NM-1

NOVA Modulator

USER’S MANUAL

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Two Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 LFO Sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
LFO Trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
SETUP EXAMPLES
Mono . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 PRESETS
Stereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Preset modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Modulator in Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Preset mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Stereo Loop Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Bank mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Limiting the Number of Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
OVERVIEW Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 APPENDIX
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Calibrating Input Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
EFFECT TYPES
Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Tri-Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Flanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Through Zero Flanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Phaser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Tremolo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Vibrato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

TC Electronic, Sindalsvej 34, DK-8240 Risskov – info@tcelectronic.com English Version Manual revision 1.0 – SW – V 1.0 3
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 INTRODUCTION
Nova Modulator – Creativity Enhanced
Never before have all of TC’s acclaimed modulation effects been packed into a single stompbox. With seven stellar
effects including the brand new Tri-Chorus and Through-Zero-Flanger, Nova Modulator gives you all the modulation
effects you’ll ever need – and then some. This is an effects pedal for the guitarist who has come to terms with the
basics of guitar effects and is now on the lookout for the icing on the cake. With its Dual Engine design, Nova
Modulator allows you to combine Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo and Vibrato effects, sync the tempo between
them and even trigger the LFO to start right on the beat. Nova Modulator gives you unlimited sound shaping
possibilities. And with nine presets, there is plenty of room to store your favorite settings.

Destined to spark new inspiration for your music

Nova Modulator Features

• Seven studio-quality modulation effects
• Dual Engine design
• 9/18 user-programmable presets
• LFO synchronization
• LFO trigger
• Tap tempo
• Auto input gain adjustment
• Stereo in/out

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 SETUP EXAMPLE: MONO
This is a standard mono setup consisting only of
your guitar, your amp and the NOVA Modulator.

• Connect your guitar to the left input (L) of the

NOVA Modulator.
• Connect the left output (L) of the NOVA
Modulator to the input of your amp.

We recommend placing the NOVA Modulator

pedal in the signal path after distortion/overdrive
pedals.

For best signal to noise ratio, calibrate

the pedal according to the level of the
input signal. For further information, refer
to this manual’s “Calibration” section.

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 SETUP EXAMPLE: STEREO
This is a classic stereo setup, giving you all
the benefits of the NOVA Modulator’s stereo
effects.

• Connect your guitar to the left input (L) of

the NOVA Modulator.
• Connect the left output (L) of the NOVA
Modulator to the input of one amp, and
the right output (R) to another amp.

For best signal to noise ratio, calibrate

the pedal according to the level of the
input signal. For further information,
refer to this manual’s “Calibration”
section.

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 SETUP EXAMPLE: MODULATOR IN LOOP
In this setup, we operate the NOVA Modulator in
the effects loop of a combo amp (i.e., after the
preamp section, before the power amp).

• Connect your guitar to the amp’s input.

• Connect the amp’s effect send to the left
input of the NOVA Modulator.
• Connect the left output of the NOVA
Modulator to the amp’s effect return.

For best signal to noise ratio, calibrate

the pedal according to the level of the
input signal. For further information, refer
to this manual’s “Calibration” section.

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 SETUP EXAMPLE: STEREO LOOP SETUP
In this setup, we use the pre-amp from one of
the combo amps to generate the basic sound
and the NOVA Modulator to split the signal into
stereo. Please note that by connecting one of
the Modulator’s outputs to the return jack of amp
B, we only use the power amp section of that
second amp.

• Connect your guitar to the input of amp A.

• Connect amp A’s effect send to the left input
of the NOVA Modulator.
• Connect the left output of the NOVA
Modulator to amp A’s effect return.
• Connect the left output of the NOVA
Modulator to amp B’s effect return.

For best signal to noise ratio, calibrate

the pedal according to the level of the
input signal. For further information, refer
to this manual’s “Calibration” section.

