Eventide Eclipse

Bastante complicado para usar en directo, por defecto viene con una version muy antigua de software, tiene mucho retardo en los presets, es totalmente inviable su uso en directo tal y como lo suministra Eventide.
Hay que actualizarlo, soporta muy pocas tarjetas CompactFlash, el fabricante asegura que se puede actualizar con un cable serie desde un PC, pero asi solo se puede actualizar hasta la version 2.0 y ofrece el mismo retardo.
Para actualizar a la version 3.0 que se supone que tiene menos retardo es necesario actualizar la ROM y solo se puede hacer con una tarjeta CompactFlash que vende Eventide y que cuesta 100 USD mas, ademas advierte Eventide que si se interrumpe el proceso de actualizacion de la ROM por cualquier causa hay que enviar el aparato a fabrica para reprogramarlo, increible!!!!
Es vergonzoso que no venga ya actualizado a la version 3.0.

Excelente calidad de sonido, los chorus son muy naturales, los delays son totalmente cristalinos, parece como si hubiese dos, tres o hasta cuatro guitarras. La armonizacion es algo limitada y muchas veces no es posible utilizar varios efectos a la vez, pero los que se utilizan ofrecen muy buena calidad de sonido.

No me inspiro mucho fiabilidad, lo tuve diez dias y puede experimentar mucho con el, no me ofrecio mucha confianza. Los presents tienen niveles muy distintos, hay presets que suenan bajisimo y otros saturan el amplificador... Es un aparato extremadamente complejo, demasiado para usar en directo. Hay opciones mas sencillas y de mejor calidad. Tambien esta algo limitado el uso de varios efectos de forma simultanea.

Muy mal soporte. Lo compre en Espa?a, tuve que visitar muchas tiendas y hacer muchas llamadas al distribuidor en Espa?a, el distribuidor es Lexon Espa?a y no me permitio probar antes el aparato. Tuve que comprarlo en una tienda sin poder probarlo y me envio tan solo una unidad que tenia en toda Espa?a, no habia mas Eventide Eclipse y ademas esta unidad la tenian en exposicion, venia desembalada y con ara?azos en la carcasa debido a que habia estado alojada en un rack, no entiendo por que no me dejaron probalo antes si tenian esta unidad en exposicion. Les solicite ayuda para actualizar a la version 3.0 por que el retardo es demasiado y Lexon no se intereso demasiado por facilitarme una solucion. Les envie a Lexon el Eclipse pues yo no podia actualizarlo, las tarjetas CompactFlash que soporta estan descatalogadas, son de una capacidad muy baja y ya no se encuentran, todas las que probe no las leia la unidad. Lexon me llamo para pedirme el software de actualizacion, este motivo hizo que devolviese definitivamente el Eclipse pues me demostraron que no conocen el producto, este software no viene con el producto, ni se descarga con un plug-in como me aseguraba Lexon, este software esta en las paginas web de Eventide y es descargable publicamente. El servicio de Lexon fue vergonzoso y totalmente inapropiado para un cliente que compra un aparato de 2300 euros, definitivamente les devolvi el Eclipse y nunca comprare nada que distribuya Lexon, ni nada de la marca Eventide.
Fue una muy mala experiencia.

Yo toco metal neoclasico y buscaba un buen armonizador que me diese algunos efectos mas como chorus y delays. La calidad del Eclipse es buena, pero el servicio y la distribucion es Espa?a no lo es. Devolvi el Eclipse a los 10 dias de la compra pues a parte de ser muy complicado de usar en directo, los niveles de salida no vienen muy bien ajustados, habria que actualizarlo a version 3.0 si se quiere mayor rapidez en la carga de presets y esto es un proceso complicado tal y como viene de fabrica y con riesgo de perder la programacion de la ROM y quedar inutilizado el aparato.
Son demasiadas contras para lo caro que es este aparato, a parte el distribuidor en Espa?a no facilita nada.... Habia decidio buscar la alternativa en otra marca mas seria, como por ejemplo TC Electronics, el modelo G-Force es la competencia del Eclipse, pero como este aparato tambien hay que comprarlo en Espa?a sin poder probarlo he decidio usar pedales analogicos y invertir el dinero que me he ahorrado en una nueva guitarra.
No recomiendo para nada el Eventide Eclipse.

The display is way too small (or rather not enough resolution) for the complexity of this unit. four softkeys below the display, hardkeys for program selection, "hot keys", editing, setup, bypass and levels (don't understand why they put in a separate levels key and didn't include this into the setup pages. I'm not all the time changing my level setup). large dial and decimal keyboard (the latter one being a BIG PLUS!). flashing tap tempo key.

