The Source Audio Ultrawave Distortion Lab and Ultrawave Bass Distortion Lab are difficult to describe as ordinary distortion pedals. Both combine multiband distortion, tremolo, compression, EQ, morphing, stereo routing and deep software editing in one compact unit. The important question is not simply “guitar or bass?” but how you want to control the pedal and which factory starting points suit your instrument.

Source Audio SA250 vs SA251 at a glance

Price and availability checked on 21 September 2026 for Spain, in EUR. Both models were in stock at ScaleNordic at that check. External European recommended prices checked on the same date were €309 or higher, so the current €149.99 ScaleNordic outlet price is below half of the €309 reference price. Prices and availability can change.

What makes the Ultrawave different?

Most distortion pedals process the incoming signal as one complete frequency range. The Ultrawave can take a different approach: it divides the signal into separate frequency bands, processes those bands individually, and then recombines them at the output.

That matters because different parts of a guitar or bass signal can be distorted with different gain and level settings. With a 10-band split, for example, low frequencies do not have to react in exactly the same way as the mids and highs. Source Audio designed the system to create everything from more controlled multiband drive to complex, synth-like and foldback textures.

The Ultrawave provides 37 band-splitting configurations and 44 distortion types. The distortion choices include more familiar approaches such as Tube and Diode alongside less conventional processing including Foldback, Negative Flip Diode and Octave Up.

SA250 Ultrawave Distortion

The Source Audio SA250 Ultrawave Distortion is the guitar-oriented version of the platform. Its factory presets are voiced more toward guitar and midrange frequencies, and its front panel gives direct access to a Sustain control.

On the SA250, Sustain changes the input gain ahead of the compressor, allowing the player to move from a more open feel toward increased sustain and saturation. The other main controls provide direct access to Drive, Level and Treble, while the Neuro 3 editor can reassign the top-level knobs to other parameters for individual presets.

This makes the SA250 a useful starting point for guitarists who want immediate pedalboard control but also want the option to go much deeper later. It can cover conventional overdrive and fuzz territory, but its real strength appears when the band splitting, tremolo, morphing and routing tools are used together.

SA251 Ultrawave Bass Distortion

The Source Audio SA251 Ultrawave Bass Distortion uses the same core Ultrawave processing architecture but changes the factory experience for bass players. Its six factory-accessible presets were created with bass applications in mind, and the key front-panel difference is the Mix control.

The Mix knob crossfades between the clean and processed signal. Fully counterclockwise is dry, noon gives an approximately equal dry/wet balance, and fully clockwise gives the processed signal without the clean blend. For bass, that direct control can be particularly useful when you want aggressive distortion while retaining some of the original attack and low-frequency foundation.

The factory presets on the Bass version were developed with bassist Nathan Navarro, while the standard Ultrawave presets are more focused on guitar-oriented midrange content.

The two pedals are closer than they first appear

The SA250 and SA251 use the same Neuro 3 Mobile App and Desktop Editor, and Source Audio states that presets can be created and shared between the two pedals. That means the word “Bass” does not represent a completely separate effects engine.

The shared platform is important if you play more than one instrument. Source Audio’s own Ultrawave manual describes the processor as suitable for guitar, bass, synth and other musical instrument applications. The practical differences are primarily the front-panel Sustain versus Mix control and the factory preset choices.

It is much more than a distortion pedal

The name can make the Ultrawave sound like a specialist drive pedal, but its processing blocks go considerably further. The platform includes a dual-channel compressor/expander, multiband tremolo, EQ, noise gate, LFO control, sound morphing and flexible stereo routing.

Dual-channel compressor and expander

The compressor section provides controls for input gain, threshold, ratio, attack, release and output gain. It can be positioned before or after the multiband processing, making it useful both for controlling dynamics and for changing how the distortion responds.

Multiband tremolo

Instead of applying one tremolo shape to the entire signal, the Ultrawave can apply tremolo behavior to individual frequency bands. Different start times, depth settings and phase relationships can create rhythmic textures that move well beyond a conventional amp-style tremolo.

Sound morphing

Morphing allows the pedal to move between two sets of sound parameters using an LFO, envelope or expression control. A sound can therefore change character over the life of a note instead of remaining fixed.

