Re: New DL4 complaints

[Rich <rich@nuvision.com>]

I am going to have to agree 100% on this one!  The expression pedal with
the DL-4 is an incredible combination, but problematic.  My
presets/expression pedal setup are:

preset 1:  Reverse delay with exp. pedal controls Mix - 0% - 100%.
preset 2:  Tube Delay with exp. pedal controls Drive
preset 3:  Digital Delay with exp. controls Mix - 0% - 100%.

Looper Mode:  exp. controls Mix

I haven't had a need to set the tap tempo while using the exp. pedal, but
Mike's description makes total sense.  I think the exp. pedal is very
buggy, unless it does one simple thing only.  I have had very little
trouble with the above presets, but i wanted the exp. pedal to do more
things...i just gave up after i couldn't get what i wanted.

George Van Wager, if you are getting this, let us know what you think!
Thanks for an awesome box.  If the expression pedal issue could be solved
with a software/eprom release, this box would be almost flawless for the
fun/ease of use/price/fun/fun/fun  ratio!

later,

rich



At 04:13 AM 2/17/00 -0600, you wrote:
>Ok I'd like to start by saying that I really do like the DL4, and I think
>Line6 is on to something.  They should be congratulated for this very fun,
>unique, and useful product.
>Now for the mean stuff.  I'm not here for the usual "I want more presets"
>complaint.  Quite frankly I think 3 presets is fine.  That's 3 more than 
>any
>other stompbox I've ever owned.
>My chief complaint is of the functionality of the expression pedal.  What
>Line6 fails to mention in any of their descriptions of the DL4 is that you
>cannot realistically use both the tap tempo feature AND the expression 
>pedal
>after calling up a preset.  It's one or the other.  Let me explain how it
>works:  you program the expression pedal to control the "mix" for example.
>You save that preset and then you recall it later.  Then you decide to 
>step
>on the tap-tempo button for a time adjustment.  At this point your
>expression pedal will now sweep through your new and old delay times
>(causing that weird, garbled delay-time pitch bend) in addition to the 
>"mix"
>(which you have already programmed the exp. pedal to change)....even 
>though
>the expression pedal WAS NEVER PROGRAMMED TO CHANGE DELAY TIME.  One of 
>the
>MAIN reasons I bought the DL4 was so that I could have real-time control 
>of
>all of the main delay parameters (time,feedback,mix).  On one particular
>preset, I just want the exp. pedal to control the feedback rate for 
>example.
>However as soon as I step on the tap-tempo button the pedal now controls 
>the
>delay time too which now makes the expression pedal totally useless to me.
>Why on earth would this be useful to anybody??  If the user wants the exp.
>pedal to control the delay time, then the user should program it that way.
>If the user does not want the exp. pedal to control the delay time, then 
>it
>should never control the delay time, regardless of whether or not the user
>steps on the tap-tempo.  Why was the DL4 programmed this way??  Basically 
>if
>you do not want the exp. pedal to sweep through the delay times (with all 
>of
>that wacky pitch bending) then you cannot use the tap tempo feature.  
>Like I
>said, one or the other.  I do not think this is one of those subjective
>cases in which "some features are useful to some players and less useful 
>to
>others"  Bottom line...once you step on the tap-tempo button the 
>expression
>pedal CEASES TO DO WHAT IT HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED TO DO.  Why would that be
>useful to ANY DL4 user????  This seems like a software issue.  Why can't 
>the
>DL4 be programmed so that the expression pedal controls the delay time 
>only
>(and I mean ONLY) when it has been specifically programmed to do so by a
>turn of the delay time KNOB (and ONLY by a turn of the knob)???
>
>It just does not make sense to me why this feature has been completely
>overlooked.  I'm hoping that if enough of us DL4 users will write/email
>Line6, then they will fix this problem with future software
>versions/upgrades.  And for the record, I'm on my second DL4 (first one 
>was
>faulty) and they both suffered from this problem.
>
>Second complaint:  the accuracy of the expression pedal seems a little
>buggy.  As I said before I like to use the exp. pedal to control feedback.
>I program the "toe-down" pedal position for maximum feedback.  Sometimes
>when I press the pedal all the way down (toe-down) I get near infinite
>feedback...well actually it's not infinite as it takes a few minutes for 
>the
>feedback to go away, but it's a really long time.  Other times I press the
>exp. pedal all the way down and I get feedback that completely dies in 
>about
>15-20 seconds.  That's a big gap.  I never know when I'll get the really
>long feedback or the shorter feedback.
>
>Again this seems like an area that ought to be addressed with future
>software upgrades.
>
>I'd like to say again that I do like the DL4.  I thank Line6 for making a
>product that I care enough about to want it to be all that it can be, and
>should be capable of.  But for now I realize the DL4 is not going to be 
>the
>real-time machine that I need it to be (and that it should be).  I'm still
>chained to my rack which is what I wanted to get away from.  Speak up 
>fellow
>DL4 users.  If enough users make requests, then the programmers will 
>surely
>have to address these issues.
>
>Mike
>
>
>