Has Robert Keeley been at the Redbull?

Teetonetal

I know him really as a pedal modder, with one or two production pedals.
Just checked out his page on guitar guitar and the range is now huge! Looking at some of the bigger pedals and the number of derivatives, I'm guessing he's gone in for programmable algorithm based pedal architecture?

Same great ideas, Hooke reverb in particular has got my attention,.

Anyone tried out anything from the new range?

Magnetic_Effects

Yes, a number of his new pedals are DSP based. So they are the same pedal internally with a different program loaded and a different name on the front. 

hotpickups

Magnetic_Effects said:

Yes, a number of his new pedals are DSP based. So they are the same pedal internally with a different program loaded and a different name on the front. 

Sounds a bit cheeky considering what he charges for each pedal

monquixote

It's the same approach used by TC, Source, Boss, Digitech, Strymon, etc.

The only people who are direct about it are Neunaber.

For a small company I don't think they could afford the r&d unless they were building a platform.

Teetonetal

Interestign, that's what I figured. It's a logical model for digital stuff I suppose. I saw quite a few pedals were 4 pots and a a 3 way toggle, so I suppose it's pretty easy to manufacture the enclosure and then flash the algorithm on top. Guess it's the strymon way?

Teetonetal

monquixote said:

It's the same approach used by TC, Source, Boss, Digitech, Strymon, etc.

The only people who are direct about it are Neunaber.

For a small company I don't think they could afford the r&d unless they were building a platform.

Yes, it's interesting that Neunaber seem to be the only ones who sell then enclosure and give away the algorithms for free..

stickyfiddle

He was very upfront about the ups and downs of the business on that big TGP pedal-builders thread a couple of weeks ago. A very good read if you haven't already seen it.

Teetonetal

stickyfiddle said:

He was very upfront about the ups and downs of the business on that big TGP pedal-builders thread a couple of weeks ago. A very good read if you haven't already seen it.

I did read it, excellent stuff. I was just taken aback by how quickly he has expanded his range, but if he is using 1 chassis layout/ pcb with different algorithms it makes a lot of sense 

peteri

Well I got a Keeley Monteray and SuperMod station getting delivered today, will let you know.

Modstation will likely be returned, but wanted to see how the analog delay compares to my Carbon Copy, since tap tempo and also a mod source in one box would be cool.

time will tell - but agree TGP thread was amazing

joeyowen

It's easy to say what he does is easy and expandable.

But to be fair, dsp programming is a bitch and he isn't releasing anything substandard.  From what i've heard (first and third hand) they all sound immense!

Some of the pedals are so niche, they would never make a profit as analogue.

He is combining some of his pedals in the workstations for less money, if that gives him any credit?

Teetonetal

joeyowen said:

It's easy to say what he does is easy and expandable.

But to be fair, dsp programming is a bitch and he isn't releasing anything substandard.  From what i've heard (first and third hand) they all sound immense!

Some of the pedals are so niche, they would never make a profit as analogue.

He is combining some of his pedals in the workstations for less money, if that gives him any credit?

I'm not dissing this approach, it makes perfect sense, especially for a small business. As ever the deciding factor is in the quality of the end product. 

jonnygreentrees

I think they are all based on the Spin FV1 chip, I also think he has another guy working with him now helping with the programming and R&D

colourofsound

That's interesting - thats the same chip in the Bitquest.

dindude

I have the Aurora revered and it's great. Keeley is a great example of someone who's transformed their business seemingly overnight.

This video tour is a great insight.

Sporky

hotpickups said:

Sounds a bit cheeky considering what he charges for each pedal

It'd be vastly more expensive if every pedal had a different architecture, and for no benefit to Keeley nor to the customer. It'd be a daft waste of effort and money.

Cabicular

So how long before we are all using modellers (whether we know it or not)

digitalscream

Teetonetal said:

monquixote said:

It's the same approach used by TC, Source, Boss, Digitech, Strymon, etc.

The only people who are direct about it are Neunaber.

For a small company I don't think they could afford the r&d unless they were building a platform.

Yes, it's interesting that Neunaber seem to be the only ones who sell then enclosure and give away the algorithms for free..

Not exactly true - TC's modulation pedals all have interchangeable Toneprints, available for free. The delays and reverbs are apparently slightly different internally.

Not sure about the others (compressors, octaver etc).

peteri

Well, I'm not convinced his approach is working - the two Keeleys I got are going back.

To focus on the topic here - the supermod station sounds great, gets very good infact.

But has one annoying bug, if you have a chorus sound (or flange) - and you are playing, when you engage the pedal you hear the modulated note fade in.

Sounds stupid, but it's really annoying - only for the first xxx m/s but it kind of farts over stuff, they know it's there because the note fades in like they've tried to mask it.

Disappointing because for £240 I expected more, I love the sounds and it's a nice footprint, but I'll stick with my Carbon Copy and Micro flanger

Monteray is also going back, it's fussy on power source - if you daisy chain the clock is audible when you're not playing (the pulsing of the vibe, even when not engaged). But main reason is, the demo's sounded so good I loved it, but I've yet to find a fuzz that works when I play it - and this is another one1

toescantalk

jonnygreentrees said:

I think they are all based on the Spin FV1 chip, I also think he has another guy working with him now helping with the programming and R&D

That interesting. Anyone tried buying the developer board for this to play with making your own fx?

colourofsound

Looking at the form factor of these pedals http://www.alexanderpedals.com/shop/?category=Standard+Series I wouldn't be surprised if these were Spin FV1 pedals too. Almost exactly like the Keeley stuff layout wise.

Magnetic_Effects

Yes, I believe the Alexander pedals are FV-1 based as well. (At least four of them definitely are.)