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 OVERVIEW

R output L R input L power

mono mono

depth speed LFO depth speed

SYNC

time/filter shape/feed time/filter shape/feed

tri-mix tri-mix

chorus
tri-chor
phaser
tremolo
A chorus
tri-chor
phaser
tremolo
B
preset
flanger vibrato hold to store
flanger vibrato

HOLD HOLD HOLD

to bypass to calib to bypass
effect +variation manual effect +variation

on/off tap tempo

hold and release

manual/preset

NOVA MODULATOR
DUAL MODULATION EFFECTS

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 OVERVIEW
This section describes in short the functions of the Controls
knobs and buttons on the NOVA Modulator. For
detailed explanations of the various parameters, please 4 – ON/OFF Switch
refer to the manual section describing the effects. The ON/OFF switch has several functions.
• Press the ON/OFF switch once to bypass or
Connections activate the pedal.
• Press and hold the ON/OFF switch for
1 – Power approximately 0.5 seconds to alternate between
The NOVA Modulator requires 12V DC 300 mA. Use Manual mode and Preset mode.
the power supply provided in the product box or a
power supply with similar specifications. 5 – TAP TEMPO Switch
Tap this switch rhythmically to enter the global tempo.
2 – Inputs Typically, you will tap quarter notes.
These are ¼" mono jack connectors for signal input.
NOVA Modulator will sense if a signal source is Example: Preset selection using the ON/OFF and the
connected to both inputs and treat these signals as TAP TEMPO switches
one stereo source. If you connect a mono source only, When you are in Preset mode, you can step through
ALWAYS use the left input! presets by pressing the PRESET button repeatedly.
The same function can be invoked by first pressing the
3 – Outputs TAP/TEMPO switch once and immediately thereafter
pressing the ON/OFF switch multiple times.
These are ¼" mono jack connectors which carry the
signals from channels A and B.

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 OVERVIEW
Illustration - step up in presets Edited dot

1 2 3 etc.
6 – DEPTH Knob
You can even scroll downwards using the foot
The DEPTH knob operates as a standard depth control
switches: Press TAP TEMPO once, followed by one
for all effect types.
tap on the ON/OFF switch. Then press the TAP
TEMPO switch again on or more times. Now you scroll
- In the Chorus, Tri-Chorus Flanger and Vibrato
downwards through the preset list.
effects the knob controls the pitch depth.
Illustration - step down in presets - In the Phaser effect, the knob controls the filter
depth.
- In the Tremolo effect, the knob controls the amount
of volume attenuation, also known as the intensity
of the tremolo.
1 2 3 4 etc.
7 – SPEED Knob
The dot in the lower right corner of the display
indicates when toggle modes active. As long the The SPEED knob operates as a standard speed
dot is lit, it is possible to step up/down in control for all effect types.
presets as described above.

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 OVERVIEW
8 – TIME/FILTER Knob 10 – LFO SYNC Button
The function of this knob depends on the selected The LFO Sync function syncs the speed of effect
effect type: Engines A and B. With LFO Sync activated (LED lit),
Chorus: Chorus delay time tapping the tempo on the TAP TEMPO switch will sync
Tri-Chorus: Chorus delay time both Engines to this tapped tempo. For the Tremolo
Flanger: Flanger delay time effect it is possible to select the sub-division using the
Phaser: 4, 8 or 12 filters (indicated in the display) TIME knob. This is explained further in the “Effects”
Tremolo: Subdivision (indicated in the display) chapter in this manual.
Vibrato: Ramp time*
11 – Display
* Ramp: This is a function available in Variation mode that, The 7-segment display may indicate different
when activated, gradually increases the depth of the Vibrato, parameters:
similar to what a vocalist does. • Either the current preset number or
• The number of filters (for the Phaser) or
9 – SHAPE/FEED/TRI-MIX Knob • The Subdivision (for the Tremolo)
The function of this knob depends on the selected
effect type: The dot in the lower right corner can indicate:
Chorus: Hi-Cut • When a knob is placed at the currently stored
Tri-Chorus: Chorus mix (amount) position
Flanger: Flanger Feedback • When the pedal is in preset toggle mode
Phaser: Phaser Feedback
Tremolo: Pulse-width

