DOD FX96 Echo FX

the beauty of the pedal lies in its simplicity. Its easy to get many good sounds. It takes a good ear to get a great sound, but it can be done.

Superior quality for the cost. I am running this with about 7 other pedals. I experience no loss of tone or volume when pedal is on or off. I am playing it through a vox ac-30 and a les paul jr. with p-90. You can really get a nice slapback delay with just the right amount of warmth and decay thanks to the tape knob. The tape knob allows you to get a decent clean delay, and when turned up, it gives it just right dirtiness. I played it in comparison with an Ibanez Ad-80 and there is definitely a difference. This pedal can actually sound cleaner while still providing the warm tape like decay. While the ad-80 has a great sound, this pedal can do similar things and a little more. I would say i prefer the cleanliness of this pedal for a live pedal board, however , in the studio the ad-80 cannot be beat.

very solid except the plastic foot switch. I have another dod pedal of the same build which has experienced a bit of hootenany in its day, and it still remains solid.

I play experimental, alternative, shoegazey kind of music and this pedal was a great compliment to my sound. It provides the short dirty delay much better than newer digital pedals (line 6 mm4, boss gigadelay). Its perfect in combination with distortions, which enhance the grittiness. I feel great about the purchase and I would recommend it to those seeking an alternative to the Ibanez ad-80 or other more expensive analog delays.

Right, this pedal seems straight forward enough to begin with. It's only got 4 knobs so how hard can it be? Well, as another reviewer has remarked, I think DOD has missed some important info in it's manual as I will sxplain...

When I first got mine ( a tape reel graphic version ) I was not that impressed. I placed it in the serial effects loop of my Mesa Boogie studio .22 and powered it with a 9volt adapter (soundlab pedal power). The levels seemed quite low, I couldn't really get a satisfactory balance between the dry signal and the effected signal. The delay times were pretty short and the tape quality knob added a kind of grainy distortion to the repeats the more I turned it clockwise. So it was okay but not great, certainly compared to an Arion SAD1 analog delay it didn't really stand up very well.

So next I tried it in front of the amp. This was a bit better and gave me a better balance between the guitar signal and the repeats. Set up like this I would have been happy enough to use it as a slap back/short echo.

BUT then I bought a Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2+ and like a couple of people have suggested, I tried powering it at 12Volts. WOW!! It made a MASSIVE difference to this pedal. The levels were much higher, the delay times much longer the repeats carried on far longer. The tape quality knob completely transformed. Before it added a grainy distortion to the repeats but now all the way anti-clockwise it darkens the repeats, turn it clockwise, the repeats get brighter. I can also get it to self ocsillate easily, something that it wouldn't do before at 9 volts.

At 12volts this thing sounds brilliant and I now prefer it to the SAD1. The pedal is supposed to simulate a tape echo, at 9 volts it really didn't convince me at all. The step up in voltage actually made this pedal what it claims to be.

Mine was second hand from ebay but it was New Old Stock and was pristine condition. Nothing has broken yet...
The switch is plastic and doesn't feel that great but the rest of the unit feels robust enough.

No need to contact them thus far.

At 9 volts through the effects loop I would have given this a 5.
In front of the amp a 7 but with it running at 12 volts it goes up to a 9.

If you have one of these and haven't tried running at 12 volts then give it a go (entirely at your own risk of course!). It really did make a huge difference to mine, it was like getting a totally different (much better) pedal. It just shows that you really need to experiment with some pedals before deciding they suck...

For the money this was great value and I'm really pleased with mine.

i was lucky and got one for just 15 GBP (30 dollars) on ebay.

This is an ANALOG echo/delay pedal. Very different from a digital sound. I have the newer version which does not have tape reels drawn on its casing, and comes with an adjustable trim pot inside (more on that later).

im using mine with a boss psa 9v adapter (regulated and smoothed) as i hear that batteries are pointless in this pedal as they wont last any time at all, and affect the sound in a bad way when not at max strength. note: if using an adapter dont use a cheap one, ..trust me!

