I’m in for a new desktop multi-fx. My studio won’t be build up until summer next year after moving homes, so my rackmount stuff is unavailable ATM. I work with one desk full of machines. I have a H9, BigSky and Capitan, so I’m covered for singular fx.
I’m having a hard time deciding between aan Zoia and a Poly Beebo. Saw some reviews, read some forums, but I’m in great doubt. Both are equally expensive here (500 euro), but the Beebo is hard to get.
I’m not (yet ) into the synth side. I want to combine modules and modulate with LFO’s and controllers. I haven’t got any granular stuff yet, so that has my interest too. Oh, I won’t be plugging in guitars, just synths.
I like ‘challanging’ UI’s, but I doubt if I’d like the big touchscreen of the Beebo. I’m behind a computer all day… It is more powerfull though, DSP wise however and it has 4 outs & ins…
I haven’t used either so can’t offer any meaningful comment, but I have been looking at these two units as my “one box to rule them all” effects unit and have yet to reach a decision.
I had never heard of the Beebo, which looks cool, but I’ve had the Zoia for a while. And use it mostly with synths or the Digitakt.
I really like it. The UI is well designed and it’s great for quickly experimenting with effect chains. It definitely requires to read the manual and spend some time with it so building patches becomes intuitive. It’s not super hands on as it requires some menu diving and you can tweak only one parameter at a time by default.
I found that the best way to use it was to map some effect controls to the Digitakt midi tracks, then it’s much more hands on and forgo the menu diving.
Sound wise, I’d say it sounds great but it’s surely more about having the possibilities to chain several effects.
This is a quick take I gave a friend, who was considering Beebo vs. ZOIA. For context and bias, I owned a Beebo for a while; didn’t care for the experience; I currently own four ZOIAs and a Zebu.
“Beebo is arguably more immediate but its UI – to me – discourages complexity. So, if you want more of a surface level experience with signal-chain experiments, it might be better option, but if you’re looking to get more intricate/customized, ZOIA’s your bet.”
I think that difference in UI leads to very different results, so while I understand the comparison, I didn’t find the experience very similar when I was using both at the same time.
I will add that Beebo is not necessarily more powerful. The DSP is allotted and optimized differently. Some things are cheaper to do in one than the other, and vice versa.
For purposes of like-for-like price comparison I’ve also been contemplating getting an iPad Mini 5 (the last one with a headphone jack and roughly the same price range as the Beebo and Zoia) as a dedicated effects unit.
Obviously there would be additional costs for people who don’t already have them: an audio interface (or at least an iRig) for getting audio into the device, plus the cost of apps to process with. I already have those so it isn’t an additional expense for me. Drambo is the most obvious build-it-yourself environment in iOS, but MiRack could be used in a similar ways, or something like AUM could be used to create signal chains with existing AUv3s.
I never used the Zoia but had the Beebo for a while now and wouldn’t mind adding a Zoia sometime in the future. From what I‘ve heard from reviews who compared them both they seem to compliment each other well instead of being a replacement/either or decision.
I personally like the Beebo a lot and while I understand that the touchscreen UI can be a turn off it definitely helps keeping track of what’s going on when a patch gets more complex. And for external tweaking it offers MIDI input as well.
I can’t compare the update frequency of the Zoia but Beebo‘s developer is bringing new features constantly. The recently added looper is fantastic, the ability to load IR‘s for unique reverbs has got me into it as well and the recent update made the usually sluggish response with more complex patches a completely new experience. And since both firmwares can be used simultaneously now makes it an even more capable device. I‘m definitely keeping mine and will keep an eye open for a Zoia to add its own thing eventually.
Since this is temporary, have you considered picking up a Zoom MS70CDR or three?
The reverbs aren’t as nice as an Eventide, and it doesn’t have the modular capability of the Zoia, but you do get a ton of decent FX that can be chained and they are stupid cheap used.
I watched a few videos but the Zoom’s sound didn’t sound great to me (although it’s unfair to put it against things at 4x the cost of it and make such a complaint, perhaps). I’m a huge fan of my trusty old Zoom 1201 rack unit so would love to be mistaken about the CDR
The Zoom is trying to be an Eventide, there is a “Blackhole” ‘verb as well as plenty of others that sound like allusions to more famous pedals. The comparison may not be fair, but Zoom brought it upon themselves.
I have a Space. While the Zoom BH is recognizably similar, where Eventide really wins is on clean and smooth knob response. You can play any Eventide like an instrument. You can get away with that in some cases in the Zoom, but it is much more of a set & forget utility pedal.
One easy way to clean up the Zoom is to put it behind Space: run your delays and other non-verb FX on the Zoom, and then finish off with the Eventide Shimmer or whatever is right for your track.
At the end of the day, tons of adequate FX, $75-$150, AA batteries, and a robust pedal case (compared to the NTS-1) makes it a strong contender for must have status unless your studio already has a stack of premium boutique effects.
I’ve had both: I sold my Zoia and still have the Beebo. For me, I like the graphical UI, but others aren’t a big fan of touch screens. The Zoia is immediate in its own way, but you need to get used to the programming architecture. Both sound great, although IMO best used for “weird” or complex effects, since there are better options if you just want a reverb or delay or whatever.
I also have a Line 6 HX that I use for guitar when I want to quickly dial in some basic effects or set up a pedal chain. The Zoia and Beebo are nothing like this kind of multi-effect–they really require you to decide what you want to do and figure out how to do it. There are good user-made patches available for both, but if what you really want are a collection of ready-made effects, you’ve got your H9 for that (I have one of those, also!).
I’d say that both are good options–as others have mentioned here, the Beebo developer is super attentive and continually releases new features. In fact, I have trouble staying up to date!
That’s a good point. Putting something more high-end after it in a chain makes a lot of sense and the AudioPilz/Shoegazer video about getting all the different presets is interesting too.
Honestly if you just need a a quality multi-FX unit that can work with a variety of instruments (factory presets include sections for bass, acoustic guitar, keys, electric guitar), easy to turn individual FX like drive and delay off and on, and easy to use onboard looper - the Line 6 HX lineup is probably the best choice.
People can and do use Zoia as virtual pedalboards as well but you’ll have to do more work yourself to get it all set up, and may end up investing in separate MIDI controllers for faster tweaks to things like wet-dry mix, reverb time, delay time, mod rate, etc… Keep in mind Zoia has only one knob onboard.
Haven’t tried a zoia, but I’ve got a beebo and love it. I hesitated quite long before buying as I thought the touchscreen would be a big turn off, but it’s actually a really great interface (especially after the sluggish response time of the graphics was fixed in a firmware update). I still feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface, as it’s very deep and provides lots of fx and modules to play around with. Definitely a keeper for me.
Thank you all for your insights, that was very helpful! I concluded that for me the Beebo had the edge, because of the convolution reverb and the interface. I’m well equiped with more conventional reverbs, IR brings something new to my table.
To my surprise I found a used Beebo 40km away, whereas both Zoia and Beebo were sold out. So, I pulled the trigger and now have a pink Beebo sitting on my desk eagerly waiting for me to finish a boring day at the office… Has great fun last night just navigating the pages without any audio and seeing what is possible. Thrilled by the fact it’s so easy the connect midi to parameters…
) into the synth side. I want to combine modules and modulate with LFO’s and controllers. I haven’t got any granular stuff yet, so that has my interest too. Oh, I won’t be plugging in guitars, just synths.
Has great fun last night just navigating the pages without any audio and seeing what is possible. Thrilled by the fact it’s so easy the connect midi to parameters…