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 OVERVIEW
12 – PRESET Button are Chorus, Tri-Chorus, Flanger (LED red), Through-
Press the PRESET button once to enter Preset mode. Zero-Flanger (LED green), Phaser, Tremolo and
Press it several times to step through presets. In Vibrato.
Preset mode, you can store and recall up to nine
different presets. In bank mode up to 18 (2x9) presets 14 & 17 – VARIATION Buttons
can be stored. The various effect types have so-called variations.
Please also refer to the section “Limiting the Number of E.g., for the Tremolo, there are “hard” and “soft” types.
Presets” in chapter “Presets” of this manual. The Chorus has phase tilts. You will find additional
information on these variations in the manual section
13 & 16 – EFFECT Buttons describing the effects.
Use the EFFECT buttons to switch the two effects on
or off individually and to set the effect type for each 18 – SPEED LEDs
Engine. Press an EFFECT button once to engage that When LFO SYNC mode is not active, you can change
effect’s Engine. Press and hold an EFFECT button to the speed of the two engines individually using the
disengage that Engine. Please note that it is not SPEED knobs and the TAP TEMPO switch.
possible to disengage both Engines at the same time. Only one Engines SPEED LED will be lit at any time as
If only one Engine is active and you disengage that the TAP TEMPO switch directly controls the tempo of
Engine, NOVA Modulator will automatically engage the the other Engine.
other Engine. (See also the “LFO Sync mode “off” example on page
If you want to fully switch off both Engines (i.e., bypass 26).
the pedal), use the ON/OFF switch.
Press an EFFECT button several times to select When LFO SYNC mode is active, the same speed is
between the different effect types. The available types applied to both Engines. In this case, the speed is

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 EFFECT TYPES: CHORUS
controlled either by Engine A’s SPEED knob or by Chorus
tapping the TAP TEMPO switch. When you set the
speed using Engine A’s SPEED knob, the SPEED LED Introduction
in Engine A indicates the tempo. When you set the The basic idea of a Chorus effect is to split the signal
tempo by tapping it with the TAP TEMPO switch, the and pitch modulate one of the signals slightly, then mix
TAP TEMPO switches’ LED indicates the tempo. the two signals again. In this “regular” type of Chorus,
the Chorusing effect occurs when the pitch modulated
In LFO Sync mode, the SPEED knob of Engine signal is played against the dry signal.
B is inactive!
DEPTH Knob
Use the DEPTH knob to specify the intensity of the
effect. The more you turn the knob clock-wise, the more
“out of tune” the modulated part of the signal will be.

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 EFFECT TYPES: CHORUS
SPEED Knob VARIATION Button
Use the SPEED knob to set the speed of the effect. Use the VARIATION button to tilt the phase of the
signal on the right channel by 90 degrees, resulting in
The relationship between the depth and a very broad stereo sound.
speed parameters is important. The faster the
speed, the less depth can be applied before This only applies in stereo setups.
the Chorus sounds “out of tune”.

TIME/FILTER Knob: Time Parameter Tri-Chorus

Use the TIME/FILTER knob to set the delay time for
Introduction
the Chorus effect. Changing the delay time will change
the perceived “width” of the Chorus effect. Set this The Tri-Chorus is a variation of the regular Chorus that
knob to a 12 o’clock position for a nice traditional uses three stereo Choruses with various offsets for
Chorus effect. both depth, speed, phase and chorus delay time to
produce a unique, very broad and lush Chorus sound.
SHAPE/FEED Knob: Hi-Cut Parameter Speed, Depth and Time parameter descriptions are
similar to the standard Chorus descriptions.
Use the SHAPE/FEED knob to reduce the high-end
frequencies in the Chorus effect. Try using this
SHAPE/FEED/TRI-MIX Knob: Tri-Mix Parameter
parameter if you feel the Chorus effect is too dominant
in your sound. In Tri-Chorus mode, use the SHAPE/FEED/TRI-MIX
knob to set the mix between the dry signal and the
chorused effect.

