Lehle D. Loop

It's a very basic pedal, easy to use. SEND into the output of whatever pedal you have, and RETURN to the input of the pedal. Stomp for Loop A, Stomp for Loop B, Stomp for Buffer, very very easy to use.

I noticed no tone loss when switching. Buffer is very nice, a slight but nice tone improvement when activated. Does what it does well.

The paint seems thin but other than that the pedal looks sturdy.

I never had to go talk to customer support regarding the pedal.

It's a great pedal if you have the need to True-bypass pedals that suck tone. My Moogerfooger Low Pass Filter was TERRIBLE at bypassing, so I had to get a looper. I guess the only negative thing I have about this pedal is the fact that it is very expensive, however if you want something to turn your pedals into True Bypass capable or switching amps, this is the pedal.

Piece of cake. this thing is amazingly easy to use and program.

it does what it ways on the tin and the buffer is brilliant in the right circumstances.

have you seen the video on the website where they use a car to switch? :)

it's built like a tank and there has been lots of thought on solving problems on key parts that normally go wrong (like switches) etc... I foresee years of reliability.

my email was replied within a couple of hours. very courteous and helpful.

not cheap but not ridiculuosly expensive for a pedal that will NOT dissapoint.

Great product, easy to use and well laid out. Two selectable serial effect loops plus a switchable (!) Buffer amp, stereo or mono. I haven't tried to programm it, but it doesen't seem hard to do. There is one thing I hate though: the setup won't work right when you use the same power supply for your effects and the D.Loop. You will need to use an extra wallwart (which clutters up the board) or have to invest in one of the new Voodoo Labs Pedal Power.

A true high-end loop selector for professional stage use. Works like a charm and sounds absolutely transparent like everything Lehle makes. I really like the fact that the buffer is switchable. The buffer itself reacts very, very musical but I notice a different sound in my setup: it adds a certain crispness to the tone. I was kinda shocked at first and thought this kind of a buffer would only make sense for setups with extreme cable lengths on large stages, compensating for treble loss. But I really came to like it and use it all the time when slightly overdriving my Gibson GA40 or using the Normal channel on a Vox AC30.

Really well made and dependable, this is no sweatshop junk.

All my questions were answered soon and very friendly.

I hate to give all tens and there are always little things to wish for (like a boost option for the buffer section), but, hey, this is one great piece of gear and I am very glad I've got it!

Even with the current manual which, according to Burkhard Lehle, is in the process of being updated, it is fairly easy to figure out how to set up the D-Loop for its three different modes. The midi programming is the easiest and fastest I have ever seen anywhere.
Otherwise: three on/off buttons, so how hard can it be?

I use the D-loop to select between effect pedals and an entire rack or my old Marshall head without anything in the way. The D-loop sounds exactly the way it should: it doesn't sound at all!

The only "effect" available is the buffer amp that can be switched on and off. I have not found any good use for it yet, since my input signal is already buffered.

Have a look at the webpage and watch the video where they use a car to switch channels. I think this is for real. It is build like a tank.

I had a few questions before spending all that money and I wanted to confirm that it was really the right tool for my applications. Burkhard answered the emails himself and turned out to be the nicest guy!

It is a lot of money for something that has no sound at all ;-) But worth every penny and a pleasure to look at. If any one found the internal (!) screws that attach it to my pedal board and ran away withit I would cry and buy another one.

Quite easy to use although the German-English translation can be a bit tough to understand. Burkhard Lehle acknowledged this to me and said they are working on a new translation. Even so, it is a simple pedal in concept and therefore, you wouldn't likely need the manual unless you want to use the D. Loop in programmable mode.

This is the amazing part. This pedal is completely transparent! I have 6 pedals in Loop A. (a tuner is in Loop B for silent tuning), all connected with George L. cables, and a 15' George L cable out to the amp. When I switch in the buffer with Loop A engaged, the sound is identical to the tone I get from my guitar plugged directly into the amp. I have done several A/B comparisons to determine this and have used the Lehle for over 1 year.

