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Fireguy8402 « Very Digital.. Love it or hate it. »
Published on 12/23/11 at 07:45The Boss DD-3 is the most basic delay pedal out by Boss at the moment. This delay has a four knob design. The pedal has an Effect Level knob that adjusts the amount of delay that is mixed with the dry tone, a Feedback knob that adjust the number of repeats, a Delay Time knob that adjusts the amount of time between repeats, and a four way Mode knob that adjusts between the pedal modes. Mode one or “S” is a short delay with a range of 12.5 ms to 50 ms. Mode two or “M” is a medium delay with a range of 50 ms to 200ms. Mode three or “L” is a long delay with a range of 200 ms to 800ms. The Hold mode is a little different, it allows you to hold a delay and then play over it. The pedal can be powered by 9 volt batter or external AC adapter. Dimensions of the pedal are Boss’s typical 2.4" x 5.1" x 2.9" and it weighs about a pound. Normal input and output jacks are available as well as a direct output.
UTILIZATION
Boss builds little tanks; it’s as easy as that. They can take serious abuse from the road and never hiccup, and the DD-3 is no exception to the rule. It is a very reliable pedal and I’ve never heard any complaints in the build of the pedal or quality control. It’s a very straightforward layout and the knobs seem sturdy and hold your settings well. The Mode knob has a solid click feel between settings. The housing and jacks are metal and will deal with life on the road. Including a direct out allows the player to use two amps to get that true full stereo delay and is a great addition from Boss.
SOUND QUALITY
This pedal doesn’t really produce a difference in tone when it is on and off. The bypass of the pedal, though buffered, is very good. Basically what you put into it is what you get out of it. The delays are very clean and crisp and are almost exact replications of what comes into the front end of the pedal. I have moved on to the DL-4 and an analog delay because I like their coloration of the repeats. I feel it sounds more natural if the delays are slightly muffled in the high end like a natural echo and decay. This does a great clean repeat though if you’re looking for that.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall this is a great delay for clean repeats. It spits out exactly what you put into it, and delays it. The delays aren’t warmer or colored at all like an analog delay or echo pedal, and that’s what it’s supposed to do. This pedal is built road tough, and can really take a beating. I gigged it for awhile, but I felt the clean sounding repeats sounded too digital and unnatural, and I’ve since moved to an analog delay. Had the pedal incorporated an EQ so I could roll off some of the high end on the repeats, I may have stuck with the DD-3. I can’t say it’s a bad pedal though, because it does exactly what it’s meant to do, it’s just not for me.
UTILIZATION
Boss builds little tanks; it’s as easy as that. They can take serious abuse from the road and never hiccup, and the DD-3 is no exception to the rule. It is a very reliable pedal and I’ve never heard any complaints in the build of the pedal or quality control. It’s a very straightforward layout and the knobs seem sturdy and hold your settings well. The Mode knob has a solid click feel between settings. The housing and jacks are metal and will deal with life on the road. Including a direct out allows the player to use two amps to get that true full stereo delay and is a great addition from Boss.
SOUND QUALITY
This pedal doesn’t really produce a difference in tone when it is on and off. The bypass of the pedal, though buffered, is very good. Basically what you put into it is what you get out of it. The delays are very clean and crisp and are almost exact replications of what comes into the front end of the pedal. I have moved on to the DL-4 and an analog delay because I like their coloration of the repeats. I feel it sounds more natural if the delays are slightly muffled in the high end like a natural echo and decay. This does a great clean repeat though if you’re looking for that.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall this is a great delay for clean repeats. It spits out exactly what you put into it, and delays it. The delays aren’t warmer or colored at all like an analog delay or echo pedal, and that’s what it’s supposed to do. This pedal is built road tough, and can really take a beating. I gigged it for awhile, but I felt the clean sounding repeats sounded too digital and unnatural, and I’ve since moved to an analog delay. Had the pedal incorporated an EQ so I could roll off some of the high end on the repeats, I may have stuck with the DD-3. I can’t say it’s a bad pedal though, because it does exactly what it’s meant to do, it’s just not for me.