There’s an incredibly rich mix here of no less than 38 killer Modulations, Utilities and Pitch-Shifters - no one does rundowns quite like me! I always dive in at the deep end of things - and give you maximum expansive scope!
There are several here that I don’t have yet, in fact some hat I’m somewhat unlikely to ever have - for reasons of rig compatibility, size and overall sensibilities, practicalities, and preferences!
These 19 are still to be acquired or eventually overlooked :
I will for sure be targeting a number of those in the new year - especially the Hamstead x TPS Redwing!
Here are my 38 Finalists :
Standout Category Winners
Controls - Bass / Gate / Preset A, Mid / Comp / Preset B, Treble / Reverb / Stomp Preset, Volume / Gain, Alt / Hold for Global Settings, A/B-Bypass Footswitch / Tuner, Press Alt + Bypass for Presets, Mono In, TRS Stereo Out, USB-C Port for Updates / Admin / Audio Interface.
A considerable engineering achievement for IK Multimedia / AmpliTube - in shrinking the original ToneX modeller down to mini proportions - where recently even more secondary effects - modulations and time-based ones have been added. It's currently Mono In - Stereo Out, while I'm sure there will be a full-stereo edition before long - such a smart box and at a really great price too!
Controls - Ratio, Threshold, Attack, Knee : Hard / Soft, Timing : Manual / Fast Dynamic / Slow Dynamic, Gain, X-EQ (Crossover EQ), Release, EQ Pivot : High (1kHz) / Low (330Hz), Side Chain Feed : Accurate Forward (F) / Smooth Feedback (B), Wet > Dry Mix, Side Chain Hi Filter (3kHz), Side Chain Low Filter (90Hz).
There are some really magnificent compressor pedals out in the marketplace now, and no brand does the full studio rack compressor in a pedal thing better than Becos FX. Their Stella and Twain CompIQ Pro Pedals are simply supreme, The nature of my chain is that I need to keep circulating effects and trying new ones costanslty - while I don't believe you can get better studio style compressors than these two featured here - in their recently upgraded MKII editions - so versatile!
Controls - Theshold 1, Ratio 1, Ratio 2, Threshold 2, Knee 1 : Hard / Soft, Side Chain Feed : Accurate Forward (F) / Smooth Feed-Back (B), Knee 2 : Hard / Soft, Gain 1, Timing 1 : Fast / Slow, X-Over EQ (Crossover EQ), Preamp Trim : -12dB > + 12 dB, Wet > Dry Mix, Timing 2 : Fast / Slow, Gain 2, Lo Side Chain Filter (90Hz), Hi Side Chain Filter (3kHz), Structure /l DB (Double) / STK (Stacked).
A fantastic Dual Band / Stacked Compressor - particularly brilliant for Bass, in doubling down on the flavour quotient. While the Stella is more granular and better suited to my own needs. Costel should really copy my suggested colour-coded knobs layout - my readerships universally loves that variation - and I'm sure coastal would sell more Twains if they had my suggested knob configuration!
Controls - Phaser 1 Rate, Phaser 1 Depth, Phaser 2 Rate, Phaser 2 Depth, Ramp Speed, Ramp Shape : Phase 1 > 2 Stay / Phase 1 > 2 > 1 alternating directions / Phase 1 > 2 Momentary with immediate return, Preamp Gain, Resonance, Master Volume, Effect : Preamp / Phaser / Vibee, Tap/Ramp Footswitch (Tap for Tap Tempo / Hold for Ramping), Bypass Footswitch (Double Tap to Flip Phase 1 <> 2 Playback / Hold for Secondary / Alternative Parameters).
I have owned some 23 or so Phasers before I acquired the Larva - which instantly became my all-time favourite for that genre - it has the smartest and most dynamic featured set, paired with the most wonderful full-flavoured phaser voicing - and it looks gorgeous - even in standard format. Everything about this phaser is next level - it is exactly the phaser I would design for myself - had I free reign to do so - just phenomenal and could have taken the highest accolade here all on its own, while there were other pedals here which incredibly deliver even more!
