JOYO XVI

The JOYO XVI, model number R-13, is a polyphonic octave pedal from Joyo's R-Series of compact effects¹². An octave pedal takes your guitar's pitch and reproduces it shifted up or down by an octave, and the XVI does this polyphonically: it tracks multiple notes at once, so chords hold together instead of collapsing into glitching the way monophonic octavers can³. It gives you a low sub octave, a high upper octave, or a blend of the two, alongside your dry signal⁴³.

What sets it apart from most budget octavers is a MOD control, a modulation effect designed by Joyo's engineers that works on the octave voices⁵. Joyo describes it as the route to "big room filling organ tones, mixing the octave up and down to create some really fat sounding choir effect"². Gearnews, covering the pedal at launch, found the concept promising: "I find the idea of incorporating modulation into an octaver very practical."⁶

Controls and how it shapes the sound

The XVI keeps its control set simple: four knobs and a toggle, with a single footswitch to engage the effect⁵¹. Each knob addresses one voice of the sound, so you build your tone by mixing rather than digging through menus.

Because the dry signal has its own control, you can keep your original guitar tone fully present and layer as much or as little of the shifted octaves on top as you want³. With SUB up and UPPER down you get a thickened, bass-heavy riff sound; the reverse pushes your part into synth-like upper registers; and both together with MOD engaged is where Joyo points players for the organ effect²⁴.

Polyphonic tracking and the OCHO comparison

The XVI iterates on an earlier Joyo octaver, the OCHO⁴. The OCHO is monophonic, meaning it tracks one note at a time, and it only adds sub octaves, going two octaves down². The XVI tracks chords and adds the upper octave voice, which the OCHO cannot do³⁴. In practical terms: if you want to thicken single-note solos with low sub octaves, the OCHO covers that ground; if you want to play chords through an octaver or reach octave-up territory, the XVI is the one built for it.

Gearnews also framed it against the TC Electronic Sub'n'Up, positioning the XVI as an octaver that handles the lower and upper octave without that pedal's additional options⁶. The same review noted that Joyo "developed their own product, rather than just copying someone else's circuit."⁶

Power, bypass and connections

The pedal uses standard 6.35mm jacks for input and output, with an input impedance of 2.2MΩ and an output impedance of 100Ω⁵. The signal path is true bypass, so with the pedal disengaged your signal passes through without active circuitry in the way⁵. One footswitch handles bypass and effect engagement, with an LED effect indicator that lights when the pedal is active¹.

The R-Series lighting

Like other pedals in the R-Series, the XVI carries lighting effects, with a light on the pedal's face and an acrylic rim between the two halves of the enclosure⁴. A toggle switch on the rear selects among three modes²⁵:

• Sync: the ambient lighting on the front and rear shines bright when the footswitch is pressed, and the LED effect indicator on top lights as well²
• Always: the lighting stays on⁵
• Off: the ambient lighting is disabled⁵

If the glow does not suit a dark stage or a minimal board, Off removes it entirely.

Where it came from and what reviewers said

Joyo announced the XVI in March 2020 as the latest entry in the R-Series, listing it at £89 in the UK⁴. Gearnews reported it available that same month at 89 euros through Thomann, and concluded that "the Joyo XVI is definitely worth a try"⁶. JHS Pedals' Josh covered it as part of a look at Joyo's R-Series budget pedals, noting its $90 price and its polyphonic tracking with the low sub and high upper octave divisions³. Joyo's own claim is that, compared with rival products, the XVI "offers much richer tone"⁵, a maker's characterization rather than an independent finding.

For more on this category of effect, see the octave and pitch pedals page.

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