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#945707 - 08/11/00 06:53 AM Guitar processor latency
Anonymous Unregistered



Hello List Readers,

I have been using guitar processors since Tom Scholz introduced his Rockman way back when. When the Zoom 9002 came along I was one of the first to get it. But soon I realized that it was doing something not only to my sound but also to my playing and timing.

It is my belief that guitar processors that makes my guitar signal go thru a digital processor and thus gives me what in computer terms is called a latency, i.e. a delay between the input into the processor and the output. In the real world it is the time between the instant you pick the string and the time you actually hear the signal. It feels like I'm losing a bit of the attack in the sound.

I have compared the signal from my old Zoom 9002 (I know this has analog dist but signal goes thru digital) with a Tech 21 SansAmp (analog) and when you really listen to it the difference is clear.

As I'm always on the lookout for new cool guitar sounds I try every new processor on the market and I'm amazed by the difference in latency in those products and how it affects my playing. The attack is completely off in some units and really destroys a good guitar's inherent tone.

The following paragraph has no empirical value whatsoever. Just my subjective feeling.
Low latency digital guitar processors (IMO) are the Yamaha DG-1000 (I use this a lot), Roland DG-88 and Boss GT-5/GT-3. I find the POD to have a slightly higher latency but is still eminently usable. Please observe that this has nothing to do with the authenicity of the digital amp models or effects in the products. Just latency. I still use my Zoom 9002 but only for specific parts where attack has little relevance.

I would be very interested in hearing if any of you have had similar experiences and if there are scientific facts behind my gripe.

Best regards,

Mats Nermark
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#945708 - 08/11/00 07:46 AM Re: Guitar processor latency
Anderton
MP Hall of Fame Member


Registered: 01/28/00
Posts: 7346

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I believe the POD's latency is around 1.2 ms...if that's the case, then just move 1.2 feet closer to the speaker and you should be okay .

I wonder if with some boxes the latency is due more to something else -- maybe a compressor kicking in on a patch, or the initial pick attack being mangled in the conversion process somehow (not in terms of time, but amplitude).

But all this is speculation, let's see what others have to say.
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Craig Anderton
*check out my podcast at www.cyberears.com

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