When we listen to music, the vocal sound is the first thing our ears naturally single out as a focal point. This makes vocal production a great tool to define yourself as an artist, especially in today’s rather saturated musical landscape. To help you do this, we’ve selected some of the best vocal effects pedals for studio and stage.
In this Article:Which are the Best Vocal Effects Pedals?The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: HeadRush VX5The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Roland VT-4The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Tascam TA-1VPThe Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Boss VE-22 Vocal PerformerThe Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Radial Engineering Voco-LocoThe Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Old Blood Noise Endeavors MAWThe Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Zoom V6 SPThe Best Vocal Effects Pedals: TC-Helicon VoiceLive 3 ExtremeMore about the Best Vocal Effects Pedals:
Which are the Best Vocal Effects Pedals?
Vocal effects offer a range of sonic possibilities that you can use to your benefit while recording, performing, and rehearsing. From EQ and compression to reverb, delay, and pitch-based effects, you can find ways to set up effects chains to accentuate each section of your songs.
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: HeadRush VX5
The HeadRush VX5 is a compact vocal processor with straightforward control of a range of effects, and it also functions as a 24-bit 48 kHz USB audio interface. One of its primary features is the Antares AutoTune pitch correction effect, which lets you do everything from subtle, more natural tuning to the hard robotic tuning effects used by artists like Charli XCX.
HeadRush VX5 · Source: HeadRush
The mic preamp has its own gain control, so you can quickly optimize your input level, and it offers phantom power for condenser mics. This makes the VX5 usable on stage but also in studio, and it functions as a recording interface, so you can connect your laptop and record directly into your DAW as soon as your ideas start to take shape.
In addition, there is a harmonizer effect that analyzes the chords from the incoming guitar input, ensuring that it follows the structure of the song you’re performing. The VX5 also has a selection of other effects algorithms, including compression, chorus, delay, and reverb, to add expression to your vocals. Get it at Thomann.*
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Headrush VX5
Customer rating: (8)
$255.00 / £229.00 / 259.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Roland VT-4
The Roland VT-4 is a simple but versatile desktop effects processor with mobile bus-powered or AA battery operation. It comes equipped with five different effects, including Robot, Megaphone, Vocoder, Harmony, and Reverb, as well as auto and manual pitch correction and formant shifting capabilities.
Roland VT-4 · Source: Roland
Within each of the five main effects algorithms, you can access four variations, which give you access to classic effects such as BBD Chorus, Talk Box, Speak & Spell, and Dub Echo. On the main control panel, you can tweak the pitch, formant, wet/dry mix, and reverb amount while performing, and there are eight memory slots to save your settings.
In addition, the VT-4 functions as a 24-bit 192 kHz audio interface with loopback, so you can easily use it in your streaming or content creation workflow for high-quality and unique voice processing. Overall, while the VT-4 looks basic at first, the range of algorithms under the hood makes it suitable for a wide range of applications. Get it at Thomann.*
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Roland VT-4
Customer rating: (64)
$275.00 / £249.00 / 279.00€ at
Roland AIRA Compact E-4 Voice Tweaker
Customer rating: (20)
$179.00 / £163.00 / 184.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Tascam TA-1VP
Although the TA-1VP is not a pedal, it is still a versatile effects processor with some unique features to enhance your vocals either in studio or on stage. The TA-1VP provides a mic preamp with microphone modelling, as well as double tracking and digital outputs for added flexibility.
Tascam TA-1VP · Source: TASCAM
This allows you to optimize the processing with a choice of different source microphones or enhance the signal with a selection of microphone models for specific applications. What’s more, there is a tube saturation effect, Antares AutoTune, compressor, gate, de-esser, and EQ, so you can shape your vocals for a range of different music styles.
