The best new compact hardware effect processors of 2014
Waldorf 2-Pole
Plugin effects may rule the roost these days, but you can’t beat a bit of hands-on sound mangling madness. Here are the new boxes that have found their way into our studios and live rigs this year, starting with a Waldorf's dirty little 2-Pole filter.
Waldorf’s analogue filter is a filthy, retro-styled beast - a warm, characterful multimode filter partnered with a gritty drive circuit, envelope and LFO.
Crank up the resonance and drive and this thing will turn even the weediest sound source into a huge, distorted bassline. Trust us - you want one.
4.5 out of 5
BUY: Waldorf 2-Pole currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
Future Music's Gear of the Year 2014 is brought to you in association with DV247
Moog Minifoogers
Moog’s compact and affordable analogue effect pedals have all quickly become essential purchases for guitarists and studio musicians alike.
From the pleasingly gritty Drive and Boost to the sound-mangling Ring, Delay and Trem, it’s impossible to pick a favourite. Your best option is just to get them all.
4 out of 5
Read Moog Minifooger Boost review
BUY: Moog Minifooger Boost currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
BUY: Minifooger Drive currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater
BUY: Minifooger Trem currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
BUY: Minifooger Ring currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
BUY: Minifooger Delay currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
Eventide H9 Core
Eventide’s ‘all-rounder’ effects pedal bundles a wealth of the company’s excellent processors into a single box with a convenient one-knob interface. The free desktop/iOS editor app makes this a great tool for studio use, too.
A killer option if you want a single box for all your effects processing needs.
4.5 out of 5
BUY: Eventide H9 Core currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
US: Sweetwater
Pioneer RMX-500
Like its bigger sibling, the RMX-1000, Pioneer’s latest DJ-focused Remix Station effects processor is a great source of ‘on-the-fly’ rhythmic sound-mangling. It’s very intuitive and a whole lot of fun to boot.
4 out of 5
BUY: Pioneer RMX-500 currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass
Strymon BigSky
At over £400, Strymon’s BigSky is fairly pricey for a reverb pedal, but you really get what you pay for in terms of quality.
With 12 tweakable, stunning-sounding ‘reverb machines’ onboard, all housed in a striking metal chassis, BigSky is truly the Rolls-Royce of reverb pedals.
4.5 out of 5
BUY: Strymon BigSky currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
Roland VT-3
The esoteric underdog of Roland’s Aira range, the VT-3 is nonetheless an impressive and unique effects unit in its own right.
Firmware updates have rectified our handful of original misgivings about the machine and, with Auto-Pitch, Vocoder and a whole host of glitch effects onboard, the VT-3 has shaped up to be an awesome vocal mangler.
4 out of 5
BUY: Roland VT-3 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Gear4Music | DV247
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass