Summary
• Pros: The Jamman Solo XT offers 35 minutes of stereo looping time, 200 memory slots and cool features like reverse play and quantization. Link two Solo XT’s together to loop in sync!
• Cons: Little improvement over the previous Jamman Solo, and having only one footpedal is always difficult when playing live.
• Overall: The Digitech Jamman Solo XT is a fantastic option for the practicing at home or anyone looking to loop in sync with a band-mate, but quite similar to the previous incarnation.
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• Amazon: Digitech Jamman Solo XT Looper
• Guitar Center: Digitech Jamman Solo XT Looper
Full Review
Digitech’s JamMan range is legendary in the world of loopers. The gargantuan, though now somewhat dated Jamman Delay Looper being one of the most feature-heavy options on the market. The Jamman Solo XT builds on the Jamman Solo, offering the features and functionality you expect from the JamMan series in a small, stompbox-sized package. However, any update like this automatically raises suspicions. If you already have the Jamman Solo, for example, is the updated XT version really worth the upgrade? How much has actually changed?
Jammed with Features
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Jamman Solo XT looks like a carbon copy of the Solo on first glance. It’s laid out extremely similarly. The addition of a single “Setup” button and a few ports around the side of the unit are the only obvious changes. The main difference between the two pedals is that the Jamman Solo XT can be connected to another XT. This allows you to loop with another player in-sync, which is pretty much impossible otherwise. In addition to the possibilities opened up by this new feature, the Jamman Solo XT also contains 200 memory locations (more than double that of the old unit), adds reverse playback and has dedicated stereo ins and outs. Notably, these features were all missing on the original Jamman Solo.
Looping Is the Same on the Jamman Solo XT
The basic functionality of the JamMan Solo XT is as you’d expect, though. The footpedal handles recording, playback and overdubbing. Using different combinations of pedal presses and holds can also call up other functions like stopping, undoing and redoing.
Free Form Mode
You can play in two modes. In the classic “Free Form” mode, the loop is set according to the timing of your pedal-presses. In “Auto-Quantized” mode, you get some assistance from the pedal to keep everything in time. When using the “Free Form” mode, you simply choose a location for the loop and tap the pedal to start looping! There’s a color-coded LED light to tell you whether you’re recording, playing or overdubbing.
Quantization Mode
To activate the quantization feature, you have to dial in a tempo before you start playing. You can do this by going into the menus and manually dialing in a BPM. Just press the “Setup” button twice and then use the “Up” and “Down” buttons top set the tempo. Alternatively, you can simply press the “Tempo” button and then tap the footpedal to your desired tempo.
The rhythm guide will start playing, which you can turn up or down using the “Rhythm Level” knob. If you hold the footswitch down you can remove the rhythm backing. You can leave it playing if you want it as a guide. There are nine different options if you want to change the sound. The process is pretty much the same as recording free-form, except that you get a one-bar count in before you record. If your timing is a little off on your pedal presses, the pedal will stretch or shorten your loop to keep everything in sync.
Time Stretching
The “Time-Stretching” feature (you may recall from the other JamMan pedals) comes alongside the quantization. If you’ve recorded a loop that you want to play at hyper-speed or super-slow, you can do it using either the tap-tempo feature or the “Setup” menus. This can be used to make something completely unusual or to gradually increase the pace throughout a song. Plus, since you can use the auxiliary input to record from your MP3 player, you can slow down a difficult lick or solo to help you learn it. Stretching or shrinking doesn’t affect the pitch of the notes, so everything will still be in-key.
Undo/Redo
The undo and redo feature is also included, which is a must for any serious looper. Unless you can play loops without ever making a mistake, this is invaluable. You can undo the last overdub without having to delete your underlying loop and start again from scratch.
You can also use the undo/redo feature to add variations to your loops, which can be brought in and out. So, for example, if you want to bring a melody line in and out, you can simply hold the pedal down to remove it and then hold it again to bring it back. If playback is stopped, holding the pedal clears the entire loop.
Reverse Loops
You also get the ability to reverse your loops with the JamMan Solo XT. This doesn’t sound massively useful (since the results usually sound like your guitar signal has dropped acid in Hendrix-like quantities), but it’s a useful feature if you’re running out of ideas or if you’re looking for an ethereal, ambient effect.