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 EFFECT TYPES: CHORUS
+VARIATION Button Normal or TZF (Through Zero Flange) mode
Two phase settings are available for the Tri-Chorus. Two Flanger modes are available. To select the Flanger,
One option produces a more traditional Chorus sound press the EFFECT button repeatedly. The LED will turn
where the phases of the three Choruses are tilted by red, indicating Normal mode. Press the EFFECT button
90, 180 and 270 degrees respectively. The other option once more, and the LED will turn green, indicating TZF
is an asymmetric type where the phase and depth mode. The TZF mode emulates the original way of
parameters are tuned to produce a wilder and more creating a flange effect, with two identical pieces of
audio material being played back simultaneously on
“uncontrolled” Chorus effect.
two tape decks and then being mixed on a third deck.
The flanging effect was achieved by slowing down and
Flanger speeding up the two decks at different times. An
Introduction essential part of the special effect created this way is
the unique phase cancellation occurring when the two
The Flanger belongs to the same “family” of signals pass each other in time (the zero point). A
modulation effects as the Chorus effect. The signal is conventional Flanger pedal/ algorithm tries to emulate
split, and one of the signals is pitch modulated. this effect, but because the two signals will never cross
The characteristic “flanging” sound occurs when the each other in time, until now, phase cancellation wasn’t
pitch-modulated part of the signal is slightly delayed possible.
and fed back to the input of the effect algorithm. In a But with the NOVA Modulator’s TZF mode, it is.
Flanger effect, the delay times of the modulated signal
are typically shorter compared to a Chorus effect. DEPTH Knob
Experiment with the Feedback parameter to get an Use the DEPTH knob to set the intensity of the effect.
idea of the effects you can achieve. The more you turn the knob clock-wise, the more “out of
tune” the modulated part of the signal is.

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 EFFECT TYPES: FLANGER
SPEED Knob Although the NOVA Modulator effects have
Use the SPEED knob to set the speed of the effect. been tuned to sound great with the knobs in 12
o’clock position you should notice that setting
SHAPE/FEED Knob: Feedback Parameter the FEEDBACK knob to the 12 o’clock position
results in NO feedback. For traditional pedal
Use the SHAPE/FEED knob to control the amount of flanging sounds, this will sound a little tame, so
feedback (Resonance) of the short modulated delay you should use at least some feedback.
that causes the Flanging effect. When the Feedback is
set too high (above approximately 90 % to 95 %), this If, on the other hand, you have selected TZF
might introduce internal feedback, resulting in a mode and are aiming for the most authentic
squealing noise that in most cases is unwanted in through-zero-flange sound, you should try
flanging effects. Be aware of this side-effect when setting the feed-back knob exactly at the 12
experimenting at high volumes. Negative values o’clock position.
inverse the phase of the signal that is fed back to the
algorithm’s input. TIME/FILTER Knob: Flanger Delay Parameter
Typically, delay values around 5 ms are used for
flanging effects, whereas Chorus effects occur with
delay times around 10 ms. Short delay times give very
Negative Feedback Positive Feedback intense, “jet engine”-type sounds. Longer delay times
give more “bathroom”-type sounds.

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 EFFECT TYPES: FLANGER
+VARIATION Button
The +VARIATION button allows you to select between
two distinct flavors of tape flanging effects: negative
and positive summing.

The button essentially flips the phase of the "flanged"

signal 180 degrees, creating radically different sounds
particularly when the two signals are mixed together.
With negative summing (+VAR “off”) the delayed signal
is phase reversed resulting in severe frequency
cancellations as the two signals get closer to the zero
point. When the two signals are exactly at the same
point they will cancel out each other completely.

Positive summing (+VAR “on”) happens when the

delayed signal is in phase with the dry signal. When
mixed the result is a warm, less extreme, but very
musical sound that gets more pronounced as the
delayed signal gets closer to the zero point.

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 EFFECT TYPES: PHASER
Phaser SPEED Knob
Use the SPEED knob to set the speed of the effect.
Introduction
The electronic phasing effect is created by splitting an SHAPE/FEED Knob: Feedback Parameter
audio signal into two paths. One path treats the signal
Use the SHAPE/FEED knob to control the amount of
with an all-pass filter, which preserves the amplitude of
feedback in the Phaser. Negative values inverse the
the original signal and alters the phase. The amount of
phase of the signal that is fed back to the algorithm’s
change in phase depends on the frequency. When
input.
signals from the two paths are mixed, the frequencies
that are out of phase will cancel each other out,
creating the “notches” characteristic for a Phaser.
Changing the mix ratio changes the depth of these
notches. The deepest notches occur when the mix Negative Feedback Positive Feedback
ratio is 50 %, which is the fixed ratio of the Phaser in
NOVA Modulator.

