“For percussionists who want to take matters into their own hands when it comes to effects”: Walrus launch the DFX-1, an effects unit built for drummers

Well well well. Here’s something that we weren’t expecting. Walrus Audio, who are best known for creating gizmos for guitarists, has announced that it’s launching a little something for the planet’s drummers: the DFX-1 Percussion Processing Unit.

It’s an effects unit, which Walrus are calling “groundbreaking” that will provide sticksmen (and women) the same sort of fun guitarists have been enjoying for decades. In other words, control over compression, delay, reverb, saturation and EQ.

The DFX, they say “puts studio-level processing directly into your performance rig. Its high-performance mic preamp with phantom power, flexible routing options, and deep MIDI control make it equally at home on stage or in the studio.”

Walrus has produced it in collaboration with Aaron Sterling, the producer and drummer who has played with Lana Del Rey, Harry Styles, John Mayer and Taylor Swift, amongst many others. In a statement, Sterling said that the DFX-1 was: “Designed for drummers, percussionists, and beatmakers who want to take matters into their own hands when it comes to effects. It allows a microphone to go straight into a world filled with gain, compression, delay, reverb, saturation, and EQ — without an external mic pre, without a mic-to-line level converter, and without extra cables. A true one-stop shop!”

Walrus Audio Pedal Play: DFX-1 Percussion Processing Unit - YouTube

Watch On

So what does it do? Its three main effects are compression, delay and reverb. The compression has an option for a VCA circuit modelled on the API 2500 or a more punchy FET compressor modelled on the 1176. On the delay, you can opt for warm, vintage-style repeats or clean digital delays and on the reverb choose between classic Spring splash or Plate ambience.

In addition to those, there is an FX loop, a whole nine on-board presets with up to 127 MIDI, three performance pads to bypass, preset cycling and tap tempo. Oh, and there’s a forward/ reverse button to change the effect order.

It looks sleek too, in powder-coated black aluminium with slinky wooden side panels.

So what’s the damage? Well, it comes out at £859/€999/$899 Euros. Something for the Christmas list then. They’re available for pre-order in the US now from the Walrus website at walrusaudio.com.