Other Cool Features
There are also plenty of options for playback and stopping. You can essentially use the Solo XT as a sampler, by setting each phrase to only play once through. This removes the ability to overdub, but if you use the “Up” and “Down” buttons to navigate to a different memory slot while one is playing, playback begins at the end of the current phrase. This works when you’re looping too, so you can change loops seamlessly. For ending, you get options for fading out, stopping instantly (when you double-tap the pedal) or stopping playback at the end of the current loop.
Is the Jamman Solo XT Worth it?
While there are certainly differences between the JamMan Solo and the XT version, they aren’t mind-blowing. Some musicians might be able to use the extended memory, reverse playback, stereo ins and outs, and the option to use several XTs in sequence. Otherwise, you’re pretty much getting the same pedal in terms of looping functionality.
That said, the onboard memory is good for 35 minutes of stereo looping, whereas the original’s memory could only handle the same amount of mono. Plus you get another 200 slots and up to 16 hours of recording time with a micro SD card on the XT. These upgrades are useful, of course, but do they really warrant an entirely new pedal if you already have the original Jamman Solo? Probably not.
Nevertheless, there is very little to complain about with the Solo XT. Operating it is intuitive, you get more than enough looping time (and with the JamManager software you can save additional loops on your computer) and all the features you’d expect from a high-end looper. Accessing certain features would be easier with an additional pedal, of course. But when you’re buying a stompbox sized looper some tap and hold combinations are expected. For that reason, it’s not ideal for live use. If that’s your main reason to get a looper, one of the larger models with more footswitches might be better.
Overall the JamMan Solo XT is excellent, but we’d expect nothing less given the quality of Digitech’s previous products. If you already own the JamMan Solo, there’s no real reason to upgrade unless you’re looking to sync up with a band-mate or have multiple amps set up for stereo effects. If this is your first foray into looping, however, the Solo XT is a great option.
Where to Buy the Jamman Solo XT?
• Amazon: Digitech Jamman Solo XT Looper
• Guitar Center: Digitech Jamman Solo XT Looper
Digitech Jamman Solo XT Product Video
You left out one major difference between the JamMan Solo XT and it’s predecessor. The new model has dedicated stereo ins and outs which the other model didn’t have. This is a very big difference IMO that should have been stressed in your review.
Thanks for your comment and you bring up a good point. I’ll update the review to include the bit about stereo ins and outs. I’d be curious to see how you’re using them if you’ve got any recordings to share.
No headphone jack.
I know this is the updated version of the solo pedal but does this have any features over the older Jamman stereo JML2? Such as better sound or anything? Aside from being more compact it seems to have the same features, a few less in fact, as the JML2. Just curious, those are the two that I’m currently eyeing and thought maybe this new pedal had updated software or processing, something like that.
You’re right, the Jamman Solo XT doesn’t add a whole lot to the JML2 (Jamman Stereo) unless your band is interested in the ability to connect multiple looper pedals together to sync with other players, which is pretty cool, or if you simply want a more compact pedal.
Just to remind us all. There is a footswitch jack on it to actuate some parameter[s]. I’m just not sure what. I did though just order it @ 20% off, so I’ll see ’bout that. I currently use the Pigtronix Infinity: it’s sound quality is fantastic and I must still get to know it better. Jack Be Nimble, B!
footswitch is used for one button stopping and for scrolling through stored loops (one scrolls up, the other down). Just ordered my second solo xt and am excited to see how the jamsync works and if the footswitch has any sync functionality.
does the foot switch have any sync functionality?
Hey Pictfunk:
1) No, each unit is controlled separately via the FS3X – with one exception, the Stop on the Master unit will stop all sync’d units.
2) Yes, if each unit has it’s own FS3X, stopping on the Master will stop all but stopping on a slave will only stop the slave. But you cannot keep slaves playing if the Master is stopped, To work around this, I use an A/B pedal as a mute pedal on the Master (from XT out to A/B pedal in, and from A/B in > Mixer channel input) – with this method, I can mute the Master while the slaves continue playing.
