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Boss Dd-20

lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
edited July 2008 in Musicians and Gearheads
I'm thinking about getting one of these.
I know there has been a ton of threads n tha past, but I didn't really pay much attention. Now I'm in a band, I need to have a more easily adjusted delay than my Replex.
Songs I'll use it for are Where the Streets Have No Name and Another Brick in the Wall, as well as Yellow Ledbetter and stuff like that. I saw a guy in a coffee shop doing ABITW on acoustic using what looked like a DD-20, and it was really great.
Any comments ?
I think Fins ended up getting one, right ?
Music is not a competetion.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • NovawindNovawind Posts: 836
    Well worth it. I've had mine for months and haven't even begun to use all the features.
    If idle hands are the devil's workshop, he must not be very productive.

    7/9/06 LA 1
    7/10/06 LA 2
    10/21/06 Bridge 1
  • kitfookitfoo Posts: 125
    You can never go wrong with a BOSS. However, I have a Line 6 DL-4, and that thing can make some pretty wicked sounds! But, in the end, it's up to you.
  • Mike_Muse_RageMike_Muse_Rage Posts: 677
    The standard delays sound better on the DD-7 plus it's smaller. You can buy a tap tempo footswitch for it if you need one too. I'd definitely recommend that over the DD-20.
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    DD 20 is pretty complicated at first but it's good. Gotta agree though...get the DD7. The DL4 (unless it's an older model) breaks easily...I wouldn't recommend that. I have the Digidelay by digitech (there's a thread somewhere on that and the DD6) and a BOSS DD6. Try out the DL4 and the DD7 if you can get a chance.
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Posts: 6,395
    +1 on the DD-7. Add the footswitch for tap-tempo and you're set.

    If you'd rather have a DD-6, I'll sell you mine... so I can get a DD-7!
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    NAh, I just checked out the product profiles. I really like the idea of programming 4 pre-sets, then leaving it alone, plus the reverse echo will be really neat for Black Dog. With teh siongle pedalones, I would have to remember too much stuff, and I'm an addle-brain.
    It comes with teh tap-tempo built in too, and to have to add another pedal for that would be a pain.
    Music is not a competetion.
  • Mike_Muse_RageMike_Muse_Rage Posts: 677
    If convenience is more important than sound quality then go with the DD-20.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    I went with the Digitech Digidelay, lucy. It does the job, for me!
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    Yep... there have been many threads on this. A quick run down... the Line 6 and Boss DD-20 have been the primary contenders for the "serious". "non-boutique" delay pedal market for a few years. The Line 6 is 24 bit, has a looper, but some people think it's fragile, and the pedal plungers sometimes break. The Boss DD-20 is not 24 bit, sounds really good though, but has fewer sounds it can model. Still it's ultra reliable and stable and the sounds it gets are sweet.

    Beneath this you have the Boss DD7 and a whole plethora of other varrying quality delays by everyone from Danelectro to DOD. Above this there were things like the T-Rex Replica and Pigtronix echolution.

    THINGS HAVE CHANGED!!!! In September of 07 TC Electronics put out the Nova Delay:

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--TCENOVADELAY

    Same price as the Line 6... built like a tank. 24 bit... and the thing *sings*. I played one right beside a Replica delay at Rudy's... and while they have different characters... there was no question they were in the same league. I bought the TC.

    I own a DD 20 and barely use it since I got the nova. I liked it for a while, but now it feels like a really nice wheel barrel compared to a ferrari.

    Eventide also released a pedal late last year, but it's $400. It sounds great as well, very similar to the Nova. It has an edge if midi is your thing. Apart from the midi I'd say the Nova trumps both the DD20 and the Line 6. Times change. Check one out.
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    IDgotI wrote:
    Yep... there have been many threads on this. A quick run down... the Line 6 and Boss DD-20 have been the primary contenders for the "serious". "non-boutique" delay pedal market for a few years. The Line 6 is 24 bit, has a looper, but some people think it's fragile, and the pedal plungers sometimes break. The Boss DD-20 is not 24 bit, sounds really good though, but has fewer sounds it can model. Still it's ultra reliable and stable and the sounds it gets are sweet.

    Beneath this you have the Boss DD7 and a whole plethora of other varrying quality delays by everyone from Danelectro to DOD. Above this there were things like the T-Rex Replica and Pigtronix echolution.

    THINGS HAVE CHANGED!!!! In September of 07 TC Electronics put out the Nova Delay:

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--TCENOVADELAY

    Same price as the Line 6... built like a tank. 24 bit... and the thing *sings*. I played one right beside a Replica delay at Rudy's... and while they have different characters... there was no question they were in the same league. I bought the TC.