Controls - SHORT DELAY LINE A (Modulation) } Intensity A, Wet A; DRY } Dry-Blend; SHORT DELAY LINE B (Tape FX) } Intensity B, Wet B.
Benson Amps do some really smart quirky but simple effects - very much including this Dynamic Modulator, and their recently released Modulated Delay. They have a way of eking out maximum impact from the least amount of controls. Universally easy to dial in - and consistently producing interesting textures - as is the case here - a really cool slightly quirky modulator - which sounds superb!
Controls - Room (Reverb > Slapback Echo), Depth (Intensity), Time (Fast > Slow), Mix (Dry Blend), Age (Warble / Mangle / Lo-Fi).
One of my favourite Chorus pedals for sure - does the classic Chorus / Vibrato thing brilliantly, but then allows you to subtly degrade the output for a more warmly lo-fi output, with a subtle reverb in tow too. A really smart device - which gets the maximum impact from its 5 controls.
Controls - Distort, Dual (Phaser), Bitters (Intensity / Frequency), Dry > Wet Mix, Mangler Type / Order : >> Decimator / >> Bitcrusher / >> Frequency Modulator / >> Ring Modulator / Decimator >> / Bitcrusher >> / Frequency Modulator >> / Ring Modulator >>; [Bitters Mode comes Before >> / or >> After Distort and Dual Phaser effects.
A really quirky mangling modulator - based on the Alesis Bitrman - which combined Decimator, Bitcrusher, Frequency Modulation, and Ring Modulation - to skew and warp your core signal in the most ingenious of ways!
Controls - Dynamics [Gate Release], Sensitivity (Ramp) [Gate Threshold], Wet [Swell In], Attack [User Releaser], EQ [Envelope Balance], Dry [Swell Out], Release - Fast 50ms / User Release / Slow 1.5s [Envelope Type : Analog / Combo / Adaptive], EQ MODE : Shifty / Manual / Modulated [EQ Direction : Standard < > Inverted], Physics : Subtle Wobble / Stable Normal / Unstably Twitchy [Spread Routing : EQ / Both / Volume], AUX : Dynamic Swell / Manual Swell (via Aux Swell Dip), Bypass : On [Hold to Max out Sag Effect], Dual-Press both switches for Alt / Secondary functions.
Chase Bliss reinvents the humble Compressor as a dynamic tone-enhancer that adds movement to your signal as well as augmenting and attenuating frequency clusters - all happening in full stereo - a really ingenious pedal with a hundred uses - and one that you can deploy at either end of your chain - which is pretty unique for a Compressor!
Conrols - Size (Length of Glitch) [Sensitivity], Dry-Wet Mix [Balance / Ramp], Octave (Down / Up / Off) [Duck Depth], Error (Propensity and Intensity to Glitch), Sustain [User Set Fade], Texture (Bid Reduction / Off / Gritty OD), Error Type : Timing / Condition / Vector (Speed and Direction), Fade Curve : Slow Fade / User Set Fade / Fast Fade, Animate (Modulate) : Vibrato / Off / Chorus, Presets : 1 / Off (Panel) / 2, Engage Glitch Side Footswitch, Engage Freeze Site Footswitch - if you Hold down either Footswitch - that one will lock its signal, while the other remains dynamic. Press both Footswitches together to enter secondary and hidden features / modes!.
An ingenious dynamic envelope sampler-modulator-repeater - which is a superb companion pedal to the MOOD - and where it samples and modulates and manipulates the output in all manner of interesting ways. A highly musical pedal - while it does have a learning curve in adapting to how best to deploy it!
