The original Line 6 DL4 is a real hall-of-famer guitar pedal; a fully-featured delay-looping workstation that launched as far back as the year 1999, yet still remains one of the most well-revered digital pedals in history. And right now, Reverb is giving you the chance to pick one up for its cheapest price ever thanks to this $120 saving. Honestly, Black Friday guitar deals don’t come much better.

From simple, characterful workhorse delay profiles to a looper that put overdubs, reverse playback and half-speed at your tapdancing feet, it’s not hard to see why the likes of Matt Bellamy, Thom Yorke and Kirk Hammett all took to this pedal for their own reasons.

For 23 years, the DL4 staved off a saturated market of budding competitors – until Line 6 finally launched the DL4 MkII (you can read our 5-star review here). The MkII takes those 23 years of tech innovation that happened since the first DL4 hit the shelves, and straight-up sprints with them. Last year marked a quarter-century since the DL4 changed the shape of pedalboards to come, a milestone celebrated with the launch of a limited-edition silver-colorway DL4 MkII. Just 2500 of these exist, and online marketplace Reverb has some – at an astonishingly low price.

Everything beloved about the original DL4 is here in the Line 6 DL4 MkII, but there’s just so much more; there’s double the number of delay algorithms at 30, and 15 further reverb algos in a secret mode that can be activated before or after your chosen delay.

The looper is now a stereo looper with 60 second loops – 120 in mono, and up to 240 if you record in half-speed – and the looper’s memory can be extended using a new micro-SD slot. There’s more I/O for stereo signals, XLR compatibility, USB-C connectivity and expression pedal input. And, somehow, it’s so much smaller.

With the 25^th Anniversary variant, there’s nothing new under the hood. It’s functionally the same DL4 MkII, but this time in a tasteful silver chassis – and with some extra bits and pieces to commemorate the occasion. You get a numbered label, a sticker with which to officially (and non-destructively) brand your DL4 MkII as one of vanishingly few, and a lovely little keychain too.

This milestone-celebrating one-off was for sale at $300, but this Black Friday? Yours for $179.99. That’s a slice of guitar-pedal history, celebrating another slice of guitar pedal history – all for less than $200. And you get a keychain.

Shop more Black Friday deals

• Amazon: Huge holiday savings
• B&H Photo: Early Bird Holiday deals
• Fender store: Player II Strat lowest price ever
• Guitar Center: Up to 40% Black Friday sale
• Guitar Tricks: $899 $99 annual sub
• IK Multimedia: Up to $300 off Tonex hardware
• Musician's Friend: Early Black Friday 50% sale
• Native Instruments: Over 50% off UA bundle
• Plugin Boutique: 100s of software savings
• Positive Grid: Up to $50 Spark savings
• Reverb: Black Friday early access
• Sweetwater: Up to 80% off Black Friday sale
• Universal Audio: 12 Days of UAD software sale
• Waves: Huge plugin bundle deals up to 95% off

We live in a world of what seems like almost constant price increases whether it’s your energy bills or fuel for your car. So it’s something of a shock when you see a company announce they’re reducing the price of their flagship products. That’s exactly what Line 6 has done, knocking a hefty $200 off both their Helix Floor and LT amp modeling units. The price drop is already live at Sweetwater and Guitar Center, so you can take advantage right away. 

By fixing some post-COVID supply chain issues, Line 6 and Yamaha have managed to return these two units to the price they were always supposed to be. It’s awesome news for guitar players everywhere, as it looks like this price is here to stay. If you’ve just bought a Helix Floor or LT and are annoyed to see the price go down, it’s worth contacting your retailer as we’ve heard some new users report that both Sweetwater and Guitar Center have refunded the difference if it was bought within a particular timeframe.

Both the Helix Floor and LT sit right next to each other in the hierarchy of all things Helix, so which would be best for you? Well straight off the bat you won’t need to worry about tones, because both units feature all the same amp models and effects. They both have the same amount of switches too, although the LT doesn’t feature the cool LED labels. Physically the LT is smaller, which could be handy if you’re taking it to gigs but the differences are minimal.

One place where they do diverge significantly is the connectivity. To make the LT smaller, Line 6 has had to remove some of the connectivity so you don’t get the XLR-in, multiple expression connections, or multiple send/return options that the bigger Helix Floor has. If you’ve got a complex rig then it makes sense to go for the Helix Floor, but if you haven’t got as much money to spend, you’ll be pleased to know you’re not missing out massively if you go for the cheaper LT.

If you’re building your first pedalboard, one of the best delay pedals should be high on your list. Take it from me, I’ve been through the wringer, helping players piece together pedalboards during my time working in a guitar store for the best part of a decade. The delay pedal is a super versatile effect that changes your sound unlike pretty much anything else, and best of all, it inspires creativity.

Put simply, a delay pedal records a copy of your signal and repeats it back to you after a set amount of time. Delay as an effect has been around for a long time, beginning in the 50s and 60s as large, mechanical tape loopers in studios. Since then, delay has become a hugely popular effect, thanks to ever-shrinking technology allowing creators to cram more into smaller units.

If you’re after a budget delay pedal, the Fender Hammertone Space Delay is an easy-to-use option that will get you up and running quickly. At the other end of the spectrum, the Strymon Timeline offers everything from cascading, modulated repeats to trippy reverse textures, making it a more advanced option that I’ve personally enjoyed experimenting with.

If you’re brand new to delay pedals, head to my how to choose section to find out about what to consider when making your first purchase. I have also created a glossary that succinctly explains key terms that will help clear up any jargon you may be unfamiliar with.

Best analog delay

Overview

Where the majority of delay pedals are now digital, the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay is an outlier, a genuine analog delay with a distinctive voice all its own. Admittedly, I’m a little biased, as this little gem has been on my pedalboard since day one.

Usability

Internal trim pots control the width and speed of the modulation, although they’re not the easiest to access, requiring you to remove four screws. The same goes for battery changes, so a pedalboard power supply is highly recommended. Despite that one drawback, its characterful delay tone sets it apart, and it’s the kind of sound you’ll keep coming back to.

Sounds

There’s a dark warmth to the Carbon Copy that’s the antithesis of some of the cleaner delay sounds on this list. With delay times up to 600ms, it’s more versatile than you might expect, handling everything from vintage slapback to more spacious, ambient textures. Add in the onboard modulation, and it opens up even further, offering a surprising amount of depth given the simple control set.

Best digital delay

Overview

The Line 6 DL4 MkII is a reboot of a now-legendary digital delay pedal that’s been heard on countless recordings since its inception in 1999. Lovingly known as the ‘green monster’, this new version packs even more sounds and features into a unit that is slightly smaller than the original.

