DOD FX96 Echo FX

It takes some time to figure out what all 4 knobs do in relation to each other. Its a little different than other analog delays. There are 4 knobs: Dry/Tape Mix, Delay Time, Regen/Feedback, & Tape Quality/Low-pass filter. The Mix knob is very sensitive in the lower sweep; the delay is very noticeable after 8o'clock. The Delay Time is adjustable from 10ms to about 1000ms. You can get the longer than stock delay time of 800ms by turning the pot inside the unit, but you sacrifice sound quality on the repeats. (It gets into the grainy sounds here). Using the Regen knob cranked, the repeats will oscillate when the delay time is low, and the mix level is high. The Tape quality knob is just a low pass filter that shunts high frequencies when the knob is turned counter-clockwise.

For the record, I haven't used an AD-80 or an AD-9 (or the Moogerfooger, Guyatone, Ross, or Maxon, etc.). I have heard the 80s DM-2, and DM-3, and currently own the 90s AD-99 and the mid 80s MXR Analog Delay. I previously owned the Deluxe MM. This pedal (DOD)is very comparable to the AD-99. It is more subtle than the other delays when trying to coax spacey sounds, and has semi-clean but sort of gated repeats like the AD-99. The repeats aren't as thick as the MM, or the MXR. The DM-2 sounded similiar, also. The AD-99, DM-2, and FX96 just, to my ears, have a thinner compressed sounding repeat than the MM, or the MXR, but thats not bad, for subtle sounds, it is good. Though, the DOD FX96 is easily the quietest out of the bunch in terms of noise. Having control over the tone of the repeat is a great addition. It can get almost bright, and it can sound just plain muddy. None of these units comes close to the sterile unnatural sound of a digital delay. I would say that that the MXR has the thickest repeats, with the MM second. The other pedals are about the same. As far as clarity goes, the MXR again wins. The DOD holds its own very well. But, different people like different pedals for there own reasons.

As long as the Philips chips hold up, it should be okay. This is from '98. We'll see.

Harman is a big company. Don't expect boutique company service.

For most 60s and 70s rock the FX96 should be okay. For reggae, dub music, certain songs from the 70s (Zepplin, Stones)you would need the real thing. Don't be lead into believing that all DOD pedals blow. Some are very good, such as this one. Most DOD pedals though, load the input pretty hard, so your guitar tone is compromised. A very good sleeper pedal thats a good alternative to a digital delay, if you can find one. Some stores have new old stock, and it can be had for a little under a $100.

Delay time, repeat amount, tape quality, and wet/dry knob(how much the effect is added to sound)Very easy to find setings to get what you want.The manual is a real help,but i liked how fun my other manual was. This was generic to-the-point-reading.The sample settings are nice, as always.Even gives a effect-chain placement, even though i use my own placement anyway.Very nice info.

Holy sh=! this thing is beautiful!I love the sound quality, the tone is barely touched.And i mean so barely touched the fbi lab couldnt get a read on it.The tape quality does get noticeably loud when the effects echos start doubling over themselves(if u let notes ring and play another with the tape q. turned way up)But i use it at about 11:00 and its nice.The sound is repeated very precisely, hammered on notes ring wonderfully nd so on.turning the delay time down to about 10:00/10:15 makes a slapback/reverb type sound which i used, but i like the delay and repeat at max.long repetative notes for an eery sound.and yes if you fiddle with the delay time while playing a sound just like a stretching tape comes out.Also the echos of a muted string sound crazy, try it.

Ive played dod pedals for a while and they hold up. But because of that hiss when batterys go down its a nine

never needed it.

Very nice for its price, very clear and nice sound.The color is very cool, if ya like pretty pedals.I fit were stolen id kill the bastard and send his dead body peices to his house.DOD continues to keep me as a customer.Other delays are very high priced, and this is too nice to pass up.dod ussually strives to keep a sound no one else has, but this is a pedal that has every delay sound analog lovers want.Hey no complaints, dod, but keep having fun withnames and paint jobs.I love originality.

