Boss DD-6 Digital Delay

Pretty straight forward. Plug it in, set the delay tempo, how quickly it decays and how long it will delay for. Not much to it.

Very easy to get a good sound out of.

I can't live without delay. For me it is a must.

The DD-6 sounded great to me (I've sold it to buy a DD-20 for practicallity). There was not one artist this thing couldn't get the setting of. Very quite, it doesn't colour the guitar tone.

If it has a BOSS logo on it, you don't need a backup.

Never needed it, probably never will.

Over all this pedal is great. I can dial in sounds from Tool, Cog, Butterfly Effect, A Perfect Circle and more.

HOWEVER, there are more features than are really needed. The reverse and warp function are just gimmicks in my oppinion. Having said that, with out the extra (crappy) features, you have a DD-3 pedal. i was sucked into the whole "newer is better" attitude back then. I should have checked harmony central first :p.

Between the two, a DD-3 would be more than enough, especially considering the price difference (and especially in Australian music stores). I have just sold this pedal to upgrade to a DD-20 for the better features that I WILL use.

IMO, either get a new DD-3 or buy a second hand DD-6 if you really want one.

It's a delay-if you're familiar with them, it's gonna take like 2 minutes getting used to; if not, try about maybe a half hour to an hour figuring this pedal out. It looks like a large number of settings to dick around with, but it's really not that bad. Just a number of different time ranges, a warp mode, a reverse mode, and hold-see? not that bad. The knobs-feedback just controls how many times you hear the echo, effect level controls how loud your echoes are, and delay time is self-explanatory.

Setup

Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany=>MXR ZW-44 Overdrive=>Boss BF-3 Flanger=>Boss DD-6 Digital Delay=>Fender Princeton Chorus (non-DSP)

This is the first delay pedal I've ever owned or tried, and I've only had it since Christmas, but I figured I'd tell you about the sounds I've got out of it thus far. There are a few no-no's with this pedal. First off, don't leave the feedback knob all the way up, you'll blow a speaker if you leave the echoes going too long. However, playing with the feedback knob in this setting can have some cool effects. For example-play a low E with the delay time lower on a higher time setting. Now, while it's still repeating, twist the delay time knob up higher and you can get a helicopter sound like off the intro to "One" by Metallica. Using the reverse mode is an art of its own. If you can master the uses of this mode, you can get some trippy-arse sounds. The tap tempo on this thing is jacked up. I tap in the tempo and it starts blinking at a different pace. Oh, well, I manage, I just follow the blinking light and adjust the delay time to where I need it to be manually. Ok, but can I ask a question. I love vintage analog effects like phasers, choruses, compressors, but honestly folks-what's the difference between an analog delay and a digital delay if you can tweak the digital delay to echo and feedback at just the right level? Delay's delay. If it obeys and has a dramatic knob sweep on everything, it's gonna work. Keep in mind, this is just my humble opinion.

It's a Boss. No further comments.

Never dealt with them.

You can find a use for almost any style-rockabilly slapback echo to layering an arpeggiated chord progression to mimicking a 12-string to getting a "Castles Made of Sand" reverse guitar recording sound, this pedal can do it. I use it mostly to layer solos, to get an ambience effect going, or to layer song sections with echoing arpeggios. If guitar-playing depth could be measured physically, you can go from your original sound, a backyard pool, to about, say, the Marianna Trench. I play mainly classic rock and thrash/classic/neoclassical metal, but my playing's also inflected with influences like Miles Davis, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robert Johnson, Vivaldi, and James Brown. Anything with the heart there, I can get into, so, in turn, my playing is very diverse, and this pedal can do anything I ask it to if it involves echo. I wish the tap-tempo feature would obey, but oh well, like I said, I get over it. I definitely reccommend this pedal if you can get past that small flaw. And plus, maybe I just got a dud in that department.

I found this quite easy to use straight from the box. I didn't bother with the manual until I wanted to use the warp function. The manual is straightforward and clearly written.

I'm playing a Epiphone LP custom through a Boss TU2 and Boss CS3 compressor into an Ashdown Fallen Angel 60W combo. The effects loop starts with a Boss PS5 Super Shifter -> Boss BF3 Flanger -> Boss DD6 Delay.

The DD6 sounds very nice, very clean. I haven't tried to emulate any particular artist's sound, I've just being trying to see what its limits are and what sounds I can get out of it. So far I'm happy. I quite like my delay and although the DD6 has lots of options I'd like to pick up another pedal to handle reverb and an analogue delay for a dirtier sound. And maybe a looping pedal like the DL4. They'd all be used in conjunction with each other, I wouldn't be dropping the DD6 from my setup.

