Meet the Cirrus Shadow – a stealthy, monochrome revamp capable of a wealth of ambient and soundscaping tones
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of KMA Machines, and the stompbox specialist has celebrated in style with the release of a new-look Cirrus reverb and delay pedal.
It’s not the only limited-edition pedal reboot the company has planned to memorialize this milestone, but it’s a darn good way to start: the Cirrus Shadow has swapped its usual red, black, and cream colorway for something far more stealthy.
The Cirrus is no stranger to a fresh lick of paint, having received a winter-inspired cosmetic overhaul back in 2020 as part of the Cirrus ICE release, but for our two cents the Shadow’s moody and mysterious hues make it the best-looking Cirrus to date.
As was the case with the ICE iteration, the monochrome Shadow is exactly the same as the flagship KMA Machines Cirrus pedal under the hood, meaning soundscaping and ambient atmospherics are once again the order of business.
To recap briefly, the Cirrus carries three reverb modes and three delay types, as well as a suite of controls to fine-tune and tailor the tones.
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(Image credit: KMA Machines)
(Image credit: KMA Machines)
(Image credit: KMA Machines)
On the reverb side, Modulated Reverb, Hi-Pass Filter and Low-Pass Filter modes are accessed via a toggle switch, while accessible Decay, Damp, and Sensitivity knobs further sculpt the selected 'verb. A final toggle selecting the order of delay/reverb effects completes the right hand side of the Cirrus Shadow.
The delay side is similarly well-equipped: Modulated, Sample/Hold Filtered, and Octave delays are on tap, and are further tweaked by way of Delay, Time, Repeats, and Sensitivity parameters. A handy switch for selecting either dotted 1/8, triplet 1/3 or 1/1 divisions also makes the cut.
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In the center, an Expression Mode selector is present, working to select which parameter – from a list of Sensitivity, Time, Repeats, Damp, or Delay – is to be controlled via an expression pedal.
As for the footswitches, there's a Tap Tempo on the left that can max out delay repeats when held, and an Engage switch that offers both momentary latching of effects and maxed-out reverb sounds.
The Cirrus Shadow will be limited to only 150 units – making it even more exclusive than the Cirrus ICE – and is available now for $229.
If you want to see how it performed under test conditions, read Guitarist’s full KMA Machines Cirrus review.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
