Time Factor Looper

[cattaneo]

Hi folks,

first of all, I have to say I'm so thrilled with my time Factor. Amazing unit. Plus, I'm the only guy I know of in Montreal who has one, and some jaws are dropping for sure.

BUT… the looper is a big disappointement for me. It's basically unsuable. The cross-fade glitch is way bigger than in the line6. One way around the glitch in the Line6 is too record one pass with no sound and once the lenght of the loop is back to the starting point, then start recording. That works only for "non-rhythmical loops" such pads with the e-bow for example. But in the Time Factor, forget it. 

Other big issue for me is the lack of a reverse mode. If Line6 can do it, Eventide should too! Being able to go back and forth to and from reverse is a huge help in creating soundscapes. My suggestion would be for you guys to hire a guy like David Torn and get his advice on looping. 

 (I haven't upgraded to 2.0 yet so if you now have a reverse mode in looping.. euh, thanks!)

 The Time Factor is a killer delay pedal, period. But if it could loop decently, that would be a huge plus for me.

[IDeangelis]

 Hi Cattaneo

the looper has been improved in the last beta OS. Nevertheless don't expect TimeFactor looping to be the same as in a specialized looping device.

We know David well and what he does w/Echoplex, Pcm42, Repeater, etc is truly amazing…but our pedal is *not* a dedicated looper nor very likely it will be.

It's a specialized delay pedal with some limited looping functions. These will be improved in time…but the product remains a delay.

sll the best

I 

[cattaneo]

Thanks for the reply. I understand. Still, I hope a reverse mode on the looper becomes available sometime in the future.

A

[teddybutter]

I don't hear the glitch you are talking about.

I too want reverse looping though. don't make me go out and buy an RC-2…

Teddy

[DGillespie]

The glitch should be fixed in Version 2, try it out and let us know if it is.

[mcalldp]

 I've got the latest beta version of the software and don't have any issues with the looper transport functions at all. However, the volume drop IS a large issue for me in regards to the looper.

I have had other buggy things going on with the transport functions but nothing with the looper. Did you get the latest firmware yet?

The only issues I've had with transport functions are when going from live mode to bank mode, the bank that is active (switch light is on) does not have the effects engaged. I have to switch to another bank, then back and activate the bank again.

 Argggggg 

[arcadesonfire]

 I just wanted to say real quick that i've finally been playing around with the looper this week, and i hear a sizeable glitch between the end of a loop and the start of a new one. I don't have much experience with loopers and didn't know that they would employ crossfades, but from playing with the Timefactor looper, i'm convinced a crossfade would be an enormous advantage. A user controlled crossfade would be even better! But i think all the knobs are already assigned important functions with the looper, right?

 Anyway, i just wanted to put in another vote for a better crossfade.

[mcalldp]

 There is a setting to change that fixes this. I can't remmber what I had to do but I found the information in another looper related thread on this board, so you can probably find it if you search. It seems like it was a system level change and was very easy, took just a moment and there is not gap between the stop and start of the loop now.

[arcadesonfire]

 Hmm, well first of all, the DLY Mix knob isn't in use with the looper… perhaps that could be a crossfade control?

 Anyway, thanks for trying to help out mcalldp… but i've been looking around the forum and looked throught the manual again and can't find any settings directly addressing this. Do you think you perhaps cut back the loop end time (the delay B knob i think) a little bit or manipulated the delay start and end times? I suppose if i can set those up just once to get a good sound with whatever loop time i tap in, i'd be happy, but i'm rather opposed to the idea of bending over during a concert and subjecting the audience to listening to me dialing in the exact right start and end times for my loop… i'd prefer to do all the tempo work with my feet.

[mcalldp]

From what I am understanding you are saying that there is a gap between, when you hit the stop button and when the loop starts. So in your loop there is a silent gap? If I am wrong let me know. I was having an issue like that and there was something in the main settings I changed and I can not remember what (Was doing a lot of tweaking when I first got it) I know I got the information on this forum though. It seems like there is a type setting for something and you switch it to a different type, I know that does not help at all but if you go into system settings you may find it…I'm at work and have no way to look through the menu myself right now. I'm sure someone else with more specific knowledge can chime in here as well.

[arcadesonfire]

hmm… i'm not sure where exactly the gap is occuring, sorry i can't be more specific at the moment. i know that when i first started playing with the loop, the start time was up a bit, so it was cutting off the beginning of each loop, so i fixed that…

i'm at work too, so i can't mess around with the pedal; i just looked through the manual online and couldn't find an applicable system setting. maybe turning spillover on would fix this? 