The fact that the buffer can be switched in/out at will with its own switch is a wonderful feature as you may prefer the low-fi sound of no buffer when using certain pedals.

This device is so well-engineered it is unbelievable. Besides the rugged case and switches, the indicator lights are so bright that they can be seen under any lighting conditions, even outdoors.

The D. Loop uses a thermal cut-out to protect against short circuits. In addition, it will run off of supply voltages of 9 - 20v. Polarity is of no importance! If you have ever damaged a pedal by plugging it in incorrectly (wrong polarity and/or voltage) you know how comforting it is that the Lehle is unaffected by these things.

It has been working fine for over 1 year on a variety of gigs.

I have sent e-mails to Lehle and received prompt replies on both occassions from Burkhard Lehle. He is helpful, very nice, and makes sure that you are satisfied.

This thing is really amazing and is one of the few products I own that has gone way beyond my expectations. It is expensive. But, like anything, when you buy the best, it will usually outlive all the cheaper alternatives and sound better along the way. One thing is for sure, I can never see this pedal breaking or malfunctioning. While not cheap, this makes the pedal an excellent value.

The D.Loop is ready to use, right out of the box (more on this later). It features, as mentioned in the manual, ?two independent, real True Bypass loops routed via gold-plated relays.? It also features a ?High End Buffer Amp,? which can be bypassed. This ability to turn the buffer amp off was the biggest selling point for me (more later). When both Loops and the Buffer are engaged, your signal will pass (in series) thru the Buffer first, then thru Loop A, then thru Loop B. If nothing is engaged on the D.Loop, ?the output provides an unaltered signal.? As an added bonus (I wasn?t expecting this), the D.Loop can be used as an instrument or amp switcher. As an instrument switcher: Plug three guitars into the D.Loop (guitar #1> Input, guitar #2> Loop A return, guitar #3> Loop B return). Then plug your amp into the D.Loop?s Output. As an amp switcher: Plug three amps into the D.Loop (amp #1> Output, amp #2> Loop A send, amp #3> Loop B send). Then plug your guitar into the D.Loop?s Input. Very cool!

The D.Loop has six, rear-mounted, 1/4" jacks. These are: input, Loop A send and return, Loop B send and return, and output. The manual says, ?As all D.Loop jacks are fully stereo, stereo signals can be processed. However, mono signals can also be easily processed.? I've only used it with mono signals.

The D.Loop requires a power supply of 9-20V DC or 8-14V AC. The manual says, ?Polarity is of no importance.? The ?max Current? listed is 265 mA. I noticed that the 9V-12.5V outputs on my Pedal Power 2 worked fine, until I engaged both loops on the D.Loop. After a few seconds, both loops would turn themselves off. Then I tried an Ibanez wall-wart AC adapter. The D.Loop worked perfectly. Then I went back to the PP2, but this time I used one of its two ?L6? power outputs (engaged it via the DIP switches on the PP2?s underside), which are intended for use with Line 6 modeling pedals. Viola! The D.Loop worked perfectly. I checked-out the PP2?s manual to see what was up. As it turns out, the engaged L6 outputs give 200mA. When the L6 outputs aren?t engaged, they, along with the other six outputs on the PP2, only give 100mA. That was my problem from the beginning. BTW, the Ibanez AC adapter was also providing 200mA (DC 9V). Oh, the D.Loop?s power socket takes a regular size (Boss, Ibanez) barrel plug. There?s a plug included in the box, incase you want to solder it onto the power adapter of your choice.

The D.Loop?s face has three large switches (very easy to depress, really cool system underneath them, check out www.lehle.com). There are also three large, colored, and BRIGHT indicators. They are: Buffer (blue), Loop A (green), Loop B (red). Finally, there are two small buttons, labeled SET and RESET (more on this later).

