Even though phase is one of my favorite effects, I was not 100% happy with the two units I had: the DOD FX20 from the early ‘80s and a version 2 Small Stone from 1977. The DOD is an excellent low priced unit, but lacks the fidelity and clarity of higher priced, boutique units. The Small Stone delivers a classic phase sound heard on countless ‘70s songs, but it is a huge tone sucker. One of these days I will send it to Analogman for a true bypass mod, but before I invested any more money into it I wanted to see what else was out there.
In addition to the Dunlop MXR Phase 90 reissues at around $120, I also looked closely at the Mojo Hand Nebula, the Retro-Sonic Phaser and the Maxon Phase Tone PT-999 – all around $150-$175. All of these seem like excellent units and any would be a good purchase, but because of the volume control and true-bypass feature, I think the Retro-Sonic would be my first choice. I missed out on a couple of used Retro-Sonic pedals on eBay, but by chance I managed to snag a used Maxon Phase Tone PT-999 in mint condition for only $55 including shipping. A pretty good price for a $150+shipping pedal when purchased new.
This is a super simple unit with one speed knob. It comes in a strong metal case and the unit is very light – lighter than similar Boss pedals for example. The switch is easy to engage and there is no audible sound when turning it on and off. It beats the MXR reissues in the feature department as it has a handy on/off LED and takes a Boss-type 9V power supply. It’s an attractive looking pedal in a matte blue color and the unit is made in Japan, which is always a bonus these days when a lot of manufacturers are moving production to China.
Sound wise this is a very sweet four-stage phaser. It is quite transparent and extremely smooth. Unlike the Retro-Sonic it is not true bypass, but to my ears it does not adversely affect your tone although it does take off a little high end – almost like it adds some compression to your signal. There is a slight volume drop when engaged, common to many phasers, but it is nothing serious and I can live with it. The speed control has a wide range and you can get usable sounds at either end of the dial and at all points in between.
What I really like about this pedal is it does not add distortion to your signal – a classic feature of the MXRs. Some people like this and can live with it; I do not, so this pedal gets bonus points from me. According to the marketing guys at Maxon, “The PT999's FETs (Toshiba #2SK246) are carefully sorted and matched by hand to produce the smoothest phasing sweep possible with low noise. Unlike other phasers, the PT999 runs negative feedback of the signal to each phase-shifting FET for less distortion.” I would agree with that.
Compared to the DOD FX20 and Electro-Harmonix Small Stone it is much clearer, more subtle and more refined. It works equally well with clean or gain channels which is another big plus - to my ears many phasers sound great clean, but struggle with gain. The DOD FX20 does provide more depth and complexity, in part because it has Speed and Regeneration controls, but the sound is darker and muddier compared to the Maxon. The Small Stone can also get much more extreme, but that’s not an effect I use.
Overall, I really like the Phase Tone. So much so that it has found a place on my main board. This is my first Maxon pedal and I am very impressed. One of these days I may still try out the Retro-Sonic if I can find a deal on a used unit, but for now the Maxon PT-999 deserves its position as My Main Phase. I really like playing with this unit and often have to convince myself to turn it off. But you don’t have to take my word for it as the PT-999 has also received a Guitar Player Editor’s Pick Award.
Specifications
Input Impedance: 500K Ohms
Input Jack: 1/4 inch standard phone jack
Output Impedance: 10K Ohms
Output Jack: 1/4 inch standard phone jack
Output: 1
Controls: Rate
Switch: Normal/Effect
Max Input Level: 0 dBu Noise (IHF-A) -80 dBu
Speed Frequency: 0.2 Hz 14 Hz
Power Supply: 9V Manganese dry cell battery (S-006P) or special AC adaptor
Power Voltage: DC9 V (Battery) / DC10 V (AC-adaptor)
Current Consumption: 12 mA (9V) / 14 mA (10 V) AC Adaptor AC210N (option)
Input: AC120V Output DC9V/200 mA Center - / Sleeve +)
Dimensions: (whole) 70 mm (W) x 112 mm (D) x 55 mm (H)
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