When I looked at the ZOIA, I said there was nothing like it on the market. And that’s largely true, however, Poly Effects’ Beebo is at least a close relative. This is, in theory, a “multi-modulation pedal” for your guitar. But in reality, it’s a modular virtual synthesizer that excels in guitar effects.
The front of the pedal has two buttons to replace the settings, 3 foot switches and a five-inch touch screen where you can create your patches. Like the ZOIA, Beebo will possibly not emit any sound until you connect the virtual modules inside. Attaching elements and navigating your creations is a little less difficult on a touchscreen than on a multicolored button grid.
Under the hood is a 64-bit ARM processor, 2 GB or RAM and 16 GB of flash storage. In short, it is a computer, but aimed exclusively at audio processing. There are a lot of pretty classic effects here, like delay, reverb, chorus, phaser and flanger. But there are also more exotic modules like a granular processor, virtual oscillators to build synthesizers, LFO and filters. And by combining them and using one module in another, that’s where Beebo’s strength resides.
It is also interesting to note that many synthesizer modules are based on mutable instrument devices, such as Grids, Plaits, Clouds and Warps. These are incredibly popular and deep eurorack modules. And one costs a few hundred dollars. So putting them on a $399 guitar pedal is pretty exciting.
But Beebo also has a secret. It’s precisely the same hardware as Poly Effects’ newest pedal, Digit. Run other firmware. And you can switch freely between the two firmwares. So, if you bought a Digit, you already have a Beebo. And, if you buy a Beebo, you also get a Digit.
Digit and Beebo have a percentage of much of the same DNA. And there are many overlapping features between the two. But from synth engines, the Digit focuses on cockpit simulations, delays and reverberations. It devotes much of its strength to its convolution reverb engine. You can even use the USB port to load your own IR files (pulse response) so you can recreate the sound of your favorite old amplifier, rack reverb or even the herbal echo of your bathroom. (The latest firmware includes reverbs created around the Black Star group sound).
In addition to the USB port, both pedals also have a TRS MIDI input and output, as well as two TRS stereo inputs and outputs, for a total of 4 audio channels in the direction.
The Beebo and Digit should be ordered now, but there is a wait of approximately three weeks for production, depending on the site. This makes sense as all pedals are home-made and Poly is still a small business.