Usability

Despite the expanded feature set, the DL4 MkII sticks closely to the layout that made the original so popular. The large, clearly labeled controls make it easy to dial in sounds quickly, while the familiar footswitch layout keeps things intuitive whether you’re playing live or experimenting at home.

The onboard looper is as usable as ever, now with extended looping time and the same straightforward functionality that made it a sleeper hit in the early 2000s. It’s a pedal that invites experimentation without ever feeling overwhelming.

Sounds

If you’re after classic analog delay tones, the models here are impressively close to the vintage units they’re based on, delivering warm, musical repeats that sit naturally in the mix. All of the original DL4 sounds are present, but it’s the expanded range of modern textures that really stands out.

From pristine digital repeats to more experimental, modulated delays, the DL4 MkII offers a huge palette of tones. Add in the bonus reverb effects, and you’ve got a genuinely versatile soundstage to explore, making it one of the most complete digital delay options currently available.

Best tape delay

Overview

Tape delay is often considered the Holy Grail of delay effects, and whilst many pedals attempt to recreate tape delay, none quite nail it… Apart from the T-Rex Replicator D’Luxe Tape Echo. A genuine tape delay, shrunk into pedal format… although the word ‘shrunk’ should be used fairly loosely as it is still large compared to most effects pedals.

Usability

Equipped with a slot to add tape cartridges that look similar to cassettes, the Replicator D’Luxe records your signal directly onto the tape and then plays it back in one of three settings: short head, long head, and a mix of the two.

As it is a genuine tape delay, you do need to purchase the tape cartridges separately and will need to replace them eventually, which means there are additional running costs over the lifetime of owning this unit. The other potential ‘running cost’ could come from repairs, as this is far more delicate than most other typical delay pedals.

Sounds

Each setting has its own unique character, but all are unmistakably the sound of classic, beautiful tape delay. Plus, when the tape wears down over time, you will get the chorus effect that worn tape produces, which many love! The Replicator D’Luxe won’t be for the majority, but for delay die-hards, this is one delay you have to consider adding to your collection, because no other delay pedal – particularly a tape delay pedal – comes close.

Best ambient delay

Overview

If you’ve tried every delay out there and still yearn for more, the Meris LVX Modular Delay System will offer enough depth to please even the most adventurous tone seeker. Packed full of features and functionality, the LVX is less of a delay pedal and more of an instrument in its own right.

Usability

Effects pedals like this often sound complex, yet Meris has created this to be as intuitive as possible. It’s all easily manipulated via an instinctive menu system accessed from a few knob presses and turns to adjust your chosen parameter. This display makes it clear what’s contained within your sound and how it’s being manipulated, making for an incredibly immersive experience. Ideal for adventurous and progressive guitar players.

Sounds

The Meris LVX will function as a simple delay pedal if you want it to, but it will also help you create otherworldly, ambient soundscapes that shift and undulate beneath your guitar tone. Create unruly rhythmic patterns, step sequencer-type pitch-shifting delays, synth pads, infinite reverb tails, and bass-heavy rumbles that will evoke horror and sci-fi soundtracks. It’s truly the top choice for those looking to get lost in a world of mesmerizing delay tones.

Best budget

Overview

If you want a simple delay pedal without the bells and whistles, or you’re just a bit short of cash, the Fender Hammertone Delay pedal is one of the better options out there for cheap delay stompboxes. Fender released the Hammertone series back in 2022, and they have been an incredibly popular option for both beginners and budget-seekers alike.

Usability

Firstly, there is a modulation control that can be augmented by dipswitches inside the pedal, and overall there’s a really nice feel to the way the delay tails degrade as they repeat. It’ll do that infinite oscillation style trick as well as act as a nice slapback, making it super versatile if tape delay sounds are your bag. Plus, the standard pedal chassis makes it an easy pedal to stick on your pedalboard when you get to that stage, unlike bigger units like the Line 6 DL4 MKII.

Sounds

There’s loads of flexibility thanks to the useful pattern control, which gives you various multi-head tape sounds. There’s a quarter-note delay and two rhythmic patterns that are pre-programmed, giving you that classic Space Echo and Echorec-type sound without having to splash the cash.

Best compact delay

Overview

Boss’ original delay pedal, the DD-3, has been around for a long time now, so it was about time it got an upgrade. Enter the Boss DD-8, which does everything one of the best compact delay pedals ever made does, and loads more.

Usability

With an additional footswitch, you can also unlock extra functionality from certain sounds, making the pedal even more sonically flexible. Add in stereo operation for some seriously wide sounds and the option for multiple footswitches, or one expression pedal, and you’ve got a lot of delay pedal for comparatively little cost.

Sounds

Despite the name, there are actually 11 different modes in the DD-8 if you count the looper. All the classic delay sounds like tape, analog, and digital are here, as well as lots more esoteric tones like shimmer, modulated, and even a delay-plus-reverb option. Considering the size, it makes it a great do-it-all option for players without loads of pedalboard real estate.

Best for studio

Overview

Present on more pro ‘boards than we care to remember, the Strymon TimeLine delay pedal is about as close as it comes to industry standard these days. Packed full of sounds and ways to tweak them, it’s the dream delay pedal for players who like to painstakingly craft their tones whilst in the studio.

Usability

In terms of connectivity, the Timeline will slot into any studio due to the number of options. There are loads of ways to integrate into your existing rig and further manipulate the sounds, which is partly why it’s so popular on pro pedalboards. Add an expression pedal to control parameters in real-time, run other pedals in the built-in feedback loop, and use MIDI control for easier preset selection; it really can do it all.

Sounds

There are 12 main tones on offer here, ranging from tape and bucket brigade-type delays right through to lo-fi and filtered sounds. They’re all eminently tweakable as well, with the Filter and Grit controls allowing you to dirty up the tones, or you can add modulated sounds to your tails. You can pitch-shift your repeats and even get multi-head tape and rhythmic multi-tap sounds. With all these options, it is a fantastic weapon to have in the studio for when you want to add a little something extra.

Also consider

How to choose

Although straightforward in theory, delay pedals can quickly become confusing in practice. I’ve seen this firsthand while working in a guitar store, which led me to develop a simple checklist for beginners. Here are four key things to keep in mind when choosing your next pedal. If you stick with this method, you won’t go far wrong.

1. Analog or digital

First things first, decide between an analog or digital delay. This isn’t just semantics; it plays a huge role in the overall character of the pedal.

Analog delays typically use Bucket Brigade Device (BBD) chips, which pass the signal through a series of capacitor stages, gradually degrading it in a musical way. Digital delays, on the other hand, convert your signal into digital data using signal processing, allowing for greater precision and control.

