Looper's Delight Archive Top (Search)
Date Index
Thread Index
Author Index
Looper's Delight Home
Mailing List Info

[Date Prev][Date Next]   [Thread Prev][Thread Next]   [Date Index][Thread Index][Author Index]

MASTER LIST of Least Costly Live Looping Solutions



Okay, we are nearing a good list, here.
It would be great if someone would complete this list with prices
from both Southern and Northern Europe (I say this because prices obviously
very greatly from the US to the UK alone)

I purposefully didn't included pedals that are no longer in production
(but we could with their salient going prices-anyone feel like doing that research?)
but I did include used laptop, reel to reel and cassette solutions.

What are we missing anything?

SHORT LIST of CHEAPEST LIVE LOOPING SOLUTIONS for the NEWBIE LOOPER

In the United States

Audible Disease JUNK FI SAMPLER JF-1   $90  (runs on batteries)
                                 
(note: this looper will not pass original sound through as you loop
                                  and adds a small bit of silence to a continous loop meaning
                                  that it is useless as a rhythmic looper.   It does, however
                                 have pitch control of the loops over a wide range unlike any other
                                 cheap pedal and it has very low sample rate so it is very trashy sounding (on purpose)
BOSS DD-7        $160   +   $20  (PSA 120 - AC)   
                               (note:   a digital delay that is not a dedicated looper but will loop)
RC-2     $180 +  $20 (PSA 120-AC)
AKAI HEADRUSH   $200  +  $20  (MP9-3  AC)
LINE 6 DL4       $250  ac included
RC-20XL            $260  +  $20 (PSA 120-AC)

PC Laptop running Mobius or other free looping software
                                     -  anywhere from free if one is resourceful and/or lucky to around $700 for a system
                               that is ready to go with Midi footpedals, and a decent sound card without latency
                               (in other words,  a live looping solution that you can take out of the box and play
                                immediately like the other stomp boxes on the list ----- 
                                (note: this solution requires a fair degree of computer knowledge to set up
                               with access to the Loopers Delight archives to figure out how to use the keyboard as a
                               hand controller.   This is a viable solution if one can find a free or very cheap laptop
                               but precludes foot pedal control and adds latency and noise from a cheap internal
                               sound card.      To badly paraphrase Rainer Straschill, however,  if you are resourceful
                               and knowledgeable,  where there is a will, there is a way.
SMM & Hazari     I googled around but could not find this brand and I'm not familiar with it.
                                Perhaps it is not available in the US or am I missing something?
Two REEL TO REEL TAPE DECKS   What every you can purchase them for plus the cost of tape and splicing gear
                                
(note:  not appropriate for any kind of rhythmic looping or accurate overdubbing in
                                    a live setting.    Great for ambient or experimental looping live but time consuming
                                    to play more than one piece of music at a live show)
Old Cassette recorders      Whatever you can purchase them for plus the cost of tape and splicing gear
                                
(same note applies from REEL to REEL solution)

In the UK

RC-2  £90 + psu
SMM & Hazari £145
DD-7 £120 + psu
RC-20XL £140 (maybe £125) + psu
Headrush £140 +psu (maybe £120)(it's gone up! used to be <100)
DL4 £240 (maybe £200)
PC Laptop running Mobius or other free looping software
                           (see notes above in the US price list)
2 REEL to REEL TAPE DECKS
CASSETTE RECORDER with endless CASSETTE TAPES (purchased or created)