Many musicians, specially the Boss fans, have loved the 1983 released Boss SDE-3000. One of the most popular delay units in the market used by guitar legends Eddie Van Halen and SRV, the SDE-3000 was so popular they even made Eddie’s signature version. Now Boss has come up with the SDE-3: a compact pedal-board friendly version of the old gem! Experience the core features of the iconic 80’s signature rackmount delay unit, now made more powerful with modern features!
Boss SDE-3: What’s new and how it matches up to its predecessor
Boss has kept the black-and-blue visual appeal same on this one, seems like a tribute to the SDE-3000. The purpose this time is to deliver the same original sound as the predecessor beast SDE-3000 but this time in a much diminished and compact standard pedalboard size.
Going by the product video, we have to say they have got pretty close. Whether the smooth subtle slap backs or the rounded modulated echoes, the pedal definitely lives up to the SDE-3000. Where the SDE-3 outshines the SDE-3000 is a few features it has introduced for the new age musician.
Also read: BOSS Introduces Bassist Oriented Gears : ME90B and Katana Bass Head
Ambient soundscapes and stereo mode
Attaching an additional footswitch to the SDE-3 gives you an option to hold the sound. This opens the door to some epic ambient soundscapes, quite like the MXR Layer or the TC Infinite. You also get discreet stereo inputs and outputs. Which means if incase you want to attach two separated input signals, like maybe a guitar and a synth with separate delays, that IS an option.
For the usual mono signal users, you can switch between the stereo mode and a new pairing mode as well. This new mode allows you to move the delays across the stereo field. Furthermore, the Boss SDE-3 delivers a new ‘Offset’ parameter. Two delays with an absolute time difference of 0 to 100 milliseconds (in the left half up to middle position) allows offsetting one side’s delay to the other.
Whereas in the right or second half, the tempo can be synchronized to the set or tapped tempo, which might be done by a TRS-MIDI. The three other controls are the usual essential primary parameters in a delay pedal: Level, Feedback and Time control. As in the original pedal, this one too comes with an LFO, providing access to secondary dials for level and feedback. The Low Pass filter from the original SDE-3000 is also something we get to see here. Just that we call it Hi Cut this time!
Check out Boss’s official product page to know more!