At first the pedal was confusing but after a while i started to figure out exactly what the knobs do. there are four knobs. the first knob is the MIX(level) knob, which controls the 'loudness' of the repeats/echo. the second knob is the DELAY TIME knob, which controls the time in milliseconds between each echo. the third knob is the REPEAT knob, which controls the number of repeats, and the fourth knob is the QUALITY knob which seems to be like a filter and affects the overall 'tone' of the echo (it also seems to affect the overall echo effect in other ways, it's best to just experiment yourself with that knob rather than me try to explain it). The manual for this pedal is available from the DOD website, and is a good read. the manual contains some example sound settings and they work well.

at first i wasnt sure if it was the right pedal for me, but after figuring out how to use it properly i now love it, i think it sounds fantastic. i had tried a marshall echohead previously (a digital echo/delay pedal) and i hated it. no personality or life in it at all.

the echo sound i have been searching for is something like the old wem copicat sound (an old tape echo device), and i have managed to dial in a real nice version of it on this dod pedal. you cant expect this pedal (or any pedal) to be exactly the same as a real echo tape unit, but this pedal does a really good job in its own way. the sound i get is thick, full of life, and a bit magical.. ..that's analog for you! i have no interest in any other echo pedal now, this is the one for me and im happy. id seriously actually rather have this than a real wem copicat device, for sheer size and convenience.

this pedal is not noisy but only use a QUALITY adapter (like boss PSA), NOT any old adapter, and AVOID batteries with this pedal). i use this pedal with a marshall JCM900 valve amp combo and a gibson SG. the old valve sound of my amp and the analog sound of this pedal (plus quality gibson humbucker pickups) all work beautifully together.

there is an adjustable trim pot inside this pedal and it allows you do make the delay time longer. the problem here though is, if you set it too long, then the echoing notes are all distorted and messed up (both in pitch and overall sound). that might work for some wierd experimental hippy band, but definately not for my needs. assuming you are like me then, i figured out the best way to adjust the trim pot so your sounds are mostly always USEABLE (assuming you dont max out all the knows though!).

get your pedal running but have the back off the pedal so you can adjust the trim pot quickly and easily. you need to put the mix knob straight up at 12 o clock. put the delay knob on max. put the repeat knob on max, and put the quality knob straight up at 12 o clock. now hit a string on your guitar and mute it quickly. you will hear the notes start to repeat (assuming your trim pot is currently set reasonably well!). ok, let the echoing sound stop/stop it, and now turn the trim pot a bit, and repeat the process. what you are aiming for is so that you eventually find a point with your trim pot where you have quite a long delay time between echoes, but the echoing notes are NOT messing up/distorting as they fade away. when you find that point, your trim pot (in my opinion) is set just right. that's all there is to it.

after i set my trim pot up this way, i tried the example pedal sound settings in the dod manual on their website, and my sounds sounded just like dod had described. so, i'm assuming that setting the trim pot using my method gives you an end result similar to dod factory settings for this pedal.

it seems well built, although i dont like the footswitch much. it feels a bit 'spongy' when pressed. the pedal looks great, it's fairly heavy compared to my boss pedals, as well as wider. feels good and solid. has a rubber base like with boss pedals. adapter input is on the side of the pedal, i really wish it was on the back instead!!

i have not dealt with dod. their website seems ok and contains user manuals.

although i'm not highly experienced with analog delay/echo pedals, im very happy with my purchase, and im not gonna go on an obsessive search trying other echo pedals and wasting money. my dod pedal does what i want (an old analog tape echo device type of sound) and it does it very well! it took me a while to find the right settings for me using this pedal, but i got there in the end.

it is quite a versatile pedal so you really should learn how to use it fully before deciding if you like it. i think this pedal is special and i'm glad i didn't have to buy some overpriced, overrated, ego driven boutique crap!

It's an analog delay pedal, pretty easy just 4 knobs.

i've got the older model with the tape reels painted on, but it has the trim pot inside and both description names on the knobs so I don't know what i've got, I live in argentina where I bought it maybe it's an export model of same sort. About the sound, it's great I've used digital delays before even digital tape delays simulations (Yamaha dg-stomp) and this little thing is so different, it feels great i'm using it with a fender super 60 and it retains the feel of the tube amp unlike digital gear. It's rather dark sounding even with the tape quality knob on max so I don't use it too much and even on bypass i notice the treble roll off but I can't complain it's a cheap pedal. I can't use batteries with it, the delay time is very short and rather distorted (it's cool for a lo fi slap though) what I do is to use a 12v power supply to increase the time and it works great that way.

For what I paid used, It's great. I mainly use it for a slap so the short delay time doesn't bother me (the manual says 800 ms haha It barely goes to 300-400) what bothers me a bit is the treble roll off on bypass, but well, nothing's perfect.

Pretty easy with 4 knobs. I've got the old version with the painted on tape reels.

I use this thing with various tube amps to play blues/rock harp. I previously had a multi-fx pedal and a digital delay pedal, but I sold them and decided I just wanted a great sounding slap-back delay to thicken up my harp tone. It works beautifully. I keep getting a jones for the latest digital effect wonder, but then I play a gig with this sucker and my desire for the fancy digital stuff evaporates. It really sounds beautiful with a good tube amp--gritty, analog, and warm.

