Electro-Harmonix 16 Second Delay Reissue

Just received an email. The looper will be able to be sent to Eh for a software update, to have the option to get rid of the 4 bar count in.) How about tap tempo????

The 16 Second Delay reissue is a real mixed bag for loop fans. It's easy to get a good sound out of the 16 Second Delay, but getting a good loop is another matter. The manual isn't bad, and it benefits from being written in English, rather than translated, but it's very limited in scope.

If you're used to the loop setting on a Line 6 delay, or a Boss Loop Station (tap to start recording, then tap again to play loop) you'll need to learn a new, somewhat annoying method for catching your loops;beats, bars and measures. You use one slider to set your loop length by number of bars, then you set your tempo with another slider; the tempo varies from 60bpm to 240 bpm, but the only way to measure your tempo exactly is to connect the MIDI Out to a drum machine and read the display on the drum machine while you move the slider. All this and you haven't started to record your loop yet. Once you've set the bar and tempo with the sliders, you step on the Record switch, and the Record light starts to blink in tempo. After 4 beats, the Record light stays lit, and you can record your loop. If you've underestimated the number of bars needed for your loop, the 16 Second Delay will start playing back whatever it's recorded once it reaches the bar count you've set, possibly cutting you off before you've cmpleted your loop. You can set the bar counter higher, but then the unit will quantize your loop to the next nearest bar length. If your sense of time is very good, you may be able to sync your loop in the first few tries. If you're like most humans, however, you'll need some practice before you can get everything to link up. Some players might never get their loops to sync up.

I expect that everyone who reviews the unit will have something to say about the 4-beat count; most people will hate it, some people will probably even return the unit because of it. While I like this unit a lot (see below), this is possibly the most cumbersome feature I've ever encountered on an effects device. "Try it before you buy it" is the best advice I can give any loop fan approaching the 16 Second Delay. I give the unit a 5 purely based on what a pain the 4-beat count is.

I use the 16 Second Delay with my usual array of loopers (a DL4, a Loop Station, a Giga Delay), and my GT-3. My main guitars are LP Specials (one Faded Cherry, one Special SL in black with a GK-2a pickup attached) or my Ovation Legend. My main amp is a Roland JC-90. Everything sounds good through the 16 Second Delay.

I tend to place my Giga Delay in front of the 16 Second Delay, so I can use the Gigs Delay's SOS loop function. I find it's easier to cature a loop in another looper, then move it into the 16 Second Delay. It's a complex workaround, but my loops don't get cut off. Once I have a loop going in the 16 Second Delay, it's really time to play.

You can pitch shift your loop with the Fine/tempo slider, moving in half-step increments. While this prevents you from moving into Asian-style microtonality, it means that your loop is always in tune with your instrument. You can flip your loop over with the Fwd/Rev switch, and listen to it backwards. One of my favorite tricks, which isn't in the manual, is to capture a loop, pitch shift it, reverse it, and then overdub. Yes, the 16 Second Delay will allow you to tweak the hell out of your loop, and still overdub it. Next, try adding some modulation to your loop with the Sweep controls. Because the throw of the slider isn't very large, you can get a lot of different sounds by moving the sliders slowly. (I would bet that the Line 6 "Sweep Echo" effect is based on this function.) You can get twisted vibrato effects, deep, swirling phaser sounds, even a sort of chorusing, but only on your loop; your input signal doesn't go through the Sweep effect. I've read a few users who claim to get chorus and flanging effects from the 16 Second Delay, but I'm not sure how, unless they meant this effect.

After I've abused the loop enough, I can store it in my Loop Station, instead of depending on the 16 Second Delay's Magna Storage. In spite of the grandiose name, Magna Storage only holds one loop.

For sound quality, I give the 16 Second Delay a 10.

Ah, here's another tricky part. Electro-Harmonix toys have always had a sort of Heathkit-project-box look. They dent pretty easily, and I've seen a few 70's boxes where the circuit boards had come loose. So . . .

The 16 Second Delay looks delicate; there are a lot of small moving parts to break, especially those sliders, which don't look as if they'd survive a collison with a stomping foot. I intend to get the external footswitch and move the 16 Second Delay up off the floor. That way, I can use it live, while trying to protect it. While I always have at least one other looper available, nothing else does quite what the 16 Second delay does, so yeah, I'm using it without a backup. I give it a 7 for reliability, because I know other users are going to wind up with broken parts.

