RE: Nova Delay questions

["list2" <list2@moondogeast.org>]

<<Thought I'd keep this as a seperate post/thread. Also wondering if =
anyone's got the Nova Delay (or reverb, but more interested in the =
delay)?

Again, I've read good reviews, but they're not terribly detailed so =
wondering about things like, whether it has a hold function, whether you =
can use external footswitches and/or an expression pedal?
And, does it sound good and is it intuative to use.>>

I picked up one of these the day it released, so I've been getting to know
it for a while.

To answer your specific questions:

-There's not a hold function per se. You can set the feedback knob so 
you're
kind of dancing just below the runaway point, but it's not a button tap 
sort
of procedure.

-No provision for external switches or expression pedals.

-I love the way it sounds. You can choose different delay styles (straight
delay line, 2290 dynamic, Reverse, pingpong, pan, or slap-back); 6 
different
subdivisions settings; and one of four levels of modulation on repeats
(including none). What I really like best of all is the range of options
when choosing the "color" of your delay. You can choose clean digital 
delay,
analog, tape, or anywhere in between. It's a knob selector rather than a
switch, so you can find that spot anywhere on the spectrum that gives you
what you're looking for. I won't try to say how well it emulates tape or
analog delays. But I can say that I love the way it sounds. In fact, I
already did.

-It is very easy to use. The only aspect of the box that isn't totally
intuitive is the Delay knob. I'm used to delays where you turn the knob to
find your delay time and then you leave it. On the Nova, if the knob is at
12 o'clock, the delay time stays where you've set it. Turn the knob
counterclockwise and the delay time starts to decrease and will keep
decreasing until you turn the knob back to the 12 o'clock detent. Turn the
knob clockwise and delay time will increase until you return to 12. The
further you turn the knob, the quicker the increase or decrease.

-Two other excellent features:

1) The nice big display that gives you your delay times in ms or BPM as 
well
as settings for the other parameters.

2) If you hold down the tap tempo switch the box mutes and will read your
strumming or picking to get the tempo. I find it much easier than tapping
while playing in the heat of the moment, but for those of you with better
coordination, plain old tempo tapping is also available.

The only fly in the ointment was when I first hooked up the pedal in my
amp's effects loop with cheap cables to try it out and it was pretty noisy.
Afraid there might be a problem, I hooked it up to an aux loop on my board
and it was dead quiet. Knowing the box itself was alright I hooked it back
into the guitar rig with George Ls and we've been living happily ever 
after.

I'd been hunting for several weeks for an easy to use, flexible delay pedal
and the Nova is perfect for me. If you have any other questions, I'll be
glad to try to answer them.

hoby