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The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:03 pm
by HighDeaf1080p
I can easily remember when any pedal that wasn't fully analog was a sin to have on your BILF, unless poverty dictated it. Then I remember a period in the early to mid 2000's when a lot of lusted after manufacturers started sneaking in "digital control of an all analog signal path".
Now some digital pedals have gotten so good, that for me at least, the lines are pretty well blurred. On my board, several of my highlights are in fact digital, from the Alexander F.13 to the Caroline Meteore. The drone side of the EHX Superego is digital, as, I suspect, is the arpeggio side of the Arpanoid. I honestly have no idea if the Romferd is digital or analog, given how much it fucks up the sound. The Echolution is one of those digital/analog hybrids.
I don't think any of these pedals are in danger of being flipped on eBay, unless homelessness is the other option. Digital has won me over, slowly.
What are your favorite digital pedals?
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:25 pm
by rfurtkamp
No idea. I've never cared whether it was analog or digital as long as it did what I wanted. Only time analog was a bonus was in voltage starving fun.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:30 pm
by HighDeaf1080p
Good policy!
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 2:39 pm
by pd~
Analog reverb means you need the real thing - an actual spring, plate, room, church, canyon, black hole.
The Echolution is a digital delay engine wrapped up in analog filtering.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 4:46 pm
by Teej212
i remember a very specific moment when i was first getting into pedals and I said to myself, why would I buy a digital delay like the DL4 when I could get an analog delay for so much cheaper? still cringe when that thought comes up.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 5:05 pm
by rfurtkamp
We're at a point where well-done digital and analog are functionally indistinguishable.
Other than very, very specific things, the Boss Space Echo does everything my actual one does.
And does some stuff better, and does so with no hassle or maintenance.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 6:41 pm
by stripes
i LOVE analog gear.. i also love digital pedals!!
i love my el capistan as much as i love my space echo but for different reasons. keep both eyes open... don't be a purist snob. ~_~ i used to be more uptight about analog but u start to realize that everything's fine and anything can sound good. that's my two cents
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:55 pm
by moogboy
The coolest thing I've yet learned in engineering school is that digital things don't have to sound different because they're digital. The Nyquist theorem single handedly blew open all of my thoughts and opinions on digital audio and now I am that asshole who will gladly tell anyone that if digital gear sounds different it's because of a conscious engineering decision to use a sample rate in the conversion process or a piece of the algorithm that makes the gear do the thing that makes it do that.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:07 pm
by D.o.S.
HighDeaf1080p wrote:I can easily remember when any pedal that wasn't fully analog was a sin to have on your BILF, unless poverty dictated it.

Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:29 pm
by HighDeaf1080p
Don't you remember the 90's? When we were paying $500 for a vintage mutron III or $300 for a vintage electric mistress. Then Lovetone came along and saved us. We started paying $600 for brand new pedals cuz they were all Analog.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 9:10 pm
by Jero
HighDeaf1080p wrote:Don't you remember the 90's? When we were paying $500 for a vintage mutron III or $300 for a vintage electric mistress. Then Lovetone came along and saved us. We started paying $600 for brand new pedals cuz they were all Analog.
I remember the 90's much differently...Bart was selling me Butterfinger bbs, Benny outran the Beast, and the only looper or tape related things I cared for was a Talk Boy and a YakBak
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:10 pm
by HighDeaf1080p
Haha. Kids. *shakes his head*
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:20 pm
by D.o.S.
HighDeaf1080p wrote:Don't you remember the 90's? When we were paying $500 for a vintage mutron III or $300 for a vintage electric mistress. Then Lovetone came along and saved us. We started paying $600 for brand new pedals cuz they were all Analog.
"we".
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:34 pm
by rfurtkamp
Yea, I was the one selling the shit for that to hipsters.
And happily using my no-frills Boss shit.
Re: The Digital Pedal Revolution...for me
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:36 pm
by rustywire
BitQuest.