# Strymon Deco v2



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Starship Trooper in a box. Same great sounds as v1 with the extra tone knob on the Saturation side which is quite useful. A couple licks in the Flanger mode, then Chorus, slapback and finally long(ish) delay. Remains one of my favorite pedals.

Running through the front of my Amplified Nation Dirty Wonderland with a Patrick James Eggle Macon.


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## Xevyn (Jul 14, 2021)

Thanks for sharing! How do you like the new cassette voice on it?


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Xevyn said:


> Thanks for sharing! How do you like the new cassette voice on it?


I haven't spent much time on the cassette voicing and will report back.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Hum is very present...


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## KoskineN (Apr 19, 2007)

I'm very interested by the v2, but overall, does it sounds better overall, especially with the new input buffer?


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

player99 said:


> Hum is very present...


that's Rock & Roll....the hum was mostly due to me being close to the amp and having my hand off the strings to changes the settings.



KoskineN said:


> I'm very interested by the v2, but overall, does it sounds better overall, especially with the new input buffer?


The added features are really the benefit (including MIDI capability) especially the tone knob on the Saturation deck. My eternal issue with the Deco is the front of amp or FX loop dilemma. When I use the time based modulation effects, the loop is perfect but the Saturation deck looses volume when cranked and sounds meh. The compromise for using in the FX loop is less Saturation and that works fine. If only using one pedal (the Deco) with the amp, the front of the amp works really well.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Alex said:


> that's Rock & Roll....the hum was mostly due to me being close to the amp and having my hand off the strings to changes the settings.
> 
> 
> 
> The added features are really the benefit (including MIDI capability) especially the tone knob on the Saturation deck. My eternal issue with the Deco is the front of amp or FX loop dilemma. When I use the time based modulation effects, the loop is perfect but the Saturation deck looses volume when cranked and sounds meh. The compromise for using in the FX loop is less Saturation and that works fine. If only using one pedal (the Deco) with the amp, the front of the amp works really well.


I use a noise gate, it 's a must have on my board.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Xevyn said:


> Thanks for sharing! How do you like the new cassette voice on it?


Here's a quick clip switching the voicing from Classic to Cassette. It's a very subtle change and the Cassette acts like a clean boost to my ears. Even with lower gain settings, it's the same result. I really like the Cornell fuzz. It is a sleeper of a pedal.






Saturation deck of the Deco with gain at 11 o'clock and a Cornell Fuzz with gain also at 11 o'clock.
1. Classic voice on Saturation deck
2. Cassette voice on Saturation deck


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## juone95 (9 mo ago)

Is it that much different and worth the price bump?


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## Xevyn (Jul 14, 2021)

juone95 said:


> Is it that much different and worth the price bump?


So here are all the new features:

-New ARM processor
-New JFET input (for improved tone and feel)
-Bi-directional MIDI TRS jack with MIDI clock sync function
-Mono/stereo input switch
-USB-C jack (can be used to go direct to your DAW or MIDI I believe)
-Tone knob for saturation side
-New cassette voicing

And even though I don't use MIDI I think it's worth the upgrade. But if you're happy with a v1 and you don't care about the new changes then I'd say stick with the v1.


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## JMann (Feb 18, 2007)

Alex said:


> The added features are really the benefit (including MIDI capability) especially the tone knob on the Saturation deck. My eternal issue with the Deco is the front of amp or FX loop dilemma. When I use the time based modulation effects, the loop is perfect but the Saturation deck looses volume when cranked and sounds meh. The compromise for using in the FX loop is less Saturation and that works fine. If only using one pedal (the Deco) with the amp, the front of the amp works really well.


I‘ve never tried the Deco in front of an amp. Always had it last or next to last in my FX loop chain. But i think you’re right about the saturation side losing something in the FX loop. Can never seem to get just a cleanish boost out of it. Last practice I had the Strymon Sunset, in front of amp, on the hard setting and then I kicked on the Deco saturation side (gain set around 2) and the tone, feel and sustain was just gone. I’m chocking it up to user error lol. Going to have to try it in front of the amp one day.


