Digitech's Hardwire Delay replacement, the Obscura

[frigid midget]

I dig it more than the red panda delay

Assuming you're refering to their new Raster delay: Same here. But to be fair, there's only one Raster demo out there, and it flatout sucks compared to Andy's demo...imo

[phantasmagorovich]

What on earth did you google to find that dude, and how did you know such a picture exists?

It's probably him in the picture

If you use google.de bildersuche and search for staubsauger it's on the first page of results. If you look for pictures of weird people doing awkward things, german internet is the place to be.

[rfurtkamp]

Better than I expected but...2 seconds in this day and age.

I'd expect some significant low price point on this one to even consider though.

[goroth]

What on earth did you google to find that dude, and how did you know such a picture exists?

It's probably him in the picture

If you use google.de bildersuche and search for staubsauger it's on the first page of results. If you look for pictures of weird people doing awkward things, german internet is the place to be.

[Ghost Hip]

What the heck are you guys using more than two second delays for? If I go over 600ms I am lost and just use them as samplers.... (genuinely curious here)

Idk man, I had the Hardwire delay and it was the most boring delay I have ever had. All the modes sounded the same to me, probably why they narrowed that shit down. I like the execution of this Obscura. As long as it is 200 or less, it looks like a deal to me.

[Seance]

Better than I expected but...2 seconds in this day and age.

I'd expect some significant low price point on this one to even consider though.

I think I saw on TGP the DigitechRep guy said it would cost US $149.95 or something like that.

I agree that 2 seconds is not nearly enough. 8 would be better. 16 or more would be besterest.

[D.o.S.]

i think it looked pretty awesome. nothing new really, but maybe in a better package for some. im not a fan of 10000 modes on a pedal so seeing tape/analog/reverse/lo-fi was perfect, and then of course the "digital" mode most pedals also have is what you get when one of those modes ain't degraded.

looks like a great alternative, but nothing groundbreaking.

I'm with the reptile man.

[Faldoe]

Still no Ext. Tap Tempo Input on Digitech delays. Thought they would have done it with the Hardwire DL-8, but they didn't. And that was the only reason I didn't keep the DL-8 was because I hate the "hold for 2 seconds" tap mode.

They could have done it here but nope.

[rfurtkamp]

What the heck are you guys using more than two second delays for? If I go over 600ms I am lost and just use them as samplers.... (genuinely curious here)

Idk man, I had the Hardwire delay and it was the most boring delay I have ever had. All the modes sounded the same to me, probably why they narrowed that shit down. I like the execution of this Obscura. As long as it is 200 or less, it looks like a deal to me.

They become emphasis devices - extended instruments and wash. Mix and control becomes *stupid* important fast - and if it's a multi-tap thing, I find myself using 1.8+s as a standard, or more.

Also if I'm using significant gain and want discrete, obvious repeats (versus a thickening), it's going to take roughly triple the length of a cleanish delay's time IME.

Also a hold/freeze type circuit on a longer delay is also god incarnate, ala Timebender.

I'm also boring in that I use mostly traditionalish placement of it in the chain (after dirt) so I'm just not going for quick slapback stuff.

Providing you're running longer phrases and riffs as well, you can really juice up the delay by going with multiples longer than the standard short stuff.

Basically: give me 4+s seconds or give me death. I can live with 5 if the unit is good enough, even if I make a conscious choice to use past a second (which happens a LOT).

Keep in mind here that I also came of age playing when the first 2s delay was available in a compact pedal, the day I got a 4 track and got half-serious was also the day I got a then bleeding edge Boss PS-2 ($275ish when that was more than a week's pay for normal low-end workers).

[penelope tree]

Maybe they will release another delay with a different set of algorithms. .

[Seance]

What the heck are you guys using more than two second delays for? If I go over 600ms I am lost and just use them as samplers.... (genuinely curious here)

Idk man, I had the Hardwire delay and it was the most boring delay I have ever had. All the modes sounded the same to me, probably why they narrowed that shit down. I like the execution of this Obscura. As long as it is 200 or less, it looks like a deal to me.

