FAQ

What instruments can I use with the MOD Duo?
The MOD Duo is designed to work with a big variety of instruments. There are people using the MOD Duo with anything varying from regular electric guitars to wind-instruments like the trombone. A general rule of thumb: if it can be plugged in to a mono jack or MIDI port, it works with the MOD Duo.

Does the MOD Duo have a phantom power button for condenser microphones?
No. The MOD Duo has a MIDI input and two mono-jack inputs for connecting guitars, basses and dynamic microphones, but a condenser microphone could be connected via a pre-amp with phantom power.

How many instruments can I use simultaneously on the MOD Duo?
The MOD Duo has two completely independent analog inputs and outputs, as well as support for MIDI controllers with virtual instruments. This means that you can use two instruments that output an analog mono signal concurrently. On top of this, it is possible to add any number of virtual instruments that are controlled by external MIDI controllers.

Does the MOD Duo support MIDI?
Yes, the MOD Duo has great MIDI-connectivity. There is support for old-school MIDI over DIN-cables, as well as USB-MIDI over USB-cables. It is even possible to add a USB hub to the MOD Duo to expand the amount of USB connections that you can make.

Are the effects that run in the MOD Duo made only by MOD company?
No. The MOD Duo uses an open standard called LV2. It was created by the very active Linux Audio Community and hundreds of LV2 plugins are freely available, made by different independent developers.
Most of the plugins available on the MOD Cloud already existed when the project began and many more shall be created independently of MOD's existence.

Can I install plugins on the MOD Duo that are not available on the MOD cloud?
Yes. MOD gives full support to the LV2 standard and any working LV2 plugin will work in the MOD Duo. Installation is done using our free SDK.

How many effects can I use simultaneously on the MOD Duo?
The only limit to the number of pedals you can use simultaneously is the amount of processing they require. Certain pedals, such as Pitch Shifters and Tube Emulators, carry out numerous mathematical calculations and, therefore, require more processing. Others, such as delays and chorus, are mathematically simple and require little processing. Therefore, you may have problems if you try to use several Pitch Shifters on the same pedalboard. To help with this, the MOD Duo has a CPU usage indicator that alerts the user when the pedal board they have created is overloading the equipment.

Does the MOD Duo run VST effects?
No. The format used by the MOD Duo is LV2, which is similar to VST, but released under an open-source license, avoiding the license hassles related to VST and allowing multiple developers around the world to create effects for the MOD Duo.

Are plugins free of charge?
Not all the plugins are free. Yet,most plugins on MOD Plugin Store are indeed free of charge. We currently have close to 1000 plug-ins in our library and new plug-ins are regularly added. The payed plug-ins allow developers from around the world to sell their creations, encouraging these programmers to spend more time developing new and unusual plug-ins.

How many plugin parameters can be adjusted via the controls on the MOD Duo?
You have 4 actuators at your disposal: two footswitches and two knobs. The switches only allow you to control one plugin at a time but can be used to switch between pedalboards. The knobs, on the other hand, can be pushed like buttons so that you can address and control a virtually infinite amount of plugin parameters with each one. By pressing the endless knob, you are able to navigate between all the assignments for that particular knob. Many assignments to a single endless knob may become harder to navigate between all the assigned parameters. Each musician must find the perfect balance between the numbers of actuators, the numbers of parameters to be controlled and the pedalboard banks that fit their needs.

Can I use another power supply for my MOD Duo?
We recommend using the official power supply, as it keeps the noise-level low. Using a power supply with identical specifications is possible, though not supported by us. For more info on this please check this chapter on our wiki.

How much latency is expected in the MOD Duo?
The MOD Duo is designed to present the minimum possible latency. We use specific PCBs and circuits for audio processing, producing a latency of approximately 8 milliseconds.

Do I need a computer or other similar device to play with the MOD Duo?
No, you can take just MOD Duo to the stage and it works like any other regular multi-effects pedal.
The computer/tablet/phone is used to install new effects, create pedalboards (plugin arrangements with control assignments), upgrade the internal software and share your pedalboards on MOD Cloud.

Do I need to be connected to the internet to use the MOD Duo?
No. You can create pedalboards using the plugins that are already installed on your MOD Duo.
Internet connection is required only to install new plug-ins, to share or download other users’ pedalboards and for device updates.

How is the MOD Duo updated?
The MOD Duo checks if it is updated every time you connect to the graphical interface. If there is an update available, you will be notified. You can then perform the update with a single click.
Note that the device where you are visualising the graphical interface must be connected to the internet. Our team of programmers and engineers work to develop new features and to improve existing ones. We launch regular updates, which means that your MOD Duo constantly becomes more efficient and more stable.

What are the differences between the MOD Duo and the MOD Duo X?
In generic terms, the MOD Duo is designed to be a floor unit especially focused to be used by guitar and bass players. The MOD Duo X takes the same technology, focusing mostly on the synthesizers and live interaction with effects - the reason that justifies the bigger number of actuators. If we take a closer look at the technical aspects of both devices, the Duo X is a more powerful unit. With a more powerful processor, bigger memory, storage, and bit rate, the Duo X allow you to run more complex pedalboards with multiple instances of high requirements plugins. The Duo X also has physical CV input and output ports, which allows it to interact with modular synths, for example. The Duo X has also an extra input where the user can connect an expression pedal.