Mobius vs Modfactor

[BarneyBrown]

I'm interested in a detailed discussion comparing the Mobius to the
Modfactor. I don't have the Mobius but I do have a Modfactor set-up in
stereo. I've studied the Mobius manual thoroughly and tried my best to
replicate many of the settings in the Strymon videos using my
Modfactor. The key differences I've identified are as follows:

Chorus: the multi-delay chorus on the Mobius appears to
create a lush chorus that I can't replicate on either my Modfactor or
Pitchfactor. If anyone has any recommendations on delay and pitch
settings to create a lush, deep chorus they'd be much appreciated.
Apparently the multi-delay chorus on the Mobius uses three LFOs. Others
have said they get close to a polychorus sound on the Modfactor using
the S-mod and D-mod knobs to simulate multiple LFOs. Otherwise, the
other chorus and vibrato modes appear to be very similar. I love being
able to use the Pitchfactor to control delay and pitch though – you can
create some very interesting and unusual chorus sounds using H949 in
particular.

Flanger: The flanger sounds very similar: Modfactor lacks
the negative through-zero setting (which I don't miss), but apparently
this can be acquired using a mono set-up. Modfactor has the 'Jet'
setting which is a really intense negative flange that totally takes
over your sound. I don't think I've heard anything similar on the
Mobius. In the demo, the Mobius produces a nice metallic, almost
percussive flange on slow settings which wasn't easy to replicate on
the Modfactor. I actually reproduced this sound quite easily using the
Lo-Fi mode on my Timeline.

Phaser: Not compared the phasers much. They appear very
similar. Modfactor has more settings, including Negative, Positive,
Bi-Phase and through-negative – so there's possibly more sounds in the
Modfactor, especially if you add S-Mod and D-Mod to the equation.
Modfactor lacks the stereo spread setting for phaser which would be
nice. I like the presence of 'headroom' on the Phaser and 'drive' on
the Rotary in the Mobius to create different flavours and to dirty up
the sound.

Rotary: To my ears the Mobius rotary does sound better. I
don't use the rotary much on Modfactor though so I might not be
setting it appropriately. Mobius seems to have a really nice stereo
depth that I can't replicate on my Modfactor. Others may be better
placed to comment on this one.

Vibe: can't comment. No vibe setting on the Modfactor.

Filter and Formant: really no difference. Use of D-Mod
and S-Mod knobs here though on Modfactor allow for some crazy
time-synchronized filter effects that the Mobius can't get near.

Tremolo: user-defined tremolo patterns in a pedal is
genius!!! I hope Eventide can implement this somewhere in an update.
The closest I can get to this is on the Harpeggiator. It doesn't allow
you to programme trem patterns but it does mix pitch and other effects
to create some amazing, unique rhythmic patterns. Again, use of D-Mod
and S-mod on the Modfactor also creates some interesting trem patterns
as well.

Autoswell: this sounds great. I REALLY hope Strymon
update the Timeline autoswell with this algorithm. I don't find the
Timeline autoswell usable at all. The settings available on the Mobius
suggest that users don't have to mute their strings before the volume
drop kicks in again. I can create volume swells using the envelope
setting on Tremolo in Modfactor but it requires the strings to be muted
each time (similar to Timeline). Closest I can get to the Mobius
autoswell is using the Attack feature on my Hog.

Destroyer: this is unique to Strymon. Sounds amazing. I
seem to able to replicate all of these sounds on the Timeline though
with the delay dialed down to 2ms and the mix to 100%.

Quadrature: I can create very similar sounds using the
D-Mod and S-Mod knobs on the ring modulator and the tremolo settings.
In fact, the Modfactor might offer more control as you can select the
actual frequency of the carrier wave and apply both Amplitude
Modulation and Frequency Modulation at the same time. Very different
sounds can be produced using the AC and DC settings on the Modfactor as
well.

Layout and controls: I think modfactor wins here. I
bought the Modfactor as a modelling pedal and I love the fact that I
can control waveshape and modulate that waveshape using all of the
knobs in front of me – no sub-menus required. Each modulation can also
be controlled by an envelope setting so the modulation responds to the
input signal. There was a steep learning curve with the Modfactor,
mainly because the lack of information in the literature and videos.
I've learnt a lot in the past week by watching the strymon videos and
then trying to replicating the sounds in the Modfactor.