In practice, analog delays tend to sound warmer, thicker, and slightly darker, with repeats that blend into your playing more naturally. Digital delays are cleaner, brighter, and more defined, making them better suited to precise rhythmic playing, such as dotted eighth-note patterns, or more modern, articulate sounds.

2. Pedalboard or studio

Now, if you’re just starting out, you’ll likely not have a pedalboard or a studio, but my point is to consider the chassis of your delay pedal. Something like the Line 6 DL4 MkII is a chunky unit that will struggle to fit on a beginner’s pedalboard, while something like the Boss DD-8 Digital Delay has been designed with that in mind.

This is a good consideration for future-proofing your purchase. A larger delay pedal may be totally fine if you’ll only ever use it at home or in the studio. However, if you have goals of playing gigs or jamming with friends, where a pedalboard will come in handy, then it’s worth thinking about this before you buy.

3. Tap tempo

This is a big one, especially for beginners. It can sometimes be tricky to dial in the correct tempo using the controls alone, particularly if you’re learning a song that relies on it. However, if the delay pedal you go for has a tap tempo feature, where you can tap in the tempo of the repeats yourself, then it becomes much easier to get your repeats in time with what you’re playing. It’s a small feature, but an incredibly useful one when learning songs with delay.

4. Other features

Lastly, nowadays a delay pedal doesn’t just have to give you delay. For example, one of the world’s most famous delays, the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay, has modulation built in that you can switch on or off, making it more versatile. Others include loopers, allowing you to lay down lead parts or background ambience while experimenting with different settings. If you like your money going further, considering a pedal with extra features is a great way to stretch your dollar.

FAQs

Key terms

• BBD (Bucket Brigade Device): This is a type of chip used in analog delays that passes the signal through a chain of capacitors. It typically sounds warm and is very musical.
• Buffer: A type of circuit that helps preserve your signal strength; it helps when running long cables or multiple pedals.
• Delay time: The amount of time between your original note and the delayed repeat.
• Dotted eighth: A rhythmic setting where repeats fall between beats, creating a bouncing feel to your delay.
• Dry signal: This is the unaffected guitar signal before it hits an effect.
• Ducking: A feature that lowers the volume of the delay while you’re playing, then brings it back up when you stop, keeping things clean.
• Feedback: This is a control that determines how many repeats you hear on a delay pedal. Higher feedback means more repeats and eventually can lead to self-oscillation.
• Flutter: This is a subtle pitch variation that mimics the instability of tape delay, adding movement and character. It adds a musicality to the delay.
• Kill dry: A setting that removes your dry signal, leaving only the wet sound. It is typically used in parallel rigs.
• Latency: Referring to a slight delay between striking a note and hearing it. Modern pedals will typically have incredibly low latency.
• Modulation: An effect that adds movement to your delay repeats, often in the form of chorus or vibrato.
• Parallel: This is a routing method where your dry signal and effects run side by side rather than in a straight line as they’d typically do.
• Self-oscillation: This is when feedback is set so high that the delay repeats feed into themselves, creating a looping, often chaotic sound that can be hard to control, but when used right, can create exciting sounds.
• Series: The opposite of parallel, this is a traditional signal chain where one effect feeds directly into the next.
• Slapback: A very short delay (usually under 150ms) that creates a quick, echo-like bounce, common in rockabilly and country. Tonally, it sounds quite similar to reverb.
• Subdivisions: This refers to the rhythmic spacing of delay repeats, such as quarter notes, eighths, triplets, or dotted patterns that can be controlled on delay pedals.
• Tap tempo: A feature that lets you tap in the delay speed with your foot to match the tempo of what you’re playing. It typically works with the pedals’ footswitch or by connecting an external device.
• Trails: When delay repeats continue naturally after the pedal is turned off.
• Wet signal: This is your signal chain affected by an effect, instead of your dry signal.

How we test

At Guitar Player, our team of experienced musicians have thoroughly explored the world of delay pedals, rigorously testing various models in real-world scenarios to provide you with practical and reliable reviews and recommendations.

Our handpicked selection of the best delay pedals showcases exceptional sonic qualities, intuitive controls, and reliable performance. We meticulously evaluate factors such as delay types, sound quality, versatility, build quality, and user-friendliness, ensuring that these pedals stand out among the competition.

With Guitar Player as your trusted resource, delve into our recommended delay pedals, all thoroughly vetted by fellow musicians. Discover the options that will elevate your sound, add depth to your playing, and ignite your creativity. Whether you seek classic analog warmth or modern digital precision, let Guitar Player guide you in finding the perfect delay pedal to enhance your musical journey.

Read more on how we test and review products.

Yep. It's the end of November and that means the internet is thick with Black Friday guitar deals. 

Here at GP HQ we're beavering away all weekend to try and find the best deals – the real deals – to help you get the most out of this year's retail meltdown.

One of the most impressive Black Friday events our eagle-eyed bargain hunters have spotted are these incredible half-price offers on Line 6 plug-ins.

If you own a DAW, we highly recommend checking out Line 6’s Helix Native.

Sweetwater has slashed this epic modeler right down from $399 to an incredible $199.99! 

That’s an instant saving of $200.

Boasting a massive choice of over 60 electric guitar and bass amps along with more than 30 cab models and a ton of effects, this virtual Aladdin’s cave of tone is bound to inspire.

What’s more, if you’re a Helix/Helix Rack user, any saved sounds can be transferred in an instant.

(Note: Line 6 Helix Native is also available with 50% off priced $49.99 for HX Stomp/HX Effects owners here; Helix/Helix Rack owners here; and Helix LT owners here).

Sweetwater are also offering 50% off their acclaimed Metallurgy amp/effects plug-ins. 

You can snag a bargain on the entire Line 6 Metallurgy Collection with $100 off at just $99.99.

Or you can bag Metallurgy: Doom, Metallurgy: Modern and Metallurgy: Thrash separately for only $49.99 each!

Additionally, that old Line 6 favorite Amp Farm (version 4.0) is a steal at just $99.99 while the Echo Farm 3 delay plug-in also has $100 off the regular price of $199.99.

More great Black Friday deals

• Black Friday guitar deals
• Black Friday Fender deals
• Black Friday guitar pedal deals
• Guitar Center Black Friday deals
• Sweetwater Black Friday deals
• Musician's Friend Black Friday deals

As much as tube amps rule for tone, dynamic feel, and raw punch, many players enjoy the benefits of modeling amps with their ability to deliver a multitude of sounds, not to mention their affordability and lighter weight. 

