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At 9:39 PM -0800 1/27/01, Stephen Bradley and Kristen Chamberlin wrote: > I am considering "switching" from my Jam man to an EDP. But I have a >couple of questions first, and was wondering if anyone could help with >answering these. Here they are: 1. Do EDP users find that the machine >is reliable? Does the footpedal give people any problems? How about the >unit itself? The units currently being built by Gibson at their trace elliot facility in the UK are quite well made. The spend a lot of effort to test them thoroughly and use the best components. There have also been design updates to improve reliability over older units. >2. Does it make a difference in terms of reliability >whether I purchase an older model (pre Loop III v5.0 upgrade) or a newer >model with the upgrade pre-installed? The LoopIIIv5.0 software fixed a lot of bugs from the old 3.2 software. So it is definitely more reliable in that way. (info about it is on the looper's delight site.) It is easy to upgrade if you need to. The LoopIIIv5.0 software costs $45 to buy if you are upgrading. (doesn't cost you anything if you are buying a new echoplex.....) The hardware units from the days when the old 3.2 software shipped were generally pretty well made, but they ran very hot. That would tend to be a reliability issue. The new units have a different power supply that runs cool, which is much better in my opinion. It is possible to modify an old one with the new supply if you want to go to the trouble. I would just buy a new one though, since the price of a new one doesn't seem to be much different from what people want to sell used ones for. >3. If I purchase an older one, >how easy and problem-free is it to install the upgrade? And how do I >install it, or do I have to have it done by Oberheim? Is the upgrade >worth it? you buy the upgrade from Aurisis Research (upgrade@aurisis.com) for $45. It comes as two chips which you have to install yourself in the unit. You just open the unit, pull out the two existing eprom chips from their sockets, and replace them with the new ones. It is pretty easy and should only take a few minutes and a screwdriver to do. >4. In terms of comparing reliability of the unit (i.e. >breakage / malfunction issues) does anyone have a basis for comparing the >Jamman with the EDP? I don't. >5. I am aware that performance-wise, the EDP >appears to have more options than the Jam man. If that's the case then >why do "tried and true" Jam man users stick with the Jam man? I'm not aware that they do, since I know a lot of people who have switched from Jammans to Echoplex. But certainly many people have something that works for them and they are comfortable with it, so they stick with it. > Oh >yeah, one more.......if faced with the choice of a brand new EDP with >basic memory and Loop III installed, or an older one in mint condition >with full memory and no Loop III, for a difference of 200-300 dollars, is >the extra money for the new one and then the additional cost of memory >"worth it" in terms of what you get with the new unit (i.e. technology / >development-wise)? Thanks a lot Stephen B. chambrad@valinet.com New units come with the full memory installed now, so you do not need to do any memory upgrades if you buy it new. I would be very surprised if the difference in used and new units is really that much right now. Either used prices have dropped way down or the quotes you have gotten for new units are very high. Check with Alto Music, they usually have a good price. My guess is you will find that a new unit is a better deal right now. kim ______________________________________________________________________ Kim Flint | Looper's Delight kflint@loopers-delight.com | http://www.loopers-delight.com