Musitronics/Mu-Tron Bi-Phase

It's not the simplest effect unit, but if you have anything above the most basic grasp of music tech equipment, then it's totally straightforward.

I bought mine to emulate the phase sound of Lee Perry who used a prototype Bi-Phase. Although the production model doesn't sound exactly like his, it's naturally far closer than anything else.
My particular unit seems to thin out the sound a bit on some sources like some synth patches - but not so on guitar.
There's no hiss and I don't find any problem with the signal strength.

Mine had obviously had a very busy life before I bought it, apparently being extensively gigged. It's bashed and battered. It even has a hole drilled in the bottom so it can be put on a mic stand. I know it was one of the earlier units, so is about 32 years old.
Despite all that it still works perfectly.

I think this is non applicable.

I mainly use my unit for dub reggae. It rules.
There's nothing else that sounds quite like it.
I don't use the stereo or pedal control capability but it has all that to offer.
I doubt I could afford to buy another one, I'd feel like I'd lost a family member if it went.

This unit has two inputs (A&B), as well as two outputs (A&B). Inbetween are two identical phasers A&B with as I believe four stages each. That'll be two stages less than the Small Stone has...
It just gets interesting with the rest of the features: there are two LFO's, both with individual Rate and Waveform control (Triangle vs. Square); however LFO 1's Speed can be controlled by a pedal instead of the knob. Some units didn't come with the pedal but with a little switch box instead. There's a file at musicmachines that tells you how to connect a standard pedal, though. I've added a pedal input jack with my Bi-Phase. It was absolutely easy and works great (there's even a hole for a jack on the back of the unit!)!
Both phasers can be switched from LFO to pedal modulation independently; meaning you could either play the phaser A with the pedal while phaser B sweeps in sync with a LFO; or vice versa; or have both swept by the LFO's; or play both with the pedal. Modulation intensity and feedback can be set independently for each phaser.
Now while input A is fixedly routed to the input of phaser A, phaser B sports an input selector: input B, input A, output A. This means that you can either phase two signals independently of each other (also stereo signals, of course). Or you can use the whole unit as one big eight stage phaser (input A, output A goes to input B, output B)with independent control over the first and second four stages (e.g. two different LFO modulations etc.). Or you apply the same signal to both phasers...
Phaser A can only be modulated by LFO 1 or the pedal; phaser two has a more sophisticated modulation source selector: you can choose between both LFO's and the pedal- and you can invert that source!
So if you feed input A to both phasers, set the controls for intensity and feedback to similar values and use LFO1 to muodulate both phasers, just that you invert it with phaser B you get one cool effect NO other effect is capable of. It's a pseudo- Leslie kind of sound, incredibly smooth and rich- make sure you panel output A and B hard left/right -or use two guitar amps placed on opposite corners of a room. You could sweep it with the pedal instead of using the LFO; that way you could time that effect to the actual song you're playing.
Both phasers can be switched on&off independently.
So that's about the features. You see this is one very versatile unit, almost like a modular setup. It's easy of course because all the controls are laid out before your very eyes; big beautiful knobs and switches. Of course there's more to it than to a phase90 or a Small Stone... But that's the cool thing! This is about the only non- modular phaser that allows for real experimentation.

The sound is excellent; the signal/noise ratio is exceptionally good. There's just that one thing: it's a dual four stage phaser that can be used as one eight stage phaser, as well. A Small Stone has six stages and sounds perfect for guitar. The Bi-Phase doesn't have THAT great magic sound with guitar the Small Stone has. It just sounds a little boring in comparison, no matter whether you use four or eight stages. For a Rhodes, a Clavinet or Synths it's absolutely fine. However it has become my conviction that six stages are optimum for guitars. But as should have become obvious with what I've said so far this unit is not to compete with the Small Stone, it's a unit in it's very own rights (would replace two phase90's, though IMHO).
So the guitar issue aside it must be said that the sound of the Bi-Phase is incredibly smooth and elegant.

It's still working like a new box even though it's been built back in the seventies...
When I first tried it the LFO's weren't running- checking the little plate on the back told me why: it was designed to run on 110 Volts- of course! The Bi-Phase had never been marked in Europe- at least as far as I know. So if there's a 220 Volts coming from your wall socket get a trafo inbetween and everything should be fine.

Shame a lot of those great manufacturers of the past had to go out of business. I think the schematics are online somewhere on the net...

