Man, the Alter Ego just outclasses the Timeline in every setting. Really warm and clear. TC is becoming my favorite pedal company, the toneprint option is so cool.
I got the alter ego 4 days ago. By accident I was called for a gig at house of rock and I didn't have time to play with it. All I can say that even the presets where incredible and versitale and easy to use. I was impressed with very little effort how accurate the delay models represent the real deal for the set list the band gave me. I normally use eleven rack delays etc etc... never again.
The TimeLine sounds brighter and colder in this comparison which is probably true, but it has a build in dumping filter for highs in the parameter settings. Engaging this, would bring those pedals closer to each other.
It sounds more brighter and colder because its Digital at its best (A little Cliche') in trying to recreate delay echo sounds. I honestly did not like all the Strymon presets...That's why I haven't bought it, especially the Tape/reverse which are not accurate at all.
That Alter Ego sounds amazing... I think I would go for that on my rig. Right now, I just have a DD20. Can you do a comparison with the Alter Ego and DD20?
Timeline is my fav out of all I’ve tried but I’ve been wanting to check the alter ego ever since I saw the Andy helped design it and create and he obviously knows a thing or 2 about pedals and good sounds. I’ve been watching this pedal go cheap on sweetwater and holding my trigger finger back ..... the alter ego sounds great man. But yeah timeline has soooooo many awesome presets. Your getting some great alter ego sounds on here man. ✌️❤️👊🏻
Keep in mind that the X4 sounds AS GOOD or as close as you can get....to the Strymon yet it costs almost a quarter of the price of the Timeline. The Timeline is not $300 better than the X4 in my opinion. I just ordered one of these from ProGuitarShop for $149 which is a KILLER deal IMO
No. The Alter Ego was developed to digitally emulate the sounds of vintage, analog echo units. "Only" that. It's very good at that. The Timeline is an outright digital delay that can do some vintage, but not as well as the X4 can. It sounds too digital.
@Gunawan Wijaya well i bought the flashbackii coz i heard is good pedal and its no so far from timeline but i really regret it.very overrated pedal and its nothing comparing to timeline. i dont know what others like but for me timeline is a legend delay pedal
While I get the comments about the X4 (and own an analog delay & Flashback myself) that Timeline is incredible! The X4 sounds have so much character they almost take away from the playing where the Timeline seems to enhance the playing. The X4 sounds a lot more like a special-use delay. For what its worth, as a sound engineer, I've seen the Strymon & Eventides on boards far more often than the X4 in any form. Still, I'd have to hear them in person to really get a feel for either.
I had a timeline the last year and a half and just sold it and got an alter ego x4. The timeline is fabulous and i actually have some delay on at basically all times, but i had realised I was basically just leaving on one MAYBE two settings at a gig and only changing the tempo and occasionally from quarter notes to dotted 8th. It was just too much delay for what I actually was doing. I knew how to work my timeline and could get some really good sounds out of it, but in person one compared to the other, the alter ego definitely handles tape and analog sim better. There is just a lot more warmth and character. I find it more inspiring to play and already use several of the presets for different situations.
ReddenDoom To see a pedal on boards more often doesn't mean it is better. I see a lot of boards that really looks the same, boring, for players with no personality. That's a fact, nowadays people are more like "I get what others have" than "I invest in my own tone".
I've never been like this and have a pedal selection I've never seen anyone else have. At the same time, if enough artists, especially from varying genres, are using a type of pedal I'll often look into it. In the case of a delay, seeing a pedal more often makes things like design and function stand out as possible benefits in my mind more that "it must be better". I also regularly see pedalboards filled with boutique pedals that would cost a fortune paired with "players with no personality" and it sounds terrible. I agree that the player is a big factor, and pedals don't make or break them, but thats my point. When enough real players, with lots of personality, rely on a single pedal, it makes me interested. Of course, sponsorship, placebo effect, idolizing pro's gear, etc. all come into play. Still, to date, I've never seen an alter ego and continue to see the others and I also think they are supper excessive unless someone is touring. Personally, I went with a Boss DD-20 after they tanked in price and am very happy with it!
ReddenDoom the alter ego is a hard comparison in terms of people having them on their boards or not. It's like a side delay that tc did, partnering with premier guitar shop. The timeline is one of the l, if not the flagship pedals of strymon. You can't go wrong with either honestly. Tc electronic have been near or at the top of the digital delay game for 25-30 years. Timeline is the it delay currently and rightfully so. I have no bad things to say about it or my two years owning one. If you like the alter ego but think the modulation is a bit too heavy, here is always the flashback which is the actual pedal it's a spin off of. You have as much or more control than the timeline via their tone print app. You get an additional 4 slots you can load custom presets into the alter ego with. I used one of those for a nice really clean, regular digital delay, so I have basically all my needs covered.
Yes you will see the strymon en eventides on more boards 1 because you got more midi functions and 2 because Dan & Mick put them on alot of boards. But I prefer the sound of the alter ego myself, also have the catalinbread echorec, tc flashback and for normal delay nothing can beat my Trex replica :-)
The warmth, the "liveness" and everything people is considering as the features which makes a delay better than the other...are there on the Timeline. It only depends on how this guy set his device. To be honest I think the Timeline can do everything the Alter Ego can do, not vice versa though.
Nicola Coin I have to disagree. I had a timeline and learned to use it really in depth. You can do some great things with it and it is a fabulous delay. The timeline itself no matter the tweaking just doesn't quite get as close to the analog and tape stuff. The timeline is a bit sterile for that. It can get you a proximity you might be happy enough with, but after having both, when it comes down to the analog and tape recreation, the timeline just wasn't as inspiring to play with those particular sounds. It makes up for it in other areas and if you need a more in depth unit, you can do no better than a timeline. For something slightly more streamlined that nails tape and analog units a touch better, an Alter Ego is a great choice.
