Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Black Friday
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
Kernom Ridge Overdrive shot on metal grate in photo studio
Guitar Pedals "The Ridge does something different, which makes it genuinely worthy of praise": Kernom Ridge Overdrive review
Warm Audio's Tube Squealer is a greatest-hits of Tube Screamer circuits, three-in one, while the Throne Of Tone, the new dual-overdrive twofer from the Texan pedal company channels not one but two classic pedals, which in a way were both inspired by the classic Marshall "Bluesbreaker" amps used by Clapton back in his John Mayall days.
Guitars Warm Audio channels the greatest hits of classic overdrive with the regal Throne Of Tone dual-drive and the 3-in-1 Tone Squealer
Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage JR review
Guitar Pedals "When it comes to sound, I'm convinced there isn’t a bad tone in this pedal": Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage JR reverb pedal review
Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz
Guitars Players who deal in big gnarly riffs might need to add the Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer to their ‘board ASAP
Electro-Harmonix Pico Atomic Cluster: the new glitch/synth mini-pedal from the storied NYC pedal brand
Guitars EHX expands its Pico series with the Atomic Cluster Spectral Decomposer – a mini-pedal that sounds so wrong its right
Great Eastern FX Obsolete Devices Distortion Filter D312A
Guitars Great Eastern FX finds stash of NOS germanium diodes and makes a distortion with a cocked-wah twist
JHS Kilt 10 Special Edition: the silver overdrive pedal is a best-seller for the Kansas-based pedal company and has just been reissued with user-requested mods.
Guitars JHS Pedals revises the “ultimate dirt pedal” with a heap of player-requested features and more headroom
Sequential Fourm
Analogue Synths “One of the best analogue polysynths for the price, in any way, shape or form”: Sequential Fourm review
The J, from Thorpy FX, is a new collab between the high-end British guitar effects pedal company and boutique amp brand Lazy J, and the amp that inspired it can be seen illustrated in white on. black on the enclosure's front.
Guitars Thorpy FX teams up with Lazy J to give guitarists premium vintage Tweed tone in a preamp/drive pedal
Source Audio dials up the ambience with the Encounter – six reverbs, six delays, one tricked-out pedal for “deeply immersive soundscapes” featuring MIDI I/O, full stereo operation, and a black enclosure with blue swirly graphic.
Guitars “Players have asked us to push further – into more adventurous, exploratory delay and reverb”: Source Audio dials up the ambience with the Encounter – six reverbs, six delays, one tricked-out pedal for “deeply immersive soundscapes”
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2025: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
A Boss RC-10R looper pedal on a wooden floor
Guitar Pedals Best looper pedals 2025: My favourite loop stations for every budget
TC Electronic Plethora X1 pedal
Pedalboards Just £99 for 14 effects pedals in one? Surely this TC Electronic Plethora X1 compact multi-effects deal makes it the most value-packed stompbox this Black Friday
Electro-Harmonix Bender Royale: the new Tone Bender-inspired fuzz arrives in a black enclosure with orange graphic and has six knobs for precise control over your tone.
Guitars Electro-Harmonix adds switchable clipping, bias control and Fat switch to a stone cold fuzz classic
More
  • Black Friday plugin deals - LIVE
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Pedals

Six of the best: modulation pedals

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 2 February 2015

Recent review favourites

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

DLS RotoSIM

DLS RotoSIM

This USA-made boutique rotary speaker simulator may have a boutique price tag, but it also has a beautifully simple, uncluttered design and offers lots of adjustment options, including seven inside the chassis. Authentic voicing and flexibility make this a great pro choice.

We said: “A charmingly uncluttered user interface, cool sound and smooth operation from a great boutique US pedal.”

Read our DLS RotoSIM review

For more information visit the official DLS website.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Strymon Mobius

Strymon Mobius

Strymon makes some of the classiest effects available, and the Mobius tackles a wide range of classic modulations from the last five decades, while extending their versatility. There are 200 presets based on 12 different effects types, which are all easily accessible and tweakable during a performance.

We said: “Vintage sounds in a practical package, the Mobius is a class act.”

Read our Strymon Mobius review

BUY: Strymon Mobius currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | DV247

For more information visit the official Strymon website.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Z.Vex Vexter Super Seek Trem

Z.Vex Vexter Super Seek Trem

Quirky is Z.Vex’s core business, and the Super Seek Trem is definitely way out there. It’s best understood seen as a step sequencer with 16 separate volume pots, which creates complex rhythmic patterns. It may not be one for the blues jam, but the results can be spectacular, and your experiments can be stored for future use.

We said: “Tremolo taken an awful lot further than your standard box can go.”

Read our Z.Vex Vexter Super Seek Trem review

BUY: Z.Vex Vexter Super Seek Trem currently available from:
UK: Thomann

For more information visit the official Z.Vex website.

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Source Audio SoundBlox 2 Orbital Modulator

Source Audio SoundBlox 2 Orbital Modulator

This pedalboard-friendly modulation machine offers access to two modulation effects via two footswitches, with the effects chosen from a range of choruses, phasers and flangers. You can mix tremolo in with any effect, and you can even control parameters using Hot Hand motion-sensor rings.

