Review: Joyo Vision Dual Modulation Effect Pedal

Overview

The Joyo Vision Dual-Modulation is a stereo modulation effect pedal, with two sections each containing nine modulation variations. Sections can be routed serial or parallel. Adding each combination of the two sections, you actually get 99 effects! Due to its capabilities, I consider it a bargain! It is Chinese made and equally useful on guitars and keyboards, including synthesizers. Please note however, that I tested this guitar effect pedal on a keyboard. If you try this out with an electric guitar, your sound impressions and usability will most likely be different from mine.

Main Features

Two independent modulation sections, A and B, each with nine effect variations and sets of control knobs, plus bypass switch.
Serial or parallel processing.
Stereo input and outputs.
True bypass foot switches.
44.1K sample rate with 24-bit accuracy.

Adjustment Details

As you can see in the picture, the pedal has eight knobs, four in each modulation section, a serial/parallel switch, and two push foot switches which control bypass and tap tempo. Additionally, the bottom has a switch then controls the ambient light. Each modulation section has the following knobs;

Speed/Rate – Modulation speed.
Control – Modulation type dependent adjustment.
Type – Switches between nine modulation variations.
Depth / Mix – Modulation type dependent adjustment, mostly modulation depth, but functions as a dry/wet mix for Ring Modulation, Tremolo, and Stutter.

Testing

I own more than 40 synthesizers, and here I tested this effect unit with my Roland SH-32 polyphonic desktop synthesizer, but did not use any internal effect processing. Furthermore, I did not add any external effects or processing. For simplicity and to prevent the review video from being too long, I only tested the following sounds; Analog Pad, Bass, and “Electric Piano”.

Effect Type Details

Mode A Effects (Channel A) – Mode A generally includes more classic and traditional modulation effects.

Mod-Phaser: A phaser effect with an unspecified “Mod” characteristic, likely a deeper or more complex phasing sound than the standard phase effect. Control knob adjusts depth, whereas Depth/Mix knob adjusts the mix.
Chorus: Creates a shimmering, doubling effect that adds depth and width to your tone. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Stereo-Phaser: A phaser effect specifically optimized for use with the pedal’s stereo inputs and outputs. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Flanger: Produces a swooshing, jet-plane like sound by mixing a delayed signal with the original, with the delay time varying. Control knob adjusts feedback.
Ring Modulation: Control knob adjusts tone.
Rotary: Simulates the sound of a vintage Leslie rotating speaker cabinet, often used for organ sounds. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Tremolo: Effect modulating the amplitude (volume) of the guitar signal, creating a pulsating volume effect. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Liquid Phaser: A unique, potentially more fluid or pronounced variation of a phaser effect. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Tri-Chorus: A richer, more complex chorus effect, likely using a three-voice chorus algorithm for a lush sound. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.

Mode B Effects (Channel B) – Mode B often features more experimental and unique effects.

Optical Tremolo: A specific type of tremolo circuit design known for a smooth, vintage character. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Small Chorus: A more subtle or specific type of chorus effect. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Low-Bit: A bit-crusher effect that reduces the audio fidelity, creating lo-fi, digital, and sometimes harsh textures. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Auto-Wah: An automatically controlled frequency sweep effect, which responds to playing dynamics. Control knob adjusts the sweep range.
Analog Flanger: A flanger effect designed to emulate the warmer, specific sound of classic analog flanger pedals. Control knob adjusts feedback.
Phaser: A standard phaser effect, similar to the one in Mode A. Control knob adjusts the depth, whereas Depth/Mix knob adjusts the phase.
Octave: Adds a note an octave up or down to the original signal, providing a thicker or harmonized sound. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Stutter: An effect similar to tremolo, but uses a square wave as modulation source that rapidly cuts the audio signal in and out, creating rhythmic, chopped patterns. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.
Vibrato: Modulates the pitch of the signal, creating a wavering or “seasick” sound. Control knob adjusts tone brightness.

Connectors

Power: There’s only option to power this effect pedal, and that is with a standard negative center pole 9V female socket. Power requirements are 170mA.
Input: Two ¼” (6.5mm) unbalanced female mono TS jack socket
Output: Two ¼” (6.5mm) unbalanced female mono TS socket

Build Quality: Case, Knobs, and Switches

The metal case and knobs are solid and sturdy. Each top sections knobs, could perhaps use a bit more spacing for easier adjustment. The foot switch seems of solid and good quality. I bought this one used off Reverb, and it did not have any grip material in the bottom, preventing it from sliding much, if any.

Accessories

None

Documentation

Included in the box is two-page manual, one page in English and the other in Chinese.
Provides minimal information, with no details on the modulation types, plus exactly what the knobs controls completely missing!

Size

Dimensions: 130mm wide x 110mm deep x 50mm tall
Weight: 425 grams

Pros:

Extremely affordable with 18 modulation types, and 81 combinations!
High quality and very useful effects!
Serial or parallel processing of the two 9-variation modulation sections.
Stereo Input and Output.
Mono to Stereo Processing – Most of the effect types, all but Tremolo, Stutter, and Lo-Fi, produces a stereo signal slightly different from each other, from either a single mono input, or two identical mono inputs!
True bypass switch.
Modulation speed/rate adjustable via tap foot switches.
Solid metal case.
Sturdy knobs.

Cons:

Tone control also affects the dry signal.
Included manual contains zero information about the modulation types, or what exactly each control knob does for the individual types!
The yellow knob text can be a bit hard to read in some lighting situations. White color would have been much clearer.

Conclusion

For about $93 you get 18 different, and great sounding modulation effects, placed in two 9-type sections, for a total of 81 combo effects, that can be processed in either serial or parallel! On top of that it has stereo inputs and outputs, and produces a stereo output from any mono input! I found most effects to be of very high quality, and very useful to my needs. Build quality is solid, knobs are sturdy, and the signal quality is quite noise-free, as long as you don’t keep the input level on your mixer/preamp on extremely high. Now if only it would not process the modulation types where the “Control” knob adjusts tone, on the dry signal, it would be a virtually perfect effect unit!

Rating

I’m trying to develop a fair weighted “Effect Unit” rating system, so please be aware the below rating “areas” may be revised at any time. Scale is variable weighted for each area. What I mean is that some areas, such as “Patch Storage”, “Documentation”, and “Accessories” may not mean that much in the normal use of an effect unit, although it may add to the overall value. In the “Mono / Mono-Stereo / Stereo” section, I will reward 0 for a mono only, 5 for a mono-stereo, 8 for a stereo, and finally 10 for unit that can do it all! Accessories include items such as a power supply, and cables. For the overall “score”, I add up all the ratings, and calculate a percentage between 0 and 100, against maximum possible ratings added up.

Functionality: 9/10 (99 effects, counting combinations)
Adjustment Options: 8/10
Tone Controls: 4/10 (Only available for some modulation types, then also affecting dry signal)
Patch Storage: 0/3
Mono/Mono-Stereo/Stereo: 10/10 (All options)
Noise Level: 10/10 (As in virtually non-existing)
Documentation: 2/5
Accessories: 0/3 (None)
Usability (Keyboards): 9/10 (This pedal will be used by me a lot!)
Overall: 56/71 = 78.87%

Improvement Suggestions

For this effect pedal to be “perfect”, well for my usage, I have the following suggestions to Joyo, besides the “tone control” dry signal and documentation issues.

Section mix control, allowing one to set mix amount between the two effect sections A and B.
One more option to the processing toggle switch, that being “B -> A” serial.