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stahlhart
Platinum Member
1318 Posts |
 Posted - 01/28/2006 : 00:22:08
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Well, it's here. And it really sounds wonderful.
Differences I'm noting between the DC-2 and the DC-3... the DC-2 is QUIET. It seems bizarre to be stating it in capital letters like that, but I hear absolutely nothing in the background when it's switched on -- completely transparent. The DC-3 adds a slight amount of background hiss. An analog pedal quieter than its digital equivalent, how about that.
I get some really interesting sounds with both of them running at the same time.
The DC-2 seems to have slightly more clarity than the DC-3 -- almost like the DC-3's "wet" signal is midrangey, whereas the DC-2's wet and dry signals are more closely matched. The overall effect seems to be that the attack of notes through the DC-2 is more defined, whereas with the DC-3 the edges are slightly rounded.
I'm finding the DC-2 to be much like my Maestro phase shifter in terms of the preset buttons -- you go in thinking that it's a limitation compared to continuously adjustable knobs, but instead the buttons give you more or less the exact sounds you'd end up dialing in, rending the point moot.
Well, that's my take. I'm still keeping them both, though.  I still like the DC-3, too.
C.K.
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phostenix
Gold Member
USA
754 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 02:43:01
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Why do you keep making me want to buy these things? Someone make him stop! 
O.K., O.K., I'll have to get one of those now, too. I gotta start sellin' some stuff around here....
Grace and peace,
Steve
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RRV-10
Silver Member
Australia
246 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 07:13:44
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I had a DC-2, and in the end the prospect of making $70 led me to sell it (paid 120, knew I could 200 on ebay). I felt very restricted by the presets - they weren't bad sounding but after I had ran through all four it was a bit 'Oh, is this it?', which I admit is stupid because it's obvious it only has four sounds but for some reason I had to have the pedal in my hands before the truth of this really hit me. I disagree with the Stan re the presets - often I found myself wanting a half-way house between 1 and 2, or 2 and 3 and I couldn't have it. In stereo it was fantastic but because I disliked preset 4 it was a one trick pony ultimately. By the end of the week I was bored and had my eye on a replacement. It's also terrible with distortion.
There you have it - the only negative reveiw ever written about the DC-2. |
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phostenix
Gold Member
USA
754 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 08:03:17
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Heresy!
Run that man out of town on a llama!
ebay is a wonderful thing. You hate, we love. Everybody wins.
Grace and peace,
Steve
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Edited by - phostenix on 01/28/2006 08:05:32 |
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Sunburst
Silver Member
427 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 11:00:32
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Welcome to the DC-2/DC-3 owners club! I think everyone should aspire to become a member sooner or later.
According to the Boss Book the DC-2 has a noise reduction cirquit built in. I dont however notice any difference between the DC-2 and DC-3, but I havent really compared them this way. So I have to check that out.
quote:
Originally posted by stahlhart
Well, it's here. And it really sounds wonderful.
Differences I'm noting between the DC-2 and the DC-3... the DC-2 is QUIET. It seems bizarre to be stating it in capital letters like that, but I hear absolutely nothing in the background when it's switched on -- completely transparent. The DC-3 adds a slight amount of background hiss. An analog pedal quieter than its digital equivalent, how about that.
I get some really interesting sounds with both of them running at the same time.
The DC-2 seems to have slightly more clarity than the DC-3 -- almost like the DC-3's "wet" signal is midrangey, whereas the DC-2's wet and dry signals are more closely matched. The overall effect seems to be that the attack of notes through the DC-2 is more defined, whereas with the DC-3 the edges are slightly rounded.
I'm finding the DC-2 to be much like my Maestro phase shifter in terms of the preset buttons -- you go in thinking that it's a limitation compared to continuously adjustable knobs, but instead the buttons give you more or less the exact sounds you'd end up dialing in, rending the point moot.
Well, that's my take. I'm still keeping them both, though. I still like the DC-3, too.
C.K.
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Edited by - Sunburst on 01/28/2006 11:04:35 |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 17:57:35
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So it is DC-2 time eh??
Stahlhart how does your pedal sound: Deep or very very subtle? Preset nr. 4 does it give you leslie-effect or...........?? Toggeling from preset 4 to 1 do you experience that the sound slows down a lot or..................??
You see I believe some people may not like it because it may be too subtle for their likings. Having two of them, I know they can sound very differently. If I just had the subtle one, I would certainly think the pedal is overhyped, but then the other one sounds very VERY deep. Great for having them both in your signalpath and to A/B from one to the other while you play a different phrase.
If yours is a weak sounding DC-2 I am sure you could alter this easily by tweaking the trimpots a little. There are two of them, have not touched them. I think they control Depth of chorus, and the Signal, changing their settings one can easily see that you will end up with a stronger [or weaker] sounding unit.
