The Mooer Red Kid is a vocal simulation pedal from Mooer Audio that, in the maker's own words, "lies somewhere between a wah wah and a talk box." It produces vocal-like sounds from your guitar signal without the setup a traditional talk box demands: there is no need for messing about with microphones or rubber hoses, and it is used like any other pedal in the effects chain1.
Mooer says the Red Kid "clearly replicates 2 different vocal sounds like you may expect to hear from a talkbox or vocoder device," with two talk modes, each giving a different vocal sound1.
The controls: two talk modes and a pressure-sensing footswitch
The Red Kid has two different TALK modes, each with a different vocal sound, so you can choose between the two vocal characters rather than dial one in with knobs1.
Instead of a mechanical stomp switch, the pedal uses what Mooer calls its "unique pressure sensing footswitch for instant operation." You interact with it by touching pressure sensing pads with your foot1.
How it switches on and off
The pressure sensing pads support three switching modes1:
| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| 1 | Touch the pads with your foot to turn the effect on; release your foot from the pedal to turn it off |
| 2 | Double tap the pads to turn the effect on; it stays on until you double tap a second time |
| 3 | Both techniques above can be used for switching the effect on and off |
Mode 1 behaves like a momentary switch, which suits quick vocal accents while you keep playing. Mode 2 latches the effect on, like a conventional pedal switch, so you can leave a talk sound running across a phrase. Mode 3 lets you use either technique1.
Power and connections
The Red Kid runs on a 9V DC center negative AC adapter and draws 130mA1.
The 130mA current draw is on the higher side for a mini pedal, so check that your power supply's isolated outputs can cover it before daisy chaining it with several other pedals.
Connections are simple: one 1/4" mono input jack (1M Ohms impedance) and one 1/4" mono output jack (100 Ohms impedance)1. There is no battery option mentioned in the maker's specifications, and the pedal uses true bypass switching, so your dry signal passes through untouched when the effect is off1.
Videos
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Questions
Does the Mooer Red Kid sound like a talk box?
Mooer describes the Red Kid as a vocal simulation pedal that lies somewhere between a wah wah and a talk box. The maker says it clearly replicates two different vocal sounds like you may expect to hear from a talk box or vocoder device, with each of its two talk modes producing a different vocal sound.
Do you need a microphone or tube with the Mooer Red Kid?
No. Unlike a traditional talk box, which needs a tube in your mouth and a microphone to pick up the sound, the Red Kid is used like any other pedal in the effects chain. Mooer says there is no need for messing about with microphones or rubber hoses.
Is the Mooer Red Kid true bypass?
Yes. Mooer lists true bypass switching among the Red Kid's specifications, so the signal passes through uncolored when the effect is off.
How does the Mooer Red Kid switch on and off?
It uses a pressure sensing footswitch rather than a mechanical stomp switch. In one mode you touch the pad to turn the effect on and lift your foot to turn it off. In another, a double tap latches the effect on until you double tap again, and a third mode lets you use both techniques.
How big is the Mooer Red Kid?
The Red Kid measures 128mm deep by 55mm wide by 48mm high and weighs 460g, making it a compact mini-pedal footprint that fits easily on a small pedalboard.
Sources (1)
- RedKid_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