At ? 150,00 this was a steal. The shop that sold it thought it was damaged (the LFO's were not running at 220V). I'm a little obsessed with phasers, as I'm afraid... I just love this smoooth thing they do. Just I'm not such a huge fan of that periodical phasing up and down with LFO's. Playing a phaser with a pedal is an interesting alternative, yet I think an envelope follower would yield most interesting results. Anyway the Bi-Phase is one of the most interesting and most versatile units that does a lot more than phasing up and down at varying speed. It is probably more of a studio device than a piece of stage gear.
There's a hell of a lot of equipment available; very much of it is just so-so. The Mu-Tron Bi-Phase plays in a different league. Not only is it an extremely well designed unit in an utterly beautiful housing- it is also not possible to replace it other than with modular equipment. A true classic.

It was pretty easy to use after a while. It has two inputs and outputs, which might freak some people. Getting a good sound was easy.

Sounded best through my PRS standard. The sound is flat and very generic/digital sounding unitl you put it in stereo. Billy Corgan used one supposedly and I think it gets thier phase sound well, but I use the same amp and a Strat with the same pickups as he does, so...

It's built solid, but it's like 30 years old, I wouldn't push my luck on it not breaking down internaly.

I think the company went under a LONG time ago. Good luck if you need parts.

Overall, it was a pretty good phaser. I think it's a little overrated, most people would prefer a MXR or Small Stone anyways. I bought mine in a pawn shop on a trip to NYC. I have since traded it for a vintage electric mistress and vintage small stone. I think that was a good trade. It's good, but not great. Avantgarde, novelty, collecter's item, but not worthy of your main phaser.

Either side of the phaser is basic in its operation. However, the advanced features may require some thought and experimentation. I didn't get a manual but you don't really need one. A few minutes of experimentation is required to figure out the various patches. It allows for VERY specific control over almost every parameter in the creation of a stereo phase. Very cool. Many many features. Very intelligent design and very versatile. Once you figure it out its easy.

The effect is OK. The overall phase sweep when using a single side is not as deep sounding as the Electro-Harmonix/Sovtek SMALL STONE, but the Bi-Phase stereo options and controls give this Mu-Tron a significant advantage over all other phaser units and in fact when the unit is run in stereo very cool phase effects can be created. The feedback control however does need to be turned up for the less than subtle desired effects. The unit is also very quite. Oh. And I almost forgot: The Foot-Pedal allows for complete control over "rate" AND "sweep" for BOTH sides!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Extremely rewarding. This feature transcends the Bi-Phase to a higher level of awesomeness.

Fairly reliable. I do have to get it looked at though. The B Side input is a little intermittent when used on its own. However, full stereo phase is still attainable using the A Side input with both A and B outputs! Considering the unit is over 20 years old it's still very reliable.

I don't think the company exists anymore?

I'm using this in the studio as an external effect unit. It gives me the exact phase sound that I was looking for. I'm primarily using it for roots reggae and dub, as well as for alt. rock sounds, anything that needs a good phase.

Not that hard to get a good sound out of this thing. No manual but, the wierd thing is that it has 2 inputs and two outputs. Simple phasor knobs on each side, Rate depth, and feedback

SOUNDS AWESOME!!!!. Not noisy at all. You are able to choose which wave form you want "Square or Sine". and it can be swept normal or backwards. Use it with a Tube Works halfstack along with a Marshall Valvestate halfstack and I can get a stereo effect if I use two outputs. Sounds fucken killer when its mixed with my big muff and Crybaby. Certain artists like KOrn, Primus and Smashing Pumpkins use this machine but the only one Ive heard it on was Korn when I heard Porno Creep and that sounded really wierd.

I am offering 100 dollars to anyone that thinks they can break this thing. Bulit in about a half inch thick of galvanized steel. You ain't breaking this puppy even if its from the seventies.

Yeah Right. Musitronics has been long gone, I bought mine from Analog Man in Conneticut and he got it out to me really fast. Check out his big stash of Vintage stuff. Just search Yahoo and use search words "Mu-tron effects" and his page will pop up. Don't go to sound barrier's site its a fucken rip-off.

I'd buy it again but I'm still hurtin financially from buying it the first time. Put it this way, its the strongest phasor ever. My band plays alot of wierd shit where me and my other guitarist make up fruity noises with our other vintage effects, but this sucker gonna change everything. Buy it if you can find one. There out there