    I own a DD 20 and barely use it since I got the nova. I liked it for a while, but now it feels like a really nice wheel barrel compared to a ferrari.

    Eventide also released a pedal late last year, but it's $400. It sounds great as well, very similar to the Nova. It has an edge if midi is your thing. Apart from the midi I'd say the Nova trumps both the DD20 and the Line 6. Times change. Check one out.

    Looks, good. I'll have to check out availability and price in Australia.
    Otherwise, I'm not desperate to have the ultuimate best, so the DD-20 will probably do the trick.

    Fins, was there a particular thing that swayed you to the Line 6 ?

    OK, $485 plus postage here in Oz, vs $379 for the Boss. Not a massive difference, but I can do a lay-by on the Boss. I'll take some tiem to think this over.
    Music is not a competetion.
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    I just played that Nova delay...WOW...if you've got enough for the DD-20, I'd say to skip that and get the Nova...it's amazing.
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    FinsburyParkCarrots wrote:
    I went with the Digitech Digidelay, lucy. It does the job, for me!
    I remember that thread on that...I've got the Digi and it's awesome :) IMO better than the DD6
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    xtremehardy388 wrote:
    I just played that Nova delay...WOW...if you've got enough for the DD-20, I'd say to skip that and get the Nova...it's amazing.


    Money is not a huge issue, but I really just want to do some U2 and Pink Floyd, so good enough is good enough. The Nova looks interesting though.
    We'll see. I'm not buying anything until my tax cheque comes in after my short holiday at the end of the month anyway.
    Then I'll be on here pleading for song settings anyway.
    Music is not a competetion.
  • jcmark611jcmark611 Posts: 93
    I have a Boss DD-20 and I hate how it sounds. It's way too bright and in your face.

    If you have the money, go for the T-Rex. Even Gilmour uses one.
  • Mike_Muse_RageMike_Muse_Rage Posts: 677
    xtremehardy388 wrote:
    I remember that thread on that...I've got the Digi and it's awesome :) IMO better than the DD6
    But not better than the DD-7. ;)
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    lucylespian wrote:
    Money is not a huge issue, but I really just want to do some U2 and Pink Floyd, so good enough is good enough. The Nova looks interesting though.
    We'll see. I'm not buying anything until my tax cheque comes in after my short holiday at the end of the month anyway.
    Then I'll be on here pleading for song settings anyway.

    If you do an AB comparison between just the *sound* of the Nova vs. the Line 6 and or the DD20 it will be a no brainer. It's easy to think of delay as just a repeated note, but a digital delay is taking the note and converting from analog to digital to process it, and then back again. If there is no other delay around it will be easy to plug in to any pedal and say... 'close enough'... but with the Nova you get all your tone back. The converters are absolutely top drawer. Plus it's way more tweakable. Again I have a DD20 and was trying out the TC electronic for sh#ts and giggles. In fact I not only had the DD20 but a $400 blackbox Quicksilver delay as well. When I first played the nova at a store I compared it side by side with the same delay Gilmour currently uses, the $450 T Rex Replica, and that was it. I was ruined. I had to buy the Nova right there and then. It was THAT good.

    Basically you know how we all have computers at home that are about 100 times more powerful than anything NASA had for the moon launch? The thing with digital technology is it keeps taking massive leaps forward in terms of what it can do. The DD20 and line 6 were top of the heap a couple of years ago, but high quality converters have just gotten cheaper, and the Nova has better components inside. Plus, in terms of character, the NOVA delay essentially IS Edge's delay... this thing http://www.tcelectronic.com/TC2290 in a foot pedal... oh... with one difference... whereas the delay Edge used to use was 16 bit... this thing is 24 bit, and it also does the tape and analog emulation thing. Really comparing the DD20 to this thing is like comparing an old prop plane to a supersonic jet. I'm not trying to dump on anyone's pedal... I'm trying to share the most killing delay I've ever run across with everyone on the board. If you are into delay... you've gotta try the Nova. It is to delay pedals what the picture wah is to wahs.
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Mike_Muse_Rage wrote:
    But not better than the DD-7. ;)
    I played the DD7 for the very first time and I still like my digi (for my style). I'd say the DD7 is the best value out there with the competing DL4 and Giga(The Nova is in a group all by itself).
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    jcmark611 wrote:
    I have a Boss DD-20 and I hate how it sounds. It's way too bright and in your face.

    If you have the money, go for the T-Rex. Even Gilmour uses one.

