TC Electronic announces Ditto Jam X2 Looper
This smart stompbox can track the tempo of a rhythmic source and adjust loops in real time.
Developed by TC Electronic and its sister company TC Helicon, the Ditto Jam X2 is the latest in the line of Ditto looper pedals. This one, however, has an ace up its sleeve: It can track tempos and their fluctuations, and follow them without the need for a MIDI timecode.
What this effectively means is the Ditto Jam X2 can automatically stretch or shrink your recorded loops in real time to keep in sync with a detected rhythm. If the drummer decides to speed things up, the looper will adjust accordingly. In other words, it works with a live band.
This is achieved via the Jam X2’s onboard stereo microphones or an included external microphone that you attach to a drumkit or an acoustic guitar. These microphones—which provide increased tracking accuracy—use a system called Beat Sense to continuously detect tempo information to ensure your loops remain in sync.
The pedal also features a dedicated practice mode that lets users record a loop and then alter its speed, using the “Stop” button as a tap tempo switch. This is handy for practicing complicated solos and licks, starting slow then gradually picking up speed.
Another new feature on this iteration is an external overdub sequence switch. With this, you have the option of automatically switching the stompbox into either playback or overdub mode after recording a loop. And you can save an unlimited number of loops on this device, too.
Check out the pedal in action here:
The Ditto Jam X2 retails for $199.99, and will ship in August. More information at tcelectronic.com.