Korg DL8000R

It is pretty easy to get a great sound out of this unit. The editting is a tad cumbersome due to all the scolling involved to reach the many available parameters for tweaking. The manual is pretty weak but it is not hard to figure things out without one.

The sounds are 1st rate. There is not much you can't do as far as delays and time based effects are concerned. Reverse delay and overdubbing are about the only things I can think of that would add to the fun. The delays in this thing are as clear as you want them to be (without sounding cold and sterile) or can be made to mimic vintage sounds. This can pull of U2 stuff easily as well as many other artists delay sounds. The SDD-3000's are going for a ton of money and theis will get you those delays without noise and with the added benefits of MIDI. Add a preamp like the Triad (design based on the SDD-3000 preamp)in front if you really are obsessed but for my money I am happy runnin my ADA MP-2 in front of it. Between the ADA and Korg I can pretty much get the sound I want for most scenarios.

No problems with this at all

???

Hendrix, Page, Farke Toure, Rage, Pumpkins, Zappa, Tupac, Ranglin, Marley, Sunny Ade, Shakti, etc

Those are some of musical influences and I tend to play whatever the mood brings.

The Korg works a treat for anything and everything that can benefit from delay while helping you create instead of cramping your style.

These are pretty rare and never show up on ebay so I will have a hard time replacing it if it went MIA. I would keep my eyes peeled and my fingers crossed and hope I could find another for under $600.

This is plug & play. The knobs say it all, the parametres are intuitive (I bought it from a german bloke and the user manual is in german... I don't understand a word of it but then again, I don't need the manual as well).

Editing is as easy as can be. If you don't know what are the options available, you may find it a bit frustrating and you can browse endless parameters before you adjust your sound to the tinyest details. But if you start from a preset, it will be a lot easier.

The main preocupation when you work with a digital device is the sound of it. Is it too metalic ?!... Or worse, does it sound like you're stuck in a can ?!

No worries in this department. I don't know if it's a "9" or a "10" because I never owned any Eventide or high end product, but I must say that it does not sound digital. That's the best I can describe. And the "Bypass" is a real one. Ok... that means "10" !!!

I bought it second hand and it was perfect. Still is perfect. It's at least 5 years old and its price second hand (they don't make it anymore) is higher than it was when it was available from the shops. Meaning... I can really trust on its performance.

Never had to deal with Korg. I only have this unit and a DTR tuner... zero problems, so far.

Using this unit in the "Send/Receive" loop of the amplification (and being able to really bypass it when I want), I must say that it is exactly what I expected it to be.

Looks solid, the inputs and outputs are clean (no noise/scratches at all), the MIDI pedalboard works perfectly (I use "Through" as I control 2 devices at the same time), so what can I say ?!... "10" again.

If you're used to the "standard" parameters that usually exist in digital delays, then you're set.

There's some different names on parameters than ordinary... for exemple what's called feedback (repeats) usually, is here called feedback level... which I would have read as the volume itself on the feedback, it's almost the same thing but yet not.
Once you've figured this (and some else) out there's no problem.

The manual is thin. Says it all, doesn't reveal the full potential of this box... unfortunately.

You just have to find it out yourself... ask yourself what's possible to do with it and start programming to see.

How beautiful sounds can be!
I noticed one thing that are something "very" special... and that is how quiet it is.

Now most of you people think you know what I'm talking about, noisefloor etc... but nope, you're wrong!
Oh yes, it has a very low noisefloor, don't worry about that!
What I'm talking about is the silence that are actually between the taps... the taps are crystal clear and the space inbetween are just dead quiet, something I never noticed before... others tends to be somewhat "dull" on the quiet passages... don't know how to describe this actually but there's a different of my DL8000R and my D-TWO... and it should actually be the D-TWO to be dead quiet since it got 24bit A/D & D/A converters... (DL8000R has "only" got 18bit).

yeah yeah, whatever... the real sounds then?
Just delicious, clear and juicy... have managed to get a sound somewhat similar to a leslie thanks to the MOD feature in it, I love that sound... use it very much from now on!

Have worked without any flaws.
Feels really sturdy, even the inputs/outputs on the back feels like they take any beat without any problem.
More than I can say about other of my gear...