Key Differences: user-defined trem in Mobius, Vibe
machine in Mobius, Autoswell in Mobius, Undulator in Modfactor (amazing
synthy sound created using detuned delay lines and FM modulated
tremolo), Modfactor offers full control over waveshape and modulation
of that waveshape in every mode (so you can apply frequency modulation
to a phaser, flanger etc.), Modfactor offers envelope setting in every
mode.

Conclusion: overall I'm very happy with my Modfactor. I
won't be swapping it for a Mobius like many seem to be doing, mainly
because of the S-Mod and D-Mod settings and the Undulator. The
difference in the other modulations appears to be quite minimal. I
would like Eventide to try and implement user-defined tremolo patterns
though and Strymon to update their autoswell algorithm in the Timeline.

[jean niels]

up for the pettern tremolo!!!!!!!!!!!

[BarneyBrown]

Yes – Modfactor stacks up really well against the competition. A patterned tremolo would be incredible though, a control for stereo-width for all modulations would also be much appreciated (this is currently only available with Modfilter, Tremolo and Vibrato I believe). A polymod-style chorus would be amazing…but I know there were issues with the amount of processing required for such an algorithm though. I'm not sure how likely it is such requests might be added in the future.

[brock]

That's a very thorough assessment.  I don't have the Mobius or the ModFactor, as I use alternatives.  But both companies are on my radar for modulation and time-based effects.  As you've pointed out, Strymon and Eventide each have their own quirks and advantages.

Quote:

implement user-defined tremolo patterns

There seems to be a call for that (as well as user-defined patterns for the PF Harpeggiator).  Each time this comes up, I wonder how it could be implemented.  The encoder/multi-function footswitch combinations are about tapped out (no pun intended).  It's debatable how user-friendly that kind of implementation could end up.

A rewrite of FactorLib is a possibility.  A small popup utility to graphically enter a user sequence for each device in the Stompbox line.  Pitch / groove / effects in the Harpeggiator (PF), tremolo / "slicing" in the MF, etc.  Pie-in-the-sky here, but I'd personally love to have control over those "glide" steps in the Harpeggiator.

I suppose it'd be possible to read an incoming MIDI file (with or without an editor involved).  MIDI Note Numbers being read as relative pitches, or notes and rests in a 16-step grid determining a tremolo pattern (or groove pattern).  These are all stereo devices, so it may be best to have at least two user-defined patterns available.

That said, there are ways to control the PitchFactor externally, and add user-defined pitch and amplitude patterns right now.  Aux switches snapping between sync rates, looping sequences of CC values, MIDI pedalboard switch sequencing, an upstream autopan switching between inputs, etc.  A lot of that involves hardware that you don't usually find in a standard rig, but it can be done.

[BarneyBrown]

Ha, yes – it was quite a thorough analysis wasn't it!?! I'm meant to be finishing my PhD at the moment but in reality, I'm doing anything and everything BUT doing my PhD…including obsessing over minute differences in modulation sound 🙂 I love the Modfactor – having all the parameters tweakable in front of me is fantastic…and having the second LFO to create unique effects is really nice. I love setting both LFOs on randon especially for sublte effects like chorus. Those wanting to re-create sounds of classic modulation pedals though seem to be liking the Mobius for that purpose.

Re: user-defined tremolo.

Check out the Mobius manual.

Up to 8 beats can be sequenced, each with one to sixteen trem cycles per beat. This is done in the sub-menu. e.g. select BEAT 1 and assign 0-16 subdivisions to that beat…move to BEAT 2 and do the same etc. You can choose not to use all 8 beats and you can also assign FULL to a beat so signal is continuous during that time period. This really does give you full control over trem patterns. Finally you can also select waveform shape of the tremolo LFO. I think the Goatkeeper Trem works in a similar fashion but with 4 beats instead of 8.

It is difficult to see how a similar system could be implemented in a Factor pedal, especially as I lack knowledge of the coding behind it all. The Goatkeeper trem is proof that a significant amount can be done with 4 beats. Such a system in a Factor pedal might require assigning 1 knob to each beat (4 in total) to allow selection of the number of subdivisions per beat. Other knobs could be used for LFO shape, depth and maybe width. So that's 7 of the 9 knobs. It would mean sacrificing the second LFO functions in the Modfactor but would be TOTALLY worth it!!!

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