A lack of External FX/Looper units for DJs

[runningoutofspace]

I have the Roland DD-7 & RV-5 for my MP-2015's send/return effects but I am not happy with the results. It often seems that the results are lackluster and I need more options. I have considered using software based effects but the set-up seems to be beyond me. I'm playing vinyl so I also deeply miss the ability to sample a snippet of of live playing music and play it however i want, like I did with the A&H DB4. I don't believe there is a quick fix for all of this but there seems to be not much beyond Pioneer & Roland gear out there for DJs. I know about the OTO BIM, Blue Sky and a few other units but it's not the answer for DJs who also would like to use a little sampling.

Does anyone know of other solutions?

[SlayForMoney]

- what's wrong with Pioneer EFX & RMX units?

- Korg KP3 Kaoss Pad

[SirReal]

Electrix used to make some pretty bad a$$ outboard FX units.

[MUTEDSP3AKER]

I'll second a chaos pad.... Lots of options running into one of those

[Ryan Ruel]

Only problem with the Kaoss is that it's hard to use the same way twice... in other words, it can be very unpredictable. They are fun to play with though!

I think the outboard FX market has been hurt by software. Frankly, you can get more varied and sometimes better results using software. There is something nice about using a hardware effects unit though!

[astromech]

I'm surprised that A&H never made a FX unit.

[SlayForMoney]

I'm surprised that A&H never made a FX unit.

Considering their FX loop doesn't work properly with Pioneer units?

Yeah, I agree. Or Denon at least. Denon mixers always lacked in the FX department but have a good FX loop

[SlayForMoney]

I'll second a chaos pad.... Lots of options running into one of those

looping. kaoss pad(s).

[runningoutofspace]

There's nothing wrong with Pioneer EFX or Korg Kaos units but both aren't really what I'm looking for. If Rane were to release an external FX/Looper unit for the MP-201X mixers, it'd make sense because they know they built the mixers with send/returns but running two sound cards and working out control/signal routing seems to be way too much for me to think about in a live setting. So, I wanted to ask around before I go looking at everything.

In terms on single solutions, the Pioneer EFX units/app seems to be leading in the External DJ FX market but the Korg Kaos are a good suggestion so I will look at the current units before I even consider adding Pioneer products to my set-up.

[coolout]

I would go back and look at the Pioneer EFX units. Looping with the 'echo' fx is probably the easiest and most flexible i've found. It's very easy to tap tempo or use auto tempo detection, set the loop with the toggle switch, then toggle overdubs on top of the loop (no undo layers though).

The EFX 1000 can do up to a 8-beat loop and you can break down and build up the loop using different time divisions for a beat-repeat style effect. You also can use the built-in EQ kills on the loop. If you have the 'hold' button engaged and use the jog wheel, the 'wah' becomes a high pass/low pass-filter and 'zip' becomes a pitch-shift. If you change the 'depth' back to 12 o'clock and bring the time division down, the loop will do a 'echo out' style effect for smooth transition back to your decks.

The EFX 500 will do much of the same, except it will only loop for 4-beats (1-bar) and once you break down the time division, you can't go back to the longer loop length.

I recently went back into my vinyl collection and i've been having a lot of fun playing without a computer. Spinning and live-looping soul/jazz records, and finger drumming my MPC on top. I had a Redsound Cyloops years ago and I regret selling that, so I found a used EFX-500. A bunch of them are out there and you can find them for dirt cheap, usually under $100.

I also messed around with different iOS loopers and FX apps with my iphone and ipads. I used a Traktor Audio 6 and Alesis IO Dock for the audio. They worked OK, but the Pioneer EFX is just simpler and more fun to use. There's something better about just grabbing a toggle switch vs squinting at a screen. I even compared the EFX-500 to the new Pioneer RMX ipad app side-by-side. The app has all the FX and looping of the hardware (way much more than the old EFX-500), but small buttons and knobs on a flat touchscreen take more attention to use accurately. Sometimes less is more.

Also worth noting is Roland just came out with a new looper this week...the RC-202. It's a tabletop unit that seems more in line with the Pioneer EFX than the other guitar-oriented Boss loopers.
http://www.bossus.com/products/rc-202/