It's reliable as anything can be.

Never dealt with Boss customer support

I've been playing post rock/noise music for the last four or five years and I've been meaning to get a delay for a long time. The DD6 has fitted in well with my plans. I haven't used it live yet but in practices it has added a nice new dimension to my playing (I'm from the Kevin Shields and Blixa Bargeld school of guitar playing). I'd defintely buy another if it was stolen. I might buy another anyway!

It's not too difficult to learn how to use: 30-minutes with the manual is all you need. Very solid performance, and easy to use live. And I would say that it's very accomodating if you can multi-task and understand rhythm-syncopation well.

Excellent for my tastes: I wanted a really sharp and solid digital delay sound. The dd-6 seemed more appealing than the dd-3 because of the hold, warp, and reverse functions; for another $40, they were worth it. I doubt I'll ever use the panning or stereo functions; to me, they seem useless and more relevant for studio recording, in which case, a racked AUX effect unit would be more practical.

Reliable. Sad to say, it will probably outlive me. I don't use it frequently, so I've been doing fine with a 9v battery, but I would assume that this pedal will eat those up after regular use.

N/A

Good for layering or playing over yourself in live settings. Great for a digital effect sound, with EXCELLENT control. I must say, this is the best pedal of its kind. The only thing comparable is the Digitech DigiDelay which is complete shit: the feedback/regeneration knobs barely work and some of the functions don't work the way you'd logically think they would; and it's only $40 cheaper than the dd-6. The dd-6 is much more solid and worth the extra expense. Although, if you're not interested in the reverse, hold, or the "out of this world" warp functions (it's not that exciting) then the dd-3 is a better deal.

loads of different modes, had to sit down and figure it all out. but not too complex, didnt bother looking in the manual, within an hour i had it. The hold function, despite beind amazingly flexible, is just annoying, with the dd3, you put your foot on it and its holding. with the dd 6 you choose how long the held sample is, and you cant adjust the speed afterwrds, which is stupid.

Depends what you want- If you are after perfect clear digital echo's of what youve been playing, this is for you. but im not. I want wierd noise, fuzz and smooth echo's which blend into each other. this pedal is so digital, it makes me think my old dd-3 sounded analog!
I what does the Warp function actually do? it just sounds like delay to me, with maybe a slightly different sound quality to the other settings.

im sure it would never break. boss pedal dont ever seem to break do they?

I play a mix of Shoegaze/psychedlic/punk/electro. i have to compete with 3 analog synths in my band, so i need pedals which make interesting sounds. this doesnt, ive got a beat up Memory man, which crackles and has wobbly pots, but it just sounds so loveley that i dont mind. i got this pedal for the hold function, but i find it so over complicated to use, not half as immediate as the dd3. The only thing ive enjoyed doing with this pedal is pretend Steve Riech stuff, because you can record yourself so clearly it realy does sound like you are playing over yourself. There is no doubting this pedal has a longer delay time than any stomp box ive seen, and i got it pretty cheap too, but its just too much, not practical, you might as well go a bit further and get a DD20, or ehx 16second delay,

If you can read the manual it's very easy.

Sounds perfect as a pedal can sound. You guys with ears that hear the difference between I.C. chips make me vomit. A poor carpenter blames his tools. Ever hear that one? Those that can do...those that can't teach...those that can't teach...teach gym.

Three tours of Europe 60-100 shows each.
Five 40-60 day tours USA.
Three years straight no problems at all.

If you use your head for something other than a hat rack
the Boss DD-6 is one of the most useful music effects ever.
I don't care to share what guitar I play or what band I'm in
because I don't need too. Shut up and play your guitars.

Tap tempos in a live situation are a tough time. You have to plan ahead quite a bit to get the tap function to engage in time for you to tap out a tempo. First you have to hold the pedal down for a few seconds, then tap out your tempo. Want to program the tap tempo while singing and playing at the same time? Forget it, too complicated. An external pedal such as what they used with the DD-5, while more bulky, makes much more sense.

I use mine for basic delay stuff, but you also have to be careful not to step on it too long, or the tap function will engage.

Also, if you set the tempo with the tap and want to reset it to your pre-assigned tempo, the only way I've found to do it in a hurry is to unplug it and plug it back in again.

While there are some cool features, the tap tempo system on this pedal is so poorly designed, it gets a five.

Overall I have noticed some high-end loss with it in my signal chain, with the effect on or off, both through the effects loop and running into the front of the amp. Also, with the pedal in the chain before distortion, there is a noticable hiss that otherwise isn't there, although it's not drastic. I run mine through the amp effects loop as the high-end loss and hiss are less noticable.