We said: “Compact, affordable and with access to two effects, this is also a highly practical space saver.”

Read our Source Audio SoundBlox 2 Orbital Modulator review

For more information visit the official Source Audio website.

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Amptweaker SwirlPool

Amptweaker SwirlPool

Taking its cue from sycnhronised tremolo and vibrato circuits from vintage 60s amp designs, the SwirlPool offers both effects in controllable combinations. Its very musical sounds range from swirly vibes to choppy or throbby trem, and plenty more besides.

We said: “Fantastic vintage trem and vibrato sounds. An inspired deviation from standard pedals.”

Read our Amptweaker SwirlPool review

For more information visit the official Amptweaker website.

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Blackstar HT-Modulation

Blackstar HT-Modulation

Blackstar’s HT range of effects all feature a valve in their circuitry, to add a measure of saturation to their output. You have no fewer than eight modulation effects to choose from here, with adjustable speed, additional effects-specific functions and footswitchable control.

We said: “Offers an easy-to-dial-in range of modulations, with the bonus of added valve warmth.”

Read our Blackstar HT-Modulation review

BUY: Blackstar HT-Modulation currently available from:
UK: Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

For more information visit the official Blackstar website.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Deals not to miss
A Fractal Audio VP4 Virtual Pedalboard multi-effects pedal on a concrete floor
Best multi-effects pedals 2025: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
 
 
Kernom Ridge Overdrive shot on metal grate in photo studio
"The Ridge does something different, which makes it genuinely worthy of praise": Kernom Ridge Overdrive review
 
 
Warm Audio's Tube Squealer is a greatest-hits of Tube Screamer circuits, three-in one, while the Throne Of Tone, the new dual-overdrive twofer from the Texan pedal company channels not one but two classic pedals, which in a way were both inspired by the classic Marshall "Bluesbreaker" amps used by Clapton back in his John Mayall days.
Warm Audio channels the greatest hits of classic overdrive with the regal Throne Of Tone dual-drive and the 3-in-1 Tone Squealer
 
 
Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage JR review
"When it comes to sound, I'm convinced there isn’t a bad tone in this pedal": Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage JR reverb pedal review
 
 
Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz
Players who deal in big gnarly riffs might need to add the Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer to their ‘board ASAP
 
 
Electro-Harmonix Pico Atomic Cluster: the new glitch/synth mini-pedal from the storied NYC pedal brand
EHX expands its Pico series with the Atomic Cluster Spectral Decomposer – a mini-pedal that sounds so wrong its right
 
 
Latest in Guitar Pedals
Neural DSP Quad Cortex floating with smoke in the background
“A generational leap in modelling technology”: Neural DSP gives Quad Cortex and Nano Cortex an almighty power-up
 
 
JHS Kilt 10 Special Edition: the silver overdrive pedal is a best-seller for the Kansas-based pedal company and has just been reissued with user-requested mods.
JHS Pedals revises the “ultimate dirt pedal” with a heap of player-requested features and more headroom
 
 
A Neural DSP Nano Cortex amp modeller on a pedalboard
Neural DSP just sweetened the deal when you pick up a Nano Cortex for Black Friday - help yourself to a plugin of your choice free of charge
 
 
IK Multimedia TONEX Pedal Bass Edition
"With a DI box and some time to learn the layout, it's a robust, reliable and ridiculously well-equipped powerhouse for the stage and studio": IK Multimedia TONEX Pedal Bass Edition review
 
 
Great Eastern FX Obsolete Devices Distortion Filter D312A
Great Eastern FX finds stash of NOS germanium diodes and makes a distortion with a cocked-wah twist
 
 
Electro-Harmonix Pico Atomic Cluster: the new glitch/synth mini-pedal from the storied NYC pedal brand
EHX expands its Pico series with the Atomic Cluster Spectral Decomposer – a mini-pedal that sounds so wrong its right
 
 
Latest in News
TC Electronic Plethora X1 pedal
Just £99 for 14 effects pedals in one? Surely this TC Electronic Plethora X1 compact multi-effects deal makes it the most value-packed stompbox this Black Friday
 
 
Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 and Cre8audio Boom Chick
Buy bleeps, get beats free: These synth and drum machine combos are the most tempting Black Friday deals I’ve seen
 
 
Apple iPad Air M3
I’ve scoured the Earth for the best Black Friday iPad deal, and this is the one I think musicians should go for
 
 
Squier Sonic Strat deal
This amazing-value Walmart Squier Sonic Strat deal proves beginner guitarists have never had it so good - get 25% off for Black Friday
 
 
Roland TD313 with Black Friday logo
Roland only just released its next-level TD313 electronic drum set, but you can already save £200 with this surprise Black Friday deal
 
 
Moog Messenger and Walrus Audio Qi Etherealizer deals at Sweetwater
Get $200 off the Moog Messenger at Sweetwater this Black Friday
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...