I auditioned the Strymon DIG and Blue Sky here in the loop of a Baron 10W combo.
The DIG has a 12-bit mode, which leans more to the early digital delays of the 80’s.
It was nice to use, but needs the optional Mini-switch, so you always have a ‘favourite’ patch to go back to.
The Blue Sky on it’s own with a cleaner guitar, and the chorussed reverb setting - that was nice and very playable, once the tone controls were set. I couldn’t say it’s organic, just quite nice, with obvious quality.
Both pedals handled high loop volumes very well, and worked well together.
The other reverb I used was a shorter ‘room’ to contain the delays for leads.
It was workable, and I’d gig with it, if I had to.
Biggest selling point for me was the Blue Sky having an inbuilt favourite setting, so you have two patches.
I couldn’t fault either pedal to be honest.
Then my Palmer power unit went dead.
I sold both on, and I’ll explain why.
I don’t like trusting my dry signal through successive boxes.
I like to run delays into reverbs, but I don’t want the original DIG input signal to appear at the reverb outputs.
There is simply no way to do that.
I use a Rane SM26S mixer. Always, my time effects are effect only into returns. The DIG needs stereo ‘mix’ out sockets, and separate delay-out sockets. Then both DIG and Blue Sky can return 100% wet to a mixer that has the original signal. But the reverb needs to be presented with both original and delays - with both pedals 100% wet into the mixer.
That way you have first delay into the second, with reverb on original and both delays.
Impossible to do.
In parallel, no problem 100% wet. But I like sequentially building my ambience.
The UA might be a nice pedal, but beware of hit and miss UA apps for firmware updates and control. Also their aftersales at our end is dreadful.
For my practice needs, I’ve gone back to my old trusty rack setup.
Both delays have mix outs and delay outs.
The delay outs and 100% wet reverb go to their own mixer channels.
The two delay’s mix outs are used to sequentially connect to the reverb.
I use a short valve reverb on the combo to purely thicken tone.
The second delay has the repeats of the first on it’s repeats.
The reverb acts on original signal and all repeats.
That pleases me, and is a natural, organic way to work.
The reverb has EQ on it’s input, to shelve bass, to make it more ‘plate-like’.
I use a Joe Meek compressor first in the loop.
At all times, the original signal has it’s own isolated clear path, and is not fed to mixer from the effects, even though it is present on all fx inputs.
bought it!