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stahlhart
Platinum Member
1318 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 21:14:15
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quote:
Originally posted by visserman
Stahlhart how does your pedal sound: Deep or very very subtle? Preset nr. 4 does it give you leslie-effect or...........?? Toggeling from preset 4 to 1 do you experience that the sound slows down a lot or..................??
I would have to rate mine as subtle. It sounds to me that the four presets are simply progressively deeper from 1 through 4; apart from that I don't notice too much variation in them.
I might need to spend some more time with it, though. Plus, I've never heard a Leslie cabinet up close and in person, where I'd have in my mind a distinct picture of its characteristics that I could compare other sounds to.
quote:
Originally posted by visserman
You see I believe some people may not like it because it may be too subtle for their likings. Having two of them, I know they can sound very differently. If I just had the subtle one, I would certainly think the pedal is overhyped, but then the other one sounds very VERY deep. Great for having them both in your signalpath and to A/B from one to the other while you play a different phrase.
If yours is a weak sounding DC-2 I am sure you could alter this easily by tweaking the trimpots a little. There are two of them, have not touched them. I think they control Depth of chorus, and the Signal, changing their settings one can easily see that you will end up with a stronger [or weaker] sounding unit.
Well, in my case, I already had a DC-3, so I pretty much knew going in what it was going to sound like, so I didn't have any expectations that were not going to be met exactly. I was expecting something like the DC-3, but with more analog character than digital, and that was pretty much what I came up with.
It's like categorizing effects two ways: you've got "gimmick" type effects that jump out at people, and then more subtle effects that alter the tone or character of the sound. Something like a dimension or chorus pedal I'd put in the latter category, whereas something like a wah-wah pedal or an octaver I'd consider to be more of a "gimmick" -- you throw those things in for an interesting moment when the music seems to call for it, but you have to be careful not to overdo it or go for it too often. But a dimension pedal can just sort of sit there in the background chugging away and can become a part of your sound, or if you're looking to create a certain sort of atmosphere overall.
My amplifier is still work-in-progress at this point, so I'm not sure how distortion in the sound and how it works in general with the effects is going to turn out. But I agree that you can run into problems here -- I don't think that they're insurmountable, only that it might take some work to find the right combination of stuff to get it all to work together.
C.K.
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phostenix
Gold Member
USA
754 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2006 : 23:31:16
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quote:
If yours is a weak sounding DC-2 I am sure you could alter this easily by tweaking the trimpots a little.
Just like in the CE-2, the trimpots are the bias voltage for the BBD chips. This sets the level of "virtual ground" for the OpAmps. Tweaking them may make a difference in the sound, but they are there ot adjust for minimum distortion with a large signal going into the chorus pedal.
Grace and peace,
Steve
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2006 : 18:19:33
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quote:
Originally posted by phostenix
quote:
If yours is a weak sounding DC-2 I am sure you could alter this easily by tweaking the trimpots a little.
Just like in the CE-2, the trimpots are the bias voltage for the BBD chips. This sets the level of "virtual ground" for the OpAmps. Tweaking them may make a difference in the sound, but they are there ot adjust for minimum distortion with a large signal going into the chorus pedal.
Grace and peace,
Steve
So are saying : "Whatever you do, do not touch those trimpots"!! ????
Stahlhart: Thank you Sir, I agree with what you mentioned before [are we all getting old and conservative here??!!]
Leslie effects can be found on numoureous recordings. Thinking of some Clapton, the kind of stuff he played during his "Derec and the Doninoes" period, but cannot think of any specific songs or moments.
George Harrison used the leslie sound often as well [Perhaps it was Clapton who appeared often as a guest on Harrison's albums, who used that sound] thinking of the first Solo album, am I sure you will recognise the sound when you hear it.
Into of "Hotel California" by the Eagles, the sound in the very beginning, but then this may be a bad example as the sound is very weak and sublte, also quite a few guitars are playing there at that very moment before the song picks up momentum. Used to play that song on a tape through the actual leslie cab. of the organ, great sound man!! Very spacious!! |
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phostenix
Gold Member
USA
754 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2006 : 18:39:01
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quote:
So are saying : "Whatever you do, do not touch those trimpots"!! ????
No, I've posted a couple of times before about this issue with the CE-2. It's best to set those pots with a 'scope, but you can do it by ear if you've got another person to turn the pot while you play something like big chords on a guitar with hot pickups into the chorus pedal (or a clean booster in front of the chorus). Set the pots for minimum distortion.
If your chorus pedal handles hot signals without distorting, it probably doesn't need to be tweaked.
Grace and peace,
Steve
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stahlhart
Platinum Member
1318 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2006 : 03:11:21
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quote:
Originally posted by visserman
George Harrison used the leslie sound often as well [Perhaps it was Clapton who appeared often as a guest on Harrison's albums, who used that sound] thinking of the first Solo album, am I sure you will recognise the sound when you hear it.
