"Vocal distortion" effect

[idlechatterbox]

On behringer's Virtualizer DSP there's a setting called "vocal distortion." According to the manual, it's a combination of delay and flange. I can't really describe the sound that well, but I'd say it has a nasal tone, almost to the point of clipping even at low levels. Another way to describe it would be to say it resembles what a guitar would sound like through a cheap transistor radio from the 70s maybe, if it was really cranked to where the speaker was about to go. (Again, that's probably not a great description.)

I realize the DSP isn't that well-known, but if anyone's familiar with it, I was wondering if there's a DIY pedal or combination, that would get close. I've tried dialing in delay and flanger on other effects processors, and it never comes close. On the Behringer version there's no audible "sweep" that you usually hear with flange for example. Just wondering. Would sure like to be able to duplicate the tone or at least get close, because I hate to keep the Virtualizer around just for that one setting. 

[Marcos - Munky]

Another way to describe it would be to say it resembles what a guitar would sound like through a cheap transistor radio from the 70s maybe, if it was really cranked to where the speaker was about to go. (Again, that's probably not a great description.)

Try Tim Escobedo's LofoMofo. It's a simple but cool radio simulator. Not sure how the Virtualizer sounds, but if you want something that sounds like a transistor radio, with a nasal tone, the LofoMofo is the way to go.

[ovnifx]

In essence an analog flange is the same circuit as an analog delay, just set up with a very short delay time and few repeats, with modulation.  It's the modulation that gives the sweep sound you described.  So you can get at least part of the sound you're asking about by taking any delay, speeding up the delay time to the point it becomes a tone rather than a bip-bip-bip (no longer LFO), and cutting the repeats short.

[idlechatterbox]

Thanks Marcos. I've seen the plans for the mofo. Doesn't look too complicated. I'll give it a shot.

Ovnifex, thanks. The virtualizer is digital, and I believe that you can adjust the patch for speed and delay length, so youre probably right.

I'll post some samples if I can successfully build the mofo, maybe comparing it against the Behringer.

Thanks again

[Elektrojänis]

How about speeding up the modulation LFO of a flanger to the audio frequencies (20Hz and up). That should give some ringmod like effects that sound kind of distorted. I think some version of Cooledit (audio editting software) had a preset in it's flanger plugin that was labeled "lo-fi radio" or something and it was just like that... Flange with too fast modulation.