Good autoswell & reverse in one pedal?? Edit: Zoom MS70CDR Opinions Please!!

Gassage

Steve Mac from Aussie Floyd swears by the Zoom.

jellybelly

Cirrus said:

jellybelly said:

So this Zoom CD-R thing, couple of questions for users:

- is the bypass DSP or analogue? I presume not true bypass otherwise it'd be plastered everywhere
- what's the current draw? Seen anywhere from 500ma to 125ma. Already got two digital pedals hogging the power on my board so might need to find a solution to this
- how is the tuner? As good as the line 6 one? I'd consider dumping my turbo tuner, which can be a pain live as it's so precise...

Effects wise this thing seems to have everything I'd want, including the reverse reverb specifically from a Hardwire RV7 pedal, which is half the reason I keep that thing around!!

The bypass is still going through the digital path, but it's transparent - at least, I've never noticed it doing anything to the tone when it shouldn't. I actually think the A/D and D/A converters are better than the Line 6 M-series, which make things feel a bit flat to me. I've no qualms having this in my signal path, tbh I forget it's there half the time since I don't use it loads.

I powered mine for a while using just one output of a pedal power 2. They're rated at 100ma but I guess they can go over for a bit and just get hotter. I admit I do use a current doubler cable and two outputs now, just because my board ended up letting that be a possibility. A quick google found this from another forum, which is from Zoom themselves;

 "Max current draw is around 280mA +/-20mA with battery supply - 135mA +/- 20mA with the AC adaptor - 165mA +/-20mA via USB 5v"

I've never really used the tuner seriously. It works, I didn't feel it had a very precise display IIRC.

The modeled effects are all usable, some are great, some feel superfluous. Changing presets is my only major gripe - I wish there was a jack socket on the pedal for an external up/down footswitch as live it's a bit of a distraction to kneel down and go scrolling with the little black knobwheel (knobwheel is a word now).

Thanks this is helpful info - I guess a way around the patch change issue and to make me feel better about the bypass would be to keep it in a TB looper (I've got the parts) and just plumb it in when needed. I guess I'd have to try it side-by-side to see how I got on. I agree absolutely that if they just had a 2-button switch that went into the USB socket to change patches it would be a great shout. 

Seems like a pedal with a lot to offer and a lot of limitations, but for £70 new it is what it is... I'll see if I can rustle one up and give it a try! If it compares favourably to the Line 6 M-series then it'll be doing well.

Beexter

There are some midi devices available that can control the Zoom - I think it's Disaster area that do them.
With the recent firmware updates, they added a load more effects to the CDR70, the MS50G and the MS100BT (the latter via the stompshare app) so you may find the MS50G and MS100BT have all the effects you need on them as well - just gives you more buying options. The advantage of the last 2 is that they also have amp and cab Sims built in too so you have back up solution right there on your board if your amp goes down.

I have both the MS70CDR and the MS100BT and the built in tuner is the only tuner on my board and is certainly adequate for live use.

Search on stinkfoot for real life measured current draws. All I know from personal experience is that the MS100BT needs more current than the 70CDR. I can run the MS70CDR off of a single output on a gigrig isolator but I need to use a Gigrig Time Lord for the MS100BT - it won't run from the isolator alone.
Finally, all of the Zooms run everything through the converters- there's no analog dry through. The solution is to run them in a true bypass looper if it bothers you. This also has the advantage of making live switching of patches a bit easier.
Great pedals.

Cookiemonster

They don't suck tone. They are cheap. They are very useful. There are presets that can be tweaked. I use a brick and it powers it fine.

There are some good patches around for styles. I like the ambient and shoegaze ones.

I think some of the modulations are not as good as stand alone

The reverb's and delays are great and emulate strymon and eventide

Cookiemonster

My keys play uses one as well. We play psych rock.