Re: [LOOP] RE: Zvex Effects Inquiry

[burnett@pobox.com]

On Tue, 6 Jul 2004 goddard.duncan@mtvne.com wrote:

> >>.....and Lo-Fi Loop Junky.....<<
> 
> I had to go & read about this one (http://www.zvex.com/junky.html) 
> because it appears to be looping hardware which, so far as I can recall, 
> hasn't been discussed by any users on this list yet. 

Every few months someone asks on this list about it, and so far as I 
recall I'm the only person to ever respond with a "yes, I've got one". 

> I don't see it in the "tools.." section or anywhere else. care to 
> submit a review, steve? 

Sure, here goes. When I get my hands on the new Seek-Trem I'll let whoever 
asked about it know what I think of it, too. 

> I don't expect the thing to be up there with the EDP, repeater & jam-man 
> in terms of functionality, but then the dl4 isn't either & I've lost 
> hours & hours to my little green monster..... the dl4 is probably my 
> "desert island pedal"; I'd like to be sure that the loop-junky is in 
> that general territory before hassling the dealer to stock one for me to 
> try.

Duncan gave the website for the Loop Junky, which 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).

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 :).

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 the playback volume of the loop, 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 and RC-20 LoopStation 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 either or both 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. 

> the bad news is that the loop-junky (in the UK, anyway) is quite 
> expensive for what it does.  for what it /is/, however, along with 
> zach's other little boxes, £300 is probably about right. the ones I've 
> seen in "sounds great" in cheadle are little works of art, & zach 
> deserves our patronage.

best,
Steve B
Phasmatodea     http://www.phasmatodea.net/
Subscape Annex  http://www.subscapeannex.com/