Re: [Harp-L] Digitech Element and Element XP

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<Mike Fugazzi wrote:
<
<On thegearpage.net, a forum member claiming to be a DT rep posted the following regarding an exchange about the XP on the 23rd:
<"I see you guys have seen the replacements for the RP70 and RP90: The new Element and Element XP, here's what is new:
<
<New pedal oriented interface
<
<New switches
<
<New presets
<
<New industrial design
<
<New dedicated headphone< output
<
<New DC power supply

My comments on these devices stand.  The RP70 and 90 don't have USB ports; neither do these.  The amp models missing from these devices are important to harp players.  A "new industrial design" is nice, but no substitute for the sounds you want and the ability to back up your personal sounds.  As for the new power supply, I am underwhelmed.  The old power supplies made the lights go on, which is about all I need a power supply to do.

Given the amp models that are present in the Element devices (and the teenage headbangers shown in the promo photo), the "new presets" are almost certain to be oriented to guitarists, which isn't helpful for harp players.  The Element pedals include 100 presets and 100 user slots, but most players only use a handful of the dozens of sounds I include with my patch sets now, so 100 user slots represents unneeded capacity for the majority of players.

It'll be interesting to see what Digitech does with the rest of the RP line, if in fact they upgrade it.  I'd say they're about due, especially given the recent upgrades by Line 6 (the HD series) and Zoom (the G3/G3X). They might choose to upgrade the external design to make them easier to use in performance, which would be interesting, but not necessarily justification for an upgrade by itself. 

What I'd really like to see is an A/B switch that would allow me to compare the version of a patch that I'm modifying with the original, along with an Undo button to take me back to the N-1 version of my edits (so I can get back to something that works if I've gone a step too far in editing). One thing is for sure: without an upgrade to a newer chip design, the sound isn't going to change a whole lot.  The DNA2 chip, like any chip, does what it does.  The big change represented by the Elements pedals is that the low-end Digitech devices now include that chip.  

I don't discount Digitech's ability to make great gear at reasonable prices--the RP line in my opinion offers by far the best value for money in any amp modeler line.  I'm just not seeing the advances beyond the 155/255/355/etc. that I need to see to get me off my money. Yet.    

Thanks and regards, RH

author, "Jazz Harp" 
latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
Myspace http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
more mp3s at http://taxi.com/rhunter
Twitter: lightninrick