DEPTH Knob
Use the DEPTH knob to specify the intensity of the
effect. The higher the setting the more aggressive the
effect will sound.

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 EFFECT TYPES: PHASER

Although the NOVA Modulator effects have Most “old-school” pedals use four filters.
been tuned to sound great with the knobs in 12
o’clock position you should note that setting the
FEEDBACK knob to the 12 o’clock position with
the Phaser selected results in NO feedback. +VARIATION Button
This may sound too tame compared to Use the VARIATION button to shift between high and
traditional stomp box pedal phasers. Experiment low emphasis.
with either positive or negative settings.
When the LED is “on” the emphasis is on the
TIME/FILTER Knob: Filter Parameter high frequencies. This gives a subtle,
Use the TIME/FILTER knob to set the number of filters transparent Phaser that is not too dominant.
used for the phaser. The variations are 4, 8 or 12
filters. The display will indicate the number of filters When the LED is “off” the emphasis is on the
while you turn the knob. The fewer filters, the more low-end frequencies and the phasing sound is a
“grainy” the effect. The more filters are used, the more pronounced, grindy “old-school” type.
smoother the effect sounds.
Indication

4 – filters 8 – filters 12 – filters

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 EFFECT TYPES:TREMOLO
Tremolo Set the knob in this range for 1/4 (quarter
Introduction notes)
The Tremolo effect periodically increases and
decreases the level of the signal. With this particular The display will show
Tremolo, you can choose between soft(sine) and hard
(square) curves. You can also change the pulse width.

DEPTH Knob Set the knob in this range for 1/4 triplets
Use the DEPTH knob to set the intensity of the effect.
A 100 % setting means that the signal is completely
muted between signal peaks. The display will show

SPEED Knob
Use the SPEED knob to set the speed of the effect.

TIME/FILTER Knob: Time Parameter Set the knob in this range for 1/8
Use the TIME/FILTER knob to set the subdivisions of
the global tempo used for the Tremolo effect. The
options are: The display will show

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 EFFECT TYPES:TREMOLO
SHAPE/FEED Knob: Pulse-width Parameter
Set the knob in this range for 1/8 triplets Use the SHAPE/FEED knob to set the width of the pulse.

Example – narrow peaks with a “hard” waveform

The display will show

Knob position Waveform

Set the knob in this range for 1/16
Example – classic symmetric tremolo

The display will show

Knob position Waveform

Set the knob in this range for 1/16 triplets

Example – wide peaks with a “hard” waveform

The display will show

Knob position Waveform

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 EFFECT TYPES:TREMOLO
+VARIATION Button
Two waveforms are available as modulation sources
for the Tremolo effect. Using the “Hard” option results
in a steeper effect. Listen and choose the appropriate
option.

Soft

Hard

For a 100 % “on/off” kind of Tremolo, choose

“Hard Tremolo” and turn the DEPTH knob fully
clockwise.

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 EFFECT TYPES: VIBRATO
Vibrato TIME FILTER Knob
This knob sets the Ramp time in when +VARIATION is
Introduction
activated. Read more below.
The Vibrato effect modulates the pitch of the incoming
signal. The result is similar to the vibrato technique SHAPE/FEED Knob
used by vocalists. In contrast to a Chorus or Flanger
Use the SHAPE/FEED knob to set the frequency of the
effect, no direct signal is combined with the pitch-
high-cut filter applied to the signal. Adding high-cut on
modulated signal.
a vibrato results in a more subtle, vintage sounding effect.
DEPTH Knob
Use the DEPTH knob to specify the intensity of the VARIATION Button
effect. The setting represents the amplitude of the With the VARIATION button activated, you can hold the
modulating waveform. TAP TEMPO switch to activate/deactivate the Vibrato
function AND the “Ramp” function. In this mode, the
TAP TEMPO button works as a latching switch for
turning the effect on/off.

