Erica Synths Black K-Phaser review

Erica Synths Black K-Phaser: What is it?

The phaser is one of those modules that gets less attention than it deserves but Erica Synths has decided to give it some love, in the form of the Black K-Phaser.

This latest addition to the Black series modules packs a lot of tone into its 10hp and shares the same design ethos, with a black fascia with jellyfish graphics. Unlike some modules out there with graphics, the Erica Synths designs are always subtle, leaving the control labels clearer to see. The panel is dominated by the large Phase knob, which gives direct manual control over the phase position, although most users will undoubtedly use cv for this. 

Erica Synths Black K-Phaser: Performance and verdict

Cv can be applied directly to the phase itself, or to the inbuilt LFO which can be fine-tuned with the attenuverter. The LFO is switchable between ramp and triangle wave shapes. It’d be nice to see some extra options here but if two were to be chosen these are the most useful.

One welcome feature here is that the LFO can be output separately, so this can add some extra modulation to other parts of your rig or patch, keeping time with the phaser. We wish more modules offered this, as it helps keep a patch clocked with menial cable clutter. The rates of the LFO are as important for a phaser as any other use, so it’s good to see a really broad range, allowing the Black K to run from almost imperceptibly slow to mind-bogglingly fast. So no matter what your patch needs are, it will cater to them.

Similarly, there is a wet output, enabling the output to be sent elsewhere for further processing, while the main output can continue on its way. This adds some extra versatility to the tones that the Black K-Phaser produces.

When it comes to these tones, they really are juicy, for want of a better word. We're a big fan of phasers, as they can add anything from subtle movement to wild jet scream effects to a more static sound. This particular model adds more than most, with a resonance attenuverter control and a detune, here labelled as spread. This detune acts on the eight filters that make up the phaser and it sounds wonderfully rich, although not thick in the same way detuned oscillators do. It feels more like detuned harmonics and it adds a textural element that isn’t too in your face but has a definite impact on the output.

The Black K-Phaser retains the classic tones you’d expect from a module of this nature, while adding extra character and useful controls and outputs to an already good value and solidly built device.

MusicRadar verdict: For bringing your synth tones to life with rich phasing, the Black K-Phaser is a great option – and it’s a good modulation source too.

Erica Synths Black K-Phaser: Hands-on demos

Erica Synths

Erica Synths Black K-Phaser: Specifications

• I/O: 8 all pass filters, Built in LFO, Resonance control, Detune/spread.
• CONTACT: Erica Synths