Two connectors for pedals (nice). The expression pedals of mine cannot be properly set up (i.e. when using "absolute" values, they only go from 0% to 99%. Workaround: use "uniploar" setting and scale it to 102%). All connectors 1/4'', XLR, digital SPDIF, AES/EBU, Toslink. The hard bypass only affects the XLRs (why?).

The basic system structure of the Eclipse is as follows. You can (normally) load two algorithms (out of a pool of ~200 sometimes very complex algorithms). You can run them in series, in parallel (inputs split, output summed vs. driven by left/right, outputs summed or routed to l/r). No possibility to feedback from the second in the chain to the first one.
Lots of realtime modifiers. envelope follower, ADSR envelopes, MIDI controllers, LFOs. Most delays and all LFOs can be synced to the system clock (syncable to MIDI and can be tapped via foot/MIDI controller). Unfortunately, in this setting the maximum LFO period is "whole note". Also, reverse delays (like the 20 second reverse delay) open at the first "tap" and close at the second, so when you have it set to "8 bars", it will still only be one bar long (big flaw!)

I got the unit with software 2.5, have since then upgraded to 3.0. The newer software allows for user defined scales and using the device as a MIDI clock source (both important issues).
However, since upgrading to 3.0, the unit sometimes locks up when trying to edit patches (my original patches only so far). Powerdown/up again works around the problem.

Re: "hot keys". parameters of your choice can be patched to the "hot keys" page, where you can access them with the soft keys under the display and then modify with the dial or the decimal keyboard. Fine.

There could be a discussion whether you rather like a few really complex algorithms running (like here), or have a lot of small algorithms (like i.e. in a Nord Modular). Basically, here the problem is, this limits your flexibility. Want different delays affecting low and high frequencies? Simply chain a crossover and a dual delay. Want different delays affecting low, mid and high frequencies (like in Electrix's ModFX)? Not possible.

There is this mischievous sentence in the manual that "some algorithms cannot be loaded together". They don't mention which ones. It's just trial and error. BIG MINUS!

There is no way to properly trace distortion happening "inside" the unit (i.e. by overloading a loop etc.). There is an overload indicator which only indicated overloads of the input A/Ds. Apart from that, you have to start searching, which is really not easy. Take a hint from Kurzweil, guys!

As mentioned before here, this should be changed into "sound quantity". Lots of the presets (and of the algorithms) are great for creating huge washes of sound from a few played notes...which some people (solo artists like me) might like, and others might not like (i.e. if your co-musicians start complaining because the keys and the singer can't be heard two measures after you play a single note).

The pitch shifter is - well, Eventide. I cannot say that there is an algorithm which I do not like. This is also true for the various preamp models, which basically helped me to return my PodXT live to the store. The toughest thing here is to understand which one of the countless algorithms will give you the desired effect (don't think Keneally uses an Eclipse :). There are of course simple algorithms (like simple delays, choruses, reverbs ect.), which all sound (I'd say) more than sufficient for any use on instruments - don't know what the engineering pros would think about the reverbs used for a mixdown's main reverb.

when my unit came, it produced lots of hiss on the analogue outputs (independent of any signal). I got in contact with the dealer, he told me to send it in, then the hiss vanished...looks quite solid, haven't taken it to the ironman or to a punk festival yet.

only dealt with them briefly, yet this happened to my complete satisfaction.

A great devices, with some weaknesses in its general design and some small avoidable flaws. For me, still an excellent device, and it has quickly found a central position in my sonic adventures. (playing solo loop-based stuff in a setup w/ Roland V-Bass, sax/trombone/vocal noises, Waldorf Q, Korg Wavestation KEX, Roland MC505, Korg Kaoss II, Nord MicroModular, Line6 DL4, Electrix Repeater, TC FireworX/D2/TripleC, Zoom 1201, Eclipse, Behringer FCB1010 and various pedals, all connected to a Behringer MX2642A).

The all-important question should be: what do I expect from an upper-middleclass effector like this? Basically, I think it is really perfect for any solo artist with a craving for effecting normal instruments in a completely otherwordly way, and for this, "this remains the best way I know of making a lot of noise with one guitar" (Robert Fripp). If you do other things (like play in a band, for example), you should try and compare before you buy.

Layout structure is logical but not user friendly, too many drill-downs to get where you want. Supposedly, some simple efx could be loaded w/o the confirmation.

It is quite but not extremely quite. The volume control should be within +- 3 DB range to avoid tweeter damages. Reverb + Flange sound great, distortion and wah needs more work.