Main Controls - Feed (Ramp), Volume, Mix, Rate, Stage : 2|4|6 / Tap 1|2|4, ModuShape } Depth, Form, Wave Start : Sine/Triangle/Square, Wave End : Square/Triangle/Sine, Preset 2 / Panel / Preset 1, Tap Tempo Footswitch, Bypass Footswitch, 16 x Dip-Switches
+ 3 x Envelope Controls - across both Left and Right sides of the pedal : Envelope Off/On, Release : Slow/Long/Medium, Sensitivity : Low/Medium/High. Note that there are internal trimmers that allow you to specify the value of the 2 x 'Medium' settings which are default set somewhat moderately!
A brilliant update to the Wombtone Analog Phaser - which adds in a further Envelope Follower circuit with 3 controls - which allows you to dynamically impact the output with your pick attack / pattern of play. Alas it still makes use of a Vactrol / LDR component or two - which means it's RoHS Restricted outside of the USA - and will never be made available in Europe!
Controls - Level, Speed, Chorus, Depth, Jazz EQ (High-Trim) : Subtle High-Trim / No-Trim / More Trim, Hold footswitch for Double Speed.
A quite superb revival of this legendary pedal - which is now shrunken down to compact dimensions - where it wholly lives up to its legacy as one of the warmest and most sonorous Vibrato / Chorus pedal - I really love mine - it sounds glorious!
Controls : Left Output, Right Output, Direct Output, Expression, 128 x 32 OLED Graphic Display, Menu Rotary Encoder, Master Volume, Input Gain, 6 x Voices - each with L/R Pan Control : Dry, -2 OCT, -1 OCT, +5TH, +1 OCT, +2 OCT, Focus, Q, Envelope, Spread, Attack, Filter, Detune, Dry Switch per Attack / Filter / Detune, Preset Down Footswitch, Preset Up Footswitch, Effect Footswitch.
This brand new POG format is a magnificent achievement - fully moving the POG into all-round Modulation / Multi-FX Workstation Territory. Minor downsides are its somewhat expansive dimensions, high price age, and MISO routing limitation! I would really want it a little more compact, and with full stereo ins and outs!
Controls - Tune (select Pitch across 4 Octaves), Mix : 100% Dry > 100% Wet, Drive (Resonator Sensitivity Saturation), Damping (Highs Roll-off CCW), Decay (Sustain), LFO Rate (Speed), LFO Amount (Intensity), Aux [Hold: Alt] : Morph 2 Settings / Scroll Presets, Tuning Mode : Single + Overtone / Stacked Natural Thirds / Stacked Fifths / Chromatic x12, Wave (Waveform) [Hold: Mod] : Periodic / Random, Presets : 1-3, Aux Footswitch, Engage Footswitch.
A really unique and rare variety of Modulator - a Sympathetic Strings / Resonator / Synthesizer / Reverberator - which mostly delivers rather elegant harmonic modulation by simulating a series of vibrating strings - based on manipulating incoming signal frequencies. Really cool and unusual!
Controls - Rate, Depth.
A classic CE-2 style vintage analog BBD Chorus with beautiful modulation textures and a suitably striking reflective metal flake finish on the paint-job. It certain looks the parts and sounds the part - even though some consider it to be on the pricier side of things - while it's one of the best sounding ones for sure!
Controls - Crossover Frequency (Ratio, Low/High Split), Range Button : UP 300Hz > 3.4kHz / DOWN 50Hz > 600Hz, Return Balance (Output Level Fader), Send Button <> : Invert Low <> High Channels, Dry Blend, Phase Button : Invert Phase (High and Low Channels in or out of Phase).
David Greeves ingenious signal blender / filter - which tackles one side of the signal with LPF Filtering, and the other with HPF Filtering. It's not the first time such a device has been made, but it is surely the smartest variant to-date in that handy compact enclosure. It has the perfect complement of controls for maximum impact - and provides endless fun in blending, filtering and splicing together two complementary or disharmonious circuits. The most fun utility ever created no doubt, and it's been selling like hotcakes ever since - a genuinely really smartly engineered device - it's operation is sheer perfection, and it works particularly well for Bass players too!