The TA-1VP presents a range of quite technical processing options, but in a way that makes it easy to dial in the sounds you’re looking for. The key features of each section are simple to find and operate, and the useful metering gives you a clear overview of each of the effects being used. Get it at Thomann.*
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Tascam TA-1VP
Customer rating: (72)
$429.00 / £385.00 / 439.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Boss VE-22 Vocal Performer
The BOSS VE-22 is one of the most recent additions to the popular Vocal Performer effects pedal series. Although it may not offer the most sophisticated control for effects design, most of the standard presets are usable.
VE-22 Vocal Performer · Source: BOSS
The effects are divided into 3 main sections: Harmony, Effect, and Echo, giving you access to reverb, delay, phase/flange, and distortion sounds without too much menu diving.
Meanwhile, the XLR outputs offer plenty of flexibility, as they can be used in stereo, dual-mono, and wet/dry configurations. Overall, with 50 presets, the VE-22 is a great choice for beginners or those who are only seeking to use vocal effects rather sparingly.
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Boss VE-22 Vocal Performer
Customer rating: (29)
$349.00 / £319.00 / 359.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Radial Engineering Voco-Loco
The Voco-Loco from Radial Engineering is a versatile solution for adding an effects chain to vocals or other acoustic instruments like saxophones and trumpets.
Source: Radial Engineering
It’s equipped with a decent preamp, EQ, and two footswitches for engaging the effects loops in different ways. The main feature is obviously being able to use any guitar pedal available which is incredible, and you have the ability to carefully balance your wet and dry signal.
That being said, not every pedal sounds great on vocals so be sure to try before you buy. Not everyone wants to sound like the Beastie Boys with a Boss DS-1, but it’s certainly an option.
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Radial Engineering Vocoloco
Customer rating: (37)
$399.00 / £358.00 / 409.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Old Blood Noise Endeavors MAW
Old Blood Noise Endeavors make some interesting pedals to put it mildly, and the MAW is extremely outlandish even by their standards. What started as a simple design request to build an XLR effects unit, quickly turned into a monster with huge creative capabilities.
Source: Old Blood Noise Endeavors
The MAW gives you a preamp and two independently blendable effects chains. This provides a range of different effects including octave shift, rotary, flange, phase, delay, and reverb.
In addition, you also have the option of using additional pedals with the aux send/return, and there’s a completely dry post-effects XLR out for mixing purposes.
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Old Blood Noise Endeavors MAW XLR Pedal
Customer rating: (17)
$307.00 / £278.00 / 312.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: Zoom V6 SP
If you’ve used Zoom multi-FX pedals before, you’ll know they are packed with features. The Zoom V6 SP has just about every effect you can think of, and a few you probably haven’t heard yet.
Source: Zoom
The layout is broken down into three sections: one for altering the character of the voice, one for creating harmonies, and one for adding effects. Meanwhile, there is also a pretty involved looper and formant shifter, which gives you plenty to play with.
Overall, you have plenty of creative tools to build layers of lush effects and the Zoom V6 SP comes with its own shotgun mic to get going immediately.
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Zoom V6 SP
Customer rating: (18)
$325.00 / £295.00 / 330.00€ at
The Best Vocal Effects Pedals: TC-Helicon VoiceLive 3 Extreme
The VoiceLive 3 Extreme is the flagship of the TC-Helicon vocal pedals, with all the live performance features you’d expect in this price range. Rather than being simply a vocal effects unit, this pedal gives you workstation-like control for stage performance.
Source: TC Helicon
The ability to playback your backing track and sync effects automation over different sections of each song in your set is one of the most unique features. This allows you to worry less about the technical side and more about your performance.
In addition, you have individual switches for each effect category and extensive connectivity options for both studio and stage. This type of pedal, however, is geared more toward guitar-playing singers and songwriters, so keep this in mind.
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TC-Helicon VoiceLive 3 Extreme
Customer rating: (228)
$491.00 / £444.00 / 498.00€ at
More about the Best Vocal Effects Pedals:
Browse Vocal Pedals on Thomann
All about pedals
Thomann’s Guide to Multi-FX
Videos:
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