Boss SDE-3000D

This pedal brings Roland’s classic ’80s rackmount delay into the 21st Century, with dual delay engines and modern control options.

Whereas many of the early digital delays sounded somewhat sterile, Roland’s rackmount SDE‑3000, released in 1983, soon gained a reputation for sounding warm and musical and became a staple in the armoury of many pro musicians. In part, that was down to the analogue circuitry that sat around the digital delay section, and in part to technical imperfections, including a slightly imprecise master clock that added a subtle modulation to the sound. A unique tonal character was imparted by the converters available at the time, which I believe were just 12‑bit, and the SDE‑3000 also included an LFO‑controlled modulation section, had the ability to store presets, and boasted switchable delay polarity and (for then) a long maximum delay time. Even now, used models are highly revered. But what once took up a lot of space and cost a lot of money has now been packed into the relatively compact confines of a new Boss pedal, called the SDE‑3000D. In fact, it offers rather more than the original mono rack unit, as we shall see...

Thanks For The Memory

The SDE‑3000D houses two delays, each with independent parameters and separate panning options, and has a mono/stereo input and output. The modulation and tone‑shaping aspects of the original have been extended too, and there are 100 preset memories. The front panel gives direct access to two banks of four presets, though the footswitches can be reconfigured to access all 100 presets.

The stereo inputs and outputs offer all the signal routing permutations of mono and stereo, and comprehensive MIDI support makes the pedal compatible with modern needs. The two delays themselves can be configured either serially or in parallel by selecting the appropriate Delay Structure, which includes the option to set up as two mono delays or as separate delay and dry outputs. For those wishing to emulate Eddie Van Halen’s three‑amp ‘wet/dry/wet’ setup, there’s an alternative version of the pedal called the SDE‑3000EVH, and in this one each delay and the dry signal are treated to separate output jacks — the idea is that the dry sound feeds its own amp in the centre, with the two delays being sent to their own amps on either side, to create a wide stereo delay with no intermodulation distortion of the dry sound. The EV also has an effects loop, with separate send and return jacks.

On the rear panel, alongside the mono/stereo inputs and outputs, there are jacks for external control options.

The delay time can be switched in two ranges, maxing out at either 1.5 or 3.0 seconds, and both the imperfections in the clock of the original and the sonic signature of the original analogue circuitry have been carefully replicated using DSP, to recreate the familiar warm, organic sound. Phase (polarity) switches are provided for both the primary delay and the delay feedback loop, along with variable low‑cut and high‑cut filters for the delay feedback, and each delay has a separate modulation section.

Boss have given the pedal a retro‑style look with a control panel reminiscent of the original SDE‑3000, complete with seven‑segment LED displays. Buttons are used to access the parameters — there are no rotary encoders in sight — with the main delay and mod values shown in the display as with the original so there’s no menu diving necessary for general operation. In Play mode, the display shows the delay time, the feedback value, the delay level, mod rate and mod depth; additional information is displayed when in Setup mode. Each of the delay and mod parameter sections has its own up/down button for setting the value. A further 16 buttons look after the remaining functions including Setup mode, polarity switching, filtering, 2x delay time and preset storage.

On entering Setup mode, the Time button is used to move through the various parameters, with the Depth button used to change values. Once in Setup mode there’s lot you can access, such as the functions of external switches or expression pedals, MIDI setup and so on, so having the manual to hand is pretty much essential, though in most cases once you’ve set things up the way you want them, you shouldn’t need to venture there very often — all the important delay parameters are right there on the front panel.

MIDI I/O is on minijack sockets on the side which sit alongside a USB‑C port for MIDI communication with a computer.The right‑most of the three footswitches (Tap/Ctrl 1) is assignable and can be set to operate tap tempo, hold, and other functions, though using the expansion control facility makes operating additional functions during performance more practical. TRS jacks accommodate (up to four) footswitches, two expression pedals, or a Boss GA‑FC or GA‑FC EX foot controller. The left‑most pair of foot switches access Delay 1 and Delay 2, though these can be reconfigured for preset access.

To save space, MIDI is on 3.5mm TRS jacks located on the side panel — these are commonly used for MIDI in modular synth setups but an adaptor cable is needed to interface with devices that use standard 5‑pin MIDI connectors. A USB‑C socket, also on the side, allows for direct connection to a computer (macOS, Windows or iOS) for MIDI — a Boss driver must be downloaded and installed on your computer before this can be used. Power comes from an included in‑line 9V adaptor. MIDI can be used to recall up to 100 presets, to adjust parameters using MIDI CCs, and for sync.

If you need to work with stereo delays it won’t fail to impress: you might just have found your new best friend.

Impressions

It has to be said that the SDE‑3000D is rather special. But whether or not you need the functionality that the SDE‑3000D offers depends very much on how you use delay live and how much pedalboard space you’re prepared to give over to it, especially if you’d want to use extra switches or expression pedals to get the most out of it. You might prefer something more straightforward or favour the sound of emulated tape or BBD delays, and in that case you might be better off checking out Boss’s other delays (from their compact DD‑series pedals upwards, they have almost as many delays as the UK rail network!). But if delay is a key part of your sound, and especially if you work with stereo delays, the SDE‑3000D won’t fail to impress: you might just have found your new best friend.

The SDE‑3000EV version of the pedal features separate outputs for the dry signal and each delay line, to allow you to recreate Eddie Van Halen’s wet/dry/wet three‑amp setup.

It works perfectly well in mono, but in stereo it really comes alive, and there’s that 3000EVH version for anyone wanting to use it with a three‑amplifier rig. As with the original hardware, it has enough of an inherent character to avoid sounding clinical, with the modulation section adding a lovely sense of movement. It also offers a huge range of delay times, from less than one millisecond up to three seconds, making it possible also to recreate phasing and flanging effects, as well as the more usual delay/echo effects — and having two delay engines means you could, for example, set up chorus and delay at the same time. In other words, you might find that this pedal can cover the functions of two or three of your existing pedals.

The bottom line is that if you coveted one of the original SDE‑3000 machines, you can now have two of them in a much more compact format and with enhanced functionality, and all for rather less than you might pay for a beaten‑up, 40‑year‑old original!

Information

SDE‑3000D £449. SDE‑3000EVH £539. Prices include VAT.

www.boss.info/uk

SDE‑3000D $499. SDE‑3000EVH $599.

www.bossus.com