Let's Talk Loopers.

[friendship]

it's just a normal minor scale but the sixth degree wears chain mail

[D Rock]

I have an infinity as well and can confirm no quality issues. I've used it almost daily for years with no problems besides it freezing up when left powered on for a few days with no play. Latest firmware may have updated that but I'm not 100% sure.

[retinal orbita]

I have a Flashback x4 that I use for looping a lot and it's great. Getting a good loop especially with reverb can be a challenge and takes practice. Good switches, easy to use, etc. I have no qualms with the TC Loopers.

Does it work essentially the same as the Ditto x4? Easy to get the timing down?

It takes practice, I remember being really frustrated that I couldn't just nail a loop easy peasy like those cool youtube guys but I think I'm at the point where I've got it, and played a few solo things where I looped in real time. Not sure how similar to the Ditto x4 but probably really similar software wise, and I have never had any qualms with the TC stuff quality wise. I've been using mine for years, my main delay looper and I can't complain. I stomp that fucker constantly an it's great. Sometimes I think about buying a dedicated delay pedal and a dedicated looper like the 720 but I'm not a loop-saver and it meets my needs in every possible way.

[weebles]

For drone to make noise over I prefer more of a freeze than a looper. Stamme[n] is perfect for this, or get a EHX Freeze for keeping in your budget.

Also Ruiner sez:

http://www.instagram.com/p/BfPTxi7HJR_/

Agree with this, but would add get both.

If you’re actually crafting songs, some of the fancier ones would work. If you’re just droning away, the ditto works great. Ditto x2 would be good for that, too, with a couple added bells and whistles.

[nogodsnobedtimes]

Do you find the storage useful for keeping a few things around to noodle with, or does the novelty of storing loops wear off pretty quickly?

I have a couple loops stored for songs I'm working on, and one for a long three note drone I like to noodle over when I'm bored. I think it's a pretty neat feature to have but not having loop storage wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

[Benn Roe]

Dude! Thanks for the detailed thoughts. So with the TC loopers, you can export loops to your computer? Will it hold it in memory if I unplugged the pedal and took it over to the computer, or do you have to maintain power to keep it stored?

It should continue to store without power. Admittedly, I haven't done a lot of transferring between the pedal and a computer, but when I'm leaving practice I always turn off the surge protector my pedalboard is plugged into. When I turn it back on, any loops I didn't delete are still there from the previous practice. I'm not sure if the X2 has this storage capability or not, and mind you the X4 only stores up to two loops, but it's a nice bonus in case you end up recording something life-changing and wanting to preserve it. If you think you'd want proper dedicated storage, recallable through the pedal itself, you may want to look at the Jam Man series of pedals from, I think, Digitech.

As far as quality goes, I've had no issue with my Ditto. The casing is metal and everything feels built to last. I hadn't heard anything about quality control issues on X4s, but I've only ever used the one. I think for most people the X2 is probably a better fit anyway, though. The X4 has an extra loop and a few extra effects, but is pretty large and those are definitely luxury features.

[t-rey]

it's just a normal minor scale but the sixth degree wears chain mail

Could you recommend some reputable chain mail brands? But please note that I generally prefer hand-rolled, heirloom chain mail.

[friendship]

you don't need to buy the chainmail dude, the 6 comes with it

[karmablock]

EHX 720 = Gaps. Until you master the weird offset until the recording starts.

Best bet at that price point is Ditto X2. I would stay from the X4 (at least used ones) as they seem to be hit or miss quality wise.

Booooo gaps and timing trickery. Does the x4 have more problems with quality than the x2?

The one I bought used did this thing when you turned it on initially it would freeze up then you would have to hold down a switch to reboot it. I've seen a few on reverb that have had that disclaimer in their description. I don't know if TC ever release a patch for it. I ended up buying boomerang III and I'm content looperwise (I would be even happier if they updated the firmware now that they have new management).

[Benn Roe]

That just sounds like outdated firmware. I've never had that issue with mine. I bought used but then immediately updated the firmware. I get weird glitchy issues like that on my DL4, but those could have to do with some of the mods I had done to it. I plugged it in exactly once before sending it away to get some improvements, so I never got a sense of how glitchy it was prior, but it's definitely glitchy as fuck now.

[t-rey]

you don't need to buy the chainmail dude, the 6 comes with it

Damn, that's a bargain

[goroth]

Anyways, I've tried Boss loopers and could never get the timing right with the feel of the switch. Was pretty happy with the Hotone Wally, but if you run really high gain into it the dry signal gets kinda fucked - I think it is feeding back internally somehow. Replaced it with a ditto and it doesn't have any such problems. Switch is easy to get the timing right with. But the Time Bender is just perfect. Not sure if it is a software thing or the switch or what but you can time loops perfectly. Overdubbing is easy, not in the least because as Nils said you see how much time you have remaining on your loop.

I basically redid my whole board to get it on there because it was so killer. But only 20 seconds of loop. But it's enough to get a fair bit of useage. Don't think you can export or import loops but I don't really go for funky advanced stuff like that.

[t-rey]

Cool, thanks for the thoughts. I'll check out some clips of it and see if it fits the bill.

[cherler]

I've been thinking about the infinity too but I feel like I remember hearing about quality issues?

I may be partially responsible for that mostly incorrect rumor.

I currently have 3 of them. I thought 1 broke which is why I bought the 3rd one. It seemed like random layers I recorded did not save. But as it turns out, it was just because however I was currently recording stuff. Once I realized what was causing it, I stopped doing that, and haven't had any issues since.

But I do have a problem on my 2 oldest ones upgrading the firmware. But that could very well be a problem with my computer for all I know.

In summary, I recommend it readily.


Hope that helps.

I have an infinity as well and can confirm no quality issues. I've used it almost daily for years with no problems besides it freezing up when left powered on for a few days with no play. Latest firmware may have updated that but I'm not 100% sure.

Good to know! I think one might be back on my list!

[Seedy]

I love looping. I own/have owned DL4, RC-20XL, RC2, Freeze, Superego, Boss DD5 and 6 delays with sample/hold and a Ditto. The Line 6 M9 is my favorite looper. All the other fx in there are icing.

Like the DL4, it has PLAY ONCE which is so crucial if you want to use any looper with an actual band, I don't know why every looper doesn't have it. I mean unless you are all playing on stage with headphones, expecting your drummer to hear and keep time to your delicately arpeggiated, shakily timed progression may be unrealistic. Play Once allows you start your foot riffs with your finger riffs.

M9 over the DL4 also because you can use all the pedals effects before or after the loop. The DL4 really did introduce the perfect functionality and the M9 just sweetens it. Yes, the buttons will fuck up. When it happened I sent it to JHV3 for new switches and it came back better than before.

I use the Ditto after the M9 specifically so I can capture the cool things I do with the play once and half speed buttons. The Ditto by itself is very limited, which is fine. I would switch back to an RC2 for that same function so I could keep the loops after powering down but, whatever. I never had a problem with the RCs timing. I didn't use the metronome at all but if you stomp on "1" to start and "1" to stop you should not have a problem. It was my most seamless sounding looper.