Controls - Gain (Makeup Gain > +6dB), Blend (Wet Mix - Full Dry > Full Wet), Active Bass ±15dB, Active Treble ±15dB. Manual Delay Time, Modulation Width, Regen / Feedback, Speed | Hi/Lo, Manual Offset Switch | ± knob, Wave Shape : Asymmetric / Sine / Triangle | Shape (Wave Symmetry).
Rear Controls & Ports - In (Stereo via TRS and internal dip-switch), Control EXP (Speeed), Phase : In / Out, Hold Remote (Max Regen), Stereo Mode : Stereo | Wet/Dry, Right Out, Left Out, 9-24V DC [-] 350mA.
This one came a little late in the year for me to get my hands on one and get a full feel for it - had I done so - it may well have taken the top spot here - it certainly sounds pretty magnificent in the demos. But I of course need to see how well I get along with it - which will hopefully happen relatively early January! To be a perfect device for my own preferences I would really have liked to have seen a secondary ramping Footswitch - everything else about this release is amazing - and I'm well aware of the pedigree of all the individual who were responsible for bringing this to market - I'm of course particularly friendly with Peter and Brian at Hamstead, and am really looking forward to their imminent stereo Harmonic Tremolo too!
Controls - Mode [Blend], Filter Cutoff [LFO Spin], Filter Resonance [Gate], Gain [Level], LFO Rate [Wave Shape], LFO Map, LFO Range, 3 Modes : Drive / Low-Cut / Fold, Envelope Attack [Sensitivity], Layer (Black / White Controls / Parameters), Envelope Map, Preset Footswitch, Bypass Footswitch.
A fantastically capable Wavefolder Drive, Resonant Filter, Envelope Follower and LFO hybrid Multi-FX which allows you to combine those elements to varying purposes - including an impressive sounding Harmonic Tremolo - which was the main reason I acquired this device. It has a fairly hefty learning curve - particularly for the mapping of LFO and Envelope elements. Every knob has at leas 2 functions - and while the interface is as intuitive as it can be - it's still a lot to get used to - kind of reminiscent of the Beeronics Seabee and Zzombee as far as I'm concerned - and definitely not for the faint-hearted! You need to dedicate some time and patience to this device to get the most out of it - so it's not going to be for everyone - while if your persevere - it can deliver wonderful tones and textures - they're just occasionally a little hard to come by!
Controls - Blend (Dry/Wet Mix), Speed (Slow/Fast), 3-Way Mid Boost (More Intensity), Drive (+ Hold Ramp Rate), On Footswitch, Slow/Fast Footswitch - Hold for Brake, Hold + Knobs for Alt / Secondary Function.
A supposed significant improvement over the Beach Boys I Get around iteration of this circuit - which still could sound gorgeously syrupy - and in particular in Brett Kingman's demo. This new version adds one more Mid Boost option and refines both core circuitboards. It doesn't though have a separate and indepent level control which is needed to counter a very significant volume drop in deploying the device. I know my rig is complicated and not fully compatible with around 1-3 % of circuits - and it seems like this Rotary is one such. Its output just isn't sufficient for that effect to sit well within my chain. While it seems to work admirable in other, particularly simpler rigs! I may try to get someone to modify mine for me to give it some extra output boost. I'm seeing Joe Halliday at the start of the year in his new studio / workshop - and I may just take my I Get Around Pedal along - and see if he can do anything with it!
Controls - Bluetooth Pairing, Headphones Level, XLR Ground Lift, XLR Output Level : Mix +4, True Double-Tracking Width, AUX Mix, True Double Tracking : Pre/Post, CAB IR : Off / V30 / GNBK / CMBK / U-A / U-B, Ambience, Dual IR Cabinet Simulation : Pre/Post, Input Gain ±24dB, Doubler Footswitch, FX Loop Footswitch.
