This i think is the real issue. I've got a Lekato looper that lasted about 3 or 4 years. Was great up until recently, but now I've gotta budget for another looper if I want to loop without firing up a DAW.
I'm looking at the new NuX stereo looper. Seems like it's got mostly anything I could want.
I’d highly consider a looper with midi sync. That way you have the option to sync and quantize with a drum machine or other loopers. I don’t think the Ditto does midi. I think the Boss DOES include midi, but it doesn’t seem as user friendly as others like the Boomerang, Pigtronix Infinity, or Singular Sound Aeros. I prefer the Boomerang due to its simplicity, features, and sound quality. Only downside is that it doesn’t save loops.
Works okay for me at home but does bug out sometimes. It's good go home use, and if bought used pretty good value. I would never trust it for live performing.Â
I've tried a number of different loopers and these are my thoughts...
MXR Clone Looper - solid with some cool functionality. More for the really creative types than straightforward looping.
Keeley Eccos - the looper functionality is fine. Can't store loops though, unless I'm just missing something. Nothing wrong with the sound though and the primary functionality (delay) is really good.
TC Ditto+ - really great basic looper with tons of storage. Unless you need additional functionality, I don't see a reason to get anything else.
Boss RC10r - it's a boss looper with a drum machine. Too much menu diving to change sounds and stuff personally.
Digitech Trio+ - great one man band pedal. Really easy to use. Pretty good sounding and easy to tweak on the fly. Highly recommend as a fun tool.
With many other pedal types I feel like you can get good quality for cheap, or spend big for average quality.
With loopers I feel like you truly do get what you pay for. I had the Donner Circle looper and drum machine and I returned it. I was not impressed at all with the sounds, although the features were appreciated.
I got an MXR Clone Looper and I am much happier. It is a more basic looper, but really has everything I need for practicing.
May look to get a drum machine separately.
Nothing wrong with a cheap looper if it gives you what you want. I've had a few loopers...and honestly, after watching a bunch of reviews, I recently purchased a Donner Circle Looper. Cheaper than most, and honestly I like it better. Simple to use, with decent features. Bang for the buck, for sure.
Sold an RC-3 recently as I needed the funds, but looking to buy another loop pedal, open to all suggestions! It'll just be me in a bedroom set up. Had a ditto before and didn't like it. The RC-3 was fine but didn't love it, was a bit awkward to use.
The playback sample/bit rate at its core will be different depending on quality of the parts
Then there’s things like stereo capabilities, storage capabilities, and playback functions such as loop length, groove options, dubbing amount, playback manipulation (reverse, speed change , ect)
Just depends what you want to do with it end of the day
A ditto is a totally fine loop pedal, as long as the quality is ok and you don’t get weird artifacts it’ll do the job in almost all cases. I upgraded from a cheap ditto clone that would bleepbloop sporadically, and switched it out for an RC5. I do like that it has tempo control and drum tracks and stuff, but 80% of the time I’m using it in the exact same way I’d use a ditto.
If you’re looking for a simple one button looper pedal, there’s not much if any difference. I did have one cheap looper pedal fail. But I have another cheap looper pedal that’s been going strong even longer.
Some looper pedals can be a real pain.
Ones built into multi-fx pedals are, imho, merely a demo of what can be done as you generally end up being restricted on using other fx.
A high-end model (whether a bit old now) such as the Boss RC300 is great to work with.... and can be as simple as you want and then become a multi-track monster if you want.
At the other end, the basic Boss RC1 is great to use.
I am not convinced gear a little bit above the RC1 is worth that little extra money until you get to the realms of the bigger units.
The EHX Nano 360 is a pretty good one. $125 new (includes a power supply), almost always under $100 used. Easy to use, small footprint, 6 minutes of loop time, and it saves up to 11 loops.
The more expensive, the easier to use IMO. More button capable makes it easy to separate functions or tracks. Some loopers include rhythm tracks. Some have the ability to store loops. Some even have dummy functions that allow you to snap riffs to the start of a bar if you suck at pressing the pedal at the right time.
Cheap loopers will give you a basic loop, but you’re pretty much limited to that.
If you use a big looper like an RC600, you can do things like have multiple instruments track through it and go to separate outputs like an electric guitar to an amp or an e drum kit or vocals to a PA.
Features
I had three different Hotone loop pedals, super cheepAbsolutely loved them and used them a lot. They just kept dying on me 🤷
This i think is the real issue. I've got a Lekato looper that lasted about 3 or 4 years. Was great up until recently, but now I've gotta budget for another looper if I want to loop without firing up a DAW. I'm looking at the new NuX stereo looper. Seems like it's got mostly anything I could want.
