NPD: Nu-x Modcore
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 3:19 pm
Sequel to this thread, in which I wanted a phaser for cheapz.
Metal enclosure, true bypass, the same size footprint and standard 9V power as a Boss. The knobs feel loose and have cheap plastic shafts, but otherwise it feels solid enough and the in/out (both stereo!) jacks are at least metal. It cost me around £30 new, including postage, off the 'bay. There's a three-way mini toggle that selects a preset in the middle position, with the up and down positions selecting either a 'standard' or 'deluxe' setting for each mode. There are knobs for mode, rate, depth and 'tweak'. The latter either does nothing, is a mix or feedback/resonance control depending on the mode selected.
Chorus is...chorus. Not quite on par with the real thing I've tried (EHX small clone) but it sounds chorus-y. Deluxe mode is a faster rate. Tweak knob mixes the effect sound with the dry.
Flanger is...again, a slightly anaemic but useable take on the real thing. Standard is more powerful and 'modern'.
Phaser: pretty good. Standard reminds me of a small stone and is good post-distortion. Deluxe is more midrange-y so I'm guessing it's trying to emulate an MXR.
Tremolo: standard mode reminds me of my old DRRI's. Deluxe is asymmetric, so I presume it's the type that Spacemen 3 used to use (Tim's West Germany Trem maybe?). Neither give a choppy square wave AFAIK.
Pan: this needs stereo in and out to work properly, which I doubt many guitarists' boards actually do. Could be useful for digital piano/keyboard and drum machines though.
Rotary: I really like this one. Standard mode is brighter, while Deluxe is more watery and less trebly. Really damned nice.
Vibe: the only disappointment. I'm not sure whether this is a poor emulator of a univibe or whether they're supposed to sound like that. It's as though it's trying to be a chorus and phaser at the same time, but doesn't entirely succeed at either. Deluxe mode puts it into vibrato rather than chorus/phase - useless to me (see below) but at least does what the real thing does.
Vibrato: I've never really liked the sound of this effect, so I'm not the best person to ask. It just makes me feel seasick listening to it.
to summarise then: some neat features and the number of usable sounds outweigh the useless ones. I got a lot of pedal for my money here, so I'm pretty happy with it.
Metal enclosure, true bypass, the same size footprint and standard 9V power as a Boss. The knobs feel loose and have cheap plastic shafts, but otherwise it feels solid enough and the in/out (both stereo!) jacks are at least metal. It cost me around £30 new, including postage, off the 'bay. There's a three-way mini toggle that selects a preset in the middle position, with the up and down positions selecting either a 'standard' or 'deluxe' setting for each mode. There are knobs for mode, rate, depth and 'tweak'. The latter either does nothing, is a mix or feedback/resonance control depending on the mode selected.
Chorus is...chorus. Not quite on par with the real thing I've tried (EHX small clone) but it sounds chorus-y. Deluxe mode is a faster rate. Tweak knob mixes the effect sound with the dry.
Flanger is...again, a slightly anaemic but useable take on the real thing. Standard is more powerful and 'modern'.
Phaser: pretty good. Standard reminds me of a small stone and is good post-distortion. Deluxe is more midrange-y so I'm guessing it's trying to emulate an MXR.
Tremolo: standard mode reminds me of my old DRRI's. Deluxe is asymmetric, so I presume it's the type that Spacemen 3 used to use (Tim's West Germany Trem maybe?). Neither give a choppy square wave AFAIK.
Pan: this needs stereo in and out to work properly, which I doubt many guitarists' boards actually do. Could be useful for digital piano/keyboard and drum machines though.
Rotary: I really like this one. Standard mode is brighter, while Deluxe is more watery and less trebly. Really damned nice.
Vibe: the only disappointment. I'm not sure whether this is a poor emulator of a univibe or whether they're supposed to sound like that. It's as though it's trying to be a chorus and phaser at the same time, but doesn't entirely succeed at either. Deluxe mode puts it into vibrato rather than chorus/phase - useless to me (see below) but at least does what the real thing does.
Vibrato: I've never really liked the sound of this effect, so I'm not the best person to ask. It just makes me feel seasick listening to it.
to summarise then: some neat features and the number of usable sounds outweigh the useless ones. I got a lot of pedal for my money here, so I'm pretty happy with it.
