Well, this is a big, badass beast. Plain and simple. I love that Walrus Audio thought to put a Fuzz and a Tremolo in the same pedal, because they really do go together, if you think about it. Not to mention the layout and options are fantastic, and the design is impeccable. Plus, it has JOYSTICKS! I’m getting sucked back into playing Super Mario Bros. on my first Nintendo Entertainment System in the mid-’80s…without the Koopas.
First off, like I said before, this thing is BIG. Like 2 ½ Boss pedals side-by-side big. Clear some space on your pedalboard, otherwise this baby’s not gonna fit! Size aside, the layout is super-cool, extremely unique and yet, very user-friendly – they really did their homework on this one. Let’s start with the Tremolo side – there’s a knob for Level (output) and a joystick to control the Speed of the Trem (plus an LED so you can visually see the tempo). That’s it. Simple, elegant, ready-for-action. Next, the Fuzz side. Again, we have a Level knob that controls the overall Output, and there’s a Blend knob as well, which lets you dial in how much of your clean signal you want coming through, making for a great layering effect if you want a subtle fuzz sound. There’s also a second joystick, to control the amount of fuzz you want present in your path. Everything from low, murky fuzz to high-gain, balls-out, rough-as-they-come fuzz, you can do it all with a flick of a stick. The Mode toggle switch switches between 3 clipping diode arrangements for 3 separate fuzz tone options, and the Bass toggle boosts or cuts the low end as well. Click both sides on at the same time, and watch out! Great overdriven tremolo sounds bound through your amp, and if you play around with both joysticks simultaneously, there are many, many sonic options to be discovered.
Size aside, the Janus is an awesome 2-In-1, and quite creative as well. I like to see companies like Walrus Audio and others taking risks with new pedals, not afraid to explore new dimensions and layouts, refusing to conform to the pedal “norms”, and forging their own paths. I hope this trend continues, as there is much more we all have yet to discover.
Submitted by Mike B, Website
