TC Electronic Ditto X4 Looper Effects Pedal

Owned 2. Both short our eventually and cannot be fixed. All leds display and it becomes non functional. Don't buy

Okay... so... I bought mine years ago. For background: I'm a long time "looper" and longtime Ditto customer. The OG dittos were a revelation for me getting back into looping: simple, amazing playback, and a great platform. Cut to a few years later and I wanted to loop with digital drums live. I also wanted access to A and B parts as well as "sections" as well as MIDI. I use an Alesis SR16 with the idea of syncing the looper. I can admit to letting the looper sit for months in the box instead of diving in to work out the kinks. Let's just say that there were MAJOR problems: the first show I played the looper went dead on me DURING THE SHOW! I was able to get it to start back on though I had problem trusting it. I ended up selling the looper back to GC... only to buy the exact same one BACK (like, literally the original one I bought was still in the used section LOL). I started working with it for real and found out it needed a firmware update. I did that... and it worked for a while but then the thing LEGIT died. Like "bricked". I reached out to the manufacturer and mailed it to an authorized repair place in Atlanta where they reseated the SD card. That was several years ago and, actually, it's great now. I think these have so much potential and I HATE giving any product less than 5 stars. I just feel that selling something that has so many challenges to work out isn't right. I'd like to see a complete redesign of the 4X - I'd like to see the "effects" center gone and the three remaining switched spread out with the remaining space for a more space conscious design. The playback rocks, it's all there: just needs some love. I would recommend it if you know what you're looking for.

Absolutely the best conceived design if you want a simple 2 track looper that doesn't take up tons of space, sounds great, and is easy to operate. Unfortunately even after updating the firmware, it locked up and 'bricked' after 8 days. What's worse is it was only the 4th time I used it. I should have known better after reading all the reviews with the same issue. Thankfully I'm well within GC's generous return policy, but it's a shame as the other loopers I like are 2x the cost. I guess you get what you pay for.

Most likely, the microSD card is loose in it's slot. Get a Torx#10, a few foam sticky bumpers or electrical tape. Open the back cover. Put tape or a foam bumper on the SD card, AFTER you've pushed it all the way in. I put a bumper on the back cover, over the same spot, to put a bit of downward pressure on it. This should do the trick. Then you can do the firmware update (follow instructions). Last tip - don't mash the tactile foot-switch buttons too hard, just not necessary. Stomping the box is not the fix for the memory card issue. TC should have made a clip on this. A simple fix for about 10 cents.

The box will be fine for up to a year or less. Once you hear bursts of white noise during your recording, you are almost done. You will attempt to upgrade the firmware to get around the X4 bing stuck with all the lights on amber. Nothing will work. If you have an extended warrante, you can exchange. So, do not buy this off second hand, and if you buy, get replacement coverage. When your coverage goes out. make a paper weight or door stop out of it.

DO NOT BUY. I HATE to leave this review. I LOVE the original ditto. I love this too... when it works. I have rarely found a piece of equipment so infuriating. When it works, the sound quality is great, but there are some huge drawbacks. First, at random intervals, like maybe every 12-27th time I use it, I get weird loud white noise bursts. There is no satisfactory explanation on the TC Electronic website. Second, at equally random intervals, it stops working altogether. All the lights turn on and nothing works. Or, the first light will turn on, red, and then the rest will turn on green and nothing works. I have tried everything from unplugging and plugging it back in to downloading and running their new "beta" firmware. All to no avail. Sometimes it miraculously starts working again after a number of tries at "plugging it into the computer, holding down the first position button and then plugging it in" but this is so inconsistent it drives me insane. You cannot rely on this pedal to be a consistent performer. I'm sorry. I want to love this pedal as much as the other equipment I've purchased from TC Electronic, but I can't take it any longer. Buy something else.