Due to indisputable market factors, there is the tendency of manufacturers to churn out so-called “transversal” products, able to offer functions that can satisfy the largest possible number of users. So you find yourself buying loopstations that have guitar effects, vocal effects that have built-in loopstations, acoustic guitar amps that are fine for any instrument, acoustic guitars that also sound like classics, amps that simulate other amps…. After all the exaggerations there is then a return to the essential. Here is a loopstation that makes the loopstation: play / rec / overdub / erase… that's enough! Digitech has stripped the evolved loopstation by extracting the minimum component. The interesting thing is that he made it modular, we can build our own structure… follow me!
How it works
The mechanism is very simple. As the manual illustrates minimal accompanying 1 page (online there is something more anyway):
- 1 click to start recording
- 1 more click to stop recording and go to play
- 1 more click to record over the previous track in overdub
- 1 press for a few seconds to undo the last recording (undo)
- 1 press for a few seconds if we think about it and want to restore the last recording (redo)
- 2 quick clicks to stop
- 1 click of 2 seconds to cancel
3 led lights: red, yellow, green, indicate its status.
It is possible to record infinite overlapping tracks of the same length as the first for up to 10 stereo minutes (nothing is saved by recording mono, in case someone asks me).
Having 2 mono channels in and 2 out would also be possible to record 2 instruments simultaneously.
Jam Mann
The sound is very clean, 24 bits can be heard. The volume controls the level of the recorded track. When the pedal is off, the input sound is projected out without changing what is defined True Bypass.
Supply.
The XT works with a 9 volts battery that is activated by inserting an input jack. All is well except that with a jack inserted, even if turned off, the battery continues to be used. Moral? A couple of hours with the loop off and a jack inserted and you need to change the battery.
Alternatively, it is possible to purchase an additional 9V power supply (standard connections, easily available even if not original).
Loopstation Orchestra - the modular loopstation
Here's the intriguing thing about this loop. On the back there is a door Jamsync, a simple 1/8 stereo jack. We can connect 2 or more XTs in series creating our own loopstation with the desired number of channels. You need a 1/8 stereo cable for sync for each additional pedal and two 1/4 mono audio cables to connect the OUTs of one pedal to the INs of the other. In this chain he controls the first pedal (master - Jamsync out) and the audio comes out from the last. There are no numerical limits to this series.
Interesting scenarios open up. What would you say about a band with loopstations all synchronized with each other?
But pay attention to synchronization. Loop technology on the market has accustomed us to synchronizations based on track tempo, midi clock, internal clock, tap, etc. There's nothing here. Synchronization is based on the track length of the master XT (all others are slaves).
This means that the master records a track and only afterwards one of the slaves (or more) can play a second track with a multiple length of the first (not shorter). If you press the rec of one of the slave pedals while the master has not finished yet or is in the middle of the loop playback, the light flashes to indicate that we have to wait and that as soon as our lap arrives the recording / playback will be activated.
In any case, the thing is stimulating!
If the master goes into STOP, all the slaves go there too.
In addition to XT Express, the most advanced can also be synchronized JamMan Solo XT of Digitech. In practice it is like breaking down a loopstation into many pieces and each component plays one in a synchronized manner.
If the master loopstation clears its memory the others are not cleared. Each is independent. In any case, in such a hypothesis each loopstation has to clear the memory autonomously because it is unlikely that the stored tracks can be reused with a new master recording (not having a synchronization based on a click).
False myths
On many sites, including some distributor pages, it says "unlimited undo " (probably deriving from a bad Italian translation then rebounded on the net). As is typically the case with hardware loopstations, that's not true!
You can do unlimited undo and redo but always from the same recording (useless, therefore, if you don't have some compulsive pathology…). It is therefore not possible to go back to 3 previous recordings or make sequences of undo-undo but only undo-redo-undo-redo and so on!
A feature that I found trivial is praised by many, perhaps it is I who have not grasped the nuances or who am used to loopstations that have always had this function, the Silent Clear, Digitech registered trademark… you can practically delete a track by holding the pedal down for 2 seconds. Mah.
PRO
Does what it promises, clean, simple sound, minimal footprint.
Modular structure. Affordable price.
AGAINST
Perhaps for the average spoiled user it is too minimal, he does not have a headset, not a reverb, in short, it requires a minimum of organization to be able to fully use it.
Beware of battery consumption.
