When did a new isp decimator come out?

[Mike]

Well it sucks. It's no different than the decimator II g string. It's nothing like a key gate and does not track in a manner that I consider tracking i.e. like Zuul's/Zuul clones. To get a nice tight stacatto, start stop gating, you need to crank it to the -30, -20db setting (noon-1:00), but in doing so you get noticeable signal dregradation and those settings cause sputtering/instant cutting off of sustained notes as they fade out. So no the decimator x g string does not perfectly handle staccato and sustain through some intelligent detection. It's pretty much pick one or the other.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Well it sucks. It's no different than the decimator II g string. It's nothing like a key gate and does not track in a manner that I consider tracking i.e. like Zuul's/Zuul clones. To get a nice tight stacatto, start stop gating, you need to crank it to the -30, -20db setting (noon-1:00), but in doing so you get noticeable signal dregradation and those settings cause sputtering/instant cutting off of sustained notes as they fade out. So no the decimator x g string does not perfectly handle staccato and sustain through some intelligent detection. It's pretty much pick one or the other.

Sad to hear it's not an improvement with that kind of configuration. I've never tried any "key" or 4CM gates like the Zuul or G-String since I've always gotten the results I want from two separate regular Decimator II pedals in different spots in my chain.

I do have to either kick the first one off or stand right near my cabinets to get super long sustain, but that hasn't been a huge hurdle since I've got different overdrive/gate combinations set up in midi presets on my switcher

 

[SalsaWood]

Well it sucks. It's no different than the decimator II g string. It's nothing like a key gate and does not track in a manner that I consider tracking i.e. like Zuul's/Zuul clones. To get a nice tight stacatto, start stop gating, you need to crank it to the -30, -20db setting (noon-1:00), but in doing so you get noticeable signal dregradation and those settings cause sputtering/instant cutting off of sustained notes as they fade out. So no the decimator x g string does not perfectly handle staccato and sustain through some intelligent detection. It's pretty much pick one or the other.

Pretty much, but this is exactly how 99.9% of gates work. You can still get tight response out of them, but they perform best when staged and balanced to do so. If the gate is doing its job you're going to have signal modulation, not degradation, but it doesn't sound good so you're definitely not wrong in reality. If you want the surgical double/triple knee gate like they use in djent (now synonymous with modern metal tones), that is.

The four cable method is the best compromise in my opinion, but you need a two channel or two single gates. It cleans up both the raw guitar and loop just a little so you're not washing a ton of the harmonics from both while the loop still drones in every silence. There is still some noticeable signal change- but you won't get that underwhelming pseudo-pure tone alteration to the timbre of the rig nearly as terribly.

 

[Partario]

Well it sucks. It's no different than the decimator II g string. It's nothing like a key gate and does not track in a manner that I consider tracking i.e. like Zuul's/Zuul clones. To get a nice tight stacatto, start stop gating, you need to crank it to the -30, -20db setting (noon-1:00), but in doing so you get noticeable signal dregradation and those settings cause sputtering/instant cutting off of sustained notes as they fade out. So no the decimator x g string does not perfectly handle staccato and sustain through some intelligent detection. It's pretty much pick one or the other.

Well that's a bummer.

Hoping you're trying the MWAC next, I want to hear your thoughts on it since you have so much knowledge and experience with gate pedals.

 

[Mike]

Soon as I get my refund I'll get one ordered lol

 

[Grindspine]

Well it sucks. It's no different than the decimator II g string. It's nothing like a key gate and does not track in a manner that I consider tracking i.e. like Zuul's/Zuul clones. To get a nice tight stacatto, start stop gating, you need to crank it to the -30, -20db setting (noon-1:00), but in doing so you get noticeable signal dregradation and those settings cause sputtering/instant cutting off of sustained notes as they fade out. So no the decimator x g string does not perfectly handle staccato and sustain through some intelligent detection. It's pretty much pick one or the other.

I'm not sure how you're saying that the g-string isn't like a key gate. I run mine with a separate input (detection / main input), then then Decimator in and outputs, 3 cables and done. That is exactly what a key input is, right? I have mine set so that the detection input gets fed directly from my VHT Valvulator buffer's output while the other Valvulator feeds my pedals so that the Decimator is detecting the signal change right after the buffer.

 

[Mike]

Trust me whatever tracking isp's pedals claim to do is nothing like the tracking of a real key gate pedal.

I'm guessing you have never used a Zuul, or one of the many newer zuul clones, but you can really actually feel the gating instantly reacting and responding to your playing on both the opening and closing of the gate. ISP's tracking is nothing like those gates which are all using some circuity similar to the gate in the Marshall 2203kk to control the gates response.

 

[Partario]

It seems like ISP stopped innovating a long time ago. They were cutting edge gates back in the day, and it feels like every update is a cost saver on their side, disguised as an upgrade for us, complete with ambiguous marketing terms.

Even the key input on the II is an 1/8th inch, maybe I’m missing something but since when is that a common guitar plug? Seems like it was a way to fit it in without changing the original layout.