Can't depend on it. Got problem with volume/efx drop-out (have to strum/pluck hard and maxout input gain to activate the efx).

Got an email from Anwar, have to pry to get more info from him, not very helpful :( I am sure I am not the first/only one who complain about the volume/efx drop-out problems, so the fixed/info should be readily available!

I play both bass (Status Stealth) and guitar (Parker Select Fly). Both of these gears go thru Focusrite Pre ISA 110 > JBL crossover > Crown K2 > JBL 18" and Klipsch Tweeter/horn. For funk bass, I was looking for the wah sound, while Santana sound for guitar, the Eclipse do an OK job. For reverb and ambience efx, Eclipse is top dog. But the drop out issues really ruin my experience, and I probably won't buy from Eventide again unless their QC and customer service improve...

This thing is so great, but understand its alot of tech in a 1 space unit! So the LCD screen is only so big! SO you have to jump around a bit which can get a little confusing!

This thing sounds like heaven, everything it does just sounds amazine, i use this though a guitar rack system! It sounds best when playing clean, as you can hear every little sound in the effects, which are supurb!

so far so good

I need a operating system upgrade, and Richard in there audio dept, was so fast and responsive to my needs, it was a breeze, to be honest I have never had such great service with any company of any type! Customer service at Eventide is the best i have ever seen! PERIOD!!!! I would give a 11 for this score!!!

I have to say the customer service i experienced along with the quility and sound of this product has made me a new lifetime, proud Eventide customer

As with most high-end audio products there is a learning curve. The interface is less intuitive than the TC Electronics G-Force. The keypad offers a significant advantage over the G-Force, where you have to scroll for several minutes to dial-in a parameter.

The quality of the delays and reverbs is exceptional - the sound is very warm and musical. The TC Electronic G-Force is cold and sterile in comparison. The Eclipse offers sample rates from 44.1 to 96kHz (24-bit resolution), whereas the G-Force only offers a 44.1kHz sample rate.

I have posted a sample created entirely with the Eclipse to
http://www.simonmorrison.com
The sample is named (appropriately) Eclipse.mp3

I experienced an audio dropout issue with version 2.5 of the operating system - this was pre-installed from the factory. I am currently running a 3.0 beta version and the dropout issue has been fixed. Eventide has a good beta test program.

Eventide has an excellent web-based support group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eventidehelps
Italo De Angelis is very responsive, and incredibly knowledgeable.

I orginally bought a TC Electronic G-Force after reading several positive reviews. I still have the G-Force but now send the G-Force output into the Eclipse. I use the Eclipse for time-based effects (delays, reverb). The looping algorithms on the Eclipse are spectacular - up to 40 seconds of sample/delay.
I have posted my equipment list to
http://www.simonmorrison.com
The Eclipse is a *must have* piece if equipment.

I found the Manual to be written by someone who invented it not someone who uses it.. It needs to be more musician friendly with the wording.

This is where the tool shines I use it in my guitar rig with Pod Pro and a mosfet power amp with Ground control pedal to control thru MIDI both Pod Pro & Eclipse. I find it to be completly clean and noise free...but that;s after you sit dowwn for two hours and tweek all the programs you enjoys for your rig.

this shit is a tank tuff...and Memory card intact good stuff and for the money you would exspect too...

seemed very helpful and they do answer the phones...heheh!! line 6 never does...hehehe!!!

If you have the time/money to work with it it may be your best investment if you are trying to be conflicting with your sound. I play in a one guitar band and it helps me fill the gaps that a Key/piano guy might fill..helps my music breathe with the lavish chorded delays..but the distortions...well they just plain suck ass...they need to spend more time on them...

This unit is easy to use. You really don't need the manual unless you want to make your own presets. If you find the eclipse hard to use intimidating I suggest you move back to Boss pedals.

Very high quality effects. The reverse delays in particular are inspiring if you like esoteric sounds - which is really what this unit is best for. The harmonizing sounds quite good, given its scale limitations addressed below which for me are not an issue.

I use this unit as both a guitar rig processor and a studio fx processor via its ADAT connections. The fact that it has word clock i/o should let you know this is a pro piece of gear meant to interface with other digital gear.

The distortions - well, next time maybe spend some time programming something cooler like ring modulation.

Works fine, great support.

Great.

At first I didn't like the unit much because it didn't do what Iwas expecting it to. The presets didn't get me too excited. But now that I realize what its capable of, and have spent ample time programming it and learning all it features, it makes other processors in its price range (G-Force etc.) seem like toys.