Ports - USB-C for IR-Loading, 9V DC [-] 490mA, Mini TRS AUX In, Stereo XLR Out, Mini Headphones Out x 2, TRS / TS Line Out - L+R, Input + Thru 1/4", Stereo FX Loop L+R Send - L+R Return.
Just recently announced with V2 Firmware Release - this superb end-of-chain tone-enhancer goes from strength to strength. Combing various end-of-chain effects, including authentic stereo double-tracking and Celestion supported IR's - for a genuine best in class signal chain improver - a great device for placing after your modelling pedal of choice - to further elevate the output!
Controls - Level, Spectrum (Mids > Full Frequency EQ), Depth, Shadow (Wave Symmetry / Bias / Lows / Highs), Mix : Chorus / Vibrato, Pulse (Rate), Bypass / Engage Footswitch, Speed Ramp Footswitch, there is also a Side trimmer to adjust the Ramp Time - i.e. how long it takes to speed up and slow down again.
I have nearly a score of Uni-Vibes now, and this is for sure one of my very foavuriet candidates - right up there at the top of the tree. Muck like its Airborn Flanger siblings - it's all about he fuller flavour, combined with that superior features set - where you can properly ramp the speed up and down. It's not quite as magnificent as the Airborne overall - but really very close - those together are one of the fines modulation pairings out there - everything about these devices shouts ultimate quality - and I really like this form factor!
Controls - MIX [Wet Level][+Single=Mod Amount][+Sub=Mute Dry], SINGLE : 3-Layers / Single Layer, TRIG [Auto Layer Trigger Sensitivity][+Single=Delay Time][+Sub=Delay % Dry], ATTACK [Layer Fade-in Time][+Single=Mod Blend : Chorus > Tremolo][+Sub=Sub Root], SUB OCT [Sub Octave Transpose][+Single=Tap Tempo], DECAY [Layer Fade-out Time][+Single=Diffusion][+Sub=Stereo Output], [Single + Sub Oct = Restore Defaults], FOOTSWITCH } Engages Layers / Hold to Freeze Layer / Double-Tap clears all layers!
A really smart sustainer / freeze effect with further modulation and delay onboard - a really cool and unique new kind of ambient effect - great for those kind of smeary type soundscapes!
Controls - Lower Bound (lower Shift Range), Rez (filter resonance), Upper Bound (upper Shift Range), Filter Type : Low-pass / Band-pass / High-pass, Shift Direction : Low to High Boundary / High to Low Boundary, Latching / Momentary Switch, Shift Time (shift between Upper and Lower Boundaries (0-20 seconds), Equalize Footswitch (engage pedal). Shift Footswitch (Momentary or Latching per toggle-switch).
A really cool looking Filter / EQ pedal with several playback possibilities - well matches its output with a really striking aesthetic!
Controls - Colour (Brightness), Complexity (Modulation Depth & Speed), Wet Mix (Intensity).
A really cool sort of unique fluttery chorus - kind of inspired by the Boss DC-2 Dimension - but its own thing really - for some unique and complex chorus textures - sounds pretty gorgeous!
Controls - Dry, Out, In, Ratio, Attack, Release.
A brand new compact take on Origin's celebrated Cali76 Chorus - with a floating system of metering - which is the most efficient of its kind, but seemingly not everyone appreciates. The Cali76 has long been many a player's favourite chorus - and it still counts for fairly considerable numbers of sales - its to Origin Effects, what the 4-knob Keeley Compressor Plus is to Keeley Electronics!
Controls - Mix, ERA : 80’s (strongest) / 70’s (mildest) / 90’s (best balanced / goldilocks!), Rate, Level, 2nd Output Phase Inversion Button, 8-way Depth Rotary (3 = Low, 8 = High), Low Cut Button, Hi Cut Button, Internal Stereo Balance Trimmer.