Dealt with them years ago, when Elctro Harmonix and I both lived in Manhattan. Back then, they were friendly, and approachable. I would hope they haven't changed completely

I'm an experimentalist, or I wouldn't need this thing at all. I think it's a great toy, I've been waiting for the reissue. I've been playing since before BBD's, and I have a bunch of other loopers and delays. If something happened to my unit, it would be hard to afford another one right away, but I'd try. I love the Sweep, I hate the count-in. I wish they'd make an expanded, rackmount version, with metal sliders, stereo I/O and programmable memory, to go up against the Gibson Oberheim Echoplex. I would warn any potential user to really check out this box before they buy it; it's a lot of money to spend if you're not happy with what you get. I give the 16 Second Delay an 8 for value because, frankly, it's an expensive toy, even if you love it.

If you've seen/heard the original 16 Second Delay in action before, you already know that this isn't a "delay" pedal per se (though it could do that if you wanted it to). This is a special effects looper...NOT like the Loop Station, where you want to use it for solo practice sometimes, as well as using it live to loop yourself and play over a riff in time. If you've seen guys like Nels Cline and Bill Frisell use the original, and that's why you're reading this, then read on. If you're looking for something along the line Boss Loop Station, or the Boomerang, then this is definitely not the piece of gear for you.

Is it easy to get a good sound? Hell yes. It's not totally intuitive, but a once-over with the manual (which is well written and thorough, by the way) and about an hour of trial-and-error, and you'll be making crazy-stupid loops you can be proud of...at least for the moment!

Is it hard to get a precisely timed loop? Once again, if that's what you're going for, get the Boss Loop Station. Hell yeah, it's hard to get something precisely timed on this. But, once again, that's not why I wanted it. On the original, the first slider went from 0 to 16 seconds. On this reissue, it goes to 32 bars, with the tempo slider being right next to it. On top of that, when you hit "record", it gives you a 4 beat count before it actually starts to record, which I initially found annoying. (you don't even wanna know what users of the original think of THAT!) But being that I've never used the original, I don't really have a point of reference, so I don't mind the count-off anymore. In fact, for certain applications in my shoegazer-ish band, the count-off comes in handy. Another difference is the pitch/tempo control. On the original, it goes up and down in microtonal sweeps, whereas this reissue tweaks in steps. Yeah, this is possibly my least favorite of the "improvements". But I've learned to live with it; I just don't have the money to get the original, which I've seen go for upwards of $1200.

I've had this unit for just two weeks and I'm already implementing it in both my rock band and my avant jazz band. Yeah, pretty easy to use.

Here's my current set-up:

Ibanez RG470--Boss Tuner--ProCo Rat--Boss DS-1--Ernie Ball Volume--Boss Super Chorus--Boss DD-3--EH 16 Second Delay--Boss Loop Station--Hiwatt 50 (British reissue)--Marshall 1x12 cab

This pedal has been an excellent addition to my chain. The sound quality is great, especially when using it on short delay setting. I like to use the short delay setting in tandem with my DD-3, and then hit "Play" on the 16 Second and get a really sick loop of what I've been playing...for up to FOUR MINUTES! Okay, I never really need that much looping time, but ya never know. And with the Loop Station in front of it, I can save a ton of cool loops to be used for later, do multiple reverses on loops...it's a pretty sick combination if you're into doing loops in a free improv/experimental situation, a la Nels Cline (yes, I'm fan of this guy! http://www.nelscline.com), Fred Frith, et al. I like the sweep function on this a lot. It won't effect the sounds being looped, but you can add it on to whatever has been recorded. Also, you can use this as a chorus/flange type effect in the short delay mode.

One of these days, I'm going to have an actual, GREAT guitar, maybe a '72 Tele or something. But for right now, this unit in my chain sounds great.

I haven't used it extensively just yet, but I do baby it. It's not cheap! I may buy a backup in the future, seeing that it's not selling nearly as well as I thought it would thus bringing the price waaaaaaay down. Works for me!

I haven't encountered any operational problems with it just yet, but if I do hit a wall somewhere down the line, I'll put up another review.

