the wave shape while a phaser is a sine wave a univibe is a more sloped wave also it's achieved by photo cells and a lightbulb while a phaser is ota or fets in stages the ehx small stone phaser is my favorite one while the rotovibe is my favorite univibe love both modes

[@JasonAyalaSpare]

That's right, Vibe has much steeper troughs and peaks than phaser. I see them as being cousins.

[@churlishbeardo]

Thanks - is the Univibe effect also achieved by a series of allpass filters?

[@wesmitchem825]

@@churlishbeardo in a sense the movement of the bulbs flashing at different times offsets the filter stages to make the effect it's why it isn't a straight waveform a standard phaser is pretty much the same formula but uses a lfo to make a smoother wave

[@gilbertocruz1683]

Fulltone vibes are matchless

[@caesarchoi4017]

cool socks there bro good review btw thanks!

[@thespriteofhumanity]

Does anyone know what the song in the opening is? or is it just made for this video?

[@themomentkiller9167]

Great video. Subbed!

[@serranodavid3247]

Have you tried the Drybell Vibe Machine?

[@JasonAyalaSpare]

I haven't, it's supposed to be a premium pedal

[@fisheyedblues6489]

Great stuff...very 👍

[@jacobbrown1690]

Fulltone also has a univibe has a version with a treadle pedal lol

[@DavidMorales008]

Off topic question. I purchased a MIJ Ibanez Flanger early 80s I think, ts9 enclosure, it is very mellow not very dramatic. Is that normal or do I need to get it serviced? Thanks in advance

[@JasonAyalaSpare]

If you can get your hands on another one or even watch a demo of that pedal on KZbin that should give you an idea of what it should sound like.

[@DavidMorales008]

@@JasonAyalaSpare I meant Ibanez, not boss, its an FL 9, thank you, I'll look up some videos thanks brother

[@CC-fi3pp]

The difference is a phaser always sounds better and costs less.

[@MrDamoTheBest]

Clear A-B comparison: Uni-Vibe 21:08 Phaser 21:36

[@billmangan603]

It’s just a phase Incubus clever riff usage

[@LewWelchThePoet]

👍🏿🤘

[@bigfellasydney6970]

I'm partial to the PH 2- a little nostalgia, as it was the first pedal that I ever bought