I'm gassing for this one, geetards think that this pedal is great, but no single review for bass yet. Any idea please ?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Any word on Nova Modulator ?
- Thread starter i2k
- Start date
Bumping this - I see they're on sale now but not heard of anyone on TB with one yet...
This looks ideal for me as I want to run a setup with stereo modulation into a Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, fitting onto a Pedaltrain Jr. This pedal would cover chorus/flange/phase/trem/vib and all tap tempo too!
This looks ideal for me as I want to run a setup with stereo modulation into a Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, fitting onto a Pedaltrain Jr. This pedal would cover chorus/flange/phase/trem/vib and all tap tempo too!
I got one of these about a week ago. I thought of getting a stereo electric mistress, which ehx claims (or once claimed) is the only parallel chorus/flange effect available. Once I realized it was digital, I figured I might as well go with the more versatile nova modulator. First impressions follow.
It's NOT true bypass, but activates smooth and clickless, and is about as close to fully transparent as you can get.
It's very flexible and compact, with two effect "channels" that are LFO syncable.
The sound is very, very good. While it is clearly voiced for guitar, you can certainly dial in a useful setting and SAVE it so you never lose it again, and I do not detect any low-end loss
The chorus sounds good. Very good. I don't like chorus much but this holds up to any bass chorus I've tried. The tri-chorus mode is especially spacey, and because it has a mix knob, it's the chorus I got to when I want a chorus (about twice a year). One thing I should mention is that there are audible digital artifacts when adjusting the chorus delay - anybody else have this? It doesn't bother me or I'd return it.
The flange also sounds great, a very convincing didigtal effect. The principal flange is sort of boss-style, and then there is the Through Zero Flange, which is Itchycoo Park time. Cool if not all that practical, I have used this with fuzz and synth for a kind of alternative to choppy tremolo. Its psychedelic sweep isn't ideal for bass, but could be useful for studio psychedelic applications.
The phase effect is awesome sounding, and with variable filters (4/8/12) you can get all kinds of sounds out of it. Tap tempo is also useful here.
Tremolo with tap tempo was one reason I got this pedal, and it doesn't disappoint. The adjustable time signature and triplets features make this effect perfect for my uses (in a semi-electronic group).
Vibrato has never ben my thing, but ya know what? Using it together with other effects, synced and unsynced, I think I prefer it to chorus.
So all in all, if you need a few modulation effects but you lack space for a chorus, flanger, phaser and a tremolo on your board, or if you simply want multi-effect programmability, you could do a lot worse than picking up a Nova Modulator. It sounds excellent and offers many practical effect combinations, with a huge potential for creativity that I have barely begun to tap.
It's NOT true bypass, but activates smooth and clickless, and is about as close to fully transparent as you can get.
It's very flexible and compact, with two effect "channels" that are LFO syncable.
The sound is very, very good. While it is clearly voiced for guitar, you can certainly dial in a useful setting and SAVE it so you never lose it again, and I do not detect any low-end loss
The chorus sounds good. Very good. I don't like chorus much but this holds up to any bass chorus I've tried. The tri-chorus mode is especially spacey, and because it has a mix knob, it's the chorus I got to when I want a chorus (about twice a year). One thing I should mention is that there are audible digital artifacts when adjusting the chorus delay - anybody else have this? It doesn't bother me or I'd return it.
The flange also sounds great, a very convincing didigtal effect. The principal flange is sort of boss-style, and then there is the Through Zero Flange, which is Itchycoo Park time. Cool if not all that practical, I have used this with fuzz and synth for a kind of alternative to choppy tremolo. Its psychedelic sweep isn't ideal for bass, but could be useful for studio psychedelic applications.
The phase effect is awesome sounding, and with variable filters (4/8/12) you can get all kinds of sounds out of it. Tap tempo is also useful here.
Tremolo with tap tempo was one reason I got this pedal, and it doesn't disappoint. The adjustable time signature and triplets features make this effect perfect for my uses (in a semi-electronic group).
Vibrato has never ben my thing, but ya know what? Using it together with other effects, synced and unsynced, I think I prefer it to chorus.
So all in all, if you need a few modulation effects but you lack space for a chorus, flanger, phaser and a tremolo on your board, or if you simply want multi-effect programmability, you could do a lot worse than picking up a Nova Modulator. It sounds excellent and offers many practical effect combinations, with a huge potential for creativity that I have barely begun to tap.
bongomania
Commercial User
The one practical thing the Nova Modulator is missing for me is a feature that's on their Nova Dynamics, which is the ability to footswitch between engines A and B. The Modulator does allow switching between a manual setting and a stored setting, using a hold-then-release of the bypass switch, so it is capable of being set up like an A/B switch (stored setting using just engine A and manual setting using just engine B), but it's not as intuitive as the straightforward A/B switch on the Dynamics.
I gotta quit finding things to complain about.
I gotta quit finding things to complain about.
The one practical thing the Nova Modulator is missing for me is a feature that's on their Nova Dynamics, which is the ability to footswitch between engines A and B. The Modulator does allow switching between a manual setting and a stored setting, using a hold-then-release of the bypass switch, so it is capable of being set up like an A/B switch (stored setting using just engine A and manual setting using just engine B), but it's not as intuitive as the straightforward A/B switch on the Dynamics.
I gotta quit finding things to complain about.
I'm sure it's just because they needed room for the tap tempo, which is one of the most appealing things about the Nova Modulator. I think the hold-and-release system is a more than decent compromise.
So far I haven't been able to duplicate the "Jet Phaser" sound on this the way I can on my Flanger Hoax (with two phasers), so I guess I'll have to keep the FH around - but the NovaMod stays on my main board.
bongomania
Commercial User
Bump- RCC, are you still liking your Nova Mod? Anyone else gotten their hands on one? I ask because I picked up another Nova Dynamics (since TC never sent me another review unit) just to finalize my review of it... and I'm going to send it back for credit. Maybe I'll get the Nova Mod.
The tremolo (main reason I got it) isn't quite flexible enough for me, it looks like I will have to try that seymour duncan.
The chorus and flange (particularly the through-zero mode) effects are awesome. With two programmable channels, more controls
D) and memory, this thing SLAYS the Stereo Electric Mistress.The phase effects are also impressive, but used less since I got my polyphase.
I think you'd like this, and the price HAS come down... keep in mind there IS a chirp glitch, but only (in my experience) when tweaking the chorus delay. How did that second NovaDyn work for you?
bongomania
Commercial User
I haven't written the finalized review yet, but the short version is that the Stomp mode has a squeaky glitch and the Studio mode loses some low end. The Gate mode is great though.
Can anyone tell me if, with the Nova Modulator, I can set the Tap Tempo BEFORE activate the effect (i.e. tapping the tempo in the middle of the song, then kick in the tremolo)
it's urgent, please, I can buy one cheap and I need this info to decide.
thanks all!
it's urgent, please, I can buy one cheap and I need this info to decide.
thanks all!
