Catalinbread SoftFocus vs Walrus Audio Mako R1 Reverb MkII
The Catalinbread SoftFocus and the Walrus Audio Mako R1 Reverb MkII are both pedals sharing ambient, shimmer. The Catalinbread SoftFocus leans modulated. Current prices: $178.49 vs $318.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.43% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Ambient
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- ambient
- shimmer
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$178.49via Reverb
$318via Reverb
The Catalinbread SoftFocus is a reverb pedal recreating the iconic "Soft Focus" patch from the Yamaha FX500 rack processor, widely used in the early 1990s by shoegaze artists including Slowdive on their landmark album Souvlaki. The Soft Focus patch combines reverb, chorus modulation, and delay into a lush, wash-like shimmer reverb effect that became the defining ambient reverb texture of the shoegaze genre. Built by Catalinbread in Portland, Oregon to serve as an instant shoegaze reverb button.
The Walrus Audio Mako Series R1 is a high-fidelity stereo reverb, the sequel to the acclaimed D1 delay, offering six reverb types with deep adjustment in a compact pedal. Dedicated Decay, Swell, and Mix knobs sit alongside a Tweak knob that accesses Rate, Depth, and Pre-Delay, a Tune knob for low and high frequency voicing, and an X parameter unique to each reverb, such as overdrive on Spring or room size on Hall. Modes include lush halls and rooms plus experimental voices like Refract, a glitchy texture over diffuse reverb, and Air, an aerated reverb with subtle shimmer. It excels at expansive stereo space and ambient exploration. It suits ambient, post-rock, and experimental players wanting a versatile, workstation-grade reverb with presets in a compact enclosure.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Shoegaze
- Post-Rock
- Experimental
- modulated
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Occasions this gear suits — judged per model, or derived from its wattage, connectivity and category.- Live
- Studio
- Worship
- Live
- Silent Stage
- Studio
- Worship