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Simple operation, a great creative tool with decaying loops.
The tc electronic Ditto X4 Looper has clearly been designed by a looping enthusiast that fully understands the needs of the live looping musician. The user interface is so easy to operate, leaving you to focus on playing and easily creating tight loops without being distracted by the technology.
It provides dual loops, plenty looping time (5 minutes), and the two loops can be synchronised to either serially follow each other (eg verse/chorus) or play in parallel to layer over each other. The second loop can be the same length as loop 1, or multiples of loop 1 length.
It features true stereo inputs and outputs, so you can use it with just your guitar as a mono input, or combine your guitar on one input with your bass player on the other input for example, or feed your stereo FX output into the looper retaining your full stereo delay/reverb effects etc on the looper output.
As well as guitar, I use it with my 12 string Grand Chapman Stick, feeding my combined bass and guitar effects into the stereo ins, but can also feed the melody side to one input and bass side to the other for a more ?acoustic? approach, keeping each side of the instrument to a separate output for recording and later EQ or processing. Perfect flexibility for the Chapman Stick player.
One of the key features of this device is that it enables decaying loops, which transforms the fixed looping concept into fading echoe loops that morph continuously into the next overlayered loops, allowing harmonised parts to continuously evolve and change. This gives fantastic creative possibilities. For example, in serial mode you could create a fixed bass or rhythmic progression in loop 1, then go to loop 2 keeping it open in decaying mode to play melodic lines over the top of loop 1 that combine with but gradually fade under the next loop 2 layers as you build evolving harmonised parts. These can be directly synchronised or played in ?Canon?. The decay control lets you easily set the number of fading repeats for each layer.
A great sounding set of loop specific effects can be selected and switched on with a dedicated footswitch. These include a fade out when stopping, a cool stop mode that sounds like a tape machine slowing down to finally stop, loop reverse, half speed, double speed, single loop trigger, and a digital stuttering ?Hold? effect. Again these are so easy to use.
There are four dedicated footswitches for Loop 1, Loop 2, Stop and Loop FX engage/disengage.
The easy interface has been designed to allow flexible operation to suit your preferred way of working, the footswitches can be set to either close the loop on second press or go immediately to over-layering.
Midi synchronisation is provided to allow locking to externally defined tempo, sequencers or loops.
You can save your loops and export them, re-import them or other existing backing loops.
Even if you don?t want to use a looper as a performance tool I still recommend working with one to tighten up your internal timing and listening skills, and as a composing tool.
I Wish I?d had the X4 to add to my loopers when recording my ?Wavedance? CD, decaying loops would have been ideal. The X4 has already quickly inspired lots new material for the next CD.
The sound quality is excellent, totally transparent without any colourisation, and when not looping defaults to true bypass avoiding digitisation or processing.
In summary this is an easy to use and flexible dual looper incorporating variable loop decay, great loop specific effects, external sychronisation, and loops import/export. This is a complete list of features I?ve waited a long time for, and I would highly recommend it.
Simple operation, a great creative tool with decaying loops.
Thomann set the standards by stocking this unit as soon as it was made available in Europe, I was impressed that they actually shipped it to me the day before stock was due, and gave clear shipment notification and communications.
Dave Bowmer ? February 2016
www.davebowmer.com
It provides dual loops, plenty looping time (5 minutes), and the two loops can be synchronised to either serially follow each other (eg verse/chorus) or play in parallel to layer over each other. The second loop can be the same length as loop 1, or multiples of loop 1 length.
It features true stereo inputs and outputs, so you can use it with just your guitar as a mono input, or combine your guitar on one input with your bass player on the other input for example, or feed your stereo FX output into the looper retaining your full stereo delay/reverb effects etc on the looper output.
As well as guitar, I use it with my 12 string Grand Chapman Stick, feeding my combined bass and guitar effects into the stereo ins, but can also feed the melody side to one input and bass side to the other for a more ?acoustic? approach, keeping each side of the instrument to a separate output for recording and later EQ or processing. Perfect flexibility for the Chapman Stick player.
One of the key features of this device is that it enables decaying loops, which transforms the fixed looping concept into fading echoe loops that morph continuously into the next overlayered loops, allowing harmonised parts to continuously evolve and change. This gives fantastic creative possibilities. For example, in serial mode you could create a fixed bass or rhythmic progression in loop 1, then go to loop 2 keeping it open in decaying mode to play melodic lines over the top of loop 1 that combine with but gradually fade under the next loop 2 layers as you build evolving harmonised parts. These can be directly synchronised or played in ?Canon?. The decay control lets you easily set the number of fading repeats for each layer.
A great sounding set of loop specific effects can be selected and switched on with a dedicated footswitch. These include a fade out when stopping, a cool stop mode that sounds like a tape machine slowing down to finally stop, loop reverse, half speed, double speed, single loop trigger, and a digital stuttering ?Hold? effect. Again these are so easy to use.
