The Junipero, a Stereo multi-modulation pedal by UK stompbox builder Zander Circuitry, gathered a lot of interest in 2020 for its creative/experimental approach to modulation, carving out a niche for itself in a field of pedals built with a focus on replicating the tone of the best vintage units.
With the recent release of the Duplo (a lo-fi delay machine), it appears clear that the Junipero’s wide, four footswitches format is a platform at the base of a line of multi-mode pedals.
Just like its modulation brother, the Duplo offers 8 Modes, selectable via a rotary knob placed under the main row of controls:
- Analog (with modulation and grit): A throwback to the ‘80s, voiced to replicate ‘pink box’ analog delay pedals. The CTRL knob adds subtle modulation that ramps up to aggressive filtering and headroom reduction for analog-style distortion.
- Tape (with wow/flutter and tape age): The bright, crispy, fresh-out-the-box sound of a new tape delay unit. The CTRL knob adds wow/flutter and simulates older tape for unique warped effects.
- Multi-modulation (with chorus and flange): An effortlessly usable neutral delay with rich modulation. The CTRL knob lets you pick the perfect blend between chorus and flange tones.
- PT2399 (with chip aliasing and artefacts): A more modern sound that’s based around the digital delay chip prized by boutique builders in the early 2000s. The CTRL knob increases filtering and introduces aliasing to create unexpected digital artefacts.
- Multi-head (slapback/echo): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head set up for a classic slapback sound. The CTRL knob changes the delay time of the second tape head (up to roughly 150 milliseconds).
- Multi-head (dotted eights): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head that’s set to dotted eights for intricate rhythms. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
- Multi-head (triplets): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head that’s set to triplets for intricate rhythms. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
- Multi-head (golden ratio): Embrace the pseudo-reverb magic of intricate dual repeats that crash into each other, without getting in their own way. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
Five knobs let you adjust Time, Repeats, Tone Level and Mix, while the “wild card” Ctrl knob affects a varying parameter depending on the mode you are in.
The four footswitches give access to a host of functionalities including tap tempo, subdivision, and presets, while the back panels offers Midi compatibility, Expression In, and Stereo Ins and Outs.
Check out the videos of the Zander Circuitry Duplo, below, we added it to our list of Best Multi-Mode delay pedals.
There’s definitely something in here. The Duplo is the full-featured lo-fi delay machine you’ve been dreaming about, with eight different modes that’ll bring buckets of character to your playing. Sonically, it’s a throwback to the unique, the battered, and the irreplaceable, delivering the classic, well-worn sound of vintage units – without the hassle of maintaining them.
Age is beautiful. But it’s also unpredictable. The Duplo is our tribute to the days before clean, pristine delay effects, where no two units sounded the same and it was always better to repair than replace. Because there’s no substitute for character. Even if that meant hauling a heavy tape machine to and from every gig.
Times have changed, but the Duplo keeps one foot firmly in the era of embracing the unexpected. Even if it’s using the other to step firmly into a brave new world.
We love vintage delay units. We love how the right combination of wear and time (pun intended) can alter their character. But we don’t love picking the duds from the divine, or having to commit to just one sound when there are so many classic effects to choose from.
The Duplo puts the world at your feet, with intuitive, responsive controls and space for up to five onboard presets. It’s your ticket to an echoey universe of luxurious lo-fi lushness. (It’s also MIDI-compatible, so you can expand your horizons to 128 presets with a MIDI controller.)
An innovative CTRL knob alters a distinctive secondary parameter for each of the eight modes, giving you even more flexibility to sculpt sounds that’ll be the envy of even the most vintage-obsessed tone purists.
We’re not stuck in the past though. The Duplo comes loaded with all the tap tempo functionality you need from a modern delay pedal, with five subdivisions to choose from (quarter, eighth, dotted eighth, triplet, and sixteenth notes). Or, use the MIDI input to feed the Duplo with beat clock information, so even the most complex delays are always perfectly in time.
The Duplo’s timeless tones are:
- Analog (with modulation and grit): A throwback to the ‘80s, voiced to replicate ‘pink box’ analog delay pedals. The CTRL knob adds subtle modulation that ramps up to aggressive filtering and headroom reduction for analog-style distortion.
- Tape (with wow/flutter and tape age): The bright, crispy, fresh-out-the-box sound of a new tape delay unit. The CTRL knob adds wow/flutter and simulates older tape for unique warped effects.
- Multi-modulation (with chorus and flange): An effortlessly usable neutral delay with rich modulation. The CTRL knob lets you pick the perfect blend between chorus and flange tones.
- PT2399 (with chip aliasing and artefacts): A more modern sound that’s based around the digital delay chip prized by boutique builders in the early 2000s. The CTRL knob increases filtering and introduces aliasing to create unexpected digital artefacts.
- Multi-head (slapback/echo): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head set up for a classic slapback sound. The CTRL knob changes the delay time of the second tape head (up to roughly 150 milliseconds).
- Multi-head (dotted eights): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head that’s set to dotted eights for intricate rhythms. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
- Multi-head (triplets): Tape-style delay with an extra tape head that’s set to triplets for intricate rhythms. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
- Multi-head (golden ratio): Embrace the pseudo-reverb magic of intricate dual repeats that crash into each other, without getting in their own way. The CTRL knob changes the volume of the second tape head.
