Product: Aria DD-X10
Price Paid: 20 (CDN) used
Submitted
03/18/2003
at
08:36am
by
Cameron Martin
Email: cameron_am<at>hotmail dot com
Ease of Use
:
7
Pawnshop find- no manual or AC adapter. Has the usual controls for Delay Level, Feedback, and Delay Time, as well as a Range selector with 4 ranges ( 4-16ms,16-64,64-256,256-1024.) The really short ranges aren't much use. I tried getting a guitar doubling thing happening with the short ranges, but it sounds too metallic. However, if you're looking for a close simulation of the Eventide Harmonizer sound from the guitar solo in Owner of a Lonely Heart, a Boss Metal Zone piped thru this thing on short delay comes pretty close!
There's also a control called Hold that I haven't had much sucess with. I think it is supposed to sample and hold a phrase but either I'm stepping on the pedal at the wrong time or this feature doesn't work on my unit. I'll keep plugging away. If anyone else has owned one of these and can shed light on some of its more exotic features, please drop me an e-mail. It also has a Direct Out jack that I haven't used yet.
Sound Quality
:
8
My main rig is a 1995 Tele Plus with Lace sensors > MXR OD > Boss OD-3 > Boss FZ-3 > Boss CH-3 > Dano PB&J > MXR Flanger > Roland - JC-60.
I play mostly jazz-rock stuff. No heavy metal or shredding.
I have owned a number of delays, mostly analog, and wanted to see if this compared to modern digital stompboxes like the Boss line. I find that this box is not as sterile as the Boss digital stuff, but a bit noisier and harder on batteries. It also does not take too kindly to extreme distortion being piped thru it. Lower-gain overdrive stuff sounds nice though.
Reliability
:
8
Metal construction, shaped kinda like a Boss pedal with the battery under the footswitch. Instead of a screw, there's a metal catch that opens the battery compartment. Alkalines are a must as this thing sucks juice. I haven't tried it with an AC adapter yet.
I've never seen another one of these things anywhere, so if it goes toasty or gets stolen, I doubt I could replace it. I'd probably finally get a Line 6 delay modeller instead. For short analog delays I've been happy with my Dano PB&J, which does decent slapback but gets too noisy at anything above 250ms.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
There's nothing out there on this pedal. Aria's website doesn't mention it and web searches turn up almost nothing. But whaddaya want for $20.?
Overall Rating
:
8
I wish I knew a bit more about it, since it seems to be well-made and has a decent sound. I'll keep it on the pedalboard until I can find something better or it dies.
