The following article is a Boss DD-200 review discussing the features and performance of a very popular delay pedal.
Boss DD-200 Review
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‘Why would you purchase all those different types of delay pedals and waste so precious pedalboard space when you can have everything in a single stompbox’. Let’s presume that this was in minds of Boss engineers some time ago, when they’ve decided to build this pedal. The Boss DD-200 is everything a stage musician needs. It covers all kinds of delay effects and comes with loads of other features that are pretty much essentials these days.
The DD-200 is one of the latest products of the famous Japanese pedal maker, which brings stompbox versatility to a completely new level. Based on the DD-500, it packs everything you’ll ever need from delay effects in an even smaller housing. However, it doesn’t compromise with functionality and practicality and keeps the same level of user experience, which has always been one of the strongest points of Boss pedals and multi-effect processors.
This is the first pedal from the new, so-called 200 series. Soon after, a couple of more pedals were launched, such as EQ-200 Graphic Equalizer, MD-200 Modulation, and OD-200 Hybrid Drive. All these pedals are characterized by amazing versatility, packed in a compact stompbox, which is just a little bit larger compared to the company’s legendary housing design, which dates way back from the ‘70s.
Features and controls
Just a glimpse and you will instantly realize that the DD-200 is based on the capable DD-500 pedal. It closely resembles its visual appearance, so you can notice the same colors and similar buttons and knob configurations. Still, this pedal comes in a more compact package, which makes it even better, in my humble opinion.
While the flagship DD-500 seems like an ultimate recording tool, this one is more like a perfect pedal for the stage. All essential features are included, while the easiness of use is on an even higher level.
One of the things I like most about the pedal is that, despite numerous features, everything is so accessible. Instead of going through the menu, you can access all features through a couple of knobs, which makes everything much simpler and faster.
When it comes to the most important features, we should start with delay effects. There are 12 of them in total, pretty much everything from classic tape echo to all kinds of modern ambient effects. It’s pretty much legal to say it has everything you’ll ever need, at least when it comes to delay effects. This is a very user-friendly pedal and not only that you can quickly find great tones, but you can also store them in one of four memory slots.
The pedal comes with two footswithces and they are customizable, which means you can assign different functions, depending on your preferences and needs in a certain situation.
The number of effects this pedal has is impressive, as well as the number of other useful features. Of course, this is a stereo pedal, so there are two Ins and Outs. Also, there is a lot of room for expansion, as you can connect this stompbox with an expression pedal, as well as with a MIDI controller. Moreover, there is also a USB jack, so you may count on future expansion as well, through firmware updates and similar things.
Once you dial the tone you want, there is a panel lock function, which prevents unwanted changes. Also, there is an analog dry-through, which will keep your basic tone untouched, as well as a buffered bypass, which keeps tone quality at the same level, no matter how long cables you use.
If you think that’s all, you are wrong. There is even a built-in looper, with 60 seconds of recording time.
Tone and Performance
The Boss DD-200 is one of the most versatile delay pedals on the market for sure, but the best thing is that everything is so approachable and amazing tones will come out quickly, no matter if you just want to enhance your guitar tone, or you want to build a perfectly constructed ambient patch.
This is a highly versatile tool for every guitarist, and this pedal isn’t just about the number of effects. The tone quality is actually impressive. Of course, that’s because we are talking about a brand new product, which is built over a mighty 32-bit processor and features the 96kHz sound resolution. Therefore, every delay effect on this pedal sounds rich and natural.
Speaking of the number of delay types, there are 12 of them in total. For those who are looking to enhance their tone, it’s good to know that this pedal features a collection of pretty much everything this company has achieved through several decades of presence in the guitar world.
Naturally, there are old-school effects like Boss’ famous Digital Delay, Tape Echo, Analog and Reverse. All of these sound very familiar, in the manner you would expect from Boss stompboxes. For ambient sounds, Terra and Pad Echo work amazing and you can clearly hear a close resemblance of the excellent TE-2 pedal. Finally, there is a full load of less common effects like Ducking, Lo-Fi, Pattern, Drum etc.
The number of hi-quality effects is big, but that’s not the only thing that makes this pedal versatile. You will realize the huge potential of the DD-200 only after you start to play with knobs, and there are many of them. The upper column consists of knobs that are pretty common for delay pedals, such as Time or Feedback. The second row features knobs that offer an impressive amount of options for manipulation. The Mode knob can completely change the character of the tone, while the Param knob has different assignments, depending on the type of effect you choose, and can drastically affect the tone as well.
As I’ve already mentioned, you can assign different functions to the footswitches, which can also have a huge effect on the tone and the overall usability of the pedal.
Boss DD-200 Conclusion
All in all, the Boss DD-200 is one of the most useful delay pedals you can find on the market. It is a brand-new product, which packs some of Boss’ most iconic sounds into a single stompbox. It may not have as many features as the flagship DD-500, but definitely includes essentials, pretty much everything most guitar players will ever need. On the other side, it offers a much better user experience, thanks to its simplicity and more approachable controls. Simply said, this is a perfect workhorse for your pedalboard.
Customer Review Rating
The Boss DD-200 delay has a rating of 5* out of 5* on Amazon – >>>Check out the Latest Amazon Customer Reviews of the Boss DD-200<<<
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