Loop Switcher Users! What Issues do you have??

aaron76

I'm currently conducting some research for the development of a new Loop Switcher  and would be very grateful of everyone's  input. I can't give t0o much away just yet, but please answer in the comments the following two simple questions:

A: What loop switcher(s) have you used?
B: What do you like and dislike about the loop switchers you have tried?

If you are happy to be contacted in future for further research, please send me a private message with a contact detail. I will be sure to offer a discount code, when the product is released, to all that have helped on this great forum! 

Thank You Everyone 
Aaron Grimwood

peteri

a. Gigrig QM6, QM8, G2

b. On the first two:

  I. The width of the board you end up with

 ii. It's much better soundwise, but you still hear the difference between the swltcher and straight in to the amp (not so with the G2, that's amazing)

iii no tuner function

iv ability to have flip/flopping - yes the QMX does that, but you still can't say have a 'group' with two pedals going off and two going on

v. remote amp switching - if you're consolidating your switches, why not have that there?

vi. earth loops

c. G2

 I. really I wish it was cheaper, but so far it's addressed all of the above

vasselmeyer

BOSS ES-8 user, choose it over the G2.

It really is incredibly flexible. Things I really like:

• Pretty much every button and LED is programmable
• It does analog EXP to MIDI so I can use one EXP  and the ES-8 allows me to  control parameters on my MIDI pedals
• I can have whatever pedal order  I like

Things I don't like:

• There was no software editor until recently (which is excellent, by the way, now it's appeared).
• No USB, so all updates, programming and backup has to be done over MIDI
• Idiosyncratic programming method through the on-board menu, although  once you understand the  logic, it's super easy
• The manual is shocking. Had to rely on YT videos and the FB group for some of the deeper stuff.

Having played with both the ES-8 and the G2, I'm convinced the E-8 is the benchmark, although the G2 is easier to learn initially.

hotpickups

I think I'd  find the lack of an LED display on the G2 troublesome personally. Just LED light won't be enough for me 

aaron76

hotpickups said:

I think I'd  find the lack of an LED display on the G2 troublesome personally. Just LED light won't be enough for me 

I'll definitely get that questionnaire over today mate, Really interested in this detail  

Thanks everyone else! Any body had much experience with the deeper functions, e.g using MIDI? 

Cheers
Aaron Grimwood

peteri

I use Midi on the G2 for two Strymons.

PM me if you like

keir

I've used a musicomlab mkiv and recently acquired a mkv and they're excellent. My bandmate has a G2 and overall I prefer the musicomlab over it. 

The ability to name presets, use any combination of 5 presets for up to 99 songs and then another mode arranging them into 9 setlists
makes it great for live performance, where you have more complex midi and preset requirements for each song.  

Lebarque

^ "the ability to name presets" reminds me that everyone seems to LOVE the 'scribble strips' on the Helix.

ragingben

Joyo PXL Pro Live:
Requires a massive board, jacks are a bit iffy, sometimes pops when changing certain pedals which drives me nuts so the offending pedals don't make it to the board. Otherwise it's awesome, and amazing for the £100 it cost. For me the pros far outweigh the few cons.

I think the downsides for me are more general to switchers, and these for me are:
-Requires a shit load of patch cables. I made my own but it was still expensive
-Makes it harder to switch in and out pedals if you buy and sell a lot, with all the cable management it becomes a drag
-Suddenly you can't go light to a gig, the full setup has to come unless you have spares or don't mind ripping the whole thing apart
-Can be a bit confusing in the heat of the gig since everything is on there's leds glowing all over the shop at you
-If a patch cable does go and you have no replacement you need to reprogram mid gig or work around which is sometimes easier said than done

keir

Lebarque said:

^ "the ability to name presets" reminds me that everyone seems to LOVE the 'scribble strips' on the Helix.

It's not quite as good as the helix but definitely a big help and one of the reasons why I have the musicomlab over the G2. 

There are 5 switches across the front so I have the songs set up for

switch 1 - intro
2 - verse 
3 - chorus
4 - bridge / misc
5 - solo

I can have switch 1 to be preset/bank 3A and switch 2 to be bank 6D etc. You can also change 6 midi pedals per preset along with 4 amp functions via 2 trs jacks 

Then set list mode lets you arrange the songs in the order you need it for your set, so you just hit bank up and the next song is there ready. You can have 9 sets saved. 

The musicomlab switchers aren't really that well known in this country, I got mine from Germany. I've had my mkiv advertised for a couple of months and haven't had a single enquiry. 

hotpickups

I fancied the musicomlab unit at some stage in the past. The lack of English speaking YouTube vids put me off tbh

aaron76

This is all great stuff guys! Just sending a massive thank you, it's been very busy this week. Will get in touch with a few of you, who have offered, over the bank holiday  

Thankyou all
Aaron Grimwood

Jalapeno

I think G2 can do all I want, but the manual is scant to say the least - especially the Midi bits.

Echo what everyone's said on the scribble strips - a lot of (non Daniel) G2 vids have stickers/labels next to the switches.  It's like the first cars with cup holders - a simple thing, yet people bought the cars purely on the basis of having them.

keir

hotpickups said:

I fancied the musicomlab unit at some stage in the past. The lack of English speaking YouTube vids put me off tbh

Mate it's so simple to programme its untrue. Midi is slightly trickier but still easy. Have a look through this thread on tgp 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/npd-musicomlab-efx-mkiv.1491599/

hotpickups

keir said:

hotpickups said:

I fancied the musicomlab unit at some stage in the past. The lack of English speaking YouTube vids put me off tbh

Mate it's so simple to programme its untrue. Midi is slightly trickier but still easy. Have a look through this thread on tgp 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/npd-musicomlab-efx-mkiv.1491599/

I'm sure it is but I just find YouTube videos so much easier to refer to. While you're here though does any of the MusicomLab's outputs are not buffered @keir ;?

