Galileo is an optical tremolo with an analog oscillator that produces a natural tremolo effect without distortion, with versatile adjustment options and tap tempo functions.
DOPHIX is a guitar effects brand on the market since 2015 whose mission is to recreate feelings inspired by the sounds of the 1970s. Its products, entirely Made in Italy, are designed and manufactured to ensure the highest quality where each collection reflects the brand’s Tuscan roots and is redesigned by Italian artists. The current range of products includes overdrive, fuzz, distortion, boost, compressor, booster and tremolo, and is continuously expanding.
The Galileo Optical Tremolo effect is fully analog with several tuning options, tap tempo function and modulation controls. The name, clearly inspired by the father of modern science- Galileo Galilei-, reflects DOPHIX’s desire to revolutionize the dimension of sound typical of this kind of effect.
Regarding technical specifications, the Galileo weighs 0.444 kg and its dimensions are 120 × 90 × 40 cm. It features 6.3 mm 1/4″ input/output jacks located on the side of the pedal, which allows for easy connection and use. There is a True Bypass switch that allows the device to be used without affecting the input signal. The Galileo is powered by an internal 9-volt battery or via an external stabilized power supply. The current draw with the LEDs on is 19mA, while in standby is 500uA.
At the heart of this device there is an analog oscillator that controls a high-quality photodiode to produce a natural tremolo effect without signal distortion. It is equipped with two true-bypass footswitches: GO and TAP. The GO footswitch operates the tremolo effect with a blue LED that lights up to highlight its activation. The TAP footswitch allows you to set the period of the tremolo oscillator by pressing TAP, with at least two triggers needed to set the desired period.
The model has 5 knobs that allow complete control of the analog oscillator and tremolo effect. The SPEED knob manually sets the speed of the tremolo (maximum 1 Hertz); the DEPTH knob controls the amount of tremolo effect; SMOOTH establishes the impact of the oscillator on the effect; ATTACK adjusts the tremolo attack; and the SYM knob establishes the relationship between the oscillator waveform and the conduction of the photodiode.
We then find the TAP SPEED and SPEED MODE switches. The former controls the speed of the tremolo defined by the TAP footswitch. It has 1x, 2x and 3x positions that allow the oscillator speed to be changed between the original, double and triple the TAP footswitch synchronization. The SPEED MOD switch, on the other hand, automatically changes the tremolo speed with 3 options: center (no modulation), left (SHIFT modulation) and right (UP-DOWN modulation). The SPEED knob controls the number of repetitions and speed of modulation.
Finally, the Galileo has two LED indicators on the GO and TAP pedals to show the status of the pedal. The blue GO LED indicates whether it is on or off, with modulated or bypassed output signal. The TAP LED, on the other hand, always flashes at the current oscillator speed and has four possible states: blue for manual mode, red during locking to TAP time, green when the speed is perfectly locked, and green and red during speed modulation. This allows oscillator speed and TAP status to be monitored at all times.
Galileo is a natural tremolo effect that is light in weight, easy to connect, rich in deep controls, and has a distinct vintage character. It’s a pedal that definitely requires more practice to fully exploit, but the results you get will pay off after a warm up period. You can try it for yourself at the Dophix booth on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, 2023 at the Padua Guitar Show.