Warm Audio Mutation Phasor II Review

Optical Feast

Warm Audio loves honoring the design and aesthetics of their inspirations, and that ethos is on display in the Mutation Phasor II. The knobs are identical to the Mu-Tron’s. The beautiful orange/red/purple fields that differentiate each control are the same, too. Even the bent-aluminum enclosure is a dead ringer down to the position of the screws that hold the enclosure together. The Mutation is pretty on the inside as well. The optical circuit (the modulation intensity and rate are controlled by a light source and a photosensitive resistor) is tidy for a pedal in this price range. Components are soldered to the through-hole board and the input and output jacks are mounted to the enclosure. On the whole it looks an easy pedal to service should something go amiss. Warm Audio’s knack for authenticity even extends to the ability to power the pedal with a 9-volt battery, though you’ll have to undo eight screws to get to it. So, if you think you might be running low on juice, best to get at the battery well in advance of your show.