DigiTech releases smart new extended duration JamMan Solo HD Looper with several smart features in tow

I believe this is the first new DigiTech branded pedal we’ve had for this Cor-Tek continuation of the brand. Of course we had the Chtonic Dark Silicon Fuzz from that same group - back in November of 2023 - while that one was for sister brand DOD.

As soon as I saw the new JamMan Solo HD I thought it was very obviously a competitor for Boss’s enduringly popular RC-5 Loop Station. There’s a degree of similarity between the two - and they’re obviously direct competitors - with each having it’s own advantages. And where the new JamMan Solo HD is priced at $249 versus $199 for the RC-5.

As per the top visual - the new JamMan leans into the following innovations :

• Next-Gen HD Audio Performance
• 32 Hours of Looping Time via Micro SD / SDHC Card (optional extra)
• 10 Included Professional Drum Loops
• Glitch-free Time-stretching
• Mini-B USB Transfer Port
• Jam Sync Enabled

I guess the big thing here is the heavily extended recording time via use of a Micro SD / SDHC Card. There is also some added smarts with the control interface - which is a touch more ’Surface’ and hands-on than the RC-5 - while that of course has many more Drum Loops as such - or 114 drum patterns vs the 10 of the JamMan. Yet the JamMan’s big advantage is 32 hours of looping time and 200 memories versus the RC-5’s 13 Hours looping time and 99 memories.

The Boss variant has a much better screen, but no possibly to extend loops via Micro SD Cards.

In the wake of the the recent Ed Sheeran loopers - I felt that we would see more emphasis on compatibility with external loop / drum loop resources - and ways of bringing those more into the equation. For full usability - that should ideally happen via connected Bluetooth app - which no one is currently doing at this size of form factor.

The only thing that really bothers me here is the use of a Mini-B USB port - when the consumer electronics world long since decided that USB-C should be the common standard. I was pleased to see the latest Boss devices with USB-C ports - so who apart from DigiTech is still pushing those older formats in 2024 - and why?

The long and the short of it though is that the RC-5 now has a decent competitor to vie for compact looper pedal supremacy!

Here is a listing of all the JamMan’s Key Features :

• Next-gen, high-definition 32-bit/216kHz AD/DA conversion provides unparalleled sound quality
• Allows you to record rhythm loops, then solo over them on the fly — hands-free
• Slows down or speeds up the tempo of any loop without changing its pitch
• Provides seamless transition between recorded loops during playback
• Stereo inputs and outputs accommodate guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals, and more
• Fine-tune your performances with autorecord sensing, autoquantization, adjustable bpms and tap tempo, and 3 stop modes
• 10 high-quality drum tracks performed by King Crimson’s Pat Mastelotto
• Aux input lets you import music from external media players
• JamSync provides lock-tight synchronization between multiple devices for easy multitrack looping
• 200 internal memory locations with a 35-minute recording capacity (installing an SD card extends that by 16 hours)
• USB connectivity provides easy synchronization with DigiTech’s free JamManager HD librarian software
• Connect an optional FS3X footswitch to unlock additional functions (footswitch sold separately)

Obviously the JamMan Solo HD is available already at USA dealers, and imminently for the rest of the world!

You can read up more about this pedal on the Digitech Website.