Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

[beggar_guitar]

Ok... I am 99% sure that I am getting a DL-4.

But I just want to ask one last question.

The two pedals mentioned in the title (DD20 and DL4) came up repeatedly in my questioning about good and versatile delay pedals.

Can anyone who has owned or extensively played both pedals tell me the Pros and Cons of either when matched against one another?
Or just direct me to an old thread I may have missed in searching.

Thanks!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

Are you after a delay pedal, or a looping device?

Here's a great comparison of looping devices: http://www.looproom.com/looperchart.php

It shows a lot of the different features of both of those pedals.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

Delay more so than looping.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

Theres literally hundreds if not thousands of threads on forums all over the net about the DL4 and others. Just type DL4 vs _____ in Yahoo and you'll have pages of reading. Honestly no matter how many pages you read though opinions will always vary and you'll be no closer a majority opinion.

Both are really more similar than they are different though and I doubt a person alive could tell if a delay was coming from the DL4 vs DD20 (special effects like twist aside)


I'd suggest you also consider the Like6 Echo Park pedal. Its what I've got and its over $100 cheaper and does just about as much. Tap tempo, tape, digital and analog delays with some of the special modes such as swell and sweep delays

 

[Mincer]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

i own both. what do you want to know?

The pros of the DL4:
great sounding standard and 'strange' delays
you can make it sound like an auto-wah
you can make it sound like a chorus
you can get a light overdrive out of it
delay/loop volume can be controlled by exp pedal
dedicated tap tempo button

DL-4 CONS:
Many people online report problems, although I have never had a problem (mine is almost 10 years old)
You have to buy an exp pedal to get the most out of it (like morphing between 2 settings, or controlling the volume of the loop). I use an Ernie Ball 25k volume pedal.
Its bigger than the DD-20.
No feedback control of the loop.
Presets don't 'spill over' like on the DD-20.
No visual display of delay times.

DD-20 Pros:
Clean and warpy delays.
Can get a good chours sound out of it.
The 'warp' and 'twist' functions are implemented well, and are really cool in the right context.
You can use a normal delay to set a loop, and have feedback control over it.
Presets spill over: you can save a long delay that echos forever, switch to the next preset, with a new delay, and the old one keeps echoing along with the new one.
The SOS function is fun, if not the best implementation of a looper.
The 'Smooth' setting actually adds a short reverb.
Delays a lot longer than the DL-4.
Backlit LCD screen with precise delay times.

CONS of the DD-20:
No exp pedal control of anything.
Tap tempo is convoluted, you need an ext pedal to have it really be useful.
SOS mode is really only good for practice- normal delays are better for looping on this pedal.
Delay sounds themselves don't really model anything- they sound very 'Boss-y'- good, but not the range of the DL-4.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

I'd suggest you also consider the Like6 Echo Park pedal. Its what I've got and its over $100 cheaper and does just about as much. Tap tempo, tape, digital and analog delays with some of the special modes such as swell and sweep delays

I have considered one, but I like using a few different delay settings on the fly so I like having a couple settings right under foot.

i own both. what do you want to know?

That was plenty of info! Thanks!

One of my leanings towards the DD-20 is the ability to set the tap tempo to the dotted 1/8. Which the Dl4 doesn't do as far as I know.

Still I just really like the DL-4 overall from my testings. To my ear the tones vary a bit more, where as you pointed out the DD-20 sounds "Boss-ish."

 

[Mincer]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

the huge problem i have with the Boss' tap tempo is you need to hold a pedal down for 2 seconds and then start tapping...to get out of tap tempo mode (like to switch to another preset), you have to hold it down again! this is not easy to do live. I was thinking of getting this though.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

I'm pretty sure the DL4 does dotted 8th and then some because even the Echo Park can do dotted eights and triplets

download the DL4 manual from musicans friend and see what it has as far as ryhthmic delay, IIRC it has 4 or 5 note sub divisions in fact

 

[subanots]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

forget about the dl-4 as a looper.

its an amazing delay pedal.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

forget about the dl-4 as a looper.

its an amazing delay pedal.

actually, it is a great looper- 28 secs, and pedal control over the loop volume. plus, intuitive and easy ways to manipulate the loop (1/2 speed and reverse), the ability to play the loop from the beginning (good for syncing), and a 1-shot mode too, so you can turn it off before it reaches the end, and it keeps playing until it reaches the end.

 

[beggar_guitar]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

I'm pretty sure the DL4 does dotted 8th and then some because even the Echo Park can do dotted eights and triplets

download the DL4 manual from musicans friend and see what it has as far as ryhthmic delay, IIRC it has 4 or 5 note sub divisions in fact

It does! Thanks!

This will definitely be my pedal then.

So you guys really recommend the expression pedal with it? What's a good one to grab or do they all work just about the same?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

the line6 exp pedal is a toy. it is a flimsy, sliding piece of plastic. I use an Ernie Ball Vol Pedal Jr (the smaller one) that is rated at 25k. I use 1 mono cable from the pedal's 'out'.
Make sure it is 25k, or else it will only work at a fraction of its range.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

Line6 has a mail in rebate that gives you a free expression pedal by mail with the purchase of a DL4 or other pedals by the way. Granted the PDF said it takes 4-6 weeks to deliver but free is still free

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

It is worth noting that many claim the EP sounds a bit fuller/richer than the DL4. The DL4 has been out seemingly forever and it stands to reason the line6 updated the modeling, though this isn't to say the DL4 sounds bad.

Something else to keep in mind, and I'm going from memory since I don't have a DL4 in front of me, is that the tap tempo only works when the effect is on.

the EP is brilliant in that you can have the pedal off and still tap the tempo in and then just step harder on the same switch to kick in the effect


last of all, one thing I like about the EP that DL4 can't do is that the EP lets you choose your model for each effect


So lets say I want a tape echo for the auto volume swell effect. I can make that happen where with the DL4, you've only got 2 tape echo models. Its a nice extra little bit of option the EP gives you

 

[Tor]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

the huge problem i have with the Boss' tap tempo is you need to hold a pedal down for 2 seconds and then start tapping...to get out of tap tempo mode (like to switch to another preset), you have to hold it down again! this is not easy to do live. I was thinking of getting this though.

I have the FS-5U (I think) from Boss and it works perfectly. I even split the signal from this pedal to control the tap tempo function of both DD-20 and the PH-3.. Nice.. But I am sure the loop-master's tap tempo will work wonders too..

 

[baritone]

Re: Boss DD20 vs. Line6 DL-4???

I have the FS-5U (I think) from Boss and it works perfectly. I even split the signal from this pedal to control the tap tempo function of both DD-20 and the PH-3.. Nice.. But I am sure the loop-master's tap tempo will work wonders too..

I have an FS-5U with my DD-20 also. That's a cool idea, to use it with a splitter. I don't have a Line-6 delay, but one of the cool things about the DD-20 is that the display can be changed between "ms" and "bpm", which is useful since I use my DD-20 with my guitar, bass, and DJ setups.