What Is the Encounter?
The Encounter marks the fourth iteration of Source Audio’s dual-footswitch pedal design, following in the footsteps of its predecessors.
The Encounter continues this legacy, but rather of focusing solely on traditional effects, it ventures into more avant-garde territory, enhancing features from the Ventris and Nemesis while introducing entirely new sound engines crafted by Source Audio’s engineers.
With a total of six delay and six reverb engines, users can easily navigate through options using the encoder knob. The dual footswitches effectively transform the pedal into two distinct units, allowing for individual or simultaneous use. Although labeled as Delay and Reverb on the front panel, they function as Engine A and Engine B, enabling combinations of dual delays or dual reverbs.
All configurations can be saved as presets,with access to eight directly from the pedal or up to 128 via MIDI.
Specifications
- PRICE: $399/£369/€399
- ORIGIN: china
- TYPE: Delay and reverb pedal
- FEATURES: Selectable buffered or true bypass, expression control, external switching, complete MIDI functionality, editing app
- DELAYS: Helix, Kaleidoscope, echoverb, Drum Echo, Resonant, Noise Tape
- REVERBS: Hypersphere, Shimmers, Trem Verb, Reverse, Lo-Fi, Swell
- CONTROLS: Delay, Feedback, tone, Mix, Control 1, Control 2, Engine selector, Knobs switch, Tap division switch, Preset Select switch, Control Input switch, Exp/Switch switch, Delay/Tap footswitch, Reverb footswitch
- CONNECTIONS: Standard input (1 and 2), standard output (1 and 2), MIDI In, MIDI Thru, Expression pedal input, control input, USB
- POWER: 9V DC 400mA adaptor (included)
- DIMENSIONS: 117 (w) x 114 (d) x 51mm (h)
- CONTACT: Source Audio
Usability and Sound Quality
Featuring dual inputs and outputs, the Encounter offers versatile connectivity options, accommodating both mono and stereo setups. The control interface is intuitive, providing ample hands-on control over your sound.
A toggle switch allows you to assign the six knobs to either the Delay or Reverb section, or lock them to prevent accidental adjustments.
While the Mix and Tone knobs are straightforward, the Feedback knob adjusts either delay feedback or reverb decay, and the Delay knob controls delay time and reverb pre-delay.
The Control 1 and 2 knobs are tailored to specific engines, adjusting key parameters often related to modulation.Some knobs also feature a secondary Alt function,accessible by pressing a button on the back of the pedal.
While the onboard controls and engine options provide ample sound design possibilities, the source Audio Neuro 3 app enhances the experience when connected via USB.
This app presents all essential parameters for quick adjustments and offers a plethora of engine-specific Designer parameters not available on the pedal itself. Additionally, it allows users to customize the effect order, choose between parallel or cascaded configurations, and more.
Setting up is straightforward, allowing you to create and save presets in your library for easy access. An online community is also available for sharing and discovering presets.
Among the Encounter’s twelve engines, three are entirely new. one standout is Hypersphere, an remarkable reverb that justifies the pedal’s price tag.It can produce a wide range of sounds, from subtle room acoustics to expansive, shifting soundscapes.
Pitch modulation can be incorporated, and we particularly enjoyed the integrated phaser with numerous adjustable parameters in the app, including a distortion control. Shimmers is another innovative multi-voiced pitch-shifting reverb algorithm, featuring two adjustable pitch voices alongside an unmodulated reverb voice.
Another new addition is Trem Verb, an ambient reverb paired with a highly adjustable tremolo effect, offering various shapes and the option to apply it to the wet, dry, or mixed signals-perfect for creating atmospheric sounds reminiscent of Spaghetti Westerns or surf music.Other reverb options include Reverse, Lo-Fi, and Swell.
Among the delay options, Kaleidoscope features cascading multi-tap delays with arpeggiating effects that can blend into diffuse reverb, while Helix introduces pitch shifting to a glitchy reverse delay. Resonant offers a classic BBD analogue delay sound with adjustable resonant filters.
Drum Echo and noise Tape evoke a vintage feel, with the former enhancing the capabilities of a classic Binson Echorec and the latter delivering tape echo sounds with customizable artifacts. Echoverb stands out as a versatile option, combining a clear digital delay with optional plate reverb.
Both footswitches provide performance functions,with the Delay footswitch enabling tap tempo across three selectable subdivisions,while the Reverb footswitch can freeze the reverb tail indefinitely with a press-and-hold,allowing for sustained pads to play over.
The MIDI capabilities are extensive, granting access to 128 presets via Program Change, and many parameters (even those not assigned to knobs) can be controlled via MIDI continuous controller messages. Additionally, delays can be synced to MIDI Clock.
An expression pedal can be integrated for real-time adjustments of up to three parameters simultaneously, or an external footswitch can be added for tap tempo or preset cycling.
Final Thoughts
Rating: ★★★★
Having the ability to separately control delay and reverb within a single compact unit is a brilliant innovation-allowing for independent use or the creative potential of layering effects, especially with delay feeding into reverb.
Explore the depths of sound design with the Encounter, where you can strip down engines to their core features, turning off modulation for a more straightforward approach.
The sonic capabilities and variety offered by this pedal are remarkable. While the engines may initially seem to cater to more avant-garde sounds, they provide substantial versatility that extends beyond the unconventional.
You can simplify some of thes engines by disabling their more eccentric features-like modulation-to access straightforward,reliable delays and reverbs suitable for traditional guitar applications.
Guitar World Review: This pedal is an essential investment for ambient enthusiasts, shoegazers, and experimental musicians alike. Though, its extensive functionality makes it a practical choice for any guitarist, potentially serving as the sole delay and reverb unit needed on their pedalboard.
Demonstration Videos
Source Audio
Encounter Ambient Delay+Reverb: The Official Source Audio Demo - YouTube
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AndyDemos
Source Audio Encounter Ambient Delay/Reverb – YouTube
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Source Audio Encounter Ambient Delay/Reverb – Official Demo
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