The higher the amplitude the more the pitch is The Ramp Function:
modulated. When you have activated the Ramp function, you can
press and hold the TAP TEMPO switch to start the
SPEED Knob vibrato with only little depth and “ramp up” until the
Use the SPEED knob to set the speed of the effect. maximum vibrato setting is achieved. You can set the
maximum vibrato depth using the DEPTH knob. Set
the Ramp Time using the TIME/FILTER knob.

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 ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Two Engines LFO Sync
• Press the LFO SYNC button to activate this
NOVA Modulation contains two identical effect
function.
Engines. This allows you to use two different
modulation effects at the same time, or to even
The LFO Sync function allows synchronization of the
combine two identical algorithms for a more extreme
two effect Engines’ Speed parameters. With LFO Sync
and pronounced effect.
activated, tapping the tempo on the TAP TEMPO foot
But for a more traditional effect – or to listen to only
switch or turning Engine A’s SPEED knob will set both
one effect at a time when creating a new preset –
Engines to the same tempo – i.e. synchronize them.
either Engine can be turned off by pressing an holding
the EFFECT button for approximately 500 ms. Use LFO Sync when you want to create pronounced
Pressing the EFFECT button again (in this case, effects. E.g., you might double two identical Chorus
holding is not necessary) turns the Engine on again. sounds, sync the tempo of a Tremolo effect to a
Flanger/Phaser or create rhythmic Tremolos by using
LFO Sync two Tremolos with different subdivisions. This feature
really opens up a world of sounds and applications, so
What is an LFO? experiment and be creative!
The LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) is an audio signal
with a very low frequency that creates a pulsating The SPEED Knob in LFO Sync mode
rhythm rather than an audible tone. In the NOVA In LFO Sync mode, the SPEED knob on Engine A
Modulator, this rhythm is routed to control the speed of becomes a master speed control for both Engines and
the various effects. disables the SPEED knob on Engine B.

25
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 ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Tempo Indication in LFO Sync mode TEMPO switch. This is great if you e.g. want to control
the speed of a tremolo in Engine A, but not the speed
In LFO Sync mode the tempo is set either by turning the
of the chorus selected in Engine B.
Engine A SPEED knob or by tapping the TAP TEMPO
switch.
Step by step example:
If you set the tempo using the Engine A SPEED knob the
LED next to the SPEED knob will indicate the tempo. Object: TAP TEMPO controlling the speed of Engine B
If you tap the tempo using the TAP TEMPO switch, the Turn the SPEED knob on Engine A and then tap the
TAP TEMPO LED will indicate the tempo. TAP TEMPO switch. You have now set the tempo of
Engine A using the Engine A SPEED knob and the
Switching LFO Sync mode on and off tempo of Engine B using the TAP TEMPO switch.
When switching LFO Sync mode off in Manual mode,
the value of the Speed parameter in Engine B will • The Engine A Speed LED is showing the tempo (of
change to the current position of Engine B’s SPEED Engine A).
knob. Engine A will retain the tap tempo speed. • The Tap Tempo LED is showing the tempo of
Engine B.
• The Engine B Speed LED is not lit.
When switching LFO Sync mode off in Preset mode,
the Speed parameter values of both Engine A and Object: TAP TEMPO controlling the speed of Engine A
Engine B will change to the values originally stored in • The Engine B Speed LED now indicates the tempo
the preset. of Engine B according to the position of the SPEED
knob.
LFO Sync mode “Off” • The Engine A tempo (that was previously indicated
by the Engine A Speed LED) is now shown in the
When LFO Sync mode is “off” it is possible to select
Tap tempo LED.
which effects Engine that is controlled using the TAP
• The Engine A SPEED LED is not lit.

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 ADDITIONAL FEATURES
The LFO trigger works on all effects. You can
LFO Trigger e.g. set a Phaser to start at its lowest point
Every time the NOVA Modulator is switched on using and peak on the next “one” count.
the ON/OFF switch, the LFO is re-triggered. This is a
nice feature that allows you e.g. to sync the tempo of a
Tremolo to the tempo of a song and to make sure that
the sound is “spot-on” all the time.