One of the newest contenders in the modeling arena is the Line 6 Catalyst series combos that include a 60-watt 1x12, a 200-watt 2x12, and the 100-watt 1x12 featured in this review. 

On first glimpse, the Catalyst 100 looks no more complex than a typical tube combo, with its top-mounted knobs and an open-back cabinet covered in grained black vinyl. As you’d expect from a Line 6 product, it packs a ton of technology under the hood, and user-friendliness must have been high on the list of design goals. 

The amp selector knob offers six amps to choose from: Clean, Boutique, Chime, Crunch, Dynamic, and Hi Gain, all of which are original amp designs created from the ground up, rather than models of existing amplifiers. 

That said, the tones they represent are in the wheelhouse of Fender, Matchless, Vox, Marshall, Mesa, and other popular guitar amps in the low-, medium-, and high-gain realms. A variable boost is available on all amp selections (each boost is different and matched to the specific amp), and there’s a complement of gain, bass, mid, treble, presence knobs, plus channel- and master-volume controls. 

Three lighted buttons above the input jack select channel A (white) or channel B (red), and you can configure them any way you like and save those sounds by pressing and holding either button until the corresponding light blinks.  

A total of 12 user presets can be stored in six banks, which are accessed by holding down the manual button and using the amp selector knob to scroll though the banks. You can also toggle between the channels and activate any single effect – including boost or tap tempo – with the optional two-button LFS2 foot-switch ($39 street).

However, if you want to keep things really simple, pressing the third button activates Manual mode (blue) where knob settings are completely WYSIWYG, just like the controls on a typical tube amp.  

I auditioned the Catalyst using three guitars – a Reverend Gristlemaster T-style, a Gibson Historic ’59 Les Paul, and a Hamer Newport semi-hollow with Duncan Phat Cat P-90s – and they all sounded great through it, which has much to do with the dynamic feel of the Line 6 models and the amp’s ability to preserve the guitars’ distinct personalities. 

The Catalyst dished out tones that worked well for rhythm and lead, with plenty of stops along the way for clean, dirty rhythm, and super-sustaining distortion sounds.

It’s loud enough for gigs with a full band (although a 40-watt Fender Hot Rod Deluxe used for comparison was markedly louder), and the onboard D.I. made it easy to run a feed to the P.A. and have better control of the overall level. And in cases where less volume was required, a switch on the back sets the power to 50 watts, .5 watts, or mute, the last of which is handy for silent practice and recording.

On that note, the Catalyst doubles as a four-channel interface (four in/four out), and the USB provides computer connectivity and tone editing via the free Catalyst Edit app for desktop and mobile devices (Mac, PC, iOS, and Android). 

The effects are from the Helix/HX library, and we start off with a dedicated reverb knob that lets you tweak levels on the fly, and a button above it that selects six reverb types: spring, plate, chamber, hall, modulated, and shimmer. 

The ’verbs all sound smooth, airy, and well detailed, and either the blackface-style spring or the more studio-sounding plate were always on during my tests. You also get a choice of 18 other effects in the delay, modulation, and pitch categories, all of which are accessed by pressing and holding the effects button and using the tap button to switch between effect categories. From there the selector knob lets you choose between six effects in each category. 

The effects all sound great, and I dug the selections from the delay category (which is the default when you turn on the power), especially tape echo and analog delay. 

I also really liked the chorus, tremolo, and rotary from the modulation group, and the octave fuzz and pitch harmony settings from the plethora of pitch choices. (Tone geek alert: The effects and reverbs can be moved to pre- or post-amp voicing by holding the effect or reverb button and turning the effects knob. Lower than 12 o’clock is pre, and above 12 o’clock is post.)

Whether or not you’re using the LFS2 foot switch, changing effects takes some knob/button manipulations that are tricky on the fly, and that’s why it’s advantageous to use an optional MIDI controller to have full access to the effects. I also liked using my own pedals with the Catalyst, running them straight into the front end, which works well with this amp. 

In addition, there’s the option of running time-based effects in the FX loop, and Line 6 added a switch to go directly into the power amp, bypassing the preamp and basically turning the Catalyst into a powered speaker for use with an external modeling device. 

It all highlights the über flexibility of the Catalyst and how it can accommodate just about any configuration for performing or recording, while remaining a very straightforward affair if all you need is switchable clean and distorted sounds, or reverb, delay, or another effect. 

The Catalyst 100 is certainly an amp for the times, a super deal for $399, and it ably earns an Editors’ Pick Award.

Specifications

PRICE: $399 street
CHANNELS: 2
CONTROLS: Channel A, Channel B, Manual buttons. Amp Selector (Clean, Boutique, Chime, Crunch, Dynamic, Hi Gain), variable boost (with on/off button); gain, bass, mid, treble, presence, channel volume. Reverb knob (with on/off/select button), effects knob with on/off/select button, tap button (press and hold to engage tuner), reverb (with on/off/select button), master volume
EFFECTS: Delay (simple delay, vintage digital, tape echo, analog delay, dual delay, dynamic). Modulation (chorus, tremolo, phaser, flanger, U-Vibe, Rotary). Pitch (octaver, growler, pitch harmony, pitch shift, octave fuzz, synth string). Reverb (spring, hall, chamber, plate, shimmer, modulated)
REAR PANEL: Power switch, output power switch (100W, 50W, .5W mute), USB jack, MIDI in jack, foot-switch jack (for optional LFS2 switcher), 1/8” aux in, 1/4” headphone jack, effects loop (with FX loop, power-amp in switch), XLR direct out with ground-lift switch
POWER: 100 watts, 50 watts, .5 watt, and mute
TUBES: N/A
SPEAKER: 12” Catalyst HC100 4Ω, 100-watt
WEIGHT: 34.5 lbs (tested)
BUILT: Malaysia (USA designed) 

Dubbed the Big Green Monster for its imposing size and unmistakable color, the original Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler was released in 1999 to broad acclaim and popped up seemingly overnight on hundreds of touring pro rigs.

Offering 14 types of delay plus a functional looper, it packed a lot into what is widely regarded as the most popular of the first successful line of modeling effects pedals (as opposed to merely “digital” effects pedals that use traditional DSP to create delays, reverb or modulation).

It also did it using a big box that measured 10 inches wide, six inches deep and two and a half inches high) and required a dedicated 1,200mA nine-volt AC power supply if you didn’t want to burn through four D-cell batteries every 30 hours or so.

The stunning new DL4 MkII has just been released, and it packs more than three times the features of the original DL4 into a box about 20 percent smaller and some 30 percent lighter.

By those criteria alone, it should quickly become a modern classic.

Wisely, Line 6 has retained the familiar radioactive frog-green finish, an eye-catching color that will help identify the unit on the pedalboards of the pros.