Probably my favourite sounding Chorus to-date, and easily one of the most handy and expansive units - with lots of variation to its output - all coordinated by the perfect complement of controls. Covers you for 3 eras / decades of the EHX Small Clone Chorus - including most of Kurt Cobain's favourite chorusing tones!
Controls - Speed, Waveform : Square / Sine, Depth, Feedback : Negative > Positive, Intense (Stages) : 6 (Red) / 4 (Green), Level, Phase Bias, Q-Factor / Focus / Sharpener push-button.
A great take on Ibanez's Classic Phase - long riding high in my passer affections - until the Beetronics Larva arrived on the scene and cast shade on all other Phasers! This Classic Phase still sounds pretty amazing and richly textured - but all pale somewhat in the face of the Beetronics Larva!
Controls - ENVELOPE } Amount, Smooth/Fast; Mix, DRIVE } Drive, Master Level;
FILTER } Pole : 2/4, Resonance.
A superb compact full-fat take on the Moogerfooger MF-101 - with all its functionality fully intact - plus an additional and very well received Level control. An absolute essential for Bass / Funk Players!
Controls - Wet/Dry Mix, Pitch Track -100 to +100, Carrier Oscillator Frequency, Ring Mod / Freq Shift Mix, Modulation Rate, Modulation Amount, Preset LEDs x 4, Modulation Wave Indicator LEDs (4 Green / 4 Orange), Preset Select : 1-4 / Hold : save, Shift 2X switch : lower / off / upper, Step (Rec) - Step modulator pattern record, Range : Lo / Hi / Qnt (Carrier Oscillator Range), Mod Wave Select (4 Green, 4 Orange) / Hold : Envelope Trigger, On / Tap Indicator LED, AUX / Tap Tempo Footswitch - Hold : push-to-tune, On / Bypass Footswitch - Hold : Momentary.
Waveforms - GREEN } Triangle, Square, Random, Intelligent Random, ORANGE (Hold) } Step Modulator, X- Modulation, X+ Modulation, Envelope Follower.
I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of Ring Modulation - but if I had to have a Ring Mod unit it would be this considerably more than a Ring Modulator! With the Dr Scientist Phreak as my second choice. The Red Panda Radius has you fully covered for all your Ring Mod needs, but then also massively expands into other complementary modulation effects!
Controls - Pitch 2 : Drone 2 Frequency, Pitch 1 : Drone 1 Frequency, Drones Level ±, Instrument Level ± (Dry), Drone 2 Mode, 1/2 Tone Mode, Igor Expression Pad used to trigger a Pitch Drop down a tone (2 Frets) or 1/2 a Tone (1 Fret).
A really neat 2-Tone Drone - which certainly delivers on its core mission, but feels overall somewhat limited in scope for me. You really need to adapt your playing to this format - which makes it something of an acquired taste - and not necessarily for everyone. It totally sounds the part though!
Controls - Level, Waveform Select / Waveform Edit (Press / Press-Turn), Depth, BPM, Bypass Footswitch, Tap Tempo Footswitch.
A pretty unique Rhythmic / Pattern Waveform Generator Amplitude Tremolo - which allows you to create you own Tremolo Waveforms oboard, and on the Browser. A really sophisticated and super versatile, great sounding Tremolo effect. Some of the app elements are slightly early stage - but everything really works very well. There are other competitor Wave Generators now - while this one is still the most sophisticated in many ways.
Aurras Controls - Speed, Offset Adjust, Level, Depth, Offset Mode, Frequency / Phase, Dry Mix, Tap Tempo Footswitch / Hold for Ramp Up, Bypass Footswitch / Hold for Ramp Down.
A fantastic sounding / functioning Optical Phase-Shifter / VibraPhase with significant Uni-Vibe capabilities and a really Smart Control topology and dual footswitches. Love the aesthetic of the enclosure too.