Technical data:
- 10 minutes of stereo recording
- True bypass
- JamSync ™
- Silent Clear ™
- Separate LEDs to indicate Record, Overdub, and Play Status
- Unlimited overdubs
- REDO / UNDO (1 level)
- Works with 9V battery (included) or optional power supply
- Durable metal chassis
- 24-bit 44.1kHz sample rate
Productions: Digitech
Price: 99,00 €
The following video shows the connection of 2 Jamman in master-slave configuration and some simple functions of use. In fact it is like working with a 2 channel loopstation.
In the video you can see that if you try to activate the second track before the first has finished the loop, it puts it on hold (flashes in the armed) and starts automatically when it's his turn.
Good vision to all!
Fabio Pesce
To get as many customers as possible, the musical market is producing more and more products with infinite functions. It happens to buy effects with on board loop-station, loop-stations with effects, electric guitars playing like classical ones, amplifiers replicating others… After all this it happens that few things come back to their roots. Digitech made a loop-station that simply does the loop-station! They extracted the smallest possible element to create a modular system (if needed). Follow me!
how does it work
As the one-page-manual in the box makes us understand, it's really easy (there's more on the web if you want):
- 1 click to start recording
- 1 click to play the recorded part
- 1 click to overdub
- 1 long click to undo
- 1 long click if you want to redo
- 2 fast clicks to stop
- 1 long click to erase after stopped
3 LED lights indicate the state: red (record), yellow (overdub), green (play)
You can overdub as many layers you want of the same length as the first one, for 10 minutes maximum (stereo)
Having 2 input channels it's possible to record 2 mono instruments at the same time (no independent volumes)
Jam Mann
The sound is really clean, 24 bits. The volume knob controls the level of the recorded track. If the JamMan is switched off the input sound goes directly to the out port. It's the Digitech True Bypass
Power supply
XT works with a common 9V battery. The supply circuit is activated by the input jack. Don't forget the jack in because even if the pedal is switched off it will very quickly empty the battery.
You can also buy the additional 9V external power supply (it's a common pedal power supply, easy to find).
Loopstation Orchestra – the modular loop-station
The interesting thing about this little looper is the possibility of building a chain using the Jamsync port (a simple 1/8 stereo jack).
You can connect 2 or more pedals to build your own loop-station, with as many channels you need. You need one 1/8 stereo jack to connect the Jamsync out of one pedal with the Jamsync IN of the other, 2 mono 1/4 cables to connect the OUT ports of the first one to the second (and so on if you continue the chain). You'll take the audio out from the last one of the series.
I see new scenes! What do you think of a band using more pedals all connected together?
Just two words about the synchronization system. You'll be probably used to have midi sync, internal clock, tap… you'll find nothing here! The sync is based on the length of the first loop, the master (all the others are called Slaves)
This means that while the master is recording the first track nobody else can record anything. After that, the other pedals can record tracks with a length multiple of the first. If you try to record or stop recording too soon, the red light starts blinking to indicate you have to wait. When it's our turn the slave pedal starts recording (or playing). It's like you arm the pedal waiting for your turn.
Btw, it's a funny thing to think.
If the master stops all the slaves will be stopped.
JamMan XT Express can be synchronized with Digitech JamMan Solo XT too. It's like a loop-station decomposition into many synchronized elements.
Silent Clear
On Digitech website they praise the new Silent Clear. It's just the way you can delete the recorded track by pressing for 2 seconds the button (“is the first looper to feature DigiTech's new Silent Clear”). I saw it before. Meh…
In a chain each pedal is independent. If the master clears his memory the others are not affected.
PROS
It does what it promises. Clean, easy, small.
Modular. Easy price.
CONS
This minimal loop-station is probably too minimal for the common customer.
Be careful with the 9V battery consumption.
Technical data:
| A/D Converter | 24 bit |
| Analog Inputs | 2 x 1/4″ (R/L), 1/8″ JamSync In |
| Analog Outputs | 2 x 1/4″ (R/L), 1/8″ JamSync Out |
| Battery Life | Approximately 2 hours |
| Battery Type | 9V DC |
| Size | 4.5” (L) x 2.75” (W) x 2” (H) |
| Unit Weight | 0.6 lbs |
| Sample Rate | 44.1kHz |
Price: 99,00 €
The following short video shows the common use of 2 Jamman XT connected through Jamsync. I's like working with a 2 channel loop-station.
In the video you can see what happens when you try to record with the second pedal before the first has finished. It blinks waiting for its turn.
Stay tuned!