As Line 6 likes to tell us up front, the DL4 MkII carries everything the original had (and I certainly haven’t yet found anything to disprove that), plus 15 new delays drawn from the company’s HX series of effects and amp processors, and a considerably expanded memory and function for the looper.

The latter includes both four-button and single-button loop control with a whopping 240 seconds of onboard memory (operable in either stereo or mono, before or after other effects). This can be expanded to several hours with an optional microSD card.

Among the new bonus features are the so-called Secret Reverbs. Pushing and releasing the Alt/Legacy mode button toggles between the MkII Delays and the original DL4 Legacy Delays, accessed by the 16-position rotary selector.

Pushing and holding that button while rotating the selector accesses 15 reverb types (named on the included cheat sheet, since there’s no room left on the face of the pedal), from room to plate to particle ’verb to hot springs and more.

The remaining adjustment knobs on the unit – time/subdiv, repeats, tweak and tweez – likewise adjust reverb parameters when the Alt/Legacy button is pushed and held, while mix, the last control, performs similarly across both.

Foot switches A, B and C offer three saved presets and double for looping functions, as does the tap foot switch.

Unlike the original, the MkII includes three selectable bypass modes: True Bypass, Buffered and DSP. The first two route the signal directly from input to output (engaging a buffering preamp in the second), while DSP keeps it all running through the A/D/A conversion.

Round back, connectivity has been majorly upgraded to keep up with today’s demands.

The DL4 MkII retains the stereo ins and outs on quarter-inch jacks, while adding an XLR input with level control for directly connecting a dynamic microphone, plus a USB-C connection for firmware updates and computer-generated presets and MIDI selection.

Two DIN connectors offer MIDI in and out/thru, and the TRS expression-pedal jack can be used to connect two more assignable foot switches.

Power comes from a far more conventional nine-volt DC 500mA source (supplied).

It’s all housed in a cast-aluminum box that, despite being streamlined, reflects the original’s style, with even better protection for the knobs in a recessed trough that puts them well below the sole of your descending Doc Marten.

I used an original DL4 off and on for many years from the time it first came out, and I still have that one in a drawer about an arm’s reach from my desk.

Even my first few minutes with the MkII plugged in made me want to get the green monster back on my board for good, but further explorations revealed the pedal in its MkII form to be one of the most comprehensively functional and sonically rewarding delay units on the market, by any measure.

I tested the DL4 MkII with several electric guitars in front of and in the loops of a selection of traditional amps, as well as in stereo into my Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo interface to appreciate the effects in the headphones.

The sounds are extremely good throughout and – as one would expect a quarter century on – realistic.

For classic echoes, you’d be hard pressed to find anything amiss, and the range of tweakable creative alternatives doubles or triples those sonic opportunities.

Most of the meat ’n’ potatoes delays are still found on the Legacy side, with plenty of the MkII slots offering more unusual modes. Some of the new ones – the Elephant Man and Euclidean settings, for example – present juicy fresh takes on the archetypes.

Some old-school players who just need a delay or two and don’t want the complication of the added features might still lean toward their genuine analog echo boxes (and to be fair, it behooves you to spend a little time with the manual and at least learn how to program three favorite presets), but I’d challenge you to find anyone in the audience who could hear the difference, or indeed, to really hear the difference yourself up onstage with a five-piece band raging alongside you.

It’s worth noting that the same goes for the quality of the Secret Reverbs, the usefulness and added-value-factor of which cannot be overstated.

Beyond the basics of “how does it sound?” the DL4 is just a massively handy echo box by any measure, and I haven’t even discussed the looper yet (although it’s tremendously functional, and I’ve enjoyed it enormously), another feature which is likely worth the price of admission on its own (although, sadly, there isn’t enough room here to attempt a full assessment of it).

All told, the brilliance of the Line 6 DL4 MkII re-think is pretty much off the charts, so let’s leave it at that.

Even if you just want to use it for three presets that cover your basic delay needs live, and maybe replace your reverb unit in the process, the MKII sounds great and is likely worth the outlay, even at its list price – and at the sub-$300 street price… sheesh! What a bargain.

Add in the versatility of some 30 delay types, Secret Reverbs, looping and more, and c’mon, need I say more?

It’s an Editors’ Pick Award winner if ever there was one, and good luck getting this one back from me.

Specifications:

• CONTROLS: Delay selector, time/subdiv, repeats, tweak, tweez, mix. Alt/Legacy pushbutton, four foot-switches; level control for XLR input on the back panel.
• EXTRAS: Stereo inputs and outputs, TRS expression-pedal/foot-switch connection jack, XLR mic input, DIN MIDI in and out/thru. USB C, microSD card slot, center-negative 9VDC adaptor input
• SIZE: 9.25” x 4.41” x 2”
• BUILT: Assembled in China

Back in 2015, Sean Lennon’s band the Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger was the opening act on a tour co-headlined by Primus and Dinosaur Jr. Which is how Lennon ended up in an impromptu jam session with Primus bassist and lead vocalist Les Claypool one night before a show.

“We were playing on acoustics in the back of Les’s tour bus, 10 or 15 minutes before one of us was supposed to go onstage,” Lennon recalls. “And we came up with a bunch of things really fast. I remember Les being like, ‘Yeah, I noticed that you were kind of writing a song as we jammed, as opposed to just noodling.’ I think he liked that.”

“He was playing things that I wasn’t expecting, and that always intrigues me when I play with someone,” Claypool adds. “So I could tell right away that we had an interesting dynamic together. And I also liked the fact that Sean sometimes has odd approaches to what he does.” He laughs. “Because as you may know from my work, I’m a little off-center, too.”

“Off-center,” of course, doesn’t even begin to describe the supreme oddness of Claypool and Lennon’s individual artistic output. As the frontman and main songwriter for Primus, the former has spent the past three decades or so crafting some of the knottiest, most dizzyingly complex and bizarre bass lines heard in modern music, and then grafting them to similarly wacko punk-funk-prog-rock creations with titles like “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” and “Shake Hands With Beef.”

As for Lennon, he’s a multi-instrumentalist with a ridiculously long résumé. In addition to his solo and band pursuits, he’s collaborated with artists in pop, rock, metal, avant-garde, hip-hop, psychedelia, folk and other genres – and that’s in addition to his work scoring films, producing records, acting and more. (He is also, of course, the offspring of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.) Put these two off-center individuals together in a room – or the back of a tour bus, as it were – and the result is, as Lennon says, “definite creative chemistry.”

