INSTRUMENT
INPUT
REMOTE TAP /
EXPRESSION
MIDI INPUT
OUTPUT TO
AMPLIFIER
9V DC INPUT
100 mA, CTR NEG
SOUND SELECTOR /
HOLD FOR SHIFT MODE
TAP TEMPO
HOLD FOR PRESET SAVE
BYPASS / ENGAGE
HOLD FOR NEXT PRESET
DELAY MACHINE
INDICATORS
PRESET INDICATORS
SHIFT: SUBDIVISIONS
OVERVIEW
The Oblivion is our exploration of what
exists in the darkest corners of the sonic
universe.
Tread lightly. Or for more fun — don’t.
The Oblivion Vintage Delay is our take on some of the greatest echo units ever made.
We’ve packed it with cool features, but we also know that you don’t have time to dive
into menus on stage while you’re trying to play. To that end, we’ve tried to make it as
friendly as possible to operate. We want you to focus on making music, not messing
around with some computer!
GETTING STARTED
Using the Oblivion is easy - Power the pedal using your favorite power supply, 9V
with standard center-negative polarity. Plug in your guitar and amp. Tap the
Bypass /
Engage
footswitch to turn the pedal on, then twist some knobs! Want to set the delay
time to match the beat of the song you’re playing? Tap the
Tap / Save
footswitch two or
more times. Need more modulation? Turn the
Depth
knob up! Want to try a different
delay machine? Tap the
Select / Shift
button until you get something you like.
The Oblivion is full of cool technology but it operates just like any analog pedal, so get
in there and explore. Once you find a sound you like, just hold down the
Tap / Save
footswitch to store your settings to the currently selected preset, as indicated by the
A /
B / C
LEDs on the left side of the pedal.
DELAY MACHINES
The Oblivion has four distinct Delay Machines available. Each has a common set of
controls and the same maximum delay time, but they all have different behavior and
unique quirks. Just like the vintage echo units they represent, our Delay Machines all
have their own character and are useful in their own ways.
ANALOG
- This mode evokes the warm and murky depths of the classic bucket brigade
echo units. These early solid-state memory devices were far more compact and efficient
than magnetic tape storage but required high frequency filtering to eliminate their
characteristic clock noise. Adjust the Tone control to achieve classic “chirpy” echo or a
washed-out ambient delay. The modulation effect adds an analog chorus effect.
TAPE
- magnetic bliss lives here. This mode recalls the earliest echo units, powered by
“newfangled” magnetic tape. Tape technology advanced by leaps and bounds follow-
ing WWII, and thanks to the efforts of pioneers like Ray Butts and Les Paul it became an
integral part of rock and roll. The Tone control adjusts the fidelity of the tape path. Try
this mode with a slow ramp modulation to simulate a worn tape mechanism.
OIL CAN
- this mode is based on the electrostatic delay line effects introduced during
the 1960s. These bizarre units utilized a rotating disc bathed in a lubricating fluid to
store an electrical charge. Dirty, dark, and more than a little watery, the Oil can unit is
an essential part of the vintage echo experience. The Tone control adjust the age of the
fluid in the drum, with higher settings yielding a darker and more distorted tone.
MULTI
- the final mode in our journey is quite enchanting. The magical and elusive
multi-head delay allows the player to select various combinations of its four playback
heads, creating exquisite patterns that spiral into chaos. In this mode, modulation is
disabled and the Depth knob controls the pattern selection.
PRESETS
We know you’ve got a lot to do on stage. We get it. In order to minimize the amount of
time you spend tweaking, we’ve equipped the Oblivion with an incredibly smart 32-bit
control processor to go along with its advanced 24-bit audio DSP.
The big upshot of all that technology is that we can save and recall literally everything
on the pedal in a few milliseconds! That means you can access five of your favorite
settings in the middle of your set or even in the same song, just by holding the Bypass
/ Preset button. Want more presets? Add any MIDI controller that can send Program
Change messages (most can!) and you’ve now got up to 128 presets available.
Loading presets is really simple - just hold the Bypass / Preset button to load the next
available preset, as indicated by the
A / B / C
LEDs on the left side of the pedal. If you’ve
got a MIDI controller, just send a Program Change message on the Oblivion’s MIDI
channel as determined in the Global Settings. Note that if you load a preset higher than
4, the
A / B / C
LEDs won’t light up.
Saving presets is easy, too - first, make sure you’re in the preset location where you’d
like to save. You can either load a preset on the Oblivion itself or send a MIDI Program
Change message. Next, turn the knobs on the pedal to get the sound you want. Finally,
hold the
Tap / Save
footswitch. The pedal will save all the knob settings including the
Shift Mode parameters, tap subdivisions, and Delay Machine type to the preset.
Alexander Pedals
Oblivion
Alexander Pedals
Oblivion