Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 16:37:34 -0400 From: "Caloroso, Michael E" To: "'[*AH]'" Subject: [AH] Korg SDD-1200 review The SDD-1200 is a dual digital delay with all knobs, but no patch storage or MIDI. Each delay unit goes from 0.5 to 1024 milliseconds with 16Khz bandwidth and you can apply 12dB/oct lowpass or highpass filtering to the feedback loop. Each channel has its own four segment LED for input level. The feedback (regeneration) can be inverted, the *key* to killer flange effects, and you can get up to 110% feedback for runaway loops. Each delay can be used as sampling units for playing over looped audio and you can trigger the loops with a footpedal. Unfortunately, changing the delay time interupts the audio signal which is common for a digital delay; analog delays don't have this problem. You can use an independent LFO per unit, or use one LFO for both in phase or out of phase (for awesome stereo imaging, remember this is a DUAL digital delay). The rear panel sports an excellent I/O matrix; for each unit you have input, +/- outputs (pseudo stereo which disappears when you play back in mono mode), effect out, direct out, bypass, hold/trig (in sampling mode) and feedback in. This is the first digital delay unit I've seen with a feedback input. The bypass is very effective for popping in chorus or doubling processing "on the fly". You can configure this unit in Parallel mode (dual processors), Serial mode (output of one processor feeds the input of the other, IE chain them for a 2 second delay), Cross-feedback mode (effect out of each processor are crossed to the feedback input of the other), or Open Feedback loop (effect out of one processor feeds feeds the input of the other, then that output feeds the feedback input of the first). The "B" input is normalled to the "A" input for easy stereo processing of mono signals. With a patchbay you can go hog wild. In my experimentation it worked best on vocals and guitars from my multitrack. The knobs are the dual concentric type with separate controls for each half. It's real easy to make quick work and it is great for experimenting until you get "the sound". Biggest surprise is, it's 12-bit A/D and it sounds *good*. The manual is well-written. It explains the functions and has some good examples as starting points for patches. Only thing missing is a block diagram, it's printed on the top of the unit but it's nice to have it in black and white. Harmony Central has an excellent primer on delay processing techniques: http://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/effects-explained.html MC --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Opinions (and mistakes) expressed herein are my own and not those of my employer. If the contents of this message appear as one long sentence in your email reader, it is the product of Microsoft Exchange, which has no option to force word wrap :( Most email clients do have a word wrap option which may be disabled by default, try enabling it for better results.