Saturday, August 2, 2025

When 5 Vibes Go to War...

 The Infinity Vibe Saga – 5 Univibes Go Head-to-Head

Over on the Budget Pedal Chap channel, we've taken on some chunky comparison videos before—but nothing quite like this. What began as a simple “Vs” series comparing two budget pedals has grown steadily. First two pedals, then four. But this time? Five univibe-style pedals thrown into the ring for a full-on shootout. It’s the biggest and most ambitious comparison we’ve done yet. I’ve been calling it The Infinity Vibe Saga—a playful nod to the Marvel universe’s Infinity War—because it truly feels like the culmination of years of testing and demoing these swirling, warbly modulation boxes.

Each of the five pedals featured in the video had been demoed individually on the channel in the past. But viewers always asked the inevitable: “How does this one compare to that one?” Instead of doing endless pairs or back-to-back comparisons, I decided to go all-in. This shootout features three distinct guitar tracks, each showcasing a different vibe setting from every pedal—fifteen unique vibe tones recorded with surgical precision.

Every element of the rig remained the same throughout: the same guitar, same cables, same power supply, and the same amp settings. I even removed each pedal from the board entirely between takes to avoid any tonal artefacts, impedance changes, or buffer interference (not that most of these have buffers, but better safe than sorry). The only thing that changed between recordings was the pedal itself—and, of course, my playing, which I tried to keep as consistent as humanly possible. This wasn’t about showboating or pushing one sound over another—it was about pure, clean comparison.



The Sound of Vibe – Five Pedals, Five Personalities

The shootout makes it clear: no two univibes are created equal. Each pedal has its own sonic character, its own way of interpreting that classic Hendrix-era modulation. Some had the tell-tale lopsided throb of a traditional univibe. Others veered more toward the smooth sine wave feel of a chorus or phaser. Some offered brighter shimmer, like a harmonica tremolo dancing on top of the signal. Others leaned darker, with an almost chewy midrange pulse.

Take the Moen Shaky Jimi and Jimi Nova, for instance. There’s long been speculation that these two are identical circuits in different enclosures. But back-to-back, the difference is clear. The Shaky Jimi has a gritty, almost lo-fi character. It’s darker and rawer, like it’s clawing its way out of your amp. The Jimi Nova is cleaner and more articulate, with a more polished modulation sweep. They share DNA, but the voicings are distinct.

Feature Wars – Who Offers What

Tone is one part of the puzzle, but features matter too—especially if you’re building a pedalboard with flexibility in mind.

If tap tempo is a must-have for you, then the NuX wins that battle outright. Having tap-tempo control on a vibe pedal is rare, especially at this price point, and it’s great for syncing your modulation to the groove of a track. If budget is the primary concern, the Moen options offer some of the best bang-for-buck tone on the market, albeit with fewer bells and whistles.

The Behringer 69 Vibe brings something unique to the table too, with expression pedal support—giving you real-time control over your speed settings. That makes it great for expressive, dynamic vibe swells or slower ramp-ups mid-song.

Then there’s the TC Electronic Plethora X1/Viscous Vibe, which—on paper—has the most to offer. While we used the stock vibrato mode for the shootout, TC’s signature TonePrint system gives you access to a library of downloadable presets. You can even design your own modulation style via their app. One of my favourites is the Devin Townsend TonePrint, which ramps up the level of shimmer and warble that is a bit more subtle in the stock setting. You’re also able to dig deep into parameters like mix, shape, and filtering—things most univibes simply don’t let you touch.

If you’re after tap tempo, ramping speed control, or even preset switching (via A/B mode), it’s all there in the Plethora X1. Granted, it is the most expensive of the lot, but you can opt for just the Viscous Vibe pedal alone, which sits far closer to the budget end—especially on the used market.

No Bad Pedals, Just Different Flavours

Now, here’s where I take a stance. In the video, I intentionally stayed neutral—I didn’t declare a winner, because the real winner should be you, the listener. I want you to listen to the tones, hear what moves you, and go with your gut. But here on the blog, I’ll let you in on my own takeaway: there isn’t a single bad pedal in this lineup. Each brought something enjoyable to the table. If we strip it all back to basics, isn't that what dabbling with FX is all about?

As someone who owns five standalone univibe pedals, I’ve come to realise each one fills a slightly different gap. Some are better for adding gentle movement under clean tones. Others throb gloriously in front of a cranked fuzz. Each of the manufacturers have prioritised certain characteristics of the univibe sound and so each pedal gives you a different take on the iconic swirl and throb of the classic Shin-Ei sound.

Why This Video Matters – And Why I Made It

What I learned from doing this shootout is that context matters. No single vibe pedal is going to be perfect for every rig or every playing style. That’s part of what makes this Infinity Vibe Saga worth the effort—it lays out the spectrum of options, from stripped-back tone machines to flexible, tweakable Swiss army pedals.

This wasn’t just a demo video; it was an effort to answer the questions people ask all the time: “Which univibe is the best?” or “Should I save up for the TC or grab a Moen now?” Instead of another single-pedal spotlight, I put them all together so you can really hear the nuance. You’ll notice some vibe pedals feel more phase-y, others more vibrato-heavy. Some vibe pedals really come into their own when paired with heavy drive and fuzz, where as some prefer to sit gently on top of a cleaner tone.

Pick Your Vibe

Whether you want budget simplicity, deep tweakability, expression control, tap tempo, or just a classic chewy throb, there’s something in this list for you. If you need something that covers all the bases in one box, go for versatility. If you just want pure tone with no distractions, pick the one that made your ears perk up.

I don’t think you’ll go wrong with any of them—but I do hope this shootout makes your choice a little easier. And if you’re like me, you might just end up with more than one on your board.

Until next time—stay vibey, chaps and chapettes.


Consider using the affiliate links to support this channel

tc electronic Plethora X1 

https://thmn.to/thoprod/600848?offid=1&affid=2735

tc electronic Viscous Vibe

 https://thmn.to/thoprod/356253?offid=1&affid=2735

Behringer 69 Vibe 

https://thmn.to/thoprod/606258?offid=1&affid=2735

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