I've been playing for about 16 years, started out in speed metal, then started getting into prog, then some jazz, then over into the free improv/experimental realm, and then back over to rock. I'm in two bands, one a shoegazer-ish rock band, the other an avant garde jazz band. This really fits well with both groups,though I don't use it a whole lot. Interestingly enough, I'm incorporating it more in my rock band than in my jazz group, where I originallly thought it was going to be the inverse. If it were stolen or lost I would definitely buy another one, or if I'm rolling in dough when/if that happens I'll just get the original! Once again, I wish it was identical to the original, but so it goes. For now, this works just fine!

I am very disappointed with this pedal. Just like the person who reviewed before me, the loop section of this pedal is virtually unusable. On stage, forget it. If you are used to a regulat looping pedal where you hit a switch to loop at the beginning and the play switch at the end, it will be even harder to use this pedal. It counts 1-2-3-4 then on 5 it starts recording your loop. So if you are trying to loop in the middle of playing, you have to conciously think and hit the record button 4 beats before you want to record. This is ridiculous. Way too much thinking when you are up on stage playing. I have tried for many hours to perfect the technique i just described, i have been trying for 4 months now with no luck.

Now you can loop at the beginning of the song without too much problem. For instance if i was going to loop something. I would hit the pedal and wait for the 4 beats then record... But i could never do it onstage b/c that just isnt my style. I like to loop in the middle of a song or at the end.

Also the quantize function sucks. Not to mention the 4 beats before recording, it has to go through 4 beats before you stop the loop to start playing it. So after you record a loop if it cuts on the beat count of 2, it has to go to 3-4 before it will play again. So you really have to time it right and know how many bars and be able to use a shitty tempo slider.

I used this pedal with my acoustic and electric rig. Martin Hd-28-->Deluxe Memory Man---->Sans Amp Acoustic Di... Electric Rig: Time Machine Boost--->Fulldrive 2--->Fulltone Soul Bender--->Deluxe Memory Man---->Line 6 dl4--->Dunlop EQ--->Keeley Compressor--->16 sec delay--->Framptone Amp Switcher to DrZ MAz 18 and Fender super reverb.

The delay really shines, and on the rare occasion you can get a correct loop it sounds great. Very great sound quality. I can use the delay with any effect combination in my chain. Overdrive, Distortion, or clean, it really sounds great. It really shines on setting i use my compressor. The delay is the best thing about this pedal, but the delay isn't worth $400+. I'd say the delay is a mix between a line 6 dl4 and deluxe memory man. It has a dry signal level and a echo signal level which makes for really cool delay paterns. But definately not worth the cash just for he delay.

As far as reliability goes i dont think there are any problems. The thing is built like a tank. I put it through some punishment and it still works although one of the swithces on the back broke off. The switches are delicate but it was an easy fix with a paper clip.

EHX was helpful and not so helpful. I called them because i bought the pedal used and didnt have an instruction manual. Without studying the manual, you can not use the pedal. I called them and asked them a few questions about use and they oferred no help but to send me a new manual. It did get there in about a week. But after reading the manual i still couldnt use the loop function. So i called back and asked for some help. They said there was no help to offer, the pedal is how it is and thats it, there is nothing they can do. But they did tell me they are working on a new design for it with improved loop functionality

Basically i cant stand this pedal. Its got a great delay section, but i bought it for the 4 minutes of loop time. I didnt like this pedal so much that i was willing to take a $100 dive and sell it for $300 to guitar center. Do not buy this pedal without playing it first. If you want a great delay get a memory man or delayla or dl4. If you want a looper get the dl4, boss rc-20, or boomerang. This pedal plain and simple isn't worth $400 and it is definately not worth $479. This is possibly the worst pedal as far as ease of use goes, and probably my biggest gear let down ever. Save your money and get something else

Definately requires a few reads of the manual before getting the hang of it. Have used it at a couple of gigs and have to change setting for different songs, can get very confusing. Had the loop switch instead of delay activated during songs (Easy to do) and think I'm going to switch delay off but actually activate loop causing major f**k ups.
Thing I'm really upset over is the loop function itself. It is of absolutely no use to me as it requires a 4 beat count in before looping which is totally useless on stage with a drummer. It assumes that I can amazingly guess the tempo of the song as I'm playing and set this using a vague slider switch, ridiculous! The reason I went for this box in the first place was for the looper, now I only use it for the delay and flanger effect, wish I had gone for the Z-Vex Loop Junky instead as I originally planned.

Despite being pissed off with the looper I actually really love the sound of this pedal as a delay and flanger. Very warm sounding pedal with great tone and decay. The true bypass is great and doesn't suck the tone.