There are four dedicated footswitches for Loop 1, Loop 2, Stop and Loop FX engage/disengage.
The easy interface has been designed to allow flexible operation to suit your preferred way of working, the footswitches can be set to either close the loop on second press or go immediately to over-layering.
Midi synchronisation is provided to allow locking to externally defined tempo, sequencers or loops.
You can save your loops and export them, re-import them or other existing backing loops.
Even if you don?t want to use a looper as a performance tool I still recommend working with one to tighten up your internal timing and listening skills, and as a composing tool.
I Wish I?d had the X4 to add to my loopers when recording my ?Wavedance? CD, decaying loops would have been ideal. The X4 has already quickly inspired lots new material for the next CD.
The sound quality is excellent, totally transparent without any colourisation, and when not looping defaults to true bypass avoiding digitisation or processing.
In summary this is an easy to use and flexible dual looper incorporating variable loop decay, great loop specific effects, external sychronisation, and loops import/export. This is a complete list of features I?ve waited a long time for, and I would highly recommend it.
Simple operation, a great creative tool with decaying loops.
Thomann set the standards by stocking this unit as soon as it was made available in Europe, I was impressed that they actually shipped it to me the day before stock was due, and gave clear shipment notification and communications.
Dave Bowmer ? February 2016
www.davebowmer.com
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PM
Plenty of bugs, unreliable
The looper works fine the first days, when it's fresh electronics, but after couple of days starts producing clicks, pops and volume drops, probably due a bad engineering and/or software part, managing the looper memory chips. It's a well known issue, that have been reported hundreds of time in the T.C. forums, and it's still there since firmware 1.0. Also the unit takes ages to boot and some times goes stuck while booting and you need to unplug and plug again.
I bought the pedal hoping to find a good one, but after couple of days I started getting exactly those problems that many other guys are getting and reporting, without having proper attention and support from the T.C. company.
It's a shame really, because on paper would be a great easy peasy looper, for almost any genre, but these bugs are making this a no-way for live performance (totally unreliable) .
I returned the pedal and I think this is my first and last TC looper I'll buy.
I bought the pedal hoping to find a good one, but after couple of days I started getting exactly those problems that many other guys are getting and reporting, without having proper attention and support from the T.C. company.
It's a shame really, because on paper would be a great easy peasy looper, for almost any genre, but these bugs are making this a no-way for live performance (totally unreliable) .
I returned the pedal and I think this is my first and last TC looper I'll buy.
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n
Hmmmm, not what I expected
Beeing a great fan of the first small '1 button' ditto looper, I hoped this to be 'it'
First off, it works like it should....most of the time! I encountered a few glitches.
- Encountered a device ' hang/crash' where I had to power it off.
- As the the looper is at the end of my chain...I noticed a hum in my signal , also the solution was ...power off/ on.
I updated the firmware wich is really easy to do. Haven't had the glitches anymore, but still not confident with the device to take it out live!
The fx part of the pedal are kinda cool, but the fade out and the tape stop should be configurable so that you can choose for how long they will fade/stop , kinda useless in a song the way they are now.
The device ain't ' bad' , but it could be better!
First off, it works like it should....most of the time! I encountered a few glitches.
- Encountered a device ' hang/crash' where I had to power it off.
- As the the looper is at the end of my chain...I noticed a hum in my signal , also the solution was ...power off/ on.
I updated the firmware wich is really easy to do. Haven't had the glitches anymore, but still not confident with the device to take it out live!
The fx part of the pedal are kinda cool, but the fade out and the tape stop should be configurable so that you can choose for how long they will fade/stop , kinda useless in a song the way they are now.
The device ain't ' bad' , but it could be better!
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A
Nice and simple!
The looper is extremely easy to use and still has a nice array of features, as it has been said, even a guitarist can use, haha.
The extra effects sound nice and although some of them can sound just a bit too gimmicky, I'm sure some of us can find a use for all of them.
The only reason I lowered my rating was that the midi sync can be a bit finnicky, especially when it comes to start and stop messages from an external device. Of course you can manually start and stop your loops and it works fine in this case, but you just have to be aware of it. Fortunately, while recording, the midi sync feature works very well.
The extra effects sound nice and although some of them can sound just a bit too gimmicky, I'm sure some of us can find a use for all of them.
The only reason I lowered my rating was that the midi sync can be a bit finnicky, especially when it comes to start and stop messages from an external device. Of course you can manually start and stop your loops and it works fine in this case, but you just have to be aware of it. Fortunately, while recording, the midi sync feature works very well.
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e
listen to the internet
ive read around about inconsistent quality of these, and did not dare to buy it used, bought it new from thomann and within the first loop first problems started and 5 minutes later it bricked. Great.
