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Re: Line 6 DL4 or Boomerang?



Dave Trenkel wrote...
> The Boomerang isn't as hi-fi as the Line 6, but it sounds better
than the specs should warrant. 

Audio quality is changing with the new ROM upgrade as well... I
believe Michael from B-Rang has said it will be a lot crisper. There's
a sacrifice in available looping time... the current times are 2 min /
4 min... with the new ROM upgrade it will be... aw hell! Here's all
the boilerplate on the new upgrade courtesy of Mike Nelson at
Boomerang.

Best to all...
-Miko

* The new Boomerang Phrase Sampler V2.0 software will have 2
independent loops with a couple of modes for transitioning between
them. One mode, called AB1, smoothly transitions to loop B, plays it
once, then goes back to playing loop A, all with one button press. 

* A higher sample rate has been added; original max was 16KHz, new
max rate is 24KHz. This drops the sample time to 1 min 27 sec. While
it's not CD quality, it's a lot crisper. 

* The stack button can be programmed to be either latching or
momentary. 

* You can go directly from recording to stacking. Press record to
start recording, then press stack to conclude recording and enter
stack (overdub) mode. 

* There are 7 selectable decay rates. On the original the decay rate
was fixed at about 2.3dB. The rates are as follows: 1 is no decay, 2
is the original rate (about 20-25 repeats), 3-6 are progressively
quicker decays and are great when using the Rang as a pure delay, and
7 is slapback (1 repeat). The new decay rates & latching stack button
make the Rang a great sounding digital delay with tap tempo. The foot
roller becomes the delay level when used like this. 

* The record button can be programmed to behave as it does now or be
disabled during playback. Some folks didn't want to worry about
hitting it while adjusting the foot roller. 

* The half speed concept has been replaced by slow speed, and you
have your choice of five. All are musically related to "normal" speed.
The choices are down a 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th or octave. The pitch drops
and the playback is slowed like the current software going to half
speed. 

* This one is small, but an improvement. Originally, if you pressed
once, the next press of play(stop) would stop the loop. Now you can
transition between "continuous" play and play once mode. Confusing?
Here's what you can do that you couldn't before. Start an existing
loop with several stutters or re-starts and then smoothly transition
into playing the loop repeatedly. 

* There are improvements on clicks that occasionally occur at loop
boundaries, particularly when using the Rang in continuous reverse
mode (live reverse lead mode). 

* And finally, we completed the button behavior. For example, in the
original, if you were stacking, the reverse button didn't do anything.
This and all other basic scenarios are fixed. Now you can be stacking
additional parts and freely reverse direction. All the new features
are ADDITIONS. That is, no original features, even the lower sampling
rates, have been omitted or replaced. The once button shares duty as
the loop A/B button. The reverse or stack buttons are held down to
enter program mode. 

-- Mike Nelson Boomerang Musical Products 800-530-4699 PO Box 541595
214-340-6913, Outside USA Dallas, TX 75354-1595 214-343-1038, Fax