Last gig I played I had to bypass completey as it started making horrible humming noises. I am powering the unit through a multi-adaptor DC output box which EH don't recommend so that could be the cause but still caused headache.
Although a sturdy box, 2 of the cheap selector switches at the back of the unit managed to snap off as they were shipped to me from the US. Tried to get it replaced under warranty but eBay seller was a joke. Still trying to source the switches at the moment (if anyone knows, please let me know). They seem to be a mjor floor in an otherwise solid build unit.

Emailed EH about switches and they did get back to me very quickly with a source for the parts. Unfortunately the source is in Germany and still can't seem to get in touch.

Very expensive unit and although it is a very good looper, it is totally useless in a live situation because of the 4 beat count-in. If they got rid of this and loops could be recorded at the touch of the switch then this pedal would be superb. As it stands, I do use it regularly as it has the best sounding delay I've used but I wouldn't buy it again knowing what I do know. Maybe the proposed external foot switch adaptor might change my mind.

My Ehx 16 sec delay came yesterday. I had a chance to play with it all last night. Needless to say, i was very excited when i got it. For detail intructions on the various functions, you can check out http://www.loopers-delight.com/loop.html

This is actually my first Ehx pedal ever.

Cost.
Most people are selling it for $500. The cheapest new price i could find was $450 shipped. I got mine from www.8thstreet.com . It's not cheap that is for sure.

Function.
It is a looper, up to 4 minutes (more on this below). It's main function is not as a delay even though the name is 16 second delay. It's just marketing gimmick.
It can function as flanger, chorus and delay up to 1 sec. These are controlled by speed and depth knobs. The effects quality is very good in my estimation.

Other notables.
You can control the volumes of the dry effect and the wet effect. Also you can control the gain of the guitar input, which is extremely useful.

You can change the tempo or change the pitch and the tempo together.

There is a metronome, controlled by the clix slider. You can also see the tempo indicated by the LEDS.

Noise.
This is something i always pay intention to. I am happy to say the 16 sec is very quiet. Increasing the gain slider control does not produce excessive noise or hiss. Normally more gain = more noise. I think Ehx did a real good job here.

True bypass?
YES! This may be the only true bypass looper. I did not have a chance to open it up yet, however, i believe the true bypass is controlled by a relay circuit, which is what Dave Fox does on his pedals also. There is also something called the DSP bypass, but i won't go into that.

Ease of use.
I would rate this as a 5/10. It is not an easy pedal to just plug and play. I had to actually read the manual.

Aesthetics.
Let's face it. Ehx pedals are butt ugly. UGLY! However, the 16 second is not so bad When i think of ehx i often thing weak, fragile and ugly. The 16 sec is surprisingly very sturdy.

Size.
approximately, 8"x6"x1.5"

The looper.
This is what it does mainly. It is a recording looper, not a delay. The sound fidelity is very good, to my estimation. The looper works in tempos and bars. Let's say you want to loop 8 bars, with each bar 4 beats, so 4x8=32 beats, you set the slider to 8 bars and record away. If you want to loop odd numbers of bars, you can do that too. The tempo is control by the fine slider. 4 beats are played before the recroding begins. The metronome can be truned on to assist you is you like.

I have not tried to overdub alot of tracks yet, but so far, 3 overdubs does not lead to lost of the highs. Also when you overdub, you can control the volume of the previous overdubs with the feedback slider. This is a real nice feature

The 16 second can slimulate self oscillation when on delay mode a-la the feedback slider.

The looped recording can be reversed. I haven't played with that much yet.

Like i said you can record up to 4 minutes. The last recording automatically saved into the "magna store" and is automatically saved evem if you unplug the device. Very nice.


Negatives.
Changing the tempo is not good. The 16 second has problems when you slow or speed up the tempo. The sounds gets jumbled up. The tracking is not good. Changing the pitch is the same. The sound is so-so.

No tap tempo. To me this is not so bad. Some people might not like it.

4 beats lead in to recording. Before you can record, there is always a 4 beat start off, not matter what. WTF!??!!? To me, this gets in the way, and may make it difficult to use live allow with a drummer There should be an option to turn that feature off.


Conclusion good tool to have. Like i said before, i think all bedroom player should have a looper. This one is especially nice.

I'll add more comments if i learn of something new.

Question?

ps, if someone knows how to turn off that annoying 4 beat lead in, i would really appreciate it!