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Rw
More than I need but that's best . .
I'd tried various loopers but didn't like the 'double-tap stop' variety. So many times in the past, I have bought a mid range product and found out very quickly that I should have bought the next model up. So this time I went for the top. of the range X4 which offers two loops operating in-sync or in-series. TC for me guarantees it's construction and quality and there were no surprises there. The main use for me is to record a loop of a chord progression allowing me the freedom to insert solos or double the rhythm. This does it easily - i do have rather spatulate feet - picture Donald Duck in trainers - so I need to be careful not to hit two switches instead of one. Then that's not the pedal's fault - which behaves impeccably at all times!
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G
Very good, the handling is OK
What I don't like:
What I don't like about the handling is the switches, they make a lot of noise. If you want to loop live instruments there is always a click in the beginning or end of your loop. I'd use the dip switches on the back the so when I press to record half way into to loop it will only start recording at the beginning of the new loop. But somehow I still heard the click, maybe from the switch I pressed at the end recording..
Also the switches are really close together, maybe its because I have big feet (size 12 US). So with shoes on I often press booth loop switches instead of only the one I ment to press.
I don't like the fast double tab on the same switches to stop a loop. I have to do this with my hands otherwise i'll mess it up. Maybe I need to practice it more but it seems unnecessary hard to get right.
All the other stuff I do really like, The midi sync works really well, the sound is good, the quality is good, this thing feels solid.
I had NO issues with the firmware or other software problems like so many others had.
And yeah this Looper is packed with features and that's cool but I don't really use them. Maybe I will try them in the feature.
What I don't like about the handling is the switches, they make a lot of noise. If you want to loop live instruments there is always a click in the beginning or end of your loop. I'd use the dip switches on the back the so when I press to record half way into to loop it will only start recording at the beginning of the new loop. But somehow I still heard the click, maybe from the switch I pressed at the end recording..
Also the switches are really close together, maybe its because I have big feet (size 12 US). So with shoes on I often press booth loop switches instead of only the one I ment to press.
I don't like the fast double tab on the same switches to stop a loop. I have to do this with my hands otherwise i'll mess it up. Maybe I need to practice it more but it seems unnecessary hard to get right.
All the other stuff I do really like, The midi sync works really well, the sound is good, the quality is good, this thing feels solid.
I had NO issues with the firmware or other software problems like so many others had.
And yeah this Looper is packed with features and that's cool but I don't really use them. Maybe I will try them in the feature.
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PF
Love the sound transparency
Great product, I had number of loopers , but TC is the best - the tone remains unaffected.
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D
Lots of bugs, does not start. When it does it freezes a channel, very unreliable even to practise, let alone gig with it!
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A
Can even fry eggs!
Fantastic tool for live use, creative inspiration, and practice.
Why I like, and why I chose the Ditto X4 Looper:
1. It?s great to have too separate loopers running as this, as obvious as it sounds, opens up so many more creative possibilities. However, this combined with the decay knob - which controls the amount of layers recorded and looped before decaying away (being removed) - really means that you can play, loop, and morph on the fly without stopping for as long as physically possible. Your loops can morph and flow continuously.
2. The simplicity, and immediate ease of use.
There?s no LED, no beats. Nothing you don?t need. Nothing else to concentrate on or be distracted by other than what you are playing & looping.
3. The build quality and design.
It is a lovely pedal, with a simple yet attractive design. But, more importantly it is really well constructed. And, because it doesn?t have the frills and spills there is less that can go wrong with it. It is built like a brick and I can see it lasting a very long time. It has survived extreme heat without any problem or damage. Having left it out in the blazing sun at a gig for a couple of hours, it got so hot I (could have) fried an egg on it - the unit was completely unaffected.
I highly recommend this professional looper.
Why I like, and why I chose the Ditto X4 Looper:
1. It?s great to have too separate loopers running as this, as obvious as it sounds, opens up so many more creative possibilities. However, this combined with the decay knob - which controls the amount of layers recorded and looped before decaying away (being removed) - really means that you can play, loop, and morph on the fly without stopping for as long as physically possible. Your loops can morph and flow continuously.
2. The simplicity, and immediate ease of use.
There?s no LED, no beats. Nothing you don?t need. Nothing else to concentrate on or be distracted by other than what you are playing & looping.
3. The build quality and design.
It is a lovely pedal, with a simple yet attractive design. But, more importantly it is really well constructed. And, because it doesn?t have the frills and spills there is less that can go wrong with it. It is built like a brick and I can see it lasting a very long time. It has survived extreme heat without any problem or damage. Having left it out in the blazing sun at a gig for a couple of hours, it got so hot I (could have) fried an egg on it - the unit was completely unaffected.
I highly recommend this professional looper.
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