I got mine used and have played it for more than a year. No problems.

I haven't needed to call.

This is a real bargain for the $. It really shines for getting that deep organic harp tone. I'm gonna hold onto this sucker!

Easy, but can be time-intensive because there's a lot of good sounds to be had. The range in the "tape/dry" knob behaves deep and delicate, imo, and I find myself making SMALL tweaks for this to get the mix just the way I want it. Not hard, but I fiddle with it a lot just to get it JUST right.

No manual, got it used. The "tape quality" takes a bit of playing to find where you want it but I'm in no way complaining, I love this feature.

I'm always changing my set-up but this is a keeper. It's VERY musical, blows away many many digital delays out there. Seems to really like mid-to-sorta-long settings (between 1/4 sec. and half, or more). Really short slaps need extra tweaking, fewer repeats, etc. and this is true for any deep delay so it's not a negative, just not as set-and-go as some might like. I don't mind tweaking when you're getting more range, so no problemo.

It is a bit 'dark' overall, and does seem to have a SLIGHT effect on the initial signal and tone when engaged, and can darken the tone a little. This is true for most analog delays though (i.e. Memory Man) and, for me, is quite natural and mostly forgivable. Tweaking that touchy 'tape/dry' knob can quell the 'darkness' though, for sure.

When not engaged by itself I don't suffer the feared tone loss. However, use a lot of DOD and Boss (and the like) in a row and you'll notice some. It's not this pedal's fault, but rather inherent to the mechanics. The mighty DM-2s and -3s aren't true bypass either, so it's hard to fault DOD.

This pedal does indeed self-oscillate, very cool, and very musical, the feedback sounds nice and not like RUN FOR IT the building just caught fire or something.

I've had DODs that are pretty old (10-15 yrs. or so?) and still kicking. The OUT jack got a nasty crackle but I blew it out with canned air and changed the patch cable, not sure what the culprit was but problem solved.

I'm not crazy about the plastic stomper, but the rest of the pedal (and other DODs as well) is quite sturdy and gives a feel of good build quality (well, save the battery cover, but I use power plugs anyway). Metal I/O jacks, I like that.

I'll give an 8, no bad experiences for me, but then again they gotta be cutting corners somewhere considering the prices (or who knows maybe not, hard to say I guess).

I've had it for over a year, lots of use, no problems.

Never even considered it. Their website (last I checked) was pretty junky and somewhat embarassing... c'mon it's 2005, get on the ball.

I'll give a 5. Given some of the online treats, samples, info, and support that other companies offer, I think a 5 is pretty generous (with my apologies if their site is overhauled as I write this).

I play a lot of guitar-centric music and a good, organic, 'real' sounding delay is a must. I have several delays at this point (too many maybe), my current most used being a DD-20 (fantastic for a floor unit), but this little DOD ECHO FX is a favorite too. I use it alone or with the DD-20, with very musical results. I was about to get a Memory Man but glad I found this first, it was not only cheaper but more compact (a plus imo) and the overall fidelity sounds as good if not better to me. The 'tape quality' parameter is very cool and gives you a very natural yet a little warped sound, much like the Memory Man. Great ole' analog delay. BTW I have the tape reel art on mine. I've heard these may differ in small way from the others (like pictured here on this page) but I can't imagine they're all that different.

I very much wish all delays had a tap tempo feature, but it's analog, what can you do. Sounds terrific though, what else can I say?

I'll give it a 10. Since I expected to pay as much as $200 for a Deluxe Memory Man, it's nothing short of a "fantasic value."

This pedal is easy to use. A lot of options for knob twiddling and everything is laid out easy to use. The manual is OK. I have the newer model (the one without the tape reels on the font).

The sound is very analog. By that I mean the repeats are not crystal clear. That is what this pedal is supposed to do. Don't get it if you want clean repeats or more than 400ms of delay time. I use this through the effects loop of a Peavey Delta Blues with Strats and Rickenbackers and the FX96 doesn't add any more noise and it seems to not suck any tone when bypassed. When the delay time is set almost to the max the repeats get really ugly as can be expected with analog. That might be good for freaky sound effects.
One weird thing is when the Mix knob (effect level) knob is maxed it puts out a 100% wet signal. And I mean that literally. You cannot hear the initial note played. You can only hear the repeats. Don't know why that would be useful. It's just weird. I give this catagory a 9 because I was looking for a used analog delay that was under $100 and this fits the bill, but it's not perfect so it doesn't get a 10.