This pedal is not easy to get balanced with the dry signal. At about three o'clock volume I can't hear it behind the dry signal, at four o'clock it causes a boost in volume overall. There is a very small window to get the right balance.

I have been using it for two years, have gigged with it dozens of times. Never had a problem. In fact, I've never had a problem with any Boss pedal.

Have not contacted them.

Prior to owning this I didn't really use delay. Previously I had owned a DOD Digital Delay which worked sometimes, definitely not reliable enough to gig with. I saw some bands using them in cool ways and decided to pick one up. While delay is fun to mess around with, it can be challenging to add into a song tastefully. This pedal, while offering an amazing assortment of different possibilities, definitely limits what you can do with it at any given time through its restrictive layout and functionality. The Line 6 delays may be more bulky and less reliable, but really seem to offer quite a bit more flexibility while onstage, when time is of the essence. I'd like to see a Boss product like that.

Finally, this thing CHEWS THROUGH BATTERIES. I would not recommend buying it unless you have a power adapter and power daisy chain with a TU-2 or PSM-5.

must read and learn the manual first to be able to use it in its max capability, very high tech Boss pedal, love it so much

Sounds awesome, the most versatile Boss DD in my opinion, just Good, very Good,
Not Noisy at All!!!!!
the internal tap Tempo is the coolest feature it has, save space in the pedal board definetely!!!
I have also Boss dd 3 japan, with the large chip in it, also Boss dm 2,
when played alive, the warmness of those pedals did not so distinguisable. DD 6 is the one pedal very very underrated.... may be people feel that it's quite a bit expensive, so...left a worse review compared to other dds

Can you depend on it? Very can
Would you use it on a gig without a backup? Very would (not run in batteries, of course with an adaptor);o

once my dm 2 was dead, been opened, cannot understand the electric board, closed it again, and it somehow lived again straight away, till today, a bit magical

Quite good for all the features they packed into this little box! Good layout of knobs.

Boss' buffer amps are quite, nice and clean sounding, but they reduce the volume of the input signal just a hair (like 1 : 0,98 or so). Try two (bypassed) Boss pedals in a true bypass loop, switch them in and out and you'll hear a noticable volume drop.

There are a lot of useful delay sounds in the DD-6, but some things are really horrible. The biggest probem is that there is no way to cut treble on the delay sound, AnalogMan offers a mod for this I heard. Then the portamento effect when you turn the delay time control does not produce an even pitch glissando of the delay but produces an unpredictable mix of glitches that is no fun to work with. Finally the new feature called sounds corny and is practically useless: the delay's feedback is set high, a delay loop warble starts but you have to stop playing because the input to the delay is not shut off. So one less corny "new feature" and a little more care and taste in refining the unit would have been badly needed.

No Boss pedal ever let me down, really dependable stuff.

I bought the DD-6 because it is flexible, small, dependable and it has some great features like the reverse delay, the looper etc. I am just pissed by Boss since they often do not follow things through right and some of their features plain lack good taste, which makes a lot of their products so dull and uninspiring. I am glad that the pros outweigh the cons for me on this product.

Relatively easy to use, and the instruction manual is helpful enough if you're having a hard time. The time settings all overlap from one to the next which might be confusing to some. The one function I found majorly dissapointing was the tap tempo feature, but if you don't use this then no big deal. If you use it, it can cause some irritation. You have to step on the pedal, hold it down and wait for it to engage, then tap out the rythm. While it's figuring out the rythm it can do some really off beat jumpy sounding delays. I honestly prefer the extra tap tempo footswitch option of other pedals, including the older boss.

Using it with either an American Strat or highway one tele into a hot rod deville or blues junior. I have other effects in the chain of course but I find that irrelevant as far as a delay is concerned. The sound quality is decent enough when not comparing it with any other unit. I happen to own a deluxe memory man delay pedal as well. If I just use the dd6 I wouldn't say that it dissapoints me. If you play the two side by side however, there is a big diffence in sound (at least to me). The dd6 just comes off sounding more sterile and tinny. Maybe even a little cheesey. Of course, what it lacks in sound quality it makes up for in versatility (much longer delays, reverse delays, etc.).

Boss.

Never had a reason to contact them.

I play mostly rock and blues. Overall I like the pedal well enough, but I like the memory man more so I'll be keeping it and selling the dd6. The increased versatility of the dd6 is nice in principle, but when am I going to need a warp delay, a reverse delay, or a delay lasting 5 seconds? The versatility loses out when practicality is considered, I have to go with the better sounding unit overall.