The outcome of that chemistry is the Claypool Lennon Delirium, a project that serves as a conduit for the two artists to explore the outermost reaches of their shared musical sensibilities. The duo issued their debut album, Monolith of Phobos, in 2016, and followed it up in 2017 with the EP Lime and Limpid Green, which featured covers of songs from Syd Barrett–era Pink Floyd, King Crimson, the Who and the late-’60s Japanese rock group Flower Travellin’ Band.

Their latest album, 2019’s South of Reality (ATO Records), finds Claypool and Lennon indulging their shared love of ‘60s and ’70s prog, psych and garage rock and melding it to jam-band-esque instrumental excursions, sweet-and-sour vocal harmonies and a lyric approach that is one part dark ruminations on the human condition and one part word-salad whimsy. All of which is to say South of Reality is, in one sense, exactly what we might expect from a meeting of these two oddball minds. At the same time, it sounds quite unlike anything else in popular music at this time.

Around the time of the album’s release, Claypool and Lennon sat down with Guitar Player to discuss their unique artistic bond, their unusual recording arrangement (which includes, on Lennon’s part at least, the use of a hefty number of sound-warping pedals) and what it is they like about working with one another. Central to this last point, Lennon says, is the fact that “we have an easy flow together.”

Which is, Claypool adds, an important, if not essential, aspect of the Delirium. “It has to be easy,” he says. “Because I don’t like pushing things. If things aren’t coming easy then I’ll go do something else – like catch a fish or something.”

The two of you pull from a lot of different sounds and styles in the Claypool Lennon Delirium. But what’s most pronounced in it are elements of late ’60s and early ’70s prog. What do you love about that music?

Sean Lennon: I think we love prog because it’s open-ended, and you can kind of do anything with it. It’s expansive. So it suits us, because it doesn’t seem strange to write a song in three sections about a rocket scientist [the South of Reality track “Blood and Rockets,” about American rocket engineer Jack Parsons]. It’s the theatrical version of rock and roll. [laughs] In prog, you’re allowed to write about “By-Tor and the Snow Dog,” or whatever. So it does kind of suit the Delirium in that way.

Les Claypool: I like it because it’s a rock that I haven’t really turned over on my own yet. And I tend to turn over a lot of rocks. I think Primus has always been pretty progressive, but in a different way. Primus is a heavier band. This to me is more reminiscent of Syd-era Floyd stuff and things that were going on around that time. And we come at it from different angles.

As a kid, I was a big fan of Rush and Yes and Utopia and Jethro Tull, whereas I think Sean was coming from a more psychedelic side of things. I remember, we were in his car one time going from his place in upstate New York back to Manhattan, and he was driving and I thought he was going to kill us because he was playing disc jockey the whole time, trying to get me to listen to all this psychedelic shit. So we like turning each other on to different things.

What was the collaborative process like for South of Reality? Were you guys coming up with ideas independent of one another, or were you working on everything together?

Lennon: Both. Les has a really good work ethic in a lot of ways. For example, he has this policy that everyone shows up for rehearsal the first day knowing, basically, everything. [laughs] Like, they should know all the songs for a tour. Every part! As far as I know, a lot of people, and me especially, don’t mind rehearsing at rehearsal.

But he wants you to do your homework. It’s kind of like that for him when making a record, too. He does his homework before he gets there, and he shows up with a lot of ideas. But then there are other things that we came up with just by jamming together in the studio. Les is a really fast songwriter. Sometimes we would write a song a day for several days in a row. We’d just be cranking them out.

Sean, as a guitarist, is Les an intimidating guy to play with?

Lennon: He’s not intimidating in terms of his personality, but I’m definitely years behind him in terms of technical prowess and accomplishment on my instrument. The idea of holding my own in that way was a little bit daunting for me. But it pushed me to practice a little bit for… well, for pretty much the first time in my life. [laughs] Because I never really had a goal of becoming a guitar player specifically. I always considered the guitar to be a vehicle for me to write songs. So I wound up doing a little bit of practicing at first, and I still do. Whenever I’m going to go play with him, I practice some scales and exercises that I’ve found on YouTube or that different people have taught me. Because I don’t want to get tired out with Les, especially onstage. Sometimes the solos go on for quite some time.

Claypool: [laughs] Sean’s a pretty humble guy. He always worries about whether he’s up to snuff when we get ready to do some shows, and he wants to rehearse probably more than I would normally rehearse. But he’s a great guitarist. And a very intuitive player.

In addition to your musical connection, there seems to be a shared sensibility as far as the lyrics and artwork go. You guys both have a knack for conjuring dark but whimsical imagery.

Lennon: I think that’s one of the fun things about the character of the band. Because of Les’s personality, which is so strong and unique, there’s always a bit of humor mixed in as one of the ingredients. That definitely opens doors. It kind of gives you an excuse to take certain risks that you might not otherwise take. And that’s nice for me, because it makes me feel like I can write songs about imaginary things and surrealist things and funny stories and bizarre histories. Whereas sometimes, if I’m writing for myself, like under the title of Sean Ono Lennon or something, I wind up writing about things I feel or think. But in the Delirium I can write about sci-fi and children’s books and horror and comedy. The door is open to come up with fantastical story lines.

Claypool: I tend to bring this sort of twisted Americana element to everything I do, which is just me reflecting my background. But the great thing about Sean is, he’s like a scientist. He’s constantly delving into realms of science and lore and whatnot that most people just don’t delve into as deeply as he does. And, of course, when you have conversations with Sean and you talk about your childhood — or, I should say, my childhood — it’s quite a bit different than what his childhood was like. So you get two different perspectives and experiences of being on the planet.

What gear are you guys using on South of Reality?

Claypool: I’m using one of my Pachyderm basses, which I make with a buddy of mine that I went to high school with named Dan Maloney. For pedals I have a Line 6 [DL4] Delay and a Line 6 [DM4] Distortion, and I have a Boomerang [Phrase Sampler] and a [Fractal] AX8 [Amp Modeler and Multi-Effects Processor]. And I don’t use an amp: I have two API 7600 channel strips, and then I go into the console and into Pro Tools.

Sean, what were your main electric guitars on the record?

Lennon: My Delirium guitars are kind of flashy, in a funny way. I have two custom Bilt Zaftig guitars that are my main axes. One has a kind of greenish-teal glitter finish, and the other is all silver, with a mirror pickguard. I play them onstage and also in the studio, because Les and I tend to use the same gear for both. I have my same pedalboard setup in the studio, too. For my amp, I mostly used this little old Mesa/Boogie of Les’s. We put the Mesa/Boogie in this closet-shower contraption in the corner of the studio.

