As I've seen a number of questions about the Line 6 DM4, but no real feedback, I thought I'd offer my recent experiences with one.
Overall: I like it. I have the nagging feeling, though, that no sound of its is the perfect one, but I'm having more success finding sounds I like with this than I have with trying numerous other pedals.
Most models have drive and level, and a 3-band EQ. The mid EQ acts often as the one tone control from the modeled pedal. It's true bypass. You can activate a noise gate for each of the 4 user presets if desired.
Models I'm using (with bottom and mid added):
Classic Distortion (Rat) - Makes a nice jagged, dirty, well modulated sound.
Color Drive (Colorsound Overdriver) - A smoother, lusher O/D-like sound (smoother than a real O/D effect)
Buzz Saw (Maestro Fuzz Tone) - A harsh, uh, buzz saw-like sound. Reminds me happily of my 80's Polytone distortion, overdriven solidstate ugliness. Or even of my old Tascam being overdriven. In many ways this is my favorite kind of distortion. It doesn't sound crafted or massaged, rather like something is broken, failing and chaotic.
Jumbo Fuzz (Vox Tone Bender) - Reminds me of a Big Muff but not so full-on or 'smooth' as a Muff, i.e. more modulated.
It's perhaps worth noting that I prefer my Big Muff (NYC) to the modeled Muff in the DM4, or rather, I don't think the model quite captures the original.
Also of note is the Jet Fuzz (Roland Jet Phaser) - distortion combined with a phaser. While it sounds really cool, it requires a lot of sonic space to be really heard, so I don't see myself using it except for a special case.
While the tone controls help preserve the bottom end, I've still ended up using my Boss LS-2 pedal to add some dry signal to the wet. I would like the pedal more if it were able to do that itself. Since I've been used to doing that with my Muff, it's not a huge deal for me.
Overall: I like it. I have the nagging feeling, though, that no sound of its is the perfect one, but I'm having more success finding sounds I like with this than I have with trying numerous other pedals.
Most models have drive and level, and a 3-band EQ. The mid EQ acts often as the one tone control from the modeled pedal. It's true bypass. You can activate a noise gate for each of the 4 user presets if desired.
Models I'm using (with bottom and mid added):
Classic Distortion (Rat) - Makes a nice jagged, dirty, well modulated sound.
Color Drive (Colorsound Overdriver) - A smoother, lusher O/D-like sound (smoother than a real O/D effect)
Buzz Saw (Maestro Fuzz Tone) - A harsh, uh, buzz saw-like sound. Reminds me happily of my 80's Polytone distortion, overdriven solidstate ugliness. Or even of my old Tascam being overdriven. In many ways this is my favorite kind of distortion. It doesn't sound crafted or massaged, rather like something is broken, failing and chaotic.
Jumbo Fuzz (Vox Tone Bender) - Reminds me of a Big Muff but not so full-on or 'smooth' as a Muff, i.e. more modulated.
It's perhaps worth noting that I prefer my Big Muff (NYC) to the modeled Muff in the DM4, or rather, I don't think the model quite captures the original.
Also of note is the Jet Fuzz (Roland Jet Phaser) - distortion combined with a phaser. While it sounds really cool, it requires a lot of sonic space to be really heard, so I don't see myself using it except for a special case.
While the tone controls help preserve the bottom end, I've still ended up using my Boss LS-2 pedal to add some dry signal to the wet. I would like the pedal more if it were able to do that itself. Since I've been used to doing that with my Muff, it's not a huge deal for me.