[mcalldp]

I did turn spillover on, that may well be it…..let me know if that works for ya!

[arcadesonfire]

ok, i've been home playing with the bypass modes, and i don't think the spillover is the fix (which i'm very happy about, since i discovered that true bypass really does benefit my setup… at least i can hear a subtle increase in noise when i flip from Relay to either of the DSP modes)…

 So, here are a few issues: for one thing, i just need to practice looping patterns and hitting the repeat switch at exactly the right time. However, THERE IS STILL A VOLUME GLITCH! a hiccup when the loop restarts. To test this, i put my ebow on the string so that it's playing a constant note. I start recording then stop (i've tried various time spans) and each time the loop restarts, there's a hiccup… so, while pattern playing won't be too affected, playing ambient loops will be. A crossfade could fix this.

 Finally, i think there's an even more serious problem. If i record a short pattern, so that the meter gets to 5bits and then repeats, the first loop plays just fine, but every subsequent loop is shortened. Someone else must have discovered this… i thought i was on the most recent software, but maybe not? Or i might be crazy. This will require more testing and a note in the general bug thread.

[arcadesonfire]

edit to my previous post, the truncating doesn't happen to short loops; it happens to loops that just barely go into the next bit. See my explanation in the "bugs" thread.

[18watt]

I also noted the truncation, and emailed Eventide before these fora were available.

The truncation is a show-stopper – it must be fixed in 2.0. Looping is unusable live until it is.

Eventide people, is this on your fix list? Thanks!

[Porkchop Xpress]

I know that the Timefactor isn't a dedicated looper, but I was curious why the looper doesn't support a delayed signal.  I sold my DL-4 and avother couple of pedals to buy this one and I'll be honest, I miss the decent quality looper (with delayed signal) that  the DL-4 had.  Obviously the delays and other effects are far superior on the Timefactor, but is there any chance of seeing a delay in looper mode in a future beta release?  Thanks, Dave.

[mcalldp]

Totally agree, I hate losing any delay effect because I am looping 🙁

[kagakuninja]

I don't care about having a lame delay after my looper, as on the Line 6.  Put a boss delay after the TF if that is what you need.  I need a looper that can make seamless loops.  The DL4 and EDP both did this just fine.

[cosmorama]

Yes, I confirm. The loop re-starts before having completed the whole recorded pattern… Endless problems with the 2.0 beta… I suggest to reinstall the 1.1 until the bugs are 100% resolved.

[gtodd876]

 I came to the forum because I do indeed love the timefactor pedal but I am having problems with pops and clicks from the end of the loops to the return of the beginning of the loop. I am using version 2. I completely understand that this is not a dedicated looping device BUT if you have the looping feature it should work without glitches. If its glitchy then why take the time to include that feature. I'm not looking for any extra features just want to get the features that are present to work musically. Maybe I have a setting wrong but I have read the looping part of the manual and have tried changing settings. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Todd

[Billy Foppiano]

I agree totally with the truncation glitch….It's bad and usable…Please fix this..

First time thru, ok, and then it truncates…

[drkam6]

Hello, I just acquired a Time Factor as well. My intention was to use both the delays and the looper, replacing a Line 6 DL4, I notice that several users have also done this. The delays are superb, but the looper has the truncation problem explained above.

Like the other users, I'm also using an eBow to create soundscapes. It is really a pity that the looper has the bump of the truncation glitch. Its sound quality is excellent. Please, please fix this so that the crossfade between loop start and end functions correctly.

As other users mention, a reverse feature would be highly welcomed.

IDeangelis mentioned: "We know David well and what he does w/Echoplex, Pcm42, Repeater, etc is truly amazing…but our pedal is *not* a dedicated looper nor very likely it will be. It's a specialized delay pedal with some limited looping functions. These will be improved in time…but the product remains a delay."

I would comment: That is quite fine; Time Factor is a delay unit. But if Line 6 managed to put out a product with lesser audio quality and more efficiency functionwise, I believe given the higher quality and respectability of Eventide the functionality of the Time Factor should have been up to par. We don't want an Echoplex DP/PCM42/Repeater; we'd just like to have a very good basic and useful looper with no glitches… Given the higher tag price these issues should be fixed asap. I also didn't know that this box was made in China.

I wonder if I can fade the loop in and out with the expression pedal (as I did on the Line 6), hopefully it works.

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