Using the D.Loop:

Mode 1: Mine was in Mode 1 out of the box. I think that Mode 1 is probably the default mode. In this mode, each of the three switches acts like a stompbox, i.e., press to engage, press again to disengage. Therefore, you can go from everything-engaged (Buffer, Loop A, and Loop B) to everything-disengaged (true bypass), and every combination in between. Mode 1 is the what-you-see-is-what-you-get mode. It?s extremely simple to use. If you have non-true bypass pedals that you?d like remove from your signal chain, placing them in the D.Loop?s loops is a simple way to do that.

The manual says, ?To switch between Mode 1 and Mode 2, the SET, RESET as well as all 3 buttons have to be pressed for approximately 2 seconds.? All three indicators will light up then go off. Now you?re in the other mode.

Mode 2: This is how I?m currently using my D.Loop. In this mode, you can program each of the three switches to perform any combination of Buffer, Loop A, Loop B. Of course, you can program any of the three switches to true bypass, too.

To program the D.Loop (Mode 2):

1. Press and hold the SET button (all lights blink).
2. Press and release the swi

The pedals that I've been using the D.Loop with, so far, are my treble
boosters. I prefer to use treble boosters to overdrive my amps (Class A, EL84s). I own four different treble boosters (Keeley Java Boost; BSM OR, RM, and HS-C). The D.Loop is perfect for these pedals for a few reasons.

1. First of all, unlike the Loopbone (Radial Engineering), which I tried first (before hearing about the D.Loop), the D.Loop?s buffer can be bypassed. Treble boosters, at least the ones I own (the only ones I?ve ever tried), hate buffered signals. They all sound very different, i.e., bad, when receiving a buffered signal. Actually, that?s how I found out that the Buffer comes BEFORE the Loops in the D.Loop?s signal path, i.e., trial and error.

2. Second, my treble boosters don't sound good when they're driving EACH OTHER, i.e., I can only have one engaged at a time. The only time I'd ever have two engaged at any time (before I bought the D.Loop), was the 1.5 seconds that it took me to turn one on and the other off. Mode 2?s default program is perfect for dealing with this. I simply put one treble booster in each Loop (I wish I had more than two loops!). Then I can select one pedal or the other, and only have one in my signal path at a time. For example, middle switch = ONLY Loop A (BSM OR for milder overdrive), right switch = ONLY Loop B (BSM RM for heavier overdrive). So, whenever I engage either Loop A or Loop B, the other Loop is disengaged at the same time. I?m effectively turning one treble booster on and the other off, but I only have to press ONE switch to do it. I love it!

3. Third, the BSM pedals don't have LED indicators. With the D.Loop?s indicators, there?s NO doubt about which Loop, i.e., treble booster, I have engaged. I have enough to think about when I'm playing live. Need I say more?

4. Finally, I normally use the Buffer when bypassing the Loops (left switch = Buffer only). This works well with my setup, because, when using treble boosters, I normally set the presence on my already-bright amps on the darker/warmer side. However, when the treble booster is off, my clean tone is a little darker than I?d like. So, the added presence that the Buffer provides (when the treble boosters are out of the signal path) is a welcome option. Again, I could turn the Buffer off, if I wanted to.

Regarding the ?unacceptable ?Pop? when switching? that the previous reviewer mentioned, I could not duplicate it with any combination of Loop A/Loop B/Buffer/No-Buffer. My guess is that, as he mentioned was possible, it had something to do with his particular setup. Not only is the switching silent, there is actually a sort of muting effect (a few milliseconds) when switching. If you?re not playing at the time, you won?t hear anything when switching. If you?re playing, you?ll hear the few milliseconds of muting (length of a Morse code dot). In my opinion, it?s a small price to pay for not having an amplified pop.

I?ve only had my D.Loop for one month. In that time, I haven?t had any problems with it, nor do I expect any. It is made in Germany and looks solid.