If you are referring to "All Things Must Pass" -- it's funny that you should mention this album, as it's one of my all-time favorites. I got it for Christmas as a child (vinyl), and still have it, though the box is in pretty bad shape now. I've never really paid extremely close attention to the instruments on the songs, but now you've given me a reason to do that...
C.K.
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 01/31/2006 : 12:00:39
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Yep Stahlhart, that is the album I meant, and you will find some "lesliemoments" on it. Lovely warm sounding album. I have the vinyl version as well, in fact I still play more vinyl that CD's, the the cover is well worn as well but that really does not matter eh?
Steve: Yeah I have read your comments about this issue before, thanks, think I do not need to do any tweaking as the pedals sound fine. |
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svengali
Bronze Member
Australia
111 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 01:03:05
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hello,
i always thought my dc 2 sounded a little thin, especially next to one of the ce 2s i have.
so i tweaked.
And It Was Good.
with the unit plugged in and guitar on, i turned each trimpot until i got this fat sound..it wasnt gradual..suddenly while turning the trimpot the sound just got thick.
Now the sound is thick yet still hi-fi sh. i use this pedal when i get bored and require another perspective.
In stereo on button four this pedal goes goes bananas..fantastic.i do However prefer button one.
Also, i like the color of this pedal..it makes me happy. Although usually emabarrassed about this i feel free to mention this in this forum.
for day to day use at home i use two ce 2 pedals, one to each amp.now that is a cool sound.(rate all the way down, depth all the way up.)
regards
svengali |
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stahlhart
Platinum Member
1318 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 01:55:32
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quote:
Originally posted by svengali
hello,
i always thought my dc 2 sounded a little thin, especially next to one of the ce 2s i have.
so i tweaked.
And It Was Good.
with the unit plugged in and guitar on, i turned each trimpot until i got this fat sound..it wasnt gradual..suddenly while turning the trimpot the sound just got thick.
Now the sound is thick yet still hi-fi sh. i use this pedal when i get bored and require another perspective.
In stereo on button four this pedal goes goes bananas..fantastic.i do However prefer button one.
Also, i like the color of this pedal..it makes me happy. Although usually emabarrassed about this i feel free to mention this in this forum.
for day to day use at home i use two ce 2 pedals, one to each amp.now that is a cool sound.(rate all the way down, depth all the way up.)
regards
svengali
You're braver than I am. I'm really apprehensive about tampering with mine -- Boss Freak's experience with the PH-2 keeps coming out of memory at the thought of it. But I'm really glad to hear that you got some additional oomph out of yours... 
Since I've also got a CE-2 and a DC-3, there's no shortage of modulation here, and I can always combine two of them if I want to thicken the sound up -- I had really good luck with running the CE-2 into the DC-3, and then using the latter to just add a touch more width. The sound that Alex Lifeson had on the "Hemispheres" album was what I was attempting to emulate; I think that there the added width came from multiple chorused rhythm tracks overdubbed on top of one another, because you just can't get that much dimensioning from a single chorus unit without the pitch bending getting too out of control.
C.K.
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svengali
Bronze Member
Australia
111 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 03:42:20
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before i ever tamper with anything i always check harmony central.
for instance, i will not tamper with my dm 2. The reason why i would not is carefully explained in the review section for the pedal on that site.
someone else had tampered with a dc 2, someone who sounded like he had half a brain..so i trusted him.
i would not mess with that phaser you mentioned because of the feedback.
also, the dm 2 has thick goo on the pots. thats self explanatory i reckon.
i like your thinking re one chorus pedal into another..im going to chain a couple up right now!
regards
svengali. |
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visserman
Platinum Member
1072 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2006 : 13:16:10
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quote:
Originally posted by svengali
hello,
i always thought my dc 2 sounded a little thin, especially next to one of the ce 2s i have.
so i tweaked.
And It Was Good.
with the unit plugged in and guitar on, i turned each trimpot until i got this fat sound..it wasnt gradual..suddenly while turning the trimpot the sound just got thick.
Now the sound is thick yet still hi-fi sh. i use this pedal when i get bored and require another perspective.
In stereo on button four this pedal goes goes bananas..fantastic.i do However prefer button one.
Also, i like the color of this pedal..it makes me happy. Although usually emabarrassed about this i feel free to mention this in this forum.
for day to day use at home i use two ce 2 pedals, one to each amp.now that is a cool sound.(rate all the way down, depth all the way up.)
regards
svengali
Great to hear that you did change the trimposts, perhaps not so great to hear that this tweaking will end up with one preset being a little too extreme.
And yep, running choruses into each other is the way to make them thicker..........add a little delay and the sound becomes even thicker. |
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DC-2 Redux
