The SDE-3: Still the BOSS of Digital Delays

Back in the days of fridge-sized guitar racks, the Roland SDE-3000 dominated the digital delay landscape. Since then, guitar rigs have shrunk to manageable proportions, and pedalboards have long since replaced racks. As such, the SDE-3 is every vintage digital enthusiasts dream come true, squeezing the SDE-3000s larger-than-life sound into a compact BOSS pedal. Like its rackmount predecessor, the SDE-3 serves up beautiful digital delay lines with a surprisingly warm, vintage-tinged sound, along with the distinctive modulation that made the original unit so captivating. That said, the SDE-3 brandishes two parallel delay lines, enabling it to mimic the functionality of a complex dual-SDE-3000 rack setup. Moreover, this pedal includes Offset and Hi Cut knobs for fine-tuning your sound, as well as tap tempo and carryover functions. Furthermore, this feature-laden stompbox gives you two stereo delay options, three output modes, and a TRS MIDI input for flexible rig integration. You can also gain extended control over the SDE-3 with an external footswitch or expression pedal. If youve ever wanted to add the unrivaled musicality of a vintage SDE-3000 to your pedalboard, the BOSS SDE-3 delivers the sonic goods, along with the modern functionality demanded by todays guitarists.

Vintage digital sound for todays pedalboards

Introduced in 1983, the Roland SDE-3000 is one of the most revered rackmount delay units from the early years of digital audio. Although the SDE-3000 was used in recording studios, its most popular application was in 80s-era guitar racks, where its ultra-wide dynamic range, adjustable delay phase, rich modulation, and multiple seconds of clear-yet-warm delay tone made it the go-to digital delay processor. The SDE-3 replicates the sound of the original SDE-3000s digital processing and the analog nonlinearities to a T, but it ups the ante with two parallel delay lines. This enables the SDE-3 to mimic the functionality of two vintage rackmount SDE-3000s, ostensibly packing the performance of a refrigerator-sized guitar rack into a traditional BOSS stompbox enclosure.

Expanded stereo options and multiple output modes

Aside from its dual discrete delay lines, the BOSS SDE-3 also includes two stereo delay options and multiple output modes, enabling you to tailor it to myriad applications. In Standard mode, this digital delay effects pedal is configured as a typical stereo delay with fully independent A and B channels. Pan mode allows you to alternate the left and right positions of each delay line on each repeat, which infuses your playing with dizzying, spellbinding dimension.

As for output modes, the SDE-3s default Stereo setting mixes your direct and effected sounds via the Output A and Output B jacks. The Wet + Dry mode outputs your effected sound via Output A and your dry sound via Output B. You also get a Direct Mute mode that outputs only your effected sound via Output A and Output B a must-have for using the SDE-3 as an auxiliary effect.

Regardless of how you configure the SDE-3, its Offset knob is arguably its most powerful control, enabling you to fine-tune the relative time difference between the parallel delay lines to generate everything from subtle thickening and flam repeats to rhythmic syncopations and ear-grabbing atmospherics.

Features:

• A BOSS stompbox iteration of the venerable Roland SDE-3000 rackmount digital delay
• Serves up beautiful digital delay lines with a surprisingly warm, vintage-tinged sound
• Offers up to 800ms of delay in stereo and up to 1,600ms in mono
• SDE-3000-style modulation with dedicated Rate and Depth knobs
• 2 parallel delay lines mimic the functionality of a complex dual-SDE-3000 rack setup
• Offset knob fine-tunes the relative time difference between the parallel delay lines
• 2 stereo delay options: Standard and Pan
• 3 output modes: Stereo, Wet + Dry, and Direct Mute
• Hi Cut control provides high-frequency shaping for your repeats
• Tap tempo gives you real-time tempo synchronization during a live performance
• Top-panel Carryover switch determines the pedals bypass behavior
• TRS MIDI input provides straightforward syncing to external clock signals
• Jack for extended control using up to two footswitches or an expression pedal

Specs

• Pedal Type: Roland SDE-3000 rackmount style Delay
• Analog/Digital: Digital
• Max Delay Time: 800ms (mono/stereo), 1600ms (mono)
• Tap Tempo: Yes
• Inputs: 2 x 1/4″
• Outputs: 2 x 1/4″
• MIDI I/O: 1 x 1/8″ TRS (In)
• Other I/O: 1 x 1/4″ TRS (control/expression)
• Bypass Switching: Buffered Bypass, with carrryover
• Power Source: 9V DC power supply (sold separately)
• Power Usage: 75mA
• Batteries: 1 x 9V
• Height: 2.37″
• Width: 2.87″
• Depth: 5.12″
• Weight: 1 lbs.