I had my sound in 15 minutes i liked the manual it was cool

I was using this with a mesa V twin preamp through a ADA 200 poweramp i ran it through the front input i liked the sound truely analog and and nice and round at least to my ears.I held this in my right hand and a Boss in the other and this was heavier i like heavy pedals its a superstition with me....

I think it's built like a tank and yes i would get another if i had to i like it that much.

N/A

I like to play my delays with a hard rock style like the way black sabbath sounded in heaven and hell i love that sound during the middle solo.

If you can't figure this pedal out, stay unplugged. It is simple three knobs.

I was looking for as close to a vintage echo plex tape delay sound. I tried Boss and Ibanez digital pedals. This pedal is super for my rockabilly stuff. I like the feature where you can dial in the tape quality as to even make it sound like you are using a worn tape. It is a great pedal for what I wanted so it gets a 10

Appears to be built very well. The pedal switch looks like you could break it if you stomped on it. It only requires a very light touch to turn it on or off, so don't stomp it.

For my rockabilly style, for my surfabilly, crapabilly, playing this pedal is great. It is simple to use and it gives me the sound I wanted.

well I got it used in VERY VERY GOOD condition, but without a manual. I got a bit confused screwin around with the knobs and I think I've just about figured it out. If anyone has a manual they can scan and send to me, that would be great!

when the tape control is up even medium it is a bit distorted on the low end (when the settings are set a certain way) but really the tape control eliminates some of the buzz noises from the pickups.

well no problems yet-works fine. Don't know too much about DOD, but I don't smash my pedals round either.

not yet

Very good for what I paid for it on EBay. It was pretty straightforward as far as controls went and sounds nice too.

The unit itself was stupendious!!!
There are some knobs and theyre easy to use
Then you stomp on the pedal!!
So easy!!!
(Pretty good considering ive never used this!)

Well..Im using a 90 watt amp!
(But this works really well considering i dont have one!)

I CAN DEPEND ON THIS!
(I dont have one though)

The Tech. support was CRAP!!!!
I called them once and it was like 2 in the morning...and NOBODY answered!!!!
I was very enraged by this!!!
(Part of this problem was due to my phone never exsisting!)

Ive been playing for 2 years...
I have seen many pedals come and go through out the years...
This pedal REALLY sucks....

The 4 knobs on this pedal are pretty straight forward. I'd recommend reading the user manual, as it gives good tips on getting started with the unit. Make sure the user manual is correct to the unit--some complained about receiving the wrong manual.

As with most effects, this unit gives feedback when kicked into gear. There are numerous tricks to defeat this, however. The unit gives a good delay if you play more of a rythem style. I wouldn't recommend the unit if you play mostly leads, as the sound is a bit thin at times, and a bit punchy at others. I'd say it's hard to really locate the exact sound on this unit. I use the pedal with a Fender Princeton Chorus amp and a Fender Toronado guitar. I play a lot of Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Various other Prog. Rock. The sound is good, just better with rythem guitar.

These pedals are built. Some criticise the plastic stomp section--personally, I treat my peadals kind--there is no need to stomp excessivly hard on these boxes. DOD pedals are PERFECT live. The battery holder (located towards rear of unit) keeps it in, comparred to Boss pedals with the battery under the stomp-section. I've used DOD pedals for 5 years on the road, and NEVER had any trouble.

While I've never had any trouble with DOD units, I've e-mailed them questions. They've yet to respond. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you waiting for responce from DOD.

I've been playing guitar for over 15 years. DOD has been my choice for most of that time. I was shocked to see so many critical of DOD. In my humble opinion DOD and Boss are very much the same thing. DOD comes at a much better price, and, yes, Boss pedals are nice as well, but you may pay dearly for something you may not have needed. I've worked with enough professionals to see the DOD is used just as much as Boss. I would totally recommend DOD effects to anyone (playing style pending); however, I must state it is important for all guitarists to rely more on their playing, rather than on an effect box.

