[Tfug] Opine: Bricks, warts or...?

[Bexley Hall]

--- On Fri, 8/8/08, Rich <r-lists at studiosprocket.com> wrote:

> >> Great stuff, though they tend to be solid state,
> and that means
> >> less tone than a bunch of analog pedals.
> >
> > Not sure what you mean by "solid state" :>  Are the effects
> > processed *digitally* or just "with op amps"?
> 
> I smell terminology abuse. My interpretation:
>   - For "solid state" read "digital".
>   - For "analog" read "solid state".

Yes, that's what prompted my question  :>
 
> In musician's circles there's a bunch of hoodoo
> about how digital is better and/or worse than solid 
> state is better and/or worse than  
> valve/toob/choob. Tube-based stuff is expensive, because
> it's old technology, and doesn't do as much. But it has a
> *lovely* glow.

I think the big "issue" with digital vs. "non-digital"
(avoiding the use of the word "analog") is the fact that
0dB in digital is The End of the Road.  :>

And, "solid state" amps (unless designed to explicitly
emulate the characteristics of tube amps) tend to clip
much more harshly than tube amps.

> BOSS pedals tend to be poorly shielded, but
> you're somehow a "wizard" if you have twenty-three 
> of the buggers on the floor in front
> of you.

Are each of these "effects pedals" (?) used to implement
a *different*/independant effect?  Or, are they intended
to be cascaded (in the order in which they are *wired*)?

I.e., when you turn an effect "off" (however you do that),
does the input signal get passed straight through unaltered?
So, "turn off A, turn on B" is the normal way of operating
vs. "turn on A; turn on B; turn off B; turn off A; etc."

> That is, until you accidentally stomp on the dodgy patch
> lead and the entire signal chain is broken, and you spend 
> 30 minutes of your 45 minute set trying to figure out is 
> it the Octaver, or the DD2?

I guess that's no worse than having to stop a set to change
*batteries*!  :>

> Also, cloth-wrapped cords are better than plastic, because
> it gives a better tone. Tone wasn't available for comment.

ROTFL!  It was probably running around chasing "Gold"...