Example:
• Bypass the NOVA Modulator.
• Select the Tremolo effect for Engine A and activate
Engine A (the EFFECT switch LED is lit).
• Select e.g. 1/8 as subdivision by setting the
TIME/FILTER knob within this interval:

• Tap the tempo of the song in quarter-notes using

the TAP TEMPO switch.
• Press ON/OFF in tempo, e.g. on the count of
“one”.

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 PRESETS
Preset and Bank mode You can not toggle between Engines A and B as
both Engines are always part of a preset,
The NOVA Modulator has two ways of organizing your whether they are active or not.
presets. Depending on your application you may
choose either. Selecting presets can be done in a couple of ways:
Preset mode • Press the PRESET button several times to step
through the presets.
This is the default mode in which you can store and • Press the TAP/TEMPO switch once and
recall up to nine presets. In this mode you can immediately after that the ON/OFF button multiple
alternate between the Preset and “Manual”, where the times.
positions of the knobs always apply.
In Preset mode, you can switch between the current
Selecting Preset mode: preset and the manual settings.
• Enter Calibration mode by holding the MANUAL Alternating between the two settings can be done in
button for one second. The PRESET button should two ways:
now be steadily lit – if it is flashing; press the
PRESET button once. • Press the MANUAL button to access Manual
• Exit Calibration mode by pressing any other button mode. In this mode, the position of the knobs
than PRESET. always apply.
• Alternate between Manual mode and Preset mode
Accessing a Preset: by holding the ON/OFF button for approximately
• Press PRESET to access a preset. You can store one second and then releasing.
up to nine presets. Each preset holds the
parameter settings for both Engines A and B.

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 PRESETS
Bank mode Alternating between the two presets in a bank can be
Bank mode allows you to store up to nine banks done in two ways:
holding two presets each. This is the mode to use if • Press the PRESET button (for preset #1) or the
you have a number of different songs that require MANUAL button (for preset #2) or
dedicated presets. • Press and hold the ON/OFF button for approx. one
second.
Selecting Bank mode:
• Enter Calibration mode by holding the MANUAL Selecting banks can also be done in a couple of ways:
button for one second. The PRESET button’s LED • You can press the PRESET button several times to
should now be flashing. If it is steady lit, press the step through the banks or
PRESET button once. • You can press the TAP/TEMPO switch once and
• Exit Calibration mode by pressing any button other immediately thereafter the ON/OFF button multiple
than PRESET. times.
See also the example on how to select presets using
The 7-segment display now shows the current preset the TAP TEMPO and ON/OFF switches on pages 10-11.
bank. For each of the nine banks, you can store two
presets. The presets are dedicated to the PRESET and Bank mode differs from Preset mode in the
MANUAL buttons. following ways:
- when the MANUAL buttons LED is lit it means that
preset #2, in the current bank is recalled. Unlike in
Manual mode – you can not rely on the position of the
knobs as an indication of the current parameter values.
Preset #1 Preset #2

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 PRESETS
- When storing a preset in bank mode, only the annoying. Therefore you have the option of limiting the
modified parameters will be stored. There is no available preset range – e.g. to four presets.
“overwrite” function.
Example:
- The 2x9 presets in Bank mode are completely Let’s say you want to use only presets 1, 2, 3 and 4.
separate from the 9 presets in Preset mode. To do so, set up the pedal as follows:
No presets will be deleted when switching back and
forth between the two modes. • Press and hold the MANUAL button for
approximately 500 ms. The unit is now in
When switching to a new bank NOVA Modulator Calibration mode.
is automatically bypassed and preset #1 • Turn the DEPTH knob of Engine B to select the
(PRESET button) is selected, ready to be upper limit of the preset range.
activated when you press ON/OFF In this case, select “4”.
• Now turn the DEPTH knob of Engine “A” to select
Limiting the Number of Presets the lower limit of the preset range.
As explained in the previous paragraphs, you can cycle
Let us say that you play in two different bands.
through presets in different ways:
With one band you want to use presets 1 to 4;
• Either by pressing the PRESET button repeatedly or
with your other band, it’s presets 5 to 8. As the
• By hitting TAP TEMPO once, followed by the
NOVA pedal easily holds eight presets, all you
ON/OFF switch.
have to do is change the range for each
session.
However, you may only need e.g. four presets for a
show. In that case, having to scroll through all of the
nine presets to find the one you need would be