EQ and filtering

The Ultrawave includes extensive tone shaping in the editor, including graphic and parametric EQ functions, filtering and an adjustable noise gate. Distortion can also be switched off in a preset, allowing other processing blocks to be used without drive.

Neuro 3 is where the pedal opens up

The four physical knobs make the Ultrawave usable as a conventional pedal, but the free Neuro 3 software is where the full architecture becomes visible. The desktop and mobile editors allow detailed control of band splitting, distortion type, gain and level per band, compression, LFO behavior, routing, EQ, morphing and control assignments.

Six presets can be accessed directly from the pedal using the three-position toggle and its two banks. Source Audio also provides access to a larger preset architecture through MIDI, along with a community library of shared sounds.

For players who enjoy building sounds, this depth is one of the Ultrawave’s biggest attractions. For players who do not want to program from scratch, the factory presets and downloadable community presets provide a much faster way to get started.

What kinds of sounds can it produce?

The useful way to think about Ultrawave is not as one particular distortion sound but as a platform. Single-band settings can move closer to familiar distortion and fuzz behavior. Multiband settings can retain more separation between parts of a chord or create more complex harmonic structures. Foldback and octave-related distortion types move further into synthetic and experimental territory.

Add multiband tremolo and the result can become rhythmic rather than simply distorted. Add morphing and a sound can transition between two different states. Use the stereo architecture and the two channels can be configured for wider or more complex routing.

Which Ultrawave should you choose?

Why the current outlet price is worth noticing

Both Ultrawave models are currently listed at €149.99 in the ScaleNordic outlet. At the time of this article, European recommended pricing checked for the SA250 and SA251 started at €309, with other recommended/list references higher. That places the ScaleNordic outlet price below half of the €309 reference price.

That price is particularly interesting because the Ultrawave is not a simplified distortion pedal being sold on specification alone. The same hardware provides multiband processing, 44 distortion types, compression/expansion, tremolo, EQ, morphing, stereo operation, presets and Neuro 3 editing.

As always with outlet inventory, availability matters more than a theoretical future price. The comparison above is intended to explain what the pedals actually do so the purchase decision can be based on the processing platform rather than the discount alone.

A practical way to start with Ultrawave

1. Start with the factory presets before opening the editor.
2. Choose one sound that is already close to what you want.
3. Adjust Drive, Level and the model-specific Sustain or Mix control on the pedal.
4. Open Neuro 3 and look at the band-splitting layout used by that preset.
5. Change only one section at a time: distortion type, band levels, compressor or tremolo.
6. Save the result as a new preset rather than overwriting a useful starting sound.

This approach makes the Ultrawave easier to understand than beginning with every parameter at once. Once the relationship between the frequency bands and the distortion becomes clear, the more advanced modulation, morphing and stereo functions make considerably more sense.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SA251 only for bass?

No. The underlying Ultrawave platform is designed for guitar, bass, synth and other instrument sources. The SA251 is configured around bass with a Mix control and bass-focused factory presets, but it is not restricted to bass signals.

Can SA250 presets be used on the SA251?

Yes. Source Audio states that both models share the same Neuro 3 editing environment and that presets can be shared between the two pedals.

What is the biggest hardware-control difference?

The SA250 has a Sustain control where the SA251 has a Mix control. On the SA251, Mix provides a direct dry/wet blend, which can be especially useful for maintaining clean bass attack alongside distortion.

Does Ultrawave require the Neuro 3 software?

No. The pedal can be used directly from its physical controls and factory presets. Neuro 3 is required when you want access to the deeper editing architecture and detailed parameter control.

Is it only useful for extreme or experimental sounds?

No. The Ultrawave includes single-band options and more conventional distortion types as well as its more unusual multiband, foldback, octave, tremolo and morphing possibilities. The unusual sounds are a major part of the platform, but they are not the only use case.

Technical information is based on current Source Audio documentation and product information, including the Ultrawave Distortion Lab, Ultrawave Bass Distortion Lab and the Ultrawave User Guide. ScaleNordic pricing and availability were checked on 21 September 2026. This guide explains documented features and does not present a hands-on shootout.