Delay/Loop Pedals

Ambivalent Am I · #1 11-03-2008, 07:35 PM

I'm looking for advice on pedals with a loop and delay function. I was set on buying a Line 6 DL4 since it does exactly what I'm looking for (think Dave Knudson from Minus the Bear), but apparently they are massively unreliable and I'm not really looking to buy a new one every time it craps out.

Any suggestions? Appreciated in advance.

kesslari · #2 11-03-2008, 07:48 PM

I've got a DL4. It's not super well regarded here.
OTOH, it's extremely well regarded (much above the Boss RC20XL, which is much beloved here) in the live looping community.
That is at least in part for its ease of creating good, in-time loops.

I've heard that the newer ones are much more reliable.
Also that the switches on the older ones are the weak point.
I just replaced the switches in mine and hope to get a lot of use out of it.
I do know that there are a number of loopers and bands that tour with them and use them hard, and apparently they're satisified with them.

More info from a looper's perspective at www.loopers-delight.com

coreyfyfe · #3 11-03-2008, 07:50 PM

I've owned two and my guitarist has one and neither of us has ever had reliability problems. Honestly, I've heard the reliability thing tossed around but I can't think of hearing any specific examples. I'm sure they're there, but as with anything else you tend to hear the detractors much louder than the supporters.

My favorite thing about the DL4, and something Dave Knudson uses a lot is the "play once" button.

Ambivalent Am I · #4 11-03-2008, 08:23 PM

Cool, thanks for the fast reply guys. Thinking I might chance a DL4 just because I can't find anything that can do what it can do.

dgelting · #5 11-03-2008, 08:37 PM

Get 2 pedals. One for delay, one for loops. No pedal does both without sacrificing something. What do you want, specifically, from your delay and your loops?

fivestringgecko · #6 11-03-2008, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgelting

Get 2 pedals. One for delay, one for loops. No pedal does both without sacrificing something. What do you want, specifically, from your delay and your loops?

+1

This post might help, too: Which looper to buy

Check post #10, Pjmuck posted a looper comparison chart from another thread that I found to be pretty helpful.

I had a Boomerang+ for quite a while, sold it and now have decided I want another looper. I was heavily debating between the Boss RC-20XL or the Digitech Jamman, but was holding off because they're a little clunky for a pedalboard. The chart helped me realize that the one I really want is the Boss RC-2. Single Boss pedal size, Boss pedal toughness and it's less expensive.

5sg.

coreyfyfe · #7 11-03-2008, 08:56 PM

Yeah I use a carbon copy for my delay needs, but before I got that the DL4 was doing double duty. In terms of looping I prefer the DL4 because IME its the easiest to use for live looping, but if you want loops longer than 14 seconds that you can save and recall after you've powered down your board then it's not the way to go.

bassteban · #8 11-03-2008, 09:06 PM

I gotta have a separate looper & delay- I currenly have an old Ibanez UE-405 w/a sweet analog delay, and an Ibanez EM-5 which, although digital, behaves very much lie a good analog delay, as well as an RC-20XL. I had tried the SMMH as my non-loop delay but prefer true analog delay for real-time tweaking & self-oscillation. I've also had a DL-4 & liked it a lot; didn't have it long enough to comment on reliability.

lotsolowend · #9 11-03-2008, 09:16 PM

from what ive done the rc20xl is good as long as your playing solo, in a band context (without a click track) it will inevitably lose time at some point, i even use mine as a sampler (done original voice intro stuff, the clocks from pink floyd's time, a oscillated note for an intro, and this spacey groove thing). i havent messed with the looper functionality of my dl4 much because i dont need it, i had the rc20xl first and its my dedicated looper (it might have a noise problem, i havent tried tracking it down but im noticing a bit of a hum somewhere in my chain)

post what your needs for each pedal are if you dont mind, i wont recommend the dl4 for looping b/c of its lack of features but for delay its great (check my self oscillation post in the... self oscillation thread) and mine has been (thus far) durable - i think its the old ones you have to worry about

hope this helps

derelicte · #10 11-03-2008, 09:24 PM

i had the EHX stereo memory man w/ Hazarai. it was beastly. it does all, it even does your laundry.

However, this is more of an impressive delay with loop function. my suggestion is to get a dedicated delay (analog n digital) and a separate looper.

bassteban · #11 11-03-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derelicte

i had the EHX stereo memory man w/ Hazarai.
... it does all, it even does your laundry.

I Like the SMMH, but it does not self-oscillate, & on-the-fly/real-time tweaking causes it to glitch & cut out until you stop adjusting. IIRC, the DL-4 does both, & a true analog will do it in spades. Strangely, the EM-5 does both nicely- bonus.