Since DOD likes to label their pedals with stupid catch names for features (check out the death metal pedal) it is a bit tricky at first. There was a manual that had some actaully useful settings and ideas.

I use it with an old Ampeg tube head and cab, and a Fender Cyclone. It is noisy, but the cool analog delay feedback sounds really good because the pedal has a very muddy sound. The effect is anything but weak. It is very similar to a tape delay in sound, therefore, like I said, it is muddier than most delay pedals. The delay is short, but compared to other Analog Delays (Memory Man, Boss, Ibanez AD-9) it is long. DOD actually makes good delays. Doesn't have a crisp sound at all, very round warm tone; distorts very easily.

Dependable, its one of the new, extremely solid DOD pedals. I'd gig it wihtout a backup. It is cool to use live for gentle feedback sounds.

I play in a rock band, and it sounds pretty cool in some applications but I never bring it anymore. If it were stolen, I just wouldn't get another delay, outboard delay in the studio is much better.

As easy as any delay pedal. It takes a while to fine tune it to where you know how it will respond but that's the case with any delay pedal.

This pedal has yet to sound great. I've gotten it to sound passable but that's as good as it gets. It sounds horrible through the effects loop on my Carvin MTS-3212 combo. Instead of guitar echo it just gives off a "thump, thump thump" kind of return. Run through the front, once again, it sounds passable. The level knob is hard to set to the extent that it either gives too much slap back or not enough. I haven't had any problem with noise. I bought it because it emulates the old echoplex boxes of old. EVH always swore by his echoplex so I thought that was a great endorsement of the sound. I don't think it's possible to get the EVH sound with this thing though. I wanted a warm analog type echo but this is really muddy even for analog.

It is not usable with a battery. It sucks so much juice that the effect disappears shortly after you begin to use it. I power it with my Boss Daisy-Chain using a Boss NS-2 as the power source and that seems to work fine. The battery issue wasn't too big of a deal for me because I was planning on powering it with an AC adaptor anyway. But it's still pathetic. Beyond the battery problem it has not failed.

I e-mailed DOD about the battery problem the week after I got it and they never responded to my question. That was about 4 months ago.

I have never held DOD products in high regard. I've always thought they were image over content and this pedal has done little to change my evaluation of DOD and their products. I consider it to be just barely usable in the capacity that I bought it for. I can get some decent slap back out of it but compared to other analog delays it is not very versatile at all. I play 70's, 80's & 90's rock in a band that gigs once or twice a month. I've played seriously for about 7 years now but first learned guitar 25 years ago. I'm not an effects hound in fact I try to keep it as simple as possible but when I want to add an effect into the chain I expect it to behave the way the manufacturer has advertised it. The only reason I bought it was for the tape simulation feature which is something I'll grant it but the over all impression of this effect is boring even by analog standards. This really is not a pedal for anyone other than the novice practicing how to use effects. I would not buy it again if I lost it or it was stolen. There is nothing I love about it. Several things I don't mind about it and several things that make it a piece 'o' crap. It doesn't help me make music or inspire me to search for more sounds. It doesn't get in the way but it tries real hard.

This is an update of a previous post.

In a band setting at real volume levels this thing sucks. It is too noisy and it produces an annoying hum. I sold it. Basically, all DOD stuff is noisy and shoddy. I liked it at first by eventially had to dump it. In fairness to the unit, I probablt could have continued to use it if I would have used a noise gate. I didn't, and this thing was LOUD. In fact, I dumped all of my stomp boxes in favor of a T.C. Electronics G Force (List $ 1750). This little pedal can't even approach the kind of delays the G-Force can produce. But, in reality, it would take like 17 of these pedals to equal the price of the G-Force so....

No manual came with my unit which sucked.

Honestly, I could find no use for this pedal. It really couldn't get a nice Eric Johnson type delay sound. Rack stuff is where it is at for me. I do a lot of recording and can't deal with all of the noise stomp boxes produce. Save your money and buy a rack mounted multi-effects unit, you'll be happier.