Claypool: You have to imagine, my whole house [Rancho Relaxo, in northern California, where Claypool records] is like a time capsule from the ’70s. It was built in 1978, so it’s very Boogie Nights. The bathroom in the studio is all brown – even the toilet. So the amp is shoved into this little brown shower, and we mic it up, throw some pads around it, shut the door and away we go.

Lennon: Once we get the amp sounding really nice, we don’t really think about it again. From there, any changes in the guitar sound come mostly from my pedalboard. We also don’t have any assistant engineer or anything. It’s just Les running Pro Tools and the API board.

So it’s just the two of you in the studio?

Lennon: Yeah. It’s literally only the two of us.

Who’s playing drums on the record?

Lennon: I am. Though we also had Paulo Baldi, who has played with Cake, come in and play on three songs.

Sean, you use effects pretty extensively in this band. Can you talk about what you had on your pedalboard in the studio?

Lennon: My pedalboard is kind of ridiculous. I start with a simple [Seymour Duncan] 805 Overdrive, the turquoise one. Then I have another overdrive pedal, this thing called a Crazy Tube Circuits Starlight, which Nels Cline gave me, and then I have a Pro Co RAT. After my overdrives and distortion is an Electro-Harmonix Mellotron pedal [the MEL9]. That goes into an Electro-Harmonix Ravish Sitar pedal. That’s a very hard pedal to control, but I like to use it for the drone-y, sympathetic-string sound. And then I have my wah, which is actually the [Dunlop] Zakk Wylde Cry Baby. I tend to use that one because it has a wider frequency sweep.

From there I go into a DigiTech HardWire [SP-7] phaser, an Electro-Harmonix Nano Small Stone and an Electro-Harmonix POG. After that I have a tremolo pedal, and after that comes my first delay pedal, which is just a standard Electro-Harmonix Memory Man. I’ve also been using the Catalinbread Belle Epoch tape echo pedal and this weird Death by Audio reverb [the Reverberation Machine] that’s kind of trashy and vintage sounding. It’s very hard to use, and you have to set it really carefully, but it has a very beautiful and moody ambience. And after that reverb I have an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, which is my favorite reverb ever. That’s my basic setup live, and it’s what I have in the studio, too.

When it comes to recording your guitar tracks, are you manipulating the pedals in real time?

Lennon: Yes. I do that a lot. I try to be very close to the pedals so I can mess with them as we’re recording.

Les, what do you think of the way Sean uses his pedals?

Claypool: Sean’s very good with his pedals and knows his way around them. There’s a little bit of pasta-throwing at the wall [laughs], but he tends to know what he wants. For the most part he’ll hear something in his head and he’ll grab what he thinks will work. And nine times out of 10, it is what works.

Sean, you also get ample space to play some lead guitar throughout the record. How did you approach your solos?

Lennon: Well, again, Les really has his own philosophy about soloing. And that’s been helpful, because he has a sense of when he feels a solo is going somewhere and when it’s not.

Claypool: I like getting a whole performance, because to me it just flows better. You get that emotion – you get that dynamic and continuity. I just like capturing the moment. I’m not one for comping together a solo. So in the studio I would push Sean. But I kind of push everybody.

Lennon: As far as how I approach my solos? I try to think of them melodically and as having a narrative that has a structure to it. I try not to start at 11. [laughs] But mostly I just try to think of a melody, because I’m not the most technical player. I’m not going to rely on some sort of athleticism, so I have to think of something that will sound musical in order to get me through to the other side.

You guys have now made two albums and an EP together. What is it about your dynamic together that works so well for the two of you?

Claypool: There’s a few things, but the best thing is the hang. Sean and I have a great relationship just as a couple of humans on the planet, you know? That’s where it really starts. Beyond that, we tend to make each other laugh and we tend to stimulate each other intellectually and musically. And we challenge each other. It’s also great to be in the studio with someone that has equally as much to offer lyrically and composition-wise. This is definitely the strongest collaboration I’ve ever had with another songwriter.

How about you, Sean?

Lennon: Honestly, the best thing about working with Les is being able to sit around and hang out with him. He’s such a funny guy. And he takes me fishing. We went… what is it, crabbing? We went crabbing and got some king crab.

Claypool: We almost sunk!

Lennon: And the other thing I like is the shows. Playing with Les and this band is so different than any other band I’ve played with. It’s a different experience because I’m given different responsibilities that I’ve never really had before, especially in terms of playing so much lead guitar. Because in my own music there are never these long periods of improvisation. But sometimes Les will just point at me onstage and say, “All right, go for it!” Or sometimes he’ll just walk offstage. He’ll look at me and be like, I’m going to get some water, or something like that. And then I’ll be alone up there and have to improvise and come up with something cool to entertain people.

Les, you’ll really just walk off the stage and leave Sean there alone?

Claypool: Yes.

Why?

Claypool: Well, with Primus we have a lot of material; with Delirium, not so much. So there are a couple of songs where Sean starts with the little strummy-strum-strum thing, and I’ll just leave the stage and let him run with the ball for a little bit. Because he’s a very inventive guy. So he’ll come up with some cool shit.

Sean, how do you feel about that?

Lennon: At first it was really scary. But now it’s just exciting.

Browse The Claypool Lennon Delirium music here.

Just a week after expanding the scope of its popular HX Stomp unit with the unveiling of the HX Stomp XL, Line 6 has done the same with its POD Go with the introduction of the POD Go Wireless. 

As one would expect, the POD Go Wireless is a wireless version of the company's popular POD Go multi-effects pedal and amp modeler, fitted with a built-in Relay wireless receiver and a Relay G10TII transmitter.

As with the standard POD Go, the POD Go Wireless features a wide variety of amp, cab, and effect models – including a number of beloved British and American amps.

Controls come by way of a 4.3" LCD screen, eight footswitches with colored LED rings, a cast-aluminum multi-function expression pedal, and seven push encoders, while a duplicate amp output, headphone jack, and balanced stereo outputs also come aboard.

Two external footswitches or a second expression pedal can also be connected to the POD Go Wireless for further control.

The POD Go Wireless is also outfitted with Snapshots – a feature that gives users fast access to any tone they might need – a mono/stereo effects loop, a headphone jack, and a four-channel USB audio interface with reamping capabilities.

The price for the Line 6 POD Go Wireless amp modeler and multi-effects pedal has yet to be revealed as of press time, though Line 6 does say it will be available this spring.

For more info on the pedal, stop by line6.com.

• Our pick of the best guitar amps available today

Line 6 has unveiled the HX Stomp XL, an expanded and enlarged version of its enormously popular HX Stomp multi-effects pedal.

