The Alexander Pedals Superball Kinetic Modulator is a digital delay built around motion. Alexander describes it as an echo pedal that delays, pitch shifts, filters and modulates, and as unpredictable as its name. At its core it is, in the company's words, "basically a great-sounding digital delay," but the point of the pedal is an ultra-flexible LFO (low frequency oscillator) that can control all of the delay parameters, in any amount and direction, running continuously or bouncing like a real rubber ball.1
The pedal came out of an earlier experiment. Alexander's own account: "We took the leash off of what started as an experimental delay engine and Superball is what happened." The result, as Delicious Audio's Alex Maiolo put it when the pedal was covered in November 2022, is "the bounciest digital delay oscillations you can imagine."1
Four knobs, four control modes
The front panel is deliberately small: four knobs that do quadruple duty, assigned with the Select button. Tapping Select assigns the knobs to one of four control modes, and holding it down accesses four global parameters for real-time control.1
| Mode | What the four knobs control |
|---|---|
| LFO | LFO speed, depth, wave shape, and tap sync or bounce |
| SEQ | Sequencer rate, pattern, steps, and tap sync |
| LO | Delay time, repeat, mix, and filter when the LFO is at its low point |
| HI | The delay parameters when the LFO is at max |
The LO and HI modes are what make the modulation musical rather than random: you set where each delay parameter sits at the bottom and top of the LFO's travel, and the LFO moves between them. The SEQ mode adds a sequencer on top, with its own rate, pattern and step count.1
Footswitch, MIDI and external control
The TAP / BOUNCE footswitch is configurable two ways: as tap tempo for accurate setting of delay time, LFO speed or sequencer rate, or set to manually bounce the LFO with rubber ball physics.1
For deeper control, every knob and setting on the pedal is controllable using MIDI. Connection runs through the MultiJack with Alexander's Neo Link, or directly to any Disaster Area Gen3 controller. As a Neo Series pedal, the Superball also features a USB port for MIDI control and firmware updates.1
The MultiJack itself accepts an expression pedal, a Neo Footswitch, or a MIDI controller, adding performance control to the pedal from a single jack.1
Where it sits in Alexander's delay range
The Superball belongs to the same Neo Series platform as other Alexander delays, including the History Lesson Vol 3, the Quadrant Audio Mirror and the Radical Delay II Plus, all of which share the Neo approach to MIDI, USB and preset control. Players looking for a more conventional multi-mode delay from the same maker can compare it against the Rewind or the Forget Me Not, or browse the wider field in Delay Pedals.1
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Questions
Does the Alexander Pedals Superball have tap tempo?
Yes. The TAP / BOUNCE footswitch can be configured as tap tempo for accurate setting of the delay time, the LFO speed, or the sequencer rate. Alternatively, it can be set to manually bounce the LFO using rubber ball physics, which is where the pedal gets its name. Which of those jobs the footswitch performs is up to the player.
Can the Superball Kinetic Modulator be controlled with MIDI?
Yes. Alexander says every knob and setting on the pedal is controllable using MIDI. You connect either through the MultiJack with the company's Neo Link, or directly to any Disaster Area Gen3 controller. As a Neo Series pedal, the Superball also carries a USB port used for MIDI control and firmware updates.
Can you plug an expression pedal into the Superball?
Yes. The MultiJack accepts an expression pedal, a Neo Footswitch, or a MIDI controller, adding performance control to the pedal. That single jack is also the route for MIDI when using Neo Link, so it covers external control of several kinds from one connection.
Is the Alexander Pedals Superball still available?
The Superball was first seen at NAMM 2020 and Delicious Audio reported it officially out as of November 2022. Beyond that report, this page carries no current availability or pricing information, so check with Alexander Pedals or its dealers for present-day status.
What does the Select button do on the Superball?
The Select button lets the pedal's four knobs do quadruple duty. Tapping it assigns the knobs to one of four control modes: LFO, SEQ, LO, or HI. Holding the button down accesses four global parameters for real-time control, so the same small control layout reaches a large set of settings.
Sources (1)
- Alexander Pedals Superball Kinetic Modulator, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-24
