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Looper's Delight
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I wrote this a few weeks ago for the AH mailing list. Thought I'd send it to LD as well. My conclusions are a bit different than what I've read from others recently. For example, I can't stand the %##@ "set time" loop thing. For that reason alone the EH16 is now sitting in it's box and I'm still using the DL4 live. To each there own certainly. ------------------------------------------------------------ For anyone who is interested here are my (Extremely subjective) first impressions: 1. Unit is painted flat black which is interesting as everything else has been the shiny metal of the "old" units. 2. Switches on top feel plastic and cheap as hell. Most likely doesn't matter but they feel cheap as hell. 3. Just curious: I looked for a serial # on the outside or paperwork since it's a big shot "limited edition" Didn't find one. Presumably there is one inside the unit but I don't feel like opening it up. yet :) I read the manual a week before this arrived and haven't touched it since so take that into account on these points: 4. The "click" volume is almost inaudible even at full volume. At this early point I'd say that makes it useless and the LEDS will be the way to go for the "bars" settings. 5. The Bars* setting (which is unique to this unit) seems quite counter intuitive to me. I REALLY wish they had set it up so you start, stop, and it loops automatically. As it is you are a slave to the beat of the pedal which is the antithesis of how I work. Given the click track doesn't have it's own output (as on the original) and is ridiculously quiet (I'm really hoping there is a trim pot in there to change that) this is even more difficult to work with. *For those not familiar the pedal has a setting for "bars" (as in one measure, two measures, etc) which makes you conform to the beat of the pedal. If you don't start playing when the pedal starts or if you stop before IT is finished there is silence in the loop. As a looper it will take some getting used to and unless I'm mistaken I'll have to pay attention to the %$#@ little leds blinking to the the loop "right" rather than simply stepping on it and playing (like ANY other looper I have ever used). I understand they wanted to do something different but IMO this is serious setback to the 'sloppy' player. (ie ME!). Who wants to check the %#@ pedal to see if your loop is in sync? Whatever. 6. OK I sound all pissed off so here's the good news: F*** the looper, the delay on this is WRONG in the best possible way. You can set it to basically process and loop in realtime and totally destroy the original signal in very interesting ways. The coarse/fine sliders really decimate the loop. the speed depth is capable of some serious perversion. The Input gain distorts the signal of a nice analog beat box quite well. Now to be fair the old Digitech "Time Machine" rack units did similar stuff and even the Korg Kaoss pad can destroy things via delay but this *is* different. Is it $500 and hype different? Well, I suppose the jury is out on that at this point. I AM glad I got one despite my above bitching. It's a damn cool box. So, after a few hours I'd say I see great live potential for this box but not at ALL as I originally expected. I'll check the manual now to see if there's a way to override that fascist "bars" setting but as I recall that is the whole point of the unit. Haven't checked the midi sync but I can see where this would be a great studio tool where you can sit around a mess with a loop over and over unit you get it right and then sync other nastiness (via midi) to it. It is CLEARLY not a reissue in the real sense. This is a VERY different pedal. FWIW the original lofi grungy sound is totally gone. This is a digital box through and through. Not a bad thing as this stands on it's own with things the original couldn't do. I suppose I'll keep my DL4 ready for simple live looping use though. ___________________________________________________________________ HELP WANTED PRODUCTIONS - Http://www.HelpWantedProductions.com "Bringing you the best in Organic Electronic music since we started..." NOW! New online shopping cart of great Indie Rock and Electronic music: Http://www.HelpWantedProductions.com/catalog.htm