EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine V2 Polyphonic Pitch-shifting Modulator Pedal Reviews
The Rainbow Machine V2 from EarthQuaker Devices empowers guitarists to defy convention and explore otherworldly sounds that are often very un-guitar-like. This second-generation model adds Flexi Switch relay-based switching, which gives you access to either momentary or latching operation for both footswitches. This polyphonic pitch-shifting modulator pedal creates soundscapes that wash your sound in harmonic movement. And the selectable Magic control takes the pitch-shifting effects into totally new sonic territory. By EarthQuaker Devices' own admission, the Rainbow Machine V2 is for "experimenters, adventurists, and noisemakers." The guitarists at Sweetwater know that the journey is sometimes more important than the destination, and the Rainbow Machine V2 is there to propel your musical adventures.
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Sweetwater Reviews
Caleb Lowrey
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Highest Rated Reviews
Most versatile pedal on the board
After having the Rainbow Machine for a few days, I'm obsessed with the possibilities offered. EarthQuaker wants you to know how "weird," this pedal is and it certainly will take you on a phantasmagoric trip if you want it to. The beauty of the pedal lies in how much it can do. You have a chorus, pitch shifter, octave, flanger, some distortion, and other FXs that humans have not found words for yet. Any of these can be isolated, combined, or you can pick and choose. Each dial on the pedal will create a new flavor with even the slightest tilt. With the Magic button engaged, you will find a spectrum of non musical sounds the further you go counterclock wise. I find the most "musical sounds," come with a tame magic dial. And the "pitch," button has a mind of its own.
I play guitar. I specialize in Spacegaze. I only have single coils. This pedal will never leave my board.
Great, fun experimental pedal
This pedal is a bit tricky to figure out, but it's fun. It's a fine line between a nice chorus sound or a reverbing polyphonic cacophony that goes on for 30 seconds from one note.
Definitely meant more for psychedelic and experimental type stuff, but for those genres it is great. I haven't heard any other pedal that sounds like this, so if you're looking for something unique it's a great buy.
Surprisingly Intuitive
Bought the pedal at a local shop about a week ago. I'm always interested in things that change my dynamic and force me to rethink my habits as a guitar player so obviously the Rainbow Machine caught my eye fairly quickly. What I was most impressed by during use however, is the sheer musicality of the effect. Of course, we all know the famous *twinkly twinkly whoosh* that's demonstrated in every demo, but its capable of so much more with just a few adjustments. Keeping the Pitch near noon makes the effect immediately usable and is a good starting point for experimentation. Shimmers, Chorus, Slap-Back, oscillation...the thing is a BEAST in the world of time/modulation effects. I can't call it my favorite as of yet (as there are so many, but one setting that really surprised me is having the pitch just past noon, magic just entering the point of oscillation, and tracking at about 9 o'clock, with the other knobs adjusted to taste. Add some drive and it makes for a wobbly oscillating slap-back that get more intense as you continue strumming and reacts very well to picking dynamics; controlled chaos at it's finest. If you're in a bit of a rut or just looking for something new and fun to do I wholeheartedly recommend this precious little monster from EQD.
A Pedal For Experimenters and Philosophers
This pedal is made specifically for experimenting. It will leave you awestruck. You can create sounds that I call "living", that grow and leave and return on their own, with no user control. Seriously, I created something, slowly muted my guitar and set it down, and left the room. After several minutes of silence, the "living creature" I had created returned, sounding slightly different. Sometimes it seemed angry... other times, mello. It continued to make ruckus and then fade away into my amp until I eventually turned off the pedal. Afterwards, I was left feeling a loss - as if I had destroyed something that the world would never experience again.
Rainbow Machine
Yes, blown away! EQD really makes great effects! I'll be experimenting with this nearly forever.
Rainbow Machine
Unique and awesome pedal that is very well built. This thing is so much fun! instantly provides hours of experimenting fun. While it does make plenty of weird sounds that might be heard while sitting atop everest or sinking to the bottom of the atlantic, it also can produce fantastic chorus and harmonized reverb sounds if you have some self control with the "Magic Dial." Very satisfied and i would highly recommend to any fellow Sound Scientist!
One of my favorite pedals
Man, if you ignore the pitch settings, you are left with a lush chorus, warbling delay, or a twisted reverb machine. If you introduce it, all hell breaks loose, which isn't as useful, but definitely a good way to spend a few hours. Highly recommend it, the Rainbow Machine's mellower settings are absolutely stunning if you can find them.
EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine V2
Some people like to color with only 8 crayons and just stay within the lines !! I not only wanted the 64 pack of crayons, I wanted the florescent, and paisley colors and just say screw the rules and I'm coloring outside the lines !!
This pedal like many others have such capabilities if you're patient and take the time to see what the device can really do instead of just going after that sound or sounds that grab you first !! Having a good sense of imagination and being willing to go outside the norm , this pedal has all kinds of goodness to offer someone!!
I have always felt for every one thing we learn there's so much more there !! Say you learn 1 chord ...in fact you have learned 12 ,...as you change just the position of that form of the chord ! With this pedal you can dial something in, yet playing with thee other control knobs can send you on such a different journey !!
Be brave and don't just look at the pedal as a noise maker or a one sound sort of pedal , there's lots of great stuff to be found....you just to go look for it !!!
Modulating Bliss
People don"t give this pedal enough credit. The majority of the time, people dismisss this pedal as "unusable" and more of a novelty. Let me tell you that statement Can"t be any farther than the truth. This pedal is capable of insanity but it is also capable of way more than that. As far as chorus goes, if you like doubling instead of traditional chorus, this pedal is for you. Rolling back the tone and turning the secondary off with the pitch at unison gives the eventide pitchshifter sound. It also is capable of awesome slap-back sounds as well. You can get a modulated reverb type sound as well. And when you want to go crazy unicorn fairy leprechaun land, you can. Awesome awesome, AWESOME pedal
Great pedal though takes some work
I use this for delay and chorus, and to get a very unique tone on some songs. I do have to move the knobs frequently to match the tones or tunes, and for some of the headier effects you'll find yourself bent over your board during a gig, for mostly some sweeps and cascading harmonies, though I think at that point it's better to focus on my playing. But my band lives it and it has been invaluable for some stuff. Ultimately it's a great pedal that isn't as niche as you might think by the design and many of the videos I watched beforehand, but that requires an effect pedal to probably truly master in the heart of a great spaced out jam.
