Tavo - DL4 discussion

Hey man, I know we've both sung the praises of the Line6 model of the DMM. In my "tape-like delay search", I've overlooked the DL4... mostly because I have the Echo Park... but I never realized until this morning how many different models the DL4 has. I was wondering, how accurate are the models on the DL4:

Tube Echo (EP-1)
Tape Echo (EP-3)
Multi-head (RE-101)
Analog Echo (DM-2)

At first glance, the DL4 appears to be an "upgrade" on the Echo Park (even tho the Echo Park came later), but I've read about a 50/50 split on people who prefer either. If the models above are pretty accurate representations, I might just go ahead and get a DL4 to play with until I can afford a real tape echo. What really has me intriqued is the "drive" function on that Tube Echo that simulates tape saturation.

ruger9 wrote:

Hey man, I know we've both sung the praises of the Line6 model of the DMM. In my "tape-like delay search", I've overlooked the DL4... mostly because I have the Echo Park... but I never realized until this morning how many different models the DL4 has. I was wondering, how accurate are the models on the DL4:

Tube Echo (EP-1)
Tape Echo (EP-3)
Multi-head (RE-101)
Analog Echo (DM-2)

At first glance, the DL4 appears to be an "upgrade" on the Echo Park (even tho the Echo Park came later), but I've read about a 50/50 split on people who prefer either. If the models above are pretty accurate representations, I might just go ahead and get a DL4 to play with until I can afford a real tape echo. What really has me intriqued is the "drive" function on that Tube Echo that simulates tape saturation.

If we are talking emulator "digi" delays I have heard warmer versions than a DL4, the Tech21 DLA
BUT I like my DL4 and an echopark is weak sauce compared to the
DL4 simply from a processing perspective. Having 3 presets on tap with
a dedicated tap tempo let me quickly go from the
Maestro EP-1 Tube Tape echo, to the EP-2 solid state version and still
have the DMM setting that allows you to have a rockabilly slapback speed unattainable on a real electroharmonix deluxe memory man, YET still get the tape shimmer.

The EP-1 setting on the DL4 has a gain control but the fact that its digital gain, you end up with more of a "too hi-fi" signal boost. Good
for chicken pickin yeehaa solo grit ( i used it for the solo of "battlehymn" along with the DM-3) but the whole EP-1 effect is much
to thin and gritchy to make you think you are hearing a real tube echoplex, even though it has the "warble" control that goes from
slow sea sick to crackhead chipmunk.. not realistic enough a control because real Wow and Flutter is an intermittent variable thing from
badly biased tape settings/ warped pinchrollers,etc..
so one knob doing a faux vibrato doesnt cut it for me.
Ironically the EP-2 setting instead gives you
2 controls for EQ; Bass and Treble... this actually lets you get a big
Fat boost in the repeats and trim off Treble and this actually has more
of a natural feel..
The roland space echo setting is emulating I dont know what and it sucks for anything rockabilly 'cept a position 1, single echo setting you have on a real space echo... ehhh maybe Floyd stuff works here...
The DL4 has many other settings that give you the opportunity to faux
tape echo yourself into catatonia ( the digi "low res" is really sweet)..

Obviously a pedal for delay freaks who want things layed out quick, simple and reliable. The echopark is the retarded step child.
Even my 13yr old asked me to sell his Echopark for a "real" DL4.

Dont want to knock the echopark because, it uses models that can be interchanged on the heavy duty pedal dock. All we did was sell his
"module" and got him the Liquiflange model along with the UBERmetal
module ( he's 13 )... then added a line 6 DL4 for him (loves the looper for phrase training)...

I have sold my DL4 soo many times for the latest thing, only to buy one back about 4 times in the last 8yrs.. the little green robot is staying with me along with all the grandpa delays i love.

Thanks for the insight!

One question: when you mention the DMM "can't get a short enuff slap", were you talking about the DMM or the DMM model on the DL4?

ruger9 wrote:

Thanks for the insight!

One question: when you mention the DMM "can't get a short enuff slap", were you talking about the DMM or the DMM model on the DL4?

the EH deluxe memory man cant get a fast enough slapback but because
the line 6 DL4 is an emulator, you can get bathtub on that badboy or
go up waaaaaay past a DMM stock 550millisecond max..

I obviously lean towards being a vintage gear snob but how do you live without your gretsch going into a Vox AC30 or Blonde Bassman or Blackface Deluxe without a really really shimmery deluxe memory man
delay now and then? You just gotta have it! so why not have your cake and eat it
with a metallic green giant spoon?
When you want to eat cake that is...
I dont like cake every week.. I'm much more of a beer and peanut butter cookies guy. I'm on a diet.

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

I dont like cake every week.. I'm much more of a beer and peanut butter cookies guy. I'm on a diet.

Great diet! Not sure if you're gonna' lose any weight on it, but... it sure tastes great!

ruger9 wrote:

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

I dont like cake every week.. I'm much more of a beer and peanut butter cookies guy. I'm on a diet.

Great diet! Not sure if you're gonna' lose any weight on it, but... it sure tastes great!

I am sacrificing much tonight by surviving on Pizza and ozzie red wine!

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

ruger9 wrote:

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

I dont like cake every week.. I'm much more of a beer and peanut butter cookies guy. I'm on a diet.

Great diet! Not sure if you're gonna' lose any weight on it, but... it sure tastes great!

I am sacrificing much tonight by surviving on Pizza and ozzie red wine!

Ozzie wine?? Try Aussie instead!! Much, much better!!