As a side note: I had the earlier version FX96, with the tape reels painted on, and it was not the same as this newer one! The older one has a very short slapback delay time and the only way to tweak it is to follow the advice from the guy a few reviews down and solder a larger value resistor across the delay time pot. I chose not to do this because I found this newer one for sale right after I got the first one. I returned the old one and used that money to get the newer one and I'm much happier with the delay time. The old one I could get to self oscillate like a freakin banshee, but this newer one is more subtle and controllable.

This is my first DOD pedal and I've heard horror stories about the switch breaking and of course the notorious battery cover falling off. The one I got had a broken battery cover but I fixed it no problem. I don't literally stomp on my pedals so I think it will hold up just fine.

Never dealt with them.

This pedal suits my needs perfectly. I just needed a subtle delay that can get gritty at times. I wasn't going to pay out the nose for a vintage Boss or Ibanez analog delay, nor do I want a huge Memory Man on my pedal board. And compared to new digital pedals like the Digidelay and DE7 that mimic analog, the FX96 blows them away in mojo. I'm superstitious about my gear and feel that for some reason I play better through tube amps and analog effects. It's all in my head. I also like how the Tape Quality feature rolls of the high end for some nice lo-fi repeats.

To simple! Four knobs:
Dry/Tape: to set the effects level.
Time: to obvious to explain.
Rate: to obvious to explain.
Tape quality: with it, you can filter the signal to recreate grainy sound, like tape echo efects.

Well, i would to say, it's a bit tricky to avoid the hum -that was a big problem with all my stompboxes-. Get some device to convert the high impedance to low impedance, you'll get zero hiss and hum, and stuff.

About the pedal, very configurable, it's analog; C'mon, i think most of the guys how give low rating to this and other pedals, really don't research, don't experiment the settings; you must give some time to get better results -i can't deny some pedals are crap, but you should give it some chance-; also, considerate when you bought and try some effect, you can guess about the quality. Then, boys if you'll rate some fx with "7" or lower, the only what i can say is YOU'RE NOT GOOD BUYER.

Well, i have more effects, akai headrush E1 easily can supply the FX96, but when you can't get backups, as it is you must gig. But it's solid, when you handle with care your stuff, you don't need backups, i think.

I play alternative music. Radiohead it's my influence. I'm really happy with this pedal. If were lost, i'll try to get other, but i believe in new brands and i'm sure before i get other FX96 i'll try other options; it's a big world. There are to many women on earth, also many pedals.

Very easy to use in my opinion, pretty self explanatory really.

I used various Fender guitars through my effects board. These guitars include 3 Strats, a Jaguar, A Jagstang and a 1960 Musicmaster. The effects I use include a Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Wah, an Ibenez Flanger/Chorus, a DOD Steroe Phasor, a Digitech Whammy Pedal, a Johnson Tremolo Pedal, Big Muff and a DOD Thrashmaster (The Duke) and I love the sounds I get with this pedal using it with or without the mentioned pedals. I've used other delays and couldn't get the sounds I've been wanting to get with those effects. And FUCK Digital delays. I'm not giving this pedal a 10 though, that would be silly, ah hell with it, a 10 it'll be, just to piss off the bastards who don't like this pedal.

Well, to be honest, I can't really say so far. I just got it back from Digitech getting repaired. I only had it a couple of weeks when it petered out on me. I knew before buying it off ebay that it had minor issues though, so it wasn't a big deal to send it off to get it fixed. Hopefully it won't crap out, I love the sounds I get with it.

Kicks ass! I sent them my pedal, 20 bucks and less than 2 weeks later it's delivered by UPS. Very quick and very friendly folks to boot.

I play shit from 60's Acid trip soundtrack music to 90's grunge, stuff all over the place and I have to say, this pedal helps me get there. If this bastard ever gets ripped off or dies, I'll get another just like it if I can.

Very easy to use. This is the second edition of the FX96; it does not have the tape reels painted on it.

This pedal is superior to the FX90 and many other analog delays for one reason, the tape quality knob. I love this thing. It's sort of tone knob but it also changes the timbre to lo-fi or distort a bit which may just be my ears but it really sounds great. You can dial in a more bright repeat for live use when most analog delays get lost in the mix or get that super warm sound that everyone loves. I don't know why more delays don't have this feature. The delay is a bit longer than the FX90 but just as warm to my ears. The only reason I give it an 8 is because I've had trouble getting it to self-oscillate even with a trim adjustment but that may be because of the power, I hear a strong new battery will do the trick and adapters can cause the lack of oscillation. It seems to be on the verge so perhaps with more volume and the fresh battery it will go berserk like I want it to. But this is a great delay and will be part of my board for some time.

Built like a tank.

I can't say enough good things about this pedal. Great delay.