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Re: Do I need that EDP?



Christophe wrote:

> > From all I've read and heard you all say, the EDP with the pedal 
> > sounds like the
> > gold standard (apart from the Eventides and such) and the only 
> > real complaint I
> > think I've seen is that it's not stereo.

One issue that has gone around a few times on this list is that of gain 
staging in the EDP.  I've held a few different opinions on that issue over 
the years 
and presently think there is still a problem there (a caveat being that my 
sample group consists of my 2 older model beige face Oberheim EDPs).

Being more of an old-school-guitar-into-tube amp-equals-tone type guy, 
I've struggled off and on with my EDPs as tone-suck culprits.  Here's the 
issue 
as I see it:  A large part of the sound I want to hear is the sound of my 
amp "breaking up" as my guitar signal hits the preamp stage of a Fender 
tube 
amp.  Any pedals that change the way that signal hits the amp are going to 
change the tone.  When going through an EDP, I have met an unwinnable 
fight in trying to balance the loss of gain through the EDP vs. the noise 
produced by the EDP.  Through proper gain staging (setting of input and 
output 
levels on the EDP), I can minimize the problem, but not make it disappear. 
 I do not feel it is possible to simultaneously A) not distort the input, 
B) have a 
quiet loop with no hiss added by the EDP, and C) still have a full gain 
signal hit the amp.  I can get the loop hiss under control, but there goes 
my amp 
tone.  I can get the amp screaming, but either deal with hiss or digital 
distortion, depending on whether I'm leaning towards the input or output 
of the 
EDP.

Loopers who are not concerned with old-school tube amp tone issues 
probably don't care about this issue.  If you have an amp modeler or 
something 
BEFORE the EDP and are then going into a super clean power amp just to 
amplify your signal, you may never even notice this.  But if you are 
trying to use 
the tone of your amp as a big part of your sound (like most guitar sounds 
from the 1940's through the present), the EDP can be frustrating.

Don't get me wrong.  I still love my EDPs.  They are an amazing tool.  
This is just one thing to think about.

Cheers

Joe Rut

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