Hope this helps – I now have 7 XT’s in my rig, each with their own FS3X – to see it Google ‘rejyna jamman’ and then browse the the image results – my rig will be in there. Also look closely and you’ll see the simple modification I made to do the ‘saving’ with my foot. Also find me on YouTube, my vids there have how-to captions. You’re on your way \,,/
Hello everyone, I just wanna ask uou if you would recommend to spend a little bit more on this unit, I was going to get the JM Express XT or the Ditto, I couldn’t decide, then i stumbled across this page and see this pedal. I’ll be my first loop pedal, I want it for practicing, not really for gigging or stuff like that. So better this one, express xt or the ditto? Also the durability factor is crucial for me. Thanks!
I stumbled across this video with this looper in use, its an EXCELLENT demo – take a look…
Hi, I like to practise with headphones… Any looper or solution for such ?
Thank you _
plug into ur amp with a headphone jack
Get a headphone amplifier. ie. VOX AP2
I have one of the original Jamman loopers. I love the auto rec feature. does the solo version have that function? I don’t see a button for it…maybe in the set up menu?
Yes, it has an auto start feature that starts recording as soon as sound comes in – I don’t use it but it is in the XT as well.
Can you adjust the tempo of a loop by tapping while the loop is playing?
Does the Solo XT have True Bypass?
No, it’s buffered.
Can anyone tell me if this pedal works like the DL-4 where each time you add an overdub, the previously recorded loop reduces volume slightly? I’d like to use this pedal for some experimental looping, but it’s important that what I recorded 5 minutes ago has faded out quite a bit so it doesn’t get too distorted. I like the D:-4 but it only loops in mono.
The XT does not time degrade –
Thanks for replying. May I ask whether you (or anyone here) knows of a loop pedal in stomp box format that does decay (or degradation) of layers similar to the Ditto X4?
I am a solo artist and was gonna use it to make a backing for my gig sets. I was gonna just gonna play along with my loops and do some leads. Is this the best pedal or is there a better pedal for live performance?
It’s hard to say whether the Jamman Solo XT is the “best” pedal. It’s a very good one, but every looper pedal on this site will allow you to record a loop to solo over. The Jamman Solo XT has a ton of nice features like built in drum patterns, the ability to set the tempo digitally, and quantization. If you don’t really need those things, you could save a little money, get slightly better sound quality, and have a dedicated “stop” button with a pedal like the Ditto X2. There are pros and cons to all these pedals, so it really depends on your needs. Good luck!
I purchased jam man solo xt, and I cannot record on it anymore. Have had it only a few weeks. Can anyone advise what I am doing wrong please?
This is a fun pedal! Two switches would be nice instead of one, but that makes it very compact so you’re more likely to bring it with you. Auto quantization is great so beginners can really jump in and sound perfect without being perfectly timed like the Ditto X2 expects. Yes, it can do arm/auto-record. Yes, it can auto fade out or full stop. Yes, you can enable pedal tempo tap. I easily figured it out within a minute of opening the box yesterday and played for hours. I opened the manual today to figure out the advanced options. You really can’t go wrong for $150 on Amazon. Add an SDHD card for a few bucks if you want to save your loops for later recall.
I ended up buying this pedal in hopes it would do what I wanted, and unfortunately my hopes were too high. For one thing, this pedal does not decrease the volume of previous overdubs as you dub more on (something most people probably don’t want, but something I really love about the DL4). Additionally, there’s quite a bit of a gap where the loop ends and restarts, even when recording something like a synth note, it’s not very smooth. Lastly, and this was the dealbreaker, there doesn’t seem to be a way to clear the current loop without playing it, since you can only clear while it’s stopped, and pressing and holding the pedal to clear will start playback before clearing it after 2 seconds of holding.
Maybe someone else will find these things acceptable, but I had to return it.
Yes, I agree! The fact that when you go to clear a current loop, it begins to playback for 2 seconds before clearing the loop is absolutely unacceptable when you’re playing live! Anybody know of any way to fix this?
As I understand it, this is probably the only looper pedal of this price range, that allows you to play two different loops one after the other (eg use the FS3x footswitch and just select next loop and it will start after current one ends)?
