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Pros:
- Easy to use
- Powerful sound
- Versatile controls
- Effects and modes
- Good quality
Cons:
- A bit big (might be an issue for some)
If you are a modern musician who enjoys experimental music, I am sure you cannot imagine your life without a looper. Though this effect can be utilized in every genre, it shines with unique colors when employed with contemporary sounds. This unit fattens up your tone in a distinctive manner and turns your live performance into unforgettable journey. Back in the day, owning a looper was a luxury, since the majority of the available options occupied your whole pedalboard. That is something we cannot afford and luckily more and more brands are coming out with smaller versions. This way you can incorporate your favorite unit into your rig and avoid sacrificing the rest of your pedal collection. There are countless choices on the market but not all of them deserve your attention. It is easy to get lost in the tangled marketplace of loopers, however, there are ways to make this process easier. And as I have experienced the headache of choosing the pedal myself, I decided to help you and simplify your job. For that reason, today I will be talking about Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper. This particular model is shrunk in size compared to other units from the brand, but still has all the essential features. Let’s begin our journey and investigate the capabilities of this fella!
Features
When you explore the features of several loopers, you will notice that they evolve around the same idea, but they all have certain properties that are different from others. The majority has essential looping properties (i.e. overdub, undo/redo and etc.), but there still are some perks that set them apart from the competition. Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper is one of those, too. Let’s begin with standard features. This fella offers 12 minutes of recording time with 10 different memory slots. This way you can save your favorite pieces right into the pedal and employ them continually whenever needed. In addition, the quality of the audio here is 24-bit A/D/A with 44.1kHz Sample Rate, which is amazing for the price you pay. This means that your original signal will not be degraded once it passes through the looper. 720 Stereo Looper is equipped with Undo/Redo functionality, as well as unlimited overdubs. Let’s not forget that it has Reverse and ½ Speed effects that can be triggered with the help of the footswitch (the latter is programmable and can shift between Stop and FX).
Moving on to the rarer properties, this baby comes with adjustable trail time, meaning that you can modify how fast your loops fade away. You do also have the ability to modify the looping order and choose between Rec/Play/Dub and Rec/Dub/Play configurations. One of the best features of 720 Stereo Looper is that looping can be stopped with a single tap on the footswitch. Though it might not seem like a big deal, it can be a game-changer during live performances. Finally, this baby has stereo operation (i.e. double inputs and outputs) and a dedicated input for external foot controller. Oh, and it can be powered either with a battery or an adapter. Though this pedal is a bit big, the size is easily justifiable with two footswitches and all these amazing features.
Controls
When we are talking about the pedals such as 720 Stereo Looper the amount of control is not based on the quantity of the onboard knobs and switches. It is more about the multiple functionalities that each control is assigned with. The majority of the knobs and switches are programmable here, meaning that you get way more than you initially see. However, I cannot dig too deep here and discuss all the hidden parameters, but I will tell you all about the main controls of 720 Stereo Looper.
First on the panel you will see Level knob, which changes the volume of the loops without interfering with the level of your original signal (which remains at unity gain by the way). Then we have Loop + Push: Mode knob, which does not have any pointers since it can rotate interminably. By pressing this encoder, you have the ability to access mode-select functionality and, thus, choose between three available modes: L (Loop Select), P (Loop Progress) and F (Fadeout Time). Once you choose the desired mode, you can turn the Loop knob to intensify their value. Then we have Reverse and ½ Speed buttons that activate these effects. But you can skip all that fuss, program the Stop/FX footswitch and shift between the effects that way. The Loop footswitch enables you to record, playback or overdub.
Sound
As I have mentioned above, the quality of Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper is out of this world. Everything it does comes off as fantastic, since it will not color your tone to any degree. The effects deliver interesting results: Reverse does exactly what the name indicates, while ½ Speed reduces the pitch by an octave and bisects the rate of your loops. This means that you can have all the fun you want with such a little effort. Three available modes enable you to tailor the character of your looper to your favorite ways of performing. The most exciting of those is definitely Fadeout Time. It gives you the option to stop the looping gradually and make everything sound more natural. And the two-footswitch layout makes everything even more fantastic. Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper delivers jaw-dropping results when utilized in stereo mode. Plus, it gets on with other effects like a house on fire.
Conclusion
To sum up everything said above, Electro Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper is definitely one of the best loopers out there. It is convenient enough to be employed on stage or during rehearsals and allows you to get to know your music to its core. This baby has everything one could ask for and a bit more. You should definitely scrutinize the manual to unveil the full potential of this one, but it is worth it, trust me. At this price point, you will hardly find a better option than this one. Good luck!
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