Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

ratherdashing

Kablamminator
Fatal for me at least.

I bought one today at Daddy's in Orange CT. They had a used one for $70 and I also got 10% off because of their customer appreciation sale this weekend.

Here's my problem with it: it has a tap tempo feature, which I need because in my set I play at least three songs where I want the delay to match the tempo. Tap tempo seems like a good solution for that.

So why am I complaining? The problem is in how the tap tempo is engaged. To use tap tempo with the Digidelay, I have to do the following:

1. Turn on the delay by pushing the pedal
2. After the delay is on, hold the pedal down for three seconds
3. Tap the tempo

It gets worse: To turn the delay off after it is in tap tempo mode, you have to hold the pedal down for three seconds again. Simply tapping the switch counts as extra tempo tapping. Once you turn the delay off, you lose your tempo and you're back to square one.

This is not so bad (though it could be better) if you want your delay running through the whole song. If you want to engage the delay partway through the song though, you're screwed. The way it is set up, I would have to leave it off for the duration of the song, then click the pedal to turn it on at the wrong tempo, hold it for three seconds (which is a fracking long time in the middle of a solo), and finally tap the tempo. It's impossible. The only way around it is to put it in a bypass looper, but once you're spending that kind of money you might as well buy a pedal with a workable tap tempo feature.

I'm going to take it back tomorrow. It's too bad, because aside from that it's a fine pedal. The delay modes sound very good, and I had a lot of fun playing with the looper mode.

I don't understand why Digitech didn't just do it the same way as the BOSS DD-6. With the DD-6, holding the switch for two seconds puts it into tap tempo mode regardless of whether the effect is on or off. You tap your tempo, then hold for two seconds again to save the tempo. This would let me tap the tempo at the beginning of the song, then turn the delay on at that tempo whenever I like. The Line 6 Echo Park is even better: you push the switch lightly to tap the tempo, and stomp hard to turn it on and off. It would probably take some practice to figure out what it thinks a soft tap is though.

Now I know where the "Digitech it back yet?" expression comes from. :)
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

I like the DD-20... one pedal to tap and the other to turn it on and off.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Yeah, if it weren't for the cost I'd go for that one in a heartbeat. Either that or a Line 6 DL-4.

I don't know what they cost, but how about one of these?


dd_7_top_tn_thumb.jpg

http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=958&ParentId=92
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

I hated the idea of needing an additional footswitch for tap tempo when I was starting out with guitar, so I se why they are integrating it, but honestly, one for effect, one for tempo (like the DD-5?) is the best. Even on the Echo Park I sometimes miss-step, either too hard for a tap or too soft to engage or dis-engage.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

digitech made it

you can't expect anything spectacular. If you're lucky you'll ballpark "good enough"
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Did you know this? If so why did you buy it? That's crap man! I feel your pain.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Its the same way tap tempo works on some BOSS pedals (PH-3, BF-3) which is annoying although I see tap tempo on a delay being more important therefore worse.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Did you know this? If so why did you buy it? That's crap man! I feel your pain.

I didn't know it at the time. All I knew was it had tap tempo.

It's no biggie. I'll just return it and get something better. Daddy's has a 15 day return policy.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

I had one awhile back, and agree that it's stupid. Had I needed it for a band, I would've done the same as you.

It's a shame, because as you said, otherwise it's a great pedal.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Tap tempo should need no extra effort, other than using the button...but that is how it is on compact pedals....
Always hated the Boss thing, that was why I got a 2290 back then.
Tap twice for speed you want...easy.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

I took it back and got the Echo Park instead for $110 new at Guitarget (the one in Orange is actually across the street from a Target ... lol). Line 6 is having a promotion on right now where you get a free Tonecore module of your choice when you buy a new pedal (another thread on that coming soon).

First impression: it is a much, much better delay pedal. The dual action switch is very cool. A light press does the tap tempo, and a firm "click" means you have turned it on or off. I was afraid it would be hard to get it right, but it's actually very well designed. The effect itself is pretty much everything you could want in a delay pedal. It doesn't have a hold or loop mode like the Digidelay or the BOSS pedals, but I don't really need that anyway. It does have some very cool modes that the competition doesn't, like ducking and multi-delay.

I won't know for sure until I get it home and plug it into my rig, but even if somehow I hate it I can probably sell it in Canada for about what I paid.
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

The digidelay sounds bad, too.

TC's nova delay has a neat tempo function: hold the tempo button down and strum the strings in tempo...
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Gear snob mode on...tap, tap, tap

The fatal flaw was buying a Digitech.

Gear snob mode off....tap, tap, tap
 
Re: Digitech Digidelay has a fatal flaw

Muhahahahahahaha!

Now you have crossed over...next up, VERBZILLA!!!!!!!!
 
Back
Top