[
Date Prev][
Date Next] [
Thread Prev][
Thread Next]
[
Date Index][
Thread Index][
Author Index]
Z-Vex Lo-Fi Loop Junky
mungenast@earthlink.net asked about the Z-Vex Lo-Fi Loop Junky and the
Boss Gigadelay. Eric W has a lot of information about using the Gigadelay
as a looper, as I recall, and at least one other person on this list
(stan, I think) has mentioned using a Loop Junky.
The Z-Vex website for the Loop Junky goes into more detail than I will:
http://www.zvex.com/junky.html
There are links at the top of this page to sound samples, and a
demonstration QuickTime video (the video is big, not for dialup modem
users). The entire short user's guide is online at this page, too.
Based on the definitions given on
http://www.loopers-delight.com/tools/tools.html
I consider the Z-Vex Lo-Fi Loop Junky a "performance-oriented sampler" and
not a "current real-time looper".
There are two big limitations of the Lo-Fi Loop Junky for looping:
1) it does not record sound-on-sound. You can record a loop, but not
overdub onto the loop. You can of course play live over the playing loop.
2) It *is* lo-fi, since it's based around an old telephone answering
machine chip. It makes the Akai Headrush E1 or original Boomerang sound
audiophile-grade in comparison :).
Corollary to 2): Since the playback is so lo-fi, you cannot play along
with the loop transparently. The sample sounds entirely different in tone
from your live signal that is passed over the playing sample.
Accept those two limitations and what you get is a twenty-second
sampler you can carry in your pocket, that does not need a wall-wart AC
adapter (Z-Vex gear has ridiculously long battery life in comparison to
any other battery-powered pedal I've ever used), that stores the sample
indefinitely until you erase it, and is built like a very small tank.
You can control input volume and output playback volume of the loop
sample.You can also alter a "tone" control to roll off hiss of the loop,
and change depth & speed of a vibrato for the loop. You can do this live,
while the loop is playing, assuming you have a free hand to knob-tweak.
There's a small switch to protect the sample so you can't unintentionally
delete it.
I use an Akai Headrush E1, RC-20 LoopStation, and Electro-Harmonix 16
Second reissue as my performance loopers. I rarely take my Repeater to do
a show. I almost always have the Z-Vex Lo-Fi Loop Junky in my bag or set
up as my third inline looper, in case any of my loopers fail for some
reason as a backup. There's nothing to fail on the Loop Junky as long as
I change the battery roughly annually (not really an exaggeration). If I
had to leave one of the three (Headrush, RC-20, Z-Vex) home, I'd probably
leave the RC-20 home.
So it's very limited in comparison to anything in the "true looper" tools
section, but I still like it for its indestructible stripped-down
minimalism. It's pricy, but so are hardened and embedded systems in the
computer hardware world.
best,
Steve B
Phasmatodea http://www.phasmatodea.net/
Subscape Annex http://www.subscapeannex.com/