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Pros:
- Affordable
- Thick tones
- Flexible
Cons:
- Tap Tempo sets the delay time to maximum automatically
- Not the highest quality
You have probably heard countless times that affordable pedals can get the job done pretty decently. If not, it is time I introduce you to this wonderful world, my friend. Due to high competition on the market, the brands that manufacture inexpensive delay pedals had to step up their game and improve the quality of their products. And that is why we have so many affordable variations that have amazing sonic features and do not stop working in a day. Luckily, nowadays everyone can experiment with effects pedals – be it budget players or those who simply want to save up some money. Today I am going to review Joyo D-Seed – an advanced stompbox that will force you to think twice before bashing cheap units. It has some surprising capabilities that are a great addition to the whole package. It does even have some gems that you will not come across in the majority of pedals. If you want to incorporate delay in your effects rig but do not want empty your bank account, then keep on reading! Chances are you will find what you have been looking for.
Features
I have to warn you from the beginning – prepare to be amazed, fella. I do not want you to suffer from emotional shock after this article. Okay, okay, I will stop exaggerating, but I will be honest, the first time I found out about D-Seed I could not speak for a couple of minutes. That’s just me, I guess. Anyway, this pedal has a very pleasing design with the black and white color palette. Four main knobs are mounted on the top of the panel, while the lower part sports two separate footswitches. The build quality is decent and the pedal will last you quite a while, but do not expect it to withstand banging and heavy abuse. I do not know why would you do that, but if you want to, just don’t. More importantly, D-Seed has two different channels that act as preset spots. They allow you to record desired settings and easily recall them whenever needed. Plus, it offers four delay modes: Copy, Analog, Modulation and Reverse. Each of them have their own distinguishing properties and contribute to providing you with an abundance of options. You can set the delay time with the help of Tap Tempo so that your playing is as rhythmical as possible. The only way to supply the unit with power is through the AC adapter, which most of us lean towards to anyway. The circuit of D-Seed is not true bypass, but it still does not suck your tone or produce any noise. Apart from standard connection sockets, this bad boy does also have an input for the external footswitch. The latter allows you to switch between channels without having to bend over constantly and exercise your muscles.
Controls
The control section of Joyo D-Seed is so straightforward that even the first time users will know what to do with it. As you read the labels, you understand how everything works. But I do not want to take any chances and leave you with ambiguous information. That is why I am going to talk some more about technical stuff and discuss the capabilities of each and every control. Let’s begin.
As I have indicated previously, there are four main knobs on the top of the pedal. Mix combines your dry and affected signals and creates the recipe for the perfect delay. Mode allows you to move between four different modes: 1. Copy, 2. Analog, 3. Modulation, 4. Reverse (the knob is numbered instead of having the names of the modes). Time determines how long your delays will be, with the maximum option of 5.94 seconds. F.Back modifies the number of repetitions and plays back your signal as many times as you want.
Moving on to the footswitches, Channel allows you to choose the presets (either A or B) of the D-Seed with a single press, while Bypass activates the pedal. If you press both of them simultaneously, you will activate the Tap Tempo functionality. It will record the desired delay time and once you push the footswitches again, the recording process will stop. Then, Channel will save the tempo duration, while Bypass will allow you to cancel.
JOYO D SEED Delay Sound
The biggest test that Joyo D-Seed had to undergo was the sound. The thing with cheaper pedals is that they do not always have the best sonic quality. However, this particular model does not have that problem. Instead, everything it emits will please your ears and will be usable in your performance. It has full-bodied delay with warm and refined character. The modes offer greater versatility and deliver different types of the effect right at your feet. Copy takes your clean signal, delays and reproduces it without interfering with any of its qualities. This way you have the exact replica of your original sound. Analog has that sweet tone of beloved vintage circuitry, transforming the digital signal path of D-Seed into an analog treat. Modulation adds spatial touch to the effect, which enhances its depth end definition even more. It works the best with clean tones, though. The reverse is a quite interesting mode, as well, since it overturns your sound in a certain way and plays it back. This allows you to drown in the psychedelia of delays. I could not even dream of a better sound at this price point.
Conclusion
On the whole, Joyo D-Seed Dual Channel Digital Delay is one of the best affordable delay pedals. It has all the essential features that are topped with some extras. The versatility of this unit is out of this world and can be easily compared to that of higher-end models. If you get your hands on this pedal, you will be pleasantly surprised. You will have hard time finding the better option in this price range. But you are free to keep on searching. Good luck and may the gods of delay bless your soul!
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