Below you’ll find a hardware loop machine (looper) comparison chart solely based on our own experience and needs (data is biased). A chart growing upon experience.
For older models see Per Boysen’s chart.
16.07.19. To be expanded.
Dedicated loop machines
BOSS RC-300 – 2012, converters sound harsh / mostly a (comfortable) playback machine, difficult WAV import or upgrade from RC50 – no ext. app for file conversion – bitdepth downgraded from RC50, Mic in – stereo in – aux in – 2x stereo out – loops 3x stereo, 1.5 sec. – 3 hours, 16/44.1, , 99×3/99, permanent – USB, -, 8 – silent – plus pedal, ??, ??, yes, yes/in-out through, unsynced looping possible – requires to switch loop & tempo sync off on already existing loop
Electrix Repeater – 2005, sounds hard / good for multitrack playback experiments, vintage – Not for live! CF cards go bad/hard to get – faders crackle, stereo in – 4x mono out, 0 – 49 mins (CF 256 MB), 16/44.1, 1/1, 999×4/999, permanent – CF card, -, Digitech FS-3X – FS300 – MIDI foot control, yes, -12 to +12, down to 1% – tap tempo, no/ in-out-through/ MIDI SYNC, time stretching reminds of early AKAI samplers
Electro Harmonix Nano 360- 2014, good / USB missing, not known yet, mono, 6 mins, 24/44.1, 1/1, 11, permanent, yes, 1-silent, -, -, -, -, -
LEXICON JAMMAN – 1993, warm (if slight loss of HF) / very fast looping, vintage – power supply 9V AC, loop mono – through signal stereo, 0 – max. 9/32 sec. w/ memory expansion, 12/32, -, up to 8(9)/0 – seamless change, volatile, -, 2 – silent, -, -, -, no/in-out/ MIDI SYNC, perfect MIDI slave mode
NUX LOOP CORE – 2015, loops may run cut off slightly at end / cheap, 16bit / bass suffers / digital sound, stereo, 6 hours, 16/44.1, 1/1, 99 – seamless change, internal mini SD, 9V, 1 – silent, -, -, more a slice than a stretch but yes/tap tempo, USB backup, 3 stop modes (stop now/ stop at end/fade out 10secs
Oberheim Echoplex Digital Pro – 1998, sounds good (bit dusty) / features are among best ever produced, aged caps and power might need repair, stereo, 0-198 secs., 16/44.1, undo until RAM full/no redo, 16/16, volatile – backup only via MIDI sample dump, , 7 – silent (w/ optional footswitch), yes, half time – half speed – also in record mode, -, no/ in-out through/MIDI sync and Brother Sync, loop slicing – insert new audio into loop
TC Electronics DITTO -2014, pristine – excellent / fast looping, Footswitch can go bad quickly, mono, 0 – 5 mins, 24/44.1 – 32bit internal, 1/1, 1/1, permanent – USB, -, 1 – silent, -, -, -, yes/no/no, smallest looper known to us
TC Electronics DITTO X2 – 2014, pristine – excellent / fast looping, Footswitches can go bad quickly, stereo, 0 – 5 mins, 24/44.1 – 32bit internal, 1/1, 1/1, permanent – USB, yes, 2 – silent, yes/also in record mode, half time – half speed – also in record mode, -, yes/no/no, –
Delays with looping (or “looping” ;)
Electro Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai – 2014, sounds great – ehx typical filtered – modifiable , unknown yet, digital, stereo, 3 secs delay – 30 secs loop, 24/46.88 – internal 32bit, hold down, -, not needed, yes, yes, -, pitch & speed -12/0.5x to +12/2x – separate overdub level – restarts at beginning of loop – incl. EQ
Seymour Duncan SFX-10 Deja Vu 2010, BBD sound, vintage – input always on, Bucket Brigade Device, mono, 3200 ms, -, hold down, yes, no – feedback near 15h, yes, -, -, BBD sound – lovely dirty – true bypass
VESTAX DDG-1 1996, clear / analog input can be distorted nicely / good for special fx, vintage – potis and switches break – _very hard to replace (ALPS special kinds), digital, stereo, 1-4 – 4-16 – 16-64 – 64-256 256-1024 ms, 16/unknown, tape mode – hold button, -, yes, -, -, -, delay in 5 different ranges – table device
Dear manufacturers: Please use quality parts only.