I recently emailed Lehle to ask where I could get a DIN socket to upgrade my D.Loop to MIDI compatibility. My email was quickly and kindly responded to by Burkhard Georg Lehle, the guy that makes these things! That original email led to a pleasant back-and-forth conversation about the D.Loop. He even helped me reach the guy that makes BSM pedals (a friend of Burkhard?s) regarding a cosmetic issue on one of my pedals. If I ever need any customer support, Mr. Lehle is just an email away. By the way, you can get a DIN socket from your Lehle dealer.

This is the best effect-loop/switcher available for my needs. I own a Boss LS-2 Line Selector, but, due to its non-bypassable buffer, it is useless with my treble boosters. The same thing applies to the buffer on Radial Engineering's Loopbone.

The D.Loop is the coolest looking of the bunch, too. I'm a very visual person, so I really appreciate good design. It?s so fun to step on those big buttons, too!

The only thing I wish the D.Loop had is more loops. That way I could put each of my four treble boosters in it?s own loop!

It is a bit problematic to give this catagory a rating for several reasons. First, in ultimate terms, the D. Loop is very easy to use, BUT, to utilize it to it's full potential requires some basic programing and the instructions are a bit ambiguous. This problem is a result of the instructions having been translated from German to English. There are contradictions in the instructions as a result. If you have noodled with keyboard or processor patches, or your fairly intuitively inclined, you can figure it out. If you rode the short bus to school, don't get this pedal.

This was a product that has looked interesting to me for a while, but, because the instructions are somewhat ambiguous (German to English translation) I was never able to figure out if it would do what I wanted. The D. Loop is an effects loop switcher that can control two independent loops (A, B) and also has an assignable buffer. What I needed was a looper that would allow me to switch between loops and clean signal randomly. By this, I mean the flexibility to go from No effects (straight signal to amp) to Loop A or Loop B, or any path therein (i.e., A to B, B to A, A to Clean, B to Clean, Clean to A, Clean to B). I even called the US distributor to ask if this was do-able and he kinda, sorta said, well, probably not. (The ambiguity in the instructions arises from the mention of Loop A being serially connected to Loop B. Anyway, my eyes were glossing over. I decided to just take one home and see if I could figure it out. The short answer is yes! There is a couple of different modes that you can place this device into and one of them is programable. I was able to figure out, without too much trouble, how to make the D. Loop perform exactly how I wanted it to! Basically, I have two loops of effects, Loop A is my full-on lead tone consisting of an Xotic RC Boost driving an Xotic AC Boost. Loop B is my slightly brown rhythm/lead consisting of a Maxon SD-9 and, I also have placed the Boss TU2 tuner in this loop to get it out of the overall signal path. I programed loop A to utilize the buffer as well (a little more sparkle as a result). I have left my delay post D.Loop because I like tails on my delay and if the delays were in the loops, they would be cut off upon switching out of the loop. One thing I have noticed is that if you program the Buffer into more than one loop or into the bypassed signal bath, there is an unacceptable "Pop" when switching. I wound up using the Buffer with only loop A, or loop B, and the switching was silent. This may be simply because of my particular setup but I am not sure. The build quality is top-notch and the switches are very cool, large--can't miss 'em type. The indicators are big and bright (color coded)! Again, without the above mentioned Buffer issue, the switching is silent and there is no latency whilst doing so. The D. Loop accepts most any power supply input and I am using it with a One Spot. I rewired the pedal board last night and then took it out to a jam. It worked flawlessly and I am extremely happy with it. Essentially, the D. Loop has allowed me to have three very different sounds via one amp, all accessed with three little buttons on the floor. No more tap-dancing on the effects! Everything is on and ready to go! Another cool thing is that there is no worry about loosing the program--once it is set, you can disconnect the power and it is retained.

The build quality is outstanding. I don't anticipate any problems.

I spoke with the US distributor before trying the D. Loop and he couldn't really aswer my question. He seemed friendly and I think it was just a lack of specific familiarity with this product. No big deal. I think if there was a real problem, he would resolve it quickly.

This pedal is very flexible but is for pretty specific applications. If, however, you have need for this type of switching, I don't think anything else can touch it in terms of performance to price.