So that would make it the only looper in this price range that can support verse – chorus looping.
It’s a good looper, the quantize tempo function is a bit sucky though. The loops do drift if played against another source set to the same tempo like a drum machine. I set it up in pro tools with my Kong R3s arpeggiator and my MPC set to 120bpm (no midi sync) the R3 and MPC stayed perfectly consistent but the solo xt ended up early after looping for a while as if if not exactly set to 120bpm.
Kinda makes it a useless feature for me.
Two Qs: 1) How does it compare with the Boss RC-3? 2) Does it do anything close to the delay function of the DIttoX4? I would like the older overdubs to fade as new ones are added. Thanks. Cfibanez.
I have the RC3 becuase it allows battery use but the stored loops have latency when switching between them and you have to stop the RC3 to save a loop. I don’t like paying extra for a walwart for the RC3 and I don’t like the layout and cost of the external pedals for the RC3. Not too sure about using either as a delay, my delay is achieved from my GT3.
You may use an external battery (http://www.gearbest.com/other-accessories/pp_436921.html?wid=21)
Interesting – thanks 🙂
I have some questions regarding Jamsync, and I was wondering if anyone here can answer them, as information is hard to find. I just bought a SoloXT, and I’m considering another couple, but I need to understand more about Jamsync first.
Ok. Imagine a set-up whereby three SoloXT’s were synced together in a line, with only one input (guitar).
So, suppose I want to use multiple loop slots to build more complex arrangements, as I would with a single SoloXT, but with three separate synced units.
Question 1: In Jamsync, does scrolling up and down through the loop slots on the master SoloXT also affect the slave SoloXT’s in the same way? For example; If I scrolled to slot 33 on the master, would the slaves automatically scroll to slot 33 also?
Question 2: When three SoloXT’s are being used in Jamsync, and all three tracks are in playback, is it possible to stop and restart the playback on each looper individually? Or does stopping one SoloXT stop all three? For example; Could I temporarily remove the loop from either of the slaves for a cycle of the playback, then bring it back in? You know … like if I want to drop the percussion for an ambient middle section. Same question with the loop on the master?Can it be stopped and started, while the other tracks in the loop continue to play? Is that possible? Or does stopping the loop on the master stop the whole lot? It must be possible with the slaves, at least? I can’t find the answers anywhere.
Answers gratefully received 🙂
I use an XT Solo chained to an Express. The serial connection means dubbing to the “far end” looper also records what the “near end” looper is playing. I had built an FX-3 so I used that housing to hold switches that allow me to swap the looper order around. (Cleaver thinks I) I can choose which looper is the far end (playing) and dub to the near end looper. (The switching circuit is very low tech but thirty odd solder connections, eight plugs and ten bits of cable – brrr!)
Oops Jamsync doesn’t allow the master to record (dub yes, record no) while the slave is playing.
Jammsync only allows the slave to capture and play while the master plays. I want either looper to play while I edit the other looper. It’s possible without jamsync but life without jamsync means buy a Boss station.
OK, another low tech switching circuit needed. I built a switching circuit for the jamsync cables. I run two jamsync cables linking two loopers with a switch that connects only one cable at a time. This means I swap around which looper is master and which is slave. This is a lot of bother considering editing (not just dubbing) the master while the slave plays is a software issue and having stereo jacks could allow overall mono operation but stereo between the loopers to allow the “live” music on one channel and the “looped” music on the other so the far end looper only records the live music.
Conclusion: The people who design these products do not use these products.
Add this to your JamMan Solo or Solo XT and save a loop with your foot during stop AND playback modes. The Foot Save Button Extender eliminates bending down to save a loop.
When you also use an FS3X (or equiv. 3 button sidecar footswitch), you can now save multiple variations of your loop with your foot while you continue to play over it and save in multiple memory slots.
Watch my YT vids to see the FootSave button extender in use.
Get Yours Here:
https://rejyna.bandcamp.com/merch/foot-save-button-extender-for-jamman-solo-and-solo-xt-rejyna-diy
Watch Here:
Guys! Pls how can I extend the JamMan soloxt beats duration from its 10 minutes maximum capacity to infinity
Thanks