Intellijel Designs Inc. - Swells

Intellijel Swells is a stereo reverb module with nine algorithms and a built-in envelope follower — the so-called "Swell Generator". Following in the footsteps of Sealegs, Intellijel's love letter to delay, Swells applies a similar design philosophy to reverb: a nice high-quality take, deeply integrated into the modular world, with CV control over everything that matters.

The nine reverb models span a pretty wide range. Some cover the classics — halls, plates, and dense diffusion networks. Others draw from vintage digital units, shimmer-style pitch shifting, or feedback-heavy multitap designs. A few go somewhere much stranger. Each model is selected via a pair of switches on the panel (three groups, three models per group — à la Vhikk X's algo-switch…), and each one responds differently to the two model-specific macro controls labeled EBB and FLOW. Together with the six shared parameters — predelay, size, decay, hi and lo damping, and EQ — these eight faders form the hands-on center of the module. All of them have dedicated CV inputs with attenuverters above, so modulating your reverb is as straightforward as plugging in a cable.

All great so far, but beyond the usual parameters you'll find on most reverbs — let's dive into what puts the swell in Swells. The "Swell Generator" is essentially a multi-mode envelope follower that can track the module's input, its output, or an external sidechain signal. You set rise, fall, and threshold to shape the modulation curve (clearly visualized on the front panel), and the resulting signal is normalled to all reverb parameter CV inputs by default. So without a single patch cable, the reverb can react dynamically to whatever is passing through it — ducking, swelling, or filtering itself in response to the amplitude of your signal (this is really interesting!). The Swell output is also available as a jack, meaning you can send this modulation elsewhere in your system.

Beyond the core reverb engine, Swells includes a handful of additional tools. Freeze captures a slice of audio for infinite sustain through the selected algorithm. Reverse flips the audio playback from the predelay buffer. Burst injects a momentary spike of energy — either a noise burst or a surge of predelay feedback for Karplus-Strong-style effects. All three of these functions can be assigned to the trigger input. The LO-FI switch adds model-specific degradation at two intensity levels, useful for pushing clean algorithms into something grittier, more characterful… And there is a saturating drive stage on the input for warming things up before they even reach the reverb.

It's a reverb, who doesn't love reverb?! And it's Intellijel's take on it — definitely worth a close look!

Features:

• Nine stereo reverb models (Fog, Blur, Shadow, Velvet, Asterion, Deadspace, Buckets, Ritual, Gaze)
• Three model groupings, selectable via dual rotary switches
• Eight faders: Predelay, Size, Decay, Hi Damp, Lo Damp, EBB, FLOW, EQ
• EBB and FLOW controls are model-specific macro parameters
• Swell Generator — multi-mode envelope follower with Rise, Fall, and Threshold
• Swell source selectable: Input, Output, or external Sidechain
• Swell output normalled to all CV inputs for self-modulation
• Dedicated Swell output jack for external patching
• Freeze, Reverse, and Burst functions, assignable to Trig input
• LO-FI mode with three levels (Off, Min, Max) for model-specific audio degradation
• Saturating input Drive with level Trim
• Nine CV inputs with attenuverters
• Send/Return mode for disabling the dry signal path
• Stereo I/O at 96 kHz / 24-bit, 32-bit float internal processing