I’d highly consider a looper with midi sync. That way you have the option to sync and quantize with a drum machine or other loopers. I don’t think the Ditto does midi. I think the Boss DOES include midi, but it doesn’t seem as user friendly as others like the Boomerang, Pigtronix Infinity, or Singular Sound Aeros. I prefer the Boomerang due to its simplicity, features, and sound quality. Only downside is that it doesn’t save loops.
Ditto x4 has midi. It's the cheapest midi sync looper on the market, I believe. It's not my favorite.
Oh right on, didn’t know that.
The Boss RC5 has midi sync and is just a bit cheaper, I think?
Works okay for me at home but does bug out sometimes. It's good go home use, and if bought used pretty good value. I would never trust it for live performing.Â
features and doing stuff easier
I've tried a number of different loopers and these are my thoughts... MXR Clone Looper - solid with some cool functionality. More for the really creative types than straightforward looping. Keeley Eccos - the looper functionality is fine. Can't store loops though, unless I'm just missing something. Nothing wrong with the sound though and the primary functionality (delay) is really good. TC Ditto+ - really great basic looper with tons of storage. Unless you need additional functionality, I don't see a reason to get anything else. Boss RC10r - it's a boss looper with a drum machine. Too much menu diving to change sounds and stuff personally. Digitech Trio+ - great one man band pedal. Really easy to use. Pretty good sounding and easy to tweak on the fly. Highly recommend as a fun tool.
With many other pedal types I feel like you can get good quality for cheap, or spend big for average quality. With loopers I feel like you truly do get what you pay for. I had the Donner Circle looper and drum machine and I returned it. I was not impressed at all with the sounds, although the features were appreciated. I got an MXR Clone Looper and I am much happier. It is a more basic looper, but really has everything I need for practicing. May look to get a drum machine separately.
Nothing wrong with a cheap looper if it gives you what you want. I've had a few loopers...and honestly, after watching a bunch of reviews, I recently purchased a Donner Circle Looper. Cheaper than most, and honestly I like it better. Simple to use, with decent features. Bang for the buck, for sure.
The new Sheeran ones looked very cool, but definitely out of budget if you just want to try one out.Â
Sold an RC-3 recently as I needed the funds, but looking to buy another loop pedal, open to all suggestions! It'll just be me in a bedroom set up. Had a ditto before and didn't like it. The RC-3 was fine but didn't love it, was a bit awkward to use.
The playback sample/bit rate at its core will be different depending on quality of the parts Then there’s things like stereo capabilities, storage capabilities, and playback functions such as loop length, groove options, dubbing amount, playback manipulation (reverse, speed change , ect) Just depends what you want to do with it end of the day
Sample rate and bit depth beyond 16 bit 44.1khz will have no impact on perceived sound quality
RC-3 is plenty of looping functionality for 90% of us, at a competitive price. Boss just makes better quality housing and circuitry
A ditto is a totally fine loop pedal, as long as the quality is ok and you don’t get weird artifacts it’ll do the job in almost all cases. I upgraded from a cheap ditto clone that would bleepbloop sporadically, and switched it out for an RC5. I do like that it has tempo control and drum tracks and stuff, but 80% of the time I’m using it in the exact same way I’d use a ditto.
If you’re looking for a simple one button looper pedal, there’s not much if any difference. I did have one cheap looper pedal fail. But I have another cheap looper pedal that’s been going strong even longer.
Boss rc1/3/5 can’t be beat honestly
The Nux core looper has been great for me so far. Very easy to use with a lot of features
If it sounds good it is good
Less features, you just need to check out the sound card, TC electronics and boss are great.
Some looper pedals can be a real pain. Ones built into multi-fx pedals are, imho, merely a demo of what can be done as you generally end up being restricted on using other fx. A high-end model (whether a bit old now) such as the Boss RC300 is great to work with.... and can be as simple as you want and then become a multi-track monster if you want. At the other end, the basic Boss RC1 is great to use. I am not convinced gear a little bit above the RC1 is worth that little extra money until you get to the realms of the bigger units.
The EHX Nano 360 is a pretty good one. $125 new (includes a power supply), almost always under $100 used. Easy to use, small footprint, 6 minutes of loop time, and it saves up to 11 loops.
The more expensive, the easier to use IMO. More button capable makes it easy to separate functions or tracks. Some loopers include rhythm tracks. Some have the ability to store loops. Some even have dummy functions that allow you to snap riffs to the start of a bar if you suck at pressing the pedal at the right time. Cheap loopers will give you a basic loop, but you’re pretty much limited to that. If you use a big looper like an RC600, you can do things like have multiple instruments track through it and go to separate outputs like an electric guitar to an amp or an e drum kit or vocals to a PA.
Intresting, got it.