I love it.
If you get the chance to buy it, I wouldn't understand why you wouldn't buy it or have doubt about to buy it.

Sure this delay box doesn't have it all... but it got some other features that you didn't thought you would want until you start playing around with this one.

It just an different D-TWO with other features that makes this one so cool, just like the D-TWO has some features that you don't have on this one.

If I could vote it as such, I would put it under CULT-box!

The Operating System is basically simple. There are only two operating knobs: Function (parameter) and Value. Value scrolls patches and parameter values, and Function opens up and scrolls thru parameters. As it scolls thru the list of all the editing options (like MIXER, for example), it often displays a little logo that means "press the knob to see a new list of related sub-parameters" (like, in MIXER, the level and pan of each tap); press again to return to the main list. For whatever you're parameter you've scrolled to, the Value knob will change the values, obviously. Press the Value knob to save the setting or compare. That's it.
Problem is, it's not that easy to figure out and move around in because there are so many parameters (just getting thru all 8 taps, each with many time, modulation, and feedback options--and you've gotta scroll thru each one--is quite a drag at first) and such a small display. Plus it's hard to remember exactly how other parameters are set, as you're trying to set up complex things, until you get the hang of it all. The manual is quite un-helpful in figuring out just what each parameter or value actually does and many are NOT obvious, especially until you suss out the mixer and can be sure you're actually hearing what you're tweeking! The up-side, of course, is that once you figure them out, all these parameters mean there's a LOT of possibilities.

It sounds great--clear, hi-frequency and low noise. I'm not a fan of emulating old, lo-fi, falling-apart analog delays, so even tho there's plenty of EQ available, both before and after the delays, I can't say how well this unit handles that popular chore. It does all the other basic delay-type tricks (mod delay, Tap-tempo--can even read tempo from incoming audio--, flanging, slap-back, chorus, quasi-reverb, even tremelo and a sort of cabinet emulation---go to the Korg website to read about the full feature set), but since the delay times are so long and the options so complex, you're wasting your time and money on this unit if these all you want your delay to do, IMHO. It's unique virtues are rhythmic delays with great control, and Looping.
This thing is a really cool looping device, once you add a stereo volume pedal (if you want stereo loops...otherwise mono volume will do, of course) and a control pedal (seems like only KORG EXP-2 pedals work reliably). Set up the Vol pedal before the unit's inputs to control send to the delays, and the control pedal to control feedback, and you're in business. There's a dedicated HOLD function, too, but that's less flexible. Max loop time: Stereo, 5.2 sec; mono, 10 sec!
The rhythm functions are seriously cool and unique, as far as I know. Switch to Tempo mode (as opposed to delay-time-in-ms. mode) in any preset and you can dial up or tap in any tempo from 50 bpm to 208, then select any of about 30 different rhythm patterns for each side of the stereo field: instant ping-ponging grooves. You can control feedback, of course, so the groove can last all night if you want, without the various preset taps turning the patterns to mush as they feed into each other. PLUS, you can control the resolution, so that if a pattern you like isn't slow enough at 50bpm, you can factor up eighth-note taps to quarter- or whole-note taps--i.e., the pattern can be spread out over the tempo up to 4 times, so that you're using the full 5 sec. per side range of the available delay time, but always in reference to a bpm tempo and a distinct pattern...hope that's clear! In practice, it's obvious and intuitive, and really fun. Send the thing little string pops, mutes and scrapes, and it's an instant drum machine for guitar or bass players. Send pitches and melodies and it's almost an arpeggiator. Synth tones are outta town.
You can assign lfos and/or a control pedal to almost any value, but that doesn't mean you can change delay times without hearing loud, weird, not-interesting-for-very-long, pitch-changes from delay times changing while they're playing back, especially if you make large changes. Best use I've found for the Expression pedal is to control volume, mix or feedback. For the Tap function, you seem to need a KORG momentary footswitch (PS-1), but cheap, generic footswitches will work for the dedicated Hold and Bypass jacks.

No problems in the first month...

Easy to get thru to help on the phone, and they're very willing to help. but don't seem to know the unit very well.

For what I'm doing (looping and free improv guitar and VG-8), it's wonderful...but factor in the cost of additional pedals for looping.