If you can't get great sounding effects out of this unit... maybe its time to persue another career.

I've said it before, the manual needs to be re written so it doesn't "scare" people off. Details of each parameter need to be written by someone who is actually a musician and not a technical employee. Eventide may have time control down but communication? you read the online manuals and you tell me. Even with the unit in front of you the manual is a nightmare that needs exact detail.

I will spare you all the comments on how good an Eventide product sounds, you already know this. But its functionality is another story.

This review is purely focused on the ability of harmonization from an Eclipse. I haven't seen too many posts on this and I want to ensure all existing and potential buyers are aware of its limitations.

As I write ALL current Eventide units CANNOT do "user custom scales"
This also takes their new H8000 model into account.

You will see the term Ultra Harmoniser from Eventide's marketing team in their ads and this leads people to believe that it does everything regarding harmony. It is incorrect and totally misleading.

Ultra Harmonizer is an algo optimised for vocal harmony ONLY.

Eclipse doesn't have this algo so don't think that it addresses your instrument needs by purchasing a more expensive unit from Eventide.

Instrument harmony is totally lacking, the reality of Eventide today is that they have abandoned "creative" instrument harmonisation. In actual "fact" the H3000 performs harmonisation faster (better tracking) and more comprehensively than any unit after it from Eventide. This goes for user custom scales AND fixed scales.

In practical terms Eclipse cannot even perform a simple harmony involving a pedal tone, whether this is done by a guitar, bass, vocal or whatever. Eclipse's instrument tracking is poor and is a very pitiful second to a Digitech product. Yes, you are reading correctly.

A very clear and SIMPLE example of this would be trying to perform a song from Bad Company called "Feel Like Making Love" I give you the example below that can be played on a Digitech IPS 33B, it is the high voice that you would play whilst the harmoniser would perform the lower note.
(High note on the B string lower note on the G string)

F# F# E F# G G F# G B B A B A G
D D C D D D D D F# F# E F# E D

As you can see it doesn't get any more simple than this. For what you are paying for and the fact that the H3000 had this ability Eventide should be ashamed of themselves. Be mindful that they invented the Harmonizer. Progress with newer units means going forward and NOT backwards in functionality.

Also with far greater resources at its disposal than a H3000 the Eclipse STILL has dropouts between program changes. More accurately the program changes fade in and out. Before anybody tells you that this will only happen if you are using a huge program string they are wrong. This applies even when you are using a single mono delay. You can perform workarounds to somewhat alleviate this but should you have to?? If you sit in a studio this may not concern you but for the live musician using a midi pedalboard or switching via the front panel watch out.

I believe that most people out there think that the Eventide brand is still king of the heap regarding creativity, sound and functionality. Without the ability to design custom harmonisation it is NOT. Programmable routing configs and pristine sound are available in other products for less money.

All is not lost however, with Eventide's open platform operating system they have the ability to correct the above shortfalls and release the necessary algos to users.

If Eventide ever do get around to addressing this let me make it clear that anything less than the H3000?s ability is totally and utterly un-acceptable. Given hardware standards today it should surpass the older series in every way possible.

If you are an owner or a potential buyer of an Eventide product and you would like this functionality I strongly urge you to contact them voicing your request. This has been done to date on their "Eventide helps" board but still nothing has been done.

To contact Eventide do so by e-mailing them at rcf@tide1.eventide.com or rcf@eventide.com and remember to put in the subject line Eclipse as this ensures they don?t reject it as SPAM mail.

For the record I did own and use an Eclipse but have s

As you would expect.

The above concerns warrant a ?? rating??

Value for money ?? You be the judge.

The people at Eventide or whoever is reading this had better sit down. First, I have owned an Eclipse for over a year and a half. I compose, engineer and produce music of all genres from conventional to indie to motion picture soundtrack and ambient. More than qualified to rate this unit after being down the long hard road with medium priced processors to state of the art units.
I?ve given this unit a 5 due to the fact that most engineers and producers would rather spend their time making music utilizing presets that require minimal to modest tweaking rather than digging to the core algorithms of each potentially usable preset and rewriting it. Dear Eventide, not everyone gets the luxury of being Brian Eno. In this respect however, all middle to top of the line units are at fault. So, be prepared to sleep with the users manual if you really wish to bend this unit to your will. This unit is not for someone looking for a Midiverb.