Most notable among the new features of the XL in relation to its smaller counterpart is the addition of five new footswitches, bringing the HX Stomp XL's total to eight. Featuring the same SHARC DSP chip as Line 6's other Helix products, the XL lets users run up to eight processing blocks simultaneously, with the footswitches allowing users to customize their own control layout in a number of ways.

The XL comes loaded with more than 300 amps, cabs, and effects, and 128 factory presets, including a number of amps, cabs, and presets for bass guitarists.

Elsewhere, the pedal features a multi-channel 24-bit/96kHz USB audio interface, a stereo effects loop for integrating external devices, and a jack for external expression pedals. In regards to that jack though, Line 6's Chief Product Design Architect, Eric Klein, noted that the MIDI-capable pedal's new footswitches can "not only preclude the need for external control, but also turn HX Stomp XL into a master controller itself." 

Furthermore, integration with the HX Edit app allows users to create, save, and load presets, and customize nearly all of their pedal parameters. It also functions as an IR loader and preset database.

The Line 6 HX Stomp XL is available now at a list price of $1,049.

For more info on the pedal, stop by line6.com.

Yes guitarist Steve Howe recently sat down for a chat with Guitar World.

The wide-ranging conversation touched on topics ranging from his first band, to his time with Yes, to his massive, mouth-watering vintage guitar collection. However, it was Howe's comments about pedals, and his love of Line 6's Helix multi-effects unit, that were the most eyebrow-raising. 

“I’ve got some great, great guitars, but what I don’t use now are endless arrays of pedals," Howe said. "I mean, I did the pedalboard thing pretty early on. A lot of people sussed that if you stuck them on a ’board, you didn’t have to set it up every day, they wouldn’t break or fall apart so easily, and you wouldn’t stumble over them. 

"I had pedalboards like that for years and years, but now I don’t. It’s just passé to me. These days, my gear is incredibly streamlined. I like to press one button and radically change my sound. I just press a button and it all happens at once. That is heaven, you know. 

"Performing is all about preparation. It took me a while to get into programming, but the [Line 6] Helix can do everything I can possibly want and, therefore, that’s all I want to use." 

Howe also made a point to mention that, in his view, gear is far from the most important aspect of a guitarist's sound in the studio.

“I’ve had so many [pedals] over the years: Big Muffs, Boomerang pedals, different sorts of wah-wahs and stuff from Maestro.

"Most of the stuff I’ve forgotten about, but I have it somewhere, or remnants of it. But the thing people often miss is - and this is important - is that it’s not just about your guitarist, their guitar, the pedals, the amp, the microphone... It’s also about the recording engineer who knows how to record a guitar. 

"So I give credit where it’s due, because there’s a lot more to sound. There’s a myriad of different things. The first thing is who’s playing it and what that person thinks while he’s planning to play something. It goes down that long chain and it ends up with a recording engineer sitting in a studio.”

To read the full interview, step right this way.

When it arrived on the scene two decades ago, Line 6’s kidney bean-shaped POD heralded the age of modeling. There are players, like Nashville’s resident guitar genius Jack Pearson, who still swear by those original sounds. 

I too remain unembarrassed by tones I achieved with the OG on a record two decades ago. But Line 6 hasn’t stood still. The company has upped its modeling game with HX technology and now includes it in the new POD Go multi-effects processor. 

POD Go is for players who want the HX sound quality of the Helix LT in a simpler, lighter, less expensive modeling solution. All the Line 6 essentials are here: a color LCD display interface, amps and effects arranged visually as blocks, footswitches color-coded to the type of effect, and Snapshots that let you seamlessly switch between tones without audio dropout. 

Some sacrifices to size and price must be made. With half the processing power of the LT, the Go has only four fully assignable blocks (out of 10), just one effects chain and less looping time, among other things.  

But POD Go still has more features than we have room to go into here, so let’s devote the space to describing experience and reaction. Sound is paramount, and while the the original POD performed well, the HX processing adds extra levels of realism in both tone and feel.

I began by using the unit as a pedalboard in front of a Fender Blues Junior. I came from the amp out, disabled the speaker emulation and was ready to go. You can either eliminate the speaker on a patch-by-patch basis or globally in the Global settings. In addition to a couple of overdrive blocks, I set up a U.S. Small Tweed amp sans cabinet and linked it to a foot switch to act like a second, grittier channel for the super-clean Junior.

POD Go’s GUI is so intuitive that all this programming was achieved without cracking the manual. The only stumbling block I encountered was when the tap tempo for delay wasn’t working. The manual explained this was because the feature is available in BPM subdivision mode, and not in the Millisecond mode I had selected. POD Go will also record directly into a DAW through a USB connection.

I plugged it into Ableton Live, which recognized it immediately. With the CPU set to 128, I experienced virtually no latency, even while monitoring it through the DAW. If you need to set your CPU higher, you can monitor your sound directly from the unit through headphones, an amp or powered speakers.

Re-engaging the POD Go speaker cabinet models for direct recording (you can also load your own IRs), I found the high-end trails evidenced a little digital crispness when used with a distorted amp setting or distortion pedals. Fortunately, the cabinet blocks have a High Cut option. Lowering the frequency from the default of 8 kHz to a typical speaker’s max of 5 kHz removed any hint of unpleasant fizz.

Listening to my recorded results even without post processing, I doubt anyone could tell the sounds were modeled. For me, the bottom line with digital emulation is how quickly I forget I’m playing through virtual amps and pedals. Once I had POD Go set to my taste, I forgot I was playing through a modeler and began to enjoy the inspiring tones at my disposal.

Whether for recording or live use. POD Go offers a package of pro-grade modeled sounds in an affordable, bulletproof, easy-to-use platform. If you don’t need dual signal chain, MIDI I/O, Variax control and the like, and want something compact for small stages and/or fly dates, check out POD Go.

Specifications

• PRICE: $449 / £399
• CONTROLS: Two bank switches, four preset/effect block on-off switches, mode switch, tap tempo/tuner switch, seven turn-and-press knobs, one output knob. 
• FEATURES: 67 amp models, 207 effects, color LCD display interface, amps effects arranged as “blocks,” color-coded footswitches, snapshots  
• ASSEMBLED: China
• CONTACT: Line 6

Are you a fan of the Line 6 HX Stomp, and its incredible multitude of effects and features, but not its jet-black looks? Line 6 has got you covered.

The brand recently unveiled a new version of the HX Stomp, finished in "Stomptrooper White." 

Aside from its looks, this version of the HX Stomp is the same as its darker counterpart, with 300+ effects and amps, 126 presets, four-cable amp integration and a USB recording output.

The Line 6 HX Stomp in Stormptrooper White is available now for $649.

For more info on the unique HX Stomp, stop by line6.com.