Virtual pedalboard and amp rigs are nothing new. Creating unusual and sometimes crazy combinations is easy, however getting them to sound good can have its issues. The Mod Duo allows a player to not only make great virtual pedalboard and amp rigs, but ones that sound realistic.
Getting it to work means connecting the Mod Duo to a computer via USB. Their editor is amazingly enough browser-based (they suggest using Google Chrome). Go to the specified website while the unit is connected, and a menu and virtual pedal board comes up, along with a section for selecting virtual pedals and devices. Each one that’s modeled is essentially a plug-in and there are the usual effect types here: distortions, delay, compressors, limiters, filters, synths, modulations, reverb, amp & cab sims, panning and harmonizers. As its browser-based, pretty much any computer is your editor, no downloading any special apps or logins. Meaning if your laptop dies on the road, and you need to edit something, ANY computer can do the trick. Nice.
One thing to note: while the pedal’s physical signal flow goes from right to left, physically, the signal flow in the browser goes from left to right. It’s odd to think that way, and the virtual devices are modeled the same way. Simply start laying out some pedals, then click and hold the virtual pedal’s connection and drag and drop it to the input of the next pedal. Done. Repeat as necessary until you make your dream pedalboard.
The Overdrives and distortions act like the real thing; they don’t get fuzzy, fizzy or tinny. This is great when pairing a boost with a drive, as stacking pedals brings in that “more” that’s desired in this configuration, without any noise issues. The amp sims are very flexible, but somehow don’t feel like you’re wading through a ton of parameters to get things to sound good. Considering the logistics of routing a crazy signal path of pedals, cables and amps (ever mind power supplies and physical pedalboard) it can really open up options that were unimaginable. Want to run a pair of stereo choruses into two separate delays and then to two different amps, then one into a harmonizer? Yeah, it can do that and more.
It’s not just meant as a guitar tool, there are bass, vocal and MIDI/synth effects for this as well. For vocalists and bassists who usually don’t fall into the “pedal geek” category, this is a great and simple way to add a reverb for vocals, or that bass filter or overdrive, without having to deal with crazy menus and parameters.
PROS:
Simple editing platform, great sounding, small, open source.
CONS:
Only two switches might take some getting used to.
STREET PRICE:
$699