MrMusic

A:
Disaster Area DPC5 

B:
PROS:
1. Small sturdy compact design
2. Midi functionality 
3. Very customisable (menu's etc)
4. Cheaper than most of the similar looper options it competes with
5. Optional expression wheel

CONS
1. No display (Although the new version now has a small screen for labellling presets etc.)
2. Bit tricky to get it set up at first but once you get your head around how it works and you get everything set up how you want it, it's a dream come true

Happy to participate in any further research, interested in where this is going..............

hotpickups

MrMusic said:

A:
Disaster Area DPC5 

B:
PROS:
1. Small sturdy compact design
2. Midi functionality 
3. Very customisable (menu's etc)
4. Cheaper than most of the similar looper options it competes with
5. Optional expression wheel

CONS
1. No display (Although the new version now has a small screen for labellling presets etc.)
2. Bit tricky to get it set up at first but once you get your head around how it works and you get everything set up how you want it, it's a dream come true

Happy to participate in any further research, interested in where this is going..............

Yeah agree with this which is why I went with the DMC-8D and the DPC-8EZ. MusicomLab was a very close second. Just wish they support it with those youtube videos like DA do

EDIT Actually one can turn the buffer off I noticed from the manual. Very tempted now. Just no money left

keir

hotpickups said:

keir said:

hotpickups said:

I fancied the musicomlab unit at some stage in the past. The lack of English speaking YouTube vids put me off tbh

Mate it's so simple to programme its untrue. Midi is slightly trickier but still easy. Have a look through this thread on tgp 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/npd-musicomlab-efx-mkiv.1491599/

I'm sure it is but I just find YouTube videos so much easier to refer to. While you're here though does any of the MusicomLab's outputs are not buffered @keir ;;?

You can choose buffered or unbuffered input on the mkiv, I think the mkv has 3 switchable ones. There're some good  videos in that thread I think. 

hotpickups

keir said:

hotpickups said:

keir said:

hotpickups said:

I fancied the musicomlab unit at some stage in the past. The lack of English speaking YouTube vids put me off tbh

Mate it's so simple to programme its untrue. Midi is slightly trickier but still easy. Have a look through this thread on tgp 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/npd-musicomlab-efx-mkiv.1491599/

I'm sure it is but I just find YouTube videos so much easier to refer to. While you're here though does any of the MusicomLab's outputs are not buffered @keir ;;?

You can choose buffered or unbuffered input on the mkiv, I think the mkv has 3 switchable ones. There're some good  videos in that thread I think. 

Sounds interesting. I'll have to check them out...... english speaking ones

sgosden

Got a decibel 11 switch Dr.

Pros -

setting up is easy once you understand how

easy to bank up and down

robust

LED readout for 'bank no' helpful

Cons -

4 loops isn't much (I had 2 strymon outside the looper controlled by midi which made it more usable)

took a fair time to learn. the manual wasn't easy to understand. and no videos online.

needed more than 2 midi channels

LED layout was a bit confusing

big footprint

ZenOvertone

I've had one of the simpler Buzz Electronics ones (programmable) and found it very good (with 10 loops), the only upgrade path was to the Boss ES8 (with the addition of the display etc) and now the editor is out there, happy days.  I've moved to a two layer board too, pedals that are fixed that I won't change regularly stay underneath with tape over the controls (Univibe, Reverb, Tremolo, Phase & Chorus) with the OD's on top along with the Comp and Delays plus the final signal boost.3

Signal chain is

Guitar in > Fulltone Clyde Wah > Mad Professor Bluebird (top of board) > Mad Professor 1 or Royal Blue (top of board) >Mad Professor Simple (or Zendrive) >Polytune 2 (top of board)

Input Buffer & Switcher unit next... (the above pedals work better pre-buffer)
(then the following pedals in the switcher loops)
Boss CE3 (under board)
MXR Phase 90 (under board)
Boss TR2 (under board)
HoF Mini (under board)
Fulltone Dejavibe (under board)
Providence Chrono Delay (or TC Flashback) - top of board
Strymon Timeline (top of board)
Xotic EP booster > Amp

I must do some more experiments with the Mad Professor pedals and the buffer, I'd like a patch of the Simble + Short delay :-) (the Bluebird is OK but not quite as nice sounding) - having the drives in the loops would be very useful but the MP pedals are designed to see high impedance pickups)

Pros (Es8 based system)

• Overall Flexibility of the system, can do most things
• Simple to setup, 5 mins
• Quality of the switch unit
• Boss support network (including forums etc)
  

Cons (ES8 based system)

• Lots of potential for reliability issues in the system generally
• Size/weight

Advice

• Have a diagram on hand if there's a problem to diagnose (I had an intermittent fault with a Gigrig Distributor terminal, now resolved)
  
• Have a backup plan in case of failure...mine is to take the Bluebird off the board and use that into the amp (with a spare TU3 tuner in line)
• Keep an LED torch in the case
• Get a rigid plastic case to carry it in (I have one on order), Flight cases are great in vans but destroy the inside of your car plus they add more weight!
  

I used soldered cables throughout, Switchcraft stubby jacks (model 380) to Hicon pancake generally at the pedal ends with Evidence audio Monorail.

Power is a mix of a Decibel Eleven Hot Stone Deluxe plus a Gigrig Generator/Timelord/Isolator/Distributor setup. 

Amp is usually a Two Rock Studio Pro plus 35 1x12