If the news about the release of the new Fender American Professional series guitar piqued your interest, you might also want to check out this promising new guitar pedal that’s about to hit the market.
Known as the Stratus, Chaos Audio's deceptively simple single-knob stompbox aims to revolutionise the way guitarists use digital effects pedals.
The different effects that one can produce using the Chaos Audio Stratus multi-effects pedal are controlled through an app via a smartphone. From the app, users can choose between wah, reverb, phaser, flanger, fuzz, delay, overdrive, loop, and other fundamental effects and effect combinations.
A Bluetooth connection allows the app to control the Stratus, which plugs into a guitar and amp just like any other guitar pedal. And even without using the app, the pedal has basic commands that can allow it to be used as both a tuner and a looper.
While the pedal is essentially designed for experimentation, the sound quality of each effect also makes it usable for live performances. In fact, there’s been overwhelming support from the online community since Chaos Audio debuted the pedal on Kickstarter, with its initial marketing aimed at effects-hungry electric guitarists on a budget.
"As a broke college student, I found it extremely difficult to afford a bunch of pricy guitar pedals. That's when I had the idea to create a multi-effects platform to help guitarists like me get access to the full pedal board experience without breaking the bank," explained founder and CEO of Chaos Audio, Landon McCoy.
"Think of it more as a computer than a stomp box. Stratus has all of the amenities guitarists have come to know and love from other smart devices including internal memory, a rechargeable battery, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0, and a functionally aesthetic LED light strip used for the tuner and other tools."
While Chaos Audio bills the Stratus as “the guitar pedal re-imagined,” it’s important to note that it’s not the first stompbox to pack a multitude of functionality in a single package.
The Line 6 Helix multi-effects pedal, for instance, is a fully programmable unit that comes not with an app but with its own full desktop sound modelling studio. As an all-around guitar interface and fully functioning amp modeller, the Helix has been a go-to choice for veteran guitarists experimenting with effects combinations.
More recently, The Empress Effects ZOIA synth pedal introduced even greater customisability to the guitar effects world. Aptly described by its creators as “a modular synthesiser in pedal form,” the ZOIA allows its users full reign over creating modular and granular effects from scratch.
With all that being said, while both the ZOIA and the Helix offer electric guitarists countless auditory portals to explore, they’re not nearly as user-friendly as the app-powered Stratus.
And compared to these other mini studios-disguised-as-effects-pedals, Chaos Audio’s attempt at re-imagining the digital stompbox also comes with a comparatively friendlier price tag.
In short, while the concept behind Stratus is certainly not new, its unique approach to customisable effects is exactly what many contemporary guitarists are looking for.