OT - Line 6 Echo Park first impressions.

[bwanasonic]

I've spent a week or so with the Line 6 Echo Park in my signal chain, and I have to give a big thumbs up for *bang-for-the-buck*. If you absolutely need the most authentic *vibe-y* , mojo approved, analog/tape tone, don't sell the space echo and the echoplex just yet. If pristine rack unit delays are key to your sound, I'm pretty sure you realize a stompbox isn't going to cut it. But if you need a meat & potatoes delay unit that can also pull off some pleasantly freaky sounds, and not take up too much floor space, check this one out. I seem to gravitate to the *tape-delay setting*, but the *digital* and *analog* settings are useful, and respond differently to both the modulation settings, and and the various delay modes (tap, swell, sweep, reverse, etc.) The reverse function is a true *reverse*, i.e. it reverses both the attack and the actual order of notes, and it can be dialed 100% wet. It's only fair to point out at this point that this function alone guarantees this pedal a spot on my board. But the sum total of fuctions in this compact package really make this the swiss army knife of the delay world. The tap function works well for me, but I operate it by hand. I keep this pedal next to my PDS 8000 atop my amp, so I can twiddle the controls. The other thing that endears this pedal to my heart, is that the delay time knob is a useful performance control, DUB style. I purchased the Line 6 adapter, and don't seem to get any additional noise. I need to test this more with my quieter guitars (Bill Lawrence 280s & Fender VNs), as I have been using only tele style guitars with single-coils. The one area I do have to admit concern, is reliability. Lets hope the switches, pots, jacks, etc, stand the test of time.

Kerry M

[Mark Hammer]

Busy beavers that they are, Jeorge, Angelo and the rest of the Tone Core project team have not exploited, or encouraged the rest of us to exploit, the stereo possibilities of the unit as much as is possible.

The Echo Park pools the two input channel signals, processes them in mono and then redistributes them differently to the two channels.  The most obvious case would be the alternating echoes.  However, there seems to be some of what comes in one channel showing up in the other channel's output in some altered way in many of the programs.

So do this.  Plug into Channel B (jack closest to the "front" of the pedal).  Run a patch cord from the B output to another effect - say, a chorus or wah - and then from that effect to the input of the other channel.  Now take the output of that channel and send THAT to your amp.  Be careful about managing levels during the reprocessing or else there is the risk of runaway feedback and oscillation. But, if levels are managed, you get an amazing shape-shifting delay where every iteration is different.  (Keep in mind that what comes out of channel A also shows up in slight form at the output of channel B as well).

[bwanasonic]

I'll have to try that. I did spend some time listening to the difference between the two outputs (with the guityar plugged into the mono jack). I managed to convince myself I like the *wrong* output better. Do you know if there is some phase difference between the outputs?

Kerry M

[Mark Hammer]

That I couldn't tell you.

If you want to go super nuts, try using another stereo or dual output pedal ahead of it.  For instance, if you have an Electric Mistress, consider sending dry to one input channel and wet to the other.  Make sure you turn the volume down, take a Dramamine first, and THEN turn the volume up.

[Sgt_Rutters]

I have never used one before, but looking at them at the store and "stomping" on them...do they not feel like it's going to be crushed when you step on it?  All the ones at the store seemed to click then crunch...could have just been me though...

[Mark Hammer]

In the more deluxe "Modeller" series (Delay Modeller, Filter Modeller, etc), there are separate footswitches for tap tempo and bypass.  In this particular package (Tone Core series), Line 6 went with a dual-function footswitch where different degrees of foot-pressure activate different switches.  The "crunch" you heard was the pressure transition between what you need to do tap tempo and what you need to do bypass.  Not everyone's cup of tea, obviously, but necessary to take all those performance capabilities and stuff 'em into a space between a Small Stone and SD-1.

These things are built like a tank.  Lift one up and your first impression will be "Half the price of this sucker is to recoup the shipping costs!".

[Sgt_Rutters]

Ahh, never thought about that.  But now that I remember, I never really seemed to get the thing to turn off...Never would have thought about dual-function switches.  That makes more sense now...