For this review the heading should be changed ?Sound Quantity? because what you get are mountains of sounds, tone variables and noises from this box. And therein lies the problem. Eventide?s agenda for this unit appears to be how can we take a simple signal and morph into so many variables that we can?t even tell what the instrument is, what the melody is, or most especially, what the original pitch is. That psychology has nothing to do with music of course. It is merely a techies fantasy that has too much time on their hands. It is a shame that the Eclipse has the architecture to produce absolutely stunning effects and 60% of the presets are wasted on the idea of how much noise we can make from a single note.
There are even a couple of presets that, once loaded, they make noise by themselves. You don?t even play any thing. Just the base input signal is enough apparently. What could that be good for?
Clients who have heard of the Eclipse and see it in the studio often ask to try it out. The #1 question I?m asked as they scroll through presets (or patches)? ?What could that possibly be used for?? It is also particularly embarrassing when they come to patches like ?SRV? which sounds nothing like SRV. And most especially annoying when they hear the unending dogma of patches of delay, pitch shift, verb combos combined with diatonic 4th?s, 5th?s and octaves that yield an unusable array of effects that have no intent of complimenting the original instrument or melody. All set to millisecond delays, which cannot be used in real time anyway. In fact, a remarkable number of the presets cannot be used in real time due to the delay offsets. I would like to think that the intended use for these was for some sort of ethereal effect like soundtracks. However, the lack of musicality of the effects themselves makes them unsuitable except for use on Mars maybe. Maybe not there even. We?re talking major rewrite of the base presets just to get them close to useable folks. Eventide?s intent must be that you live night and day with this unit and write your own. The algorithms are there after all.
And finally, anyone who says that this unit is quiet is not truly listening to all of the presets and understands nothing about noise floor.

I am currently using the release 2.5 upgrade and with that came some assorted presets that clearly have programming problems. An effect that sounds like a bad guitar cord cutting in and out with static can?t possibly be something that Eventide would intentionally do. Outside of this development I would have said the unit is reliable during release 2.0.

The people at Eventide are helpful but the real kudos go to Italo at eventidehelps. Italo must have the patience of Job. When I wrote to him about the lack of useable presets, he wrote back asking me to send him the name and number of all the presets so he could explain what each was for. Even when I told him that the list would include a minimum of 200 patches, he didn?t object. Of course, I have no time or inclination to get to the root of 200 unusable presets. While that number is not an exaggeration, it is difficult to impose that kind of request on somebody as helpful and honest as Italo. Put it this way, if you have problems, Italo?s the man.

This is a $2,000 unit backed by the reputation of Eventide. With that, you should expect a considerable number of options right out of the box but this is not so. Yeah, yeah, I read all the other reviews too. Some people are quite psyched about this unit but you?ve got to know where their head is at to truly understand why they think it is remarkable. For my part, Eventide should concentrate less on the gitchy ?cool? sound effect noise and focus more on a patch called ?Really Damn Good Reverb? or ?Really Damn Good Chorus With Pitch Shift?. I mean, why should a TC Electronics Chorus/Pitchshift foot pedal sound better than what this $2,000 unit can produce. There is no reason. Back to basics Eventide. This unit should accompany music of varying genres rather than be a novelty item to accompany tractor pulls.
And I almost purchased an Orville.
Peace.

THIS UNIT IS POWERFUL. IN ORDER TO GET THE SOUND YOU WANT , YOU NEED TO TWEAK IT TO YOUR GEAR AND SETUP. EVENTIDFES ARE MEANT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT QUALITY. WITH QUALITY, YOU GET CHOICES. WITH CHOICES, YOU GET OPTIONS. WITH OPTIONS, YOU GET MANNY POSIBILITES. IT BECOMES EASY WHEN YOU LEARN, PLAY AND UNDERSTAND THE UNIT.

PRS HOLLOWBODY II AND 64 GIBSON 335; TRIAXIS, BBE 882, MESA STEREO 2/90 AND DOUBLE 2 CUSTOM TUNED CABINETS WITH 2 BLUE ANICO'S IN EACH CABINET. NOT NOISY. EFFECTS ARE AS STRONG AS YOU WANT THEM AND BEAUTIFUL AND GORGEOUS.

YES-VERY DEPENDABLE. WOULD USE IT WITHOUT BACKUP.

SUPPORT IS VERY HELFUL.

I PLAY FUNK, BLUES, ROCK, JAZZ, ETC. THIS IS A GREAT MATCH.
EVENTIDES ARE THE BEST COMPARED TO OTHER UNITS. CONTARY TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID, I LOVE THE QUALITY REVERBS. I HAVE ALSO OWNED THE GTR 4000 FOR 7 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR 35 YEARS(SINCE I WAS 12).