More than 2 seconds of delay can allow for using the pedal as a delay-line loop pedal.
The decay of the loop can then be set to fade out. Or not. And ideally a delay will
allow for pitch shifts as the "delay time" is moved while the delay line is repeating
in the background. That way you can mangle a pattern into a new pattern, play
along to that pattern, and then drive that mess into a slower tempo. Add to the
delay loop, and then speed it up.

Lots of fun. Necessary? Not for everybody, and certainly not for all situations.
But for creating a tapestry of smeared versions of something played it can
be a lot of fun.

[frigid midget]

What the heck are you guys using more than two second delays for? If I go over 600ms I am lost and just use them as samplers.... (genuinely curious here)

Idk man, I had the Hardwire delay and it was the most boring delay I have ever had. All the modes sounded the same to me, probably why they narrowed that shit down. I like the execution of this Obscura. As long as it is 200 or less, it looks like a deal to me.

Yeah, the limited delay time on the obscura is the least of my concerns too. I'm okay with 1s of delay time, anything more than that qualifies as a looper/sampler for me. Guess I'm not too experimental when it comes to delays

On the DL-8: It is what it is, a cheap compact workhorse that does a bunch of 'good' sounds, without being super awesome at anything in particular. I agree the lofi/analog/tape/modulation all sound somewhat similar, but they're useful none the less, and the looper is pretty powerfull for a delay pedal this cheap and compact. Reverse, digital, slap, faux tap tempo...What's not to love? Pair it with an analog tap tempo delay that can do long delay times and modulation and you've got an as whooping combo for a fraction of the price and size of a fancy modeler. Needless to say I love mine, though these days I mainly use it for the looper. Different strokes I guess

[Ghost Hip]

What the heck are you guys using more than two second delays for? If I go over 600ms I am lost and just use them as samplers.... (genuinely curious here)

Idk man, I had the Hardwire delay and it was the most boring delay I have ever had. All the modes sounded the same to me, probably why they narrowed that shit down. I like the execution of this Obscura. As long as it is 200 or less, it looks like a deal to me.

More than 2 seconds of delay can allow for using the pedal as a delay-line loop pedal.
The decay of the loop can then be set to fade out. Or not. And ideally a delay will
allow for pitch shifts as the "delay time" is moved while the delay line is repeating
in the background. That way you can mangle a pattern into a new pattern, play
along to that pattern, and then drive that mess into a slower tempo. Add to the
delay loop, and then speed it up.

Lots of fun. Necessary? Not for everybody, and certainly not for all situations.
But for creating a tapestry of smeared versions of something played it can
be a lot of fun.

Word, appreciate the reaponses duders. I use my Boss PS-2the way described above, but ultimately I hope the count to five can help me out there.

[Sparrow]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0_EV0VdJ8s[/youtube]

i like the warp sounds when switching up the time/tempo.

[Seance]

More than 2 seconds of delay can allow for using the pedal as a delay-line loop pedal.
The decay of the loop can then be set to fade out. Or not. And ideally a delay will
allow for pitch shifts as the "delay time" is moved while the delay line is repeating
in the background. That way you can mangle a pattern into a new pattern, play
along to that pattern, and then drive that mess into a slower tempo. Add to the
delay loop, and then speed it up.

Lots of fun. Necessary? Not for everybody, and certainly not for all situations.
But for creating a tapestry of smeared versions of something played it can
be a lot of fun.

Word, appreciate the responses duders. I use my Boss PS-2the way described above, but ultimately I hope the count to five can help me out there.

The Count To 5 seems like a ninja assassin in this application. I'd love to have one. Hopefully I'll have money for one at the same time that an updated version
comes out (fingers crossed). But outside of that eventuality, I've had my eye out on the horizon for a relatively affordable (even if tamer) alternative to the CT5.

Loopers, delays, manglers—there's more than one way to comb a goat.