ADDAC System Mixology review: “it really can breathe new life and modern utility into old pedals”
€220, addacsystem.com
Have you ever wondered what your favourite effects pedals might sound like blended in parallel or series? Or what it might be like to have the flexibility to blend between them in real time using an expression pedal, without even needing to repatch? What about feeding back the signal into an entirely different pedal for new sounds?
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It’s probably not controversial to say that these sorts of high-level effects routing shenanigans are a pretty niche concern – the sort of weird sonic experiments that the bold and brave usually only attempt if they have the flexibility of a studio to mess around with.
But how about making the whole thing a lot more straightforward with the addition of one handy box in the middle that handled it all? Pour one out, then, for the Mixology.
Image: Adam Gasson
ADDAC System Mixology – what is it?
The first thing to make clear about the Mixology, from Lisbon-based synth specialists ADDAC System, is that it might look like an effect pedal, but it doesn’t itself make any noise to speak of.
It’s a utility pedal then, though that is rather selling its potential short – in fact, in the right hands it has the potential to become the most useful and creative little utility box on your pedalboard.
ADDAC’s background is in modular synthesis, and they’ve built on this to create a pedal that creates a flexible routing and mixing system for your existing effects. In essence, you plug a bunch of them in, and use the various knobs and switches on top to easily create huge creative possibilities.
Image: Adam Gasson
ADDAC System Mixology – build quality and ease of use
With five ¼-inch inputs (plus power) up top, six on the bottom, six knobs and four toggle switches, it takes a minute to work out how the Mixology routes your pedals into its hardware.
Also, hang on, where’s the footswitch? It turns out that there isn’t one – they come for free on your existing pedals after all! – and in this case there’s not really any need for one.
At its core the Mixology is a dual effects chain router and feedbacker, and it’s perhaps easier to think of it as a pair of parallel mixers that allow you to mix the sounds from two different pedals or chain of effects in interesting ways.
While there’s no foot-based control to switch between the chains, there are myriad options for the use of expression pedals, opening up a much more unique way to blend and control your effects in real time.
To get started, you simply connect your favourite pedal to FX1, send and patch it back to FX1 return, repeat for another pedal in FX2’s Send/Return and you have two effects loops you can blend between, select order, and even feedback the signal from one to another.
Many of these features can be controlled via an expression pedal, meaning lots of creative possibilities in live situations or the studio.
Image: Adam Gasson
ADDAC System Mixology – in use
Can’t quite find that perfect balance of reverb and delay? Or fuzz with your overdrive? Stick one in each loop and use the FX mix to dial in a best of both worlds approach.
That’s my first port of call here, and In practice it means I can still enjoy the beautiful blooming squish of my favourite fuzz pedal, but by mixing in some Screamer-ish overdrive I tightened up the low end, and added some much-needed midrange solidity and cut through.
Feeling inspired, next I hook up a reverb pedal and a delay, utilising the brilliant feedback controls to create all sorts of unique atmospherics – it’s enough to convince myself that I’ve clearly missed my calling doing sci-fi soundtracks.
Returning to planet Earth, more everyday uses for the Mixology includes the ability to add an external mix control to an old one-knob MXR phaser – a pedal that sounds superb, but is sometimes just too deep and swishy blended with other effects for me.
Elsewhere, I found that by connecting an expression pedal to the Mixology to control the FX mix depth of an old 80s Ibanez AD9 delay, I was able to control the level of repeats. It really can breathe new life and modern utility into old pedals – something that’s really handy in live situations.
ADDAC System Mixology – should I buy one?
There’s no doubt that many guitar players will take one look at the myriad ins, outs and mix controls here and want to run a mile – it’s all a bit too modular synth, right?
But even if you’re not a sonic experimentalist, there’s some really handy and useful stuff here that could expand the usefulness of the pedals on anyone’s ‘board – especially if you have a bunch of vintage boxes that don’t have a lot of modern functionality built in.
Once you patch in the pedals of your choice it becomes a very intuitive process and hugely addictive – leading to tons of fun and exciting sound creation.
ADDAC System Mixology – alternatives
The Earthquaker Devices Swiss Things ($299) offers a similar dual signal chain routing experience, with expression control in there too, while the Wetter Box from the GigRig (£249) offers similar mixing of two pedals or chains of FX, offers stereo ins and outs and Expression control but both of these lack the Mixology’s powerful feedback controls. More affordable is the EHX Tri Parallel Mixer ($159.70 / £129.99) offers a number of creative and foot switchable routing options for not a lot of cash.
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