Controls - ALT Control Input button on top, Destruct, Filter, Mix [Volume], Vary, Type : Radio / Tape / μVerb / Crush / Ladder / Vinyl / Glitch, Mod : Rate / Depth / Shape, Bandwidth : Low / Med / High,Presets 1-4 / Save, On/Off Footswitch, Option / Tap Footswitch.
A very unique and expansive Digital Lo-Fi Modulator with a large number of Lo-Fi types - including Radio, Tape, μVerb, Bitcrusher, Ladder, Vinyl Effects, Glitch and LFO Modulation. It has a certain learning curve - and you really need the manual handy to navigate - while it can produce amazing results if you spend some time with it.
Controls - Variable Parameters A/B/C, A|B Parameters Up/Down, Board / Preset Selector : 1-7, MASH Footswitch.
TC Electronic's smallest Plethora gives you the 14 key classic TCE pedals in 1. There is some limitation in how you access them - via 7 x A/B Presets - which needs to be manually switched on the pedal. It would have been better to have dual footswitches or other footswitch means to flip between presets!
Controls - Wobble Depth, Noise (radio / vinyl noise), Filter (resonant low-pass filter), Power Level (saturation), Warp Depth, Speed, Bass Cut, Volume Level.
An interesting sort of Analog companion to the above Source Audio Artifakt - this one's scope is entirely within the Analog realm, and somewhat more limited in scope - but does generate some really cool effects, while on a smaller scale than the Artifakt.
Controls - Param (Rate / Cutoff / Depth), Mode : Glissando (Rate) / Resonant Filter (Cutoff) / Vibrato (Depth), Pitch : P15 / P8 / M6 / P5 / P4 / m3 / m2 || m2 / m3 / P4 / P5 / M6 / P8 / P12, Overtone, Mix.
A cool 3-Mode Pitch-Shifter covering Glissando, Resonant Filter, and Vibrato Modes - with 14 different intervals and additional parameters.
Controls - Rate (/10), Depth (/10), Lo-Fi (/10), Left Encoder / Parameters, Centre Encoder / MODES, Right Encode / Lo-Fi Variables, Bypass Footswitch, Tap Tempo / Vinyl Skip Footswitch, Dual Press on both Footswitches scrolls preset within 3 Preset Bank - A/B/C.
A brilliantly expansive 18 Algorithms Multi-Modulator that covers the vast majority of your modulation needs - at least it does mine - especially since the Flanger Mode was added. The only miss for me is no Dimension type algorithm onboard - but it has Tri-Chorus instead. This pedal has been hugely elevated by the new 3-segment OLED screen - which is easily visible from a standing position. It's not fully the perfect device for me yet, but there are smart short-cuts onboard, and I can do most of what I need with the device now - especially in terms of flipping modes and presets on-the-fly. The marriage of form and function here - makes this the worthy winner of this category,
Controls - Volume, Shape : Sine / Square / Ramp Down (Saw) / Ramp Up / Bump / Random, Pan (0 > 180°), Rate, Depth, Standard-Both-Harmonic-Blend, Tap Divisions : Quarter / Quarter Triplets / Eighths / Eighths Triplets / Sixteens, Bypass Footswitch, Tap / Ramp-Up/Down Footswitch, Press Both Footswitches to scroll through 3 Presets, Press Both and Hold to Save Presets.
The Monument evolves and becomes fully stereo with additional parameters and capabilities. One of the very best Harmonic Tremolos out there now, while not quite as full flavour as the JAM Pedals Harmonious Monk. I use each of those to slightly different purposes - while I really appreciate the improvement to the Monumental format.
Controls - Tone, Attack, Release, Level, Blend, Compress.
Wampler's third Compressor - after its Ross-inspired original EGO, then the enhanced and evolved Cory Wong Compressor take on that, and now another UREI 1176 FET Studio Compressor take - along the same lines as the Origin Effect Cali76 - which additionally has a floating point meter display nowadays. There's certainly no shortage of top quality compressors these days - you have around a dozen leading variants to choose from!