    The replica sounds great. Of course the Nova only came out in September '07, and Gilmour has been using that replica for several years. As noted earlier I tried the two pedals side by side. There are slight differences in character. I don't think either one is better, and that comparing between the two would be a matter of taste. Basically the nova is more flexible, and can get more sounds. Some might see this as a pain in the arse rather than a benefit, and for those people ... if spending $150 more to get a less flexible pedal makes sense have at it. (Unless midi sync is your thing... in which case the contest is between the replica and the eventide at $400. The nova, like the dd20 and line6, has no midi ports). In the US anyway the Nova is about $20 more than the line 6 and about $50-70 more than the DD20. Considering it holds its own against the Replica, which is still another $150 more than the nova... the nova is kind of a steal.
  • lucylespianlucylespian Posts: 2,403
    IDgotI wrote:
    If you do an AB comparison between just the *sound* of the Nova vs. the Line 6 and or the DD20 it will be a no brainer. It's easy to think of delay as just a repeated note, but a digital delay is taking the note and converting from analog to digital to process it, and then back again. If there is no other delay around it will be easy to plug in to any pedal and say... 'close enough'... but with the Nova you get all your tone back. The converters are absolutely top drawer. Plus it's way more tweakable. Again I have a DD20 and was trying out the TC electronic for sh#ts and giggles. In fact I not only had the DD20 but a $400 blackbox Quicksilver delay as well. When I first played the nova at a store I compared it side by side with the same delay Gilmour currently uses, the $450 T Rex Replica, and that was it. I was ruined. I had to buy the Nova right there and then. It was THAT good.

    Basically you know how we all have computers at home that are about 100 times more powerful than anything NASA had for the moon launch? The thing with digital technology is it keeps taking massive leaps forward in terms of what it can do. The DD20 and line 6 were top of the heap a couple of years ago, but high quality converters have just gotten cheaper, and the Nova has better components inside. Plus, in terms of character, the NOVA delay essentially IS Edge's delay... this thing http://www.tcelectronic.com/TC2290 in a foot pedal... oh... with one difference... whereas the delay Edge used to use was 16 bit... this thing is 24 bit, and it also does the tape and analog emulation thing. Really comparing the DD20 to this thing is like comparing an old prop plane to a supersonic jet. I'm not trying to dump on anyone's pedal... I'm trying to share the most killing delay I've ever run across with everyone on the board. If you are into delay... you've gotta try the Nova. It is to delay pedals what the picture wah is to wahs.

    Thank you very much for this thoughtful and insightful analysis. I keep forgetting about the analogue to digital and back conversions that goes on so much, and how much loss there can be there. It's one reason I just love my pure analogue tube audio amp. No digital nothing in that sucker.
    That last sentence really sealed it for me, as I love the Picture wah. You get all you tone back with that too, in spades.
    Nova it is, by the sounds of it. Wifelet was doing the tax return yesterday, but it will take a few weeks to turn around, then I'll grab one.
    Now I just need you to drop over and set it up for me. Be sure to call if you ever visit Oz, for sure. The welcome mat will definitely be out !!
    Music is not a competetion.
  • IDgotIIDgotI Posts: 262
    Awesome offer! It's been on my mind since I heard the PJ Newcastle boot. Best dang boot of 06 I do believe! Send me a message if you are ever planning to swing by the Big Apple. Also let us know what you think of the nova if you get one. I think you will enjoy. The learning curve isn't really that bad... and once you get the hang of being able to shape every aspect of each sound, rather than having to make do with the Lin6 and Boss preset tones, it will be impossible to go back to working with either of those pedals.

    The only other delay pedal out there to consider would be the echolution. http://www.pigtronix.com/products/Phi.htm But I haven't actually heard it... just good things about it. It's more expensive than the nova though. Just mentioning it to be fair.

    I had a friend who was looking to get a delay recently and I had him over to my place to do a shoot out with all the digital delay pedals I have. We tested each pedal one at a time, so that there was always only one pedal between guitar and amp. The pedals included, a line6 echo park, the blackbox quicksilver, the boss dd6, the boss dd20 and the nova. The nova was so transparently the wnner that it was really no contest. I'm really comfortable recommending the nova based on that day, especially when considering I first tried it out at the store side by side with the Gilmour used T Rex Replica they day I bought it. I will add I still find use for my DM3 analog delay and for a tape delay... but there is just no other digital delay that can touch the nova... and it's tape sim and analog emulation sounds are much more realistic than the boss, line6 or ... (gulp) even the expensive blackbox tones (though the blackbox *is* insanely tweakable and not a bad little box... it has an effects loop for the wet signal which opens up some useful possibilities... then again it's $150 more and in the end I'd still have to say for straight delay the nova impressed more).

    Enjoy!
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