Why do I do this? WHY, GODDAMMIT????

digitalscream

While I was having a root around for some cables, I came across my old ART SGE Mach II rack effects unit. It's basically sat completely unused for quite a few years (probably around 6 or 7), because the dry signal had all sorts of quality issues. So...now that I have the parallel loop on the Decatone, I thought I'd dig it out and give it a go.

I instantly regretted it. This thing - as a digital effects unit made in 1991 - has absolutely no right to sound as good as it does. Decent reverbs, some really nice delays (including a dual delay with individual settings for #1 and #2, and a pretty bloody good multi-tap delay)...but overall, just a relatively easy-to-use, cheap little box of fun with surprisingly little noise. It can even do parallel reverb and delay, which I can't even do with the Eleven Rack.

And, of course, I'm now sitting here seriously considering a MIDI rig again. Put that in the loop, keep my phaser, tuner and boost out in front of the amp, and use a Voodoo Lab Control Switcher to change channels on the amp via MIDI.

Anyone want to buy a couple of TC delay pedals?

Argh.

ICBM

Do it. It's worth bugger-all to sell anyway, a quick check on Ebay shows £50 +/- £20 as about the going rate!

digitalscream

ICBM said:

Do it. It's worth bugger-all to sell anyway, a quick check on Ebay shows £50 +/- £20 as about the going rate!

Heh...I actually bought it about 10 years ago for £70, just because I wanted the X-11 MIDI footswitch that came with it

Heartfeltdawn

So many of the older digital effects units sound really good. Lower fidelity digital works better for my ears. Just sold a Roland RSP-550 rack unit today with some of the best modulation options I've ever heard. I even liked the flange sounds

digitalscream

Oops.

hubobulous

Nice work!! I have a Studio Quad that I barely see, let alone use. But it's worth about £20 and sounds awesome. Same goes for my BBE Sonic Maximiser.

Rack kit gets a bad rap these days, but it is cool.

digitalscream

The most stupid thing about this is that I originally thought about it a month or so ago, then thought "naaaahhh" and spent £60 on a Lava cable kit. Which, of course, is now redundant.

Bidley

That footswitch gets a thumbs-up from me, purely because it looks like it came from the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

digitalscream

It's actually the matching unit for the SGE Mach II.

chrispy108

Nice! I love rack units, and I love watching your rig evolve/cycle

digitalscream

chrispy108 said:

Nice! I love rack units, and I love watching your rig evolve/cycle

Every now and then, I pick up something which is going to stay. That's usually an amp or guitar. Effects are an ever-evolving love/hate thing for me, because I'm forever trying to find better ways to make it usable and stop the tapdancing.

monquixote

http://www.mylays.net/myspace-layouts/thumbs/myspace_layout_fresh-prince-of-bel-air.jpg

ICBM

I must get my old early 90s Boss SE-70 half rack out again and see if it still sounds as good as I remember.

Actually I must get it out and see if it still even works! I seem to remember it has a memory backup battery which you were meant to change after 10 years, and I never have. I think it's 23 years old now...

bandmaster188

ICBM said:

I must get my old early 90s Boss SE-70 half rack out again and see if it still sounds as good as I remember.

Actually I must get it out and see if it still even works! I seem to remember it has a memory backup battery which you were meant to change after 10 years, and I never have. I think it's 23 years old now...

I used to have the se50. That had a backup battery. Not a bad little unit, the delays and reverbs were fairly decent but the overdrives were a bit average.