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  #1  
Old 10-25-2016, 09:05 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Default Returned my RC-30 looper; what instead?

Far too much hiss from the RC-30! What would be better?

I previously tried an Electro Harmonix 720 against the RC-30, and that may be a strong contender, though with the background noise in the shop, I can't say I paid enough attention to any hiss or hum getting through. I wanted an XLR in, hence the RC-30, but it looks like I will have to go without.

I will return to the shop to try others, but can anyone give me a lead on which may be the quietest, best sound quality looper around for under £200/$200?

I don't need massive features; just using it to build loops live. Drums, effects and storage are lesser benefits for me.
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  #2  
Old 10-25-2016, 09:17 AM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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Don't get the 720 if you want to use it live. It has a delay that makes seamless transitions impossible. I'm gonna sell mine. I DO have experience using loopers too. My Ditto Mic looper is totally seamless.

The stored loops are neat in the 720 but there's no way to use it for entire songs. 1 bar practice tool IMHO.
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  #3  
Old 10-25-2016, 10:10 AM
Petty1818 Petty1818 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roylor4 View Post
Don't get the 720 if you want to use it live. It has a delay that makes seamless transitions impossible. I'm gonna sell mine. I DO have experience using loopers too. My Ditto Mic looper is totally seamless.

The stored loops are neat in the 720 but there's no way to use it for entire songs. 1 bar practice tool IMHO.
Interesting, I have not heard of the delay issue with the 720. My friend owns one and loves it. I do own the ditto and ditto x2 and would not recommend them. Both of them have stopped working and honestly, you just can't trust them.

I wish a company other than TC would release a simple to use looper with the option to record a verse & chorus part of a song. Presets would be nice but they are not mandatory. I just find that with the 720 or ditto x2, having only one loop is limiting.
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Old 10-25-2016, 10:18 AM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Petty1818 View Post
Interesting, I have not heard of the delay issue with the 720. My friend owns one and loves it. I do own the ditto and ditto x2 and would not recommend them. Both of them have stopped working and honestly, you just can't trust them.

I wish a company other than TC would release a simple to use looper with the option to record a verse & chorus part of a song. Presets would be nice but they are not mandatory. I just find that with the 720 or ditto x2, having only one loop is limiting.
I have not used the Ditto or Ditto 2, just the Ditto mic looper and it performs (thus far) perfectly for me.

I Have been looking at the Digitech Trio Plus but is hardly seems simple to use. Cool features though.

I heard others complain about the delay issue with the 720 and they are correct. No way to do a seamless song with one. The ability to save 9 loops are a great practice tool though but every time the loop restarts you have a gap of several beats. Super annoying.
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  #5  
Old 10-25-2016, 10:45 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roylor4 View Post
...every time the loop restarts you have a gap of several beats. Super annoying.
I will be checking that out in store for sure, thanks. Do you mean that it recycles OK, but if you stop the loop, the restart suffers a delay?

My original enquiry stands though, please - Anyone with experience of hiss/hum, good or bad?
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  #6  
Old 10-25-2016, 04:06 PM
Laughingboy68 Laughingboy68 is offline
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I've used a Stereo JamMan for a few years now. They can be had quite cheap and do everything that I need. I'd probably look at a Ditto II if I was looking now. Intrigued by the versatility of the Boomerang and the Pigtronix Infinity.

Just a few other units for you to look at.
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Old 10-26-2016, 05:22 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Laughingboy68 View Post
I've used a Stereo JamMan for a few years now. They can be had quite cheap and do everything that I need. I'd probably look at a Ditto II if I was looking now. Intrigued by the versatility of the Boomerang and the Pigtronix Infinity.

Just a few other units for you to look at.
Thanks. The Boomerang and Pigtronix are too expensive right now.

I've read mixed reviews of the quality of the Jamman. I'm really looking at current, new stock.

I don't see any particular looper pedal really shining out in reviews; they ALL seem to attract very plausible and common criticism between users, in one way or another, even discounting the odd rogue review! Really frustrating! It's hardly groundbreaking technology, but they either seem to be ill thought out, have very little memory, have fundamental flaws (like the 720's reported delay in restarting a loop, or the hiss I got on the RC-30), or be bundled with features that take them into a much higher price range.

Surely there is something out there that just makes nice loops, with low latency, low noise, two foot switches, and does what it's supposed to, for under a couple of hundred!?!?!?
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  #8  
Old 10-26-2016, 05:43 PM
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dogdog49 dogdog49 is offline
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How about this dual footswitch, stereo looper for $68.00? 100% 5 star reviews on Amazon, mostly from people that actually paid for one.

https://www.donnerdeal.com/products/...-loop-station?
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  #9  
Old 10-26-2016, 05:46 PM
cloudyafternoon cloudyafternoon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Required Field View Post
I don't see any particular looper pedal really shining out in reviews; they ALL seem to attract very plausible and common criticism between users, in one way or another, even discounting the odd rogue review! Really frustrating! It's hardly groundbreaking technology, but they either seem to be ill thought out, have very little memory, have fundamental flaws (like the 720's reported delay in restarting a loop, or the hiss I got on the RC-30), or be bundled with features that take them into a much higher price range.

Surely there is something out there that just makes nice loops, with low latency, low noise, two foot switches, and does what it's supposed to, for under a couple of hundred!?!?!?
I'll echo these thoughts. I've had two inexpensive loopers. Although they're super useful & fun for practice at home, they don't live on my pedalboard anymore. They're somewhat awkward to use live, and don't play well with other pedals - noisy and don't like to be daisy-chained.
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  #10  
Old 10-27-2016, 12:21 AM
Required Field Required Field is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dogdog49 View Post
How about this dual footswitch, stereo looper for $68.00? 100% 5 star reviews on Amazon, mostly from people that actually paid for one.

https://www.donnerdeal.com/products/...-loop-station?
Nice spot! I'm checking that out.
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  #11  
Old 11-28-2016, 07:25 AM
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I thought I'd update this, following my purchase of the Donner Deluxe Looper, spotted by dogdog49.

For a week or so, I was bowled over with the quality of it. Great sound, quieter than the RC-30. Did what I wanted really well indeed. Then I connected it to a PC to download a track (it holds the current track only). Disaster, it just bricked, despite following their instructions. The stuff at the web link provided was vague to say the least. I got my money back promptly on return, but no technical solution was offered. Then I ordered another one, thinking that, for that price, I just would ignore connecting it to a PC. The second one came, but was noticeably hissier than the first, the hiss modulating a little, and it records a faint click each time the footswitch is pressed to add an overdub. That one is on its way back too, sadly.

Such a shame. Communications from Donnerdirect lacked something in translation, it appeared, so while there was some response, I don't feel I'd have the back up to keep one of these beyond its easy-return period, even if I got another like the first unit (minus the PC connection). Even for the price.

So the search goes on...
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  #12  
Old 11-28-2016, 09:36 AM
Irish Pennant Irish Pennant is offline
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I've used this setup on my pedal board for a few years, it's been basic, reliable, relatively quite, stores loops and has given no problems. The downside is that it takes up room.
https://www.amazon.com/Digitech-Jamm...=jamman+looper

I also have a Ditto 2x. I use it mainly for open mics, it can run on batteries, has a small footprint and takes nothing to setup.
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  #13  
Old 11-28-2016, 01:45 PM
Kalani Kalani is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Required Field View Post
Surely there is something out there that just makes nice loops, with low latency, low noise, two foot switches, and does what it's supposed to, for under a couple of hundred!?!?!?
That would be the Ditto X2. Two switches, easy, seamless, quiet. It lives on my pedalboard. I even use it in a trio so I can take leads.
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