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## Xevyn (Jul 14, 2021)

JMann said:


> I‘ve never tried the Deco in front of an amp. Always had it last or next to last in my FX loop chain. But i think you’re right about the saturation side losing something in the FX loop. Can never seem to get just a cleanish boost out of it. Last practice I had the Strymon Sunset, in front of amp, on the hard setting and then I kicked on the Deco saturation side (gain set around 2) and the tone, feel and sustain was just gone. I’m chocking it up to user error lol. Going to have to try it in front of the amp one day.


When I had my v1 I had it as the last pedal in the chain in front of the amp. Both sides seemed to work well for me but I was never able to dial out some mids - I'm hoping the new tone knob will help with that when I finally get the v2.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

JMann said:


> I‘ve never tried the Deco in front of an amp. Always had it last or next to last in my FX loop chain. But i think you’re right about the saturation side losing something in the FX loop. Can never seem to get just a cleanish boost out of it. Last practice I had the Strymon Sunset, in front of amp, on the hard setting and then I kicked on the Deco saturation side (gain set around 2) and the tone, feel and sustain was just gone. I’m chocking it up to user error lol. Going to have to try it in front of the amp one day.


Although not entirely practical, only one pedal (Deco) in front sounds awesome. Even with the compromise of using it in the FX loop, it remains one of my favourite pedals for the great sound and ease of turning one knob and having Flange, Chorus and Delay tones instantly and all sounding solid.


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## JMann (Feb 18, 2007)

Alex said:


> Although not entirely practical, only one pedal (Deco) in front sounds awesome. Even with the compromise of using it in the FX loop, it remains one of my favourite pedals for the great sound and ease of turning one knob and having Flange, Chorus and Delay tones instantly and all sounding solid.


Yup. The main reason, among many, I love this pedal is the Flanger. Nothing out there like it imo. And like you said, so easy to just reach down, turn a knob and get a great chorus, doubletracking and slapback echo. And what some potential users might not know, the Deco has a -3/+3 db boost cut. I know when I kick on a modulation pedal I love a small boost to set it apart. One of the main reasons I didn’t care for the Orbit or Zelzah.


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## KoskineN (Apr 19, 2007)

Got mine yesterday, and I love it even more than my v1. Overall it sounds the same, and I don't know if it's related to the new jfet input buffer, but I feel that
the pedal is more dynamic, and react better to how you play. The Cassette setting can be subtle, but it's definitely more compressed. If you crank the Tone knob,
you can really hear the difference between the two settings that way. Glad to have upgraded overall.


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## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

JMann said:


> The main reason, among many, I love this pedal is the Flanger. Nothing out there like it imo.


I like that the "Wobble" knob creates more random changes than predictable patterns, so the chorus sounds really unique to me. But I generally use the doubletracker side for a subtle "stereo widening" sound.


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## Parabola (Oct 22, 2021)

So 2 months later, how do you guys all feel about the V2?

I picked up a V1 last week and love it, however I’m wondering if it’s worth returning and paying the extra $100 for the V2.

I’m not running any MIDI, stereo or anything fancy, just sticking it in the effects loop of my DR. Z Cure, next to my Flint V1. I am not finding the saturation side shines in the loop, so wonder if the casettte voice and tone Are worth it, or if I should get a V2 and put it in front of the amp.

Any feedback or opinions are welcome! Thanks!


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Parabola said:


> So 2 months later, how do you guys all feel about the V2?
> 
> I picked up a V1 last week and love it, however I’m wondering if it’s worth returning and paying the extra $100 for the V2.
> 
> ...


Based on how you are using the Deco, I don't think the change is warranted. I am not one to stop anyone to buy gear though.....you can use the v1 in the front of the amp with the same results. Keep in mind that the v1 also has some of the V2 features as secondary functions.


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## Parabola (Oct 22, 2021)

Thank you, I haven’t gotten to the secondary functions yet, so will check it out.


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## paraedolia (Nov 26, 2008)

Does the dual tracking just another chorus or does it really sound like double tracked instrument? I'm thinking of Jaco Pastorius' Contiuum


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## Parabola (Oct 22, 2021)

paraedolia said:


> Does the dual tracking just another chorus or does it really sound like double tracked instrument? I'm thinking of Jaco Pastorius' Contiuum


I’ll try it later and let you know.

I decided to return my V1 and pay the difference on a V2. I haven’t had much time to play around with it to this point


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