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 STORE
No presets are deleted when limiting the preset Example:
range. The “hidden” presets can always be
accessed again by increasing the preset range. Bank # 2 is selected and the preset
represented by the PRESET button LED is
Store active.
Press and hold PRESET (approx 4 seconds)
First of all please note that no matter if you are in to store the current settings in the same
Preset mode, Bank mode or Manual mode, the display location.
always shows the last recalled preset.
Bank # 2 is selected and the preset
To Store a Preset in Preset mode represented by the MANUAL button LED is
active.
• Press and hold PRESET until the ON/OFF LEDs
Press and hold PRESET (approx 4 seconds) to
flash three times (approx 4 seconds).
store the current settings in the same location.
• The current settings are now stored in the current
location.

To store a Preset in Bank mode

As explained on the previous page, the Bank Preset
mode holds two presets per bank. The two presets can
be stored individually.

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 APPENDIX: CALIBRATING INPUT SENSITIVITY
Input Level Calibration * By “loudest”, we mean the sound with the highest
Your NOVA Modulator pedal is per default set to work dynamic content. This is most likely a clean sound,
well right out of the box – just as any other “stompbox” as by definition overdrive sounds are compressed –
pedal. However, you can optimize the performance of the i.e. they have less dynamics.
NOVA Modulator’s AD/DA converters by calibrating the
input sensitivity. To do so, follow this step-by-step guide:
• Calibration of the input sensitivity should be set
according to the expected maximum input level.
Therefore, you should always start by turning on
boosters and other signal-attenuating equipment
that has been placed before the NOVA Modulator
pedal in the signal chain.
• Press and hold the MANUAL button until the 5
green button LEDs are lit.
• Play using your loudest* sound for a few seconds.
The LEDs will turn off one by one. How many
LEDs are turned off depends on the output of your
guitar. When there seem to be no more changes,
the pedal is calibrated.
• Press any button to exit.
• The calibration process is now complete.

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 APPENDIX:TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Analog Inputs Environment
Connectors: ¼" phone jacks w. mono sense Operating Temperature: 32° F to 122° F (0° C to 50° C)
Input Type: Single-ended Storage Temperature: -22° F to 167° F (-30° C to 70° C)
Impedance: 1 MOhm Humidity: Max. 90 % non-condensing
Max. Input Level: 10 dBu @ 12V supply
General
Analog Outputs Finish: Anodized aluminum front
Connectors: ¼" phone jacks with mono sense Plated and painted steel end caps
Max. Output Level: 10 dBu @ 12V supply Dimensions: 130 x 130 x 55 mm
Output Type: Balanced/Single ended with ground sense Weight: 765 g
Impedance: 0 Ohm Mains Voltage: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz
Sense Input Impedance: 225 Ohm (auto-select) AC wall adapter.
AC adapter supplies 12VDC
Overall Data minimum 0.3 A to pedal
D to A Conversion: 24 bit, 128 x oversampling bitstream Power Consumption: <5 W
A to A Delay: 1.65 ms
Dynamic Range: 106/98 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz Warranty
@ Input level 16/-2 dBu, not A-weighted Parts and labor: 1 year
THD < -90 dB (0.0032 %) @ 1 kHz, I/O Level
16 dBu, Load > 2400 Ohm
Frequency Response: +0.1/-0.2 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Crosstalk: < -100 dB, 20 H z to 7 KHz, < -94 dB,
Due to continuous development, these
7 kHz to 20 KHz
specifications are subject to change
without notice.
EMC
Complies with: EN 55103-1 and EN 55103-2 FCC part 15,
Class B, CISPR 22, Class B

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