For a modulated analog spaced effect I would go for the Alter Ego. The Strymon Timeline has better defined repeats (the repeats are longer and more separated) and a more articulate digital sound. Both are good and may break your sound, depends what you want out of your >Delay.
Same, I need my delay's to be ultra versatile, something like this is too specific. I recently got the DD-20 from Boss, it lets me control modulation on its own but, unfortunately, doesn't allow for super deep modulation.
I own the TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 and love it, I am not into the digital delay area more into the VIntage Analog tone and the Alter Ego would be the ultimate Echo pedal if it had Depth and Speed settings, but it really sounds great for the $75 I purchased it for. The Benson Ecorec and Watkins Copycat settings are outstanding !!
I am bias as i own the x4 for enough time to play it through and find the depth. I lust for the Timeline as Strymon are pinnacle products. The tone i was hearing from the Timeline was to strange in the top for my taste and may be adjustable with all those dials? Alter Ego is easy to get to a sound fast, and the Tone Print 4 slot is great. Both are top for me. Nice vid.
Here's the fact of the matter. The strymon timeline can do anything the alter ego can do, IF you REALLY know how to tweak parameters like an audio engineer. If you're like me and you're not really sure what the heck makes an echorec sound like it does, then the alter ego is the pedal for you, because professional engineers did the tweaking already. If you want ultimate control and infinite possibilities, the timeline is for you. If you just want classic delay sounds at the push of a button, the alter ego is for you. The alter ego is waaaayyyyy cheaper, but the timeline is the last delay pedal you'll ever need, it's only limit is you. It's all a matter of taste and preference.
That's probably a good sum'up, but a couple more things to consider though: Strymon's tape delay really doesn't sound much like a tape delay at all. In addition - I don't think Timeline is in the running for the last delay pedal you'll need simply because you cannot update the firmware.
I’ve heard a few demos of the Alter Ego and they were pretty bad (premier guitar video in particular) because the guitarist didn’t really have a good sense of rhythm and couldn’t “play along” with the demo. You did, you played along with it really well and got into the groove, brining out the best of both units. Some of the most honest criticism of the Alter Ego is that some of the settings have too much modulation. The guy who did the premier review of the AE only exasperated that by diving for his vibrola arm after almost every chord I was unprepared for how well the AE sounded compared to the much pricier Strymon.
If the x4 has enough presets and tweakability in the toneprint software I'm getting rid of my TL. Agree with all the comments. X4 nails all the qualities that inspired those original guys to get creative with the original units. The x4 inspires. Nothing more important than that.
+m fox Yes it does . i love the sound! but i have to say you can hear everything more clearly with that strymon! but for half the price... ill take the alter ego !
The alter ego sounds great but in a band mix I think the timeline will standout more.. Both are great delay pedals, in the end it's just a matter of taste. For the price you can't beat the alter ego v2 (there's a huge cut price on PGS now!)
Alter Ego Sounds Warmer & Fatter. Can someone tell me if the Alter Ego has " Global Tap Tempo " ??? or do you have to Re-Tap Every-single-Time - you Switch Presets ? Thanks - Michael Caz - NYC -
From what i can tell from getting mine and research, no it doesn't have global. have to reset it every time you switch presets. the one way around it is say you want to use 2 or 3 presets in a song, get them dialed with each selected...just quick cycle the buttons as you are tapping tempo at the start of your song.
The TC sounds awesome in this vid, but where the Strymon really shines v the TC is in stereo separation. I would really like to hear them in stereo to make a judgment.
Timeline is so overpriced, overrated, and very stale and cold sounding. Alter ego is very warm and melodic. I will say my catalinbread echorec is a better echorec than alter ego but overall love the alter ego. Never liked strymon never will.
I played with a nearly identical setup (strat/vox ac/kot/alter ego) last night. Used to have a timeline. There was no mix issues with the alter ego. He just has the delay level up pretty high in this video. When you back it down to a more reasonable amount, it's totally fine.
@@NuZTheRockerOFFICIAL Totally. There are so many people in the comments saying, “the TC sounds better here but I am guessing the Strymon sounds better in a mix.” These people must own Timeline’s and their trying to cope with the fact that the TC pedal sounds better lol
I have the time factor and the alter ego I spend more time on the x4 but love both. Strymon is way too overrated and cold and sterile you can have that pedal.
The Alter Ego is my favorite delay of all time. The modulation is so warm and lush. Brilliant pedal.
Man, the Alter Ego just outclasses the Timeline in every setting. Really warm and clear. TC is becoming my favorite pedal company, the toneprint option is so cool.
Patrick Landfair
The toneprint is also fun as you can make your TCE sounding like an avantgarde/retro/broken/boutique pedal : )
Cripes! I wasn't expecting to like the Alter Ego so much more than the Strymon.
Rohan Leach me too
TC all the way. They've nailed it on so many levels.
The Timeline definitely seems more transparent to me, but I like that warm trail the Alter Ego gives.
I got the alter ego 4 days ago. By accident I was called for a gig at house of rock and I didn't have time to play with it. All I can say that even the presets where incredible and versitale and easy to use. I was impressed with very little effort how accurate the delay models represent the real deal for the set list the band gave me. I normally use eleven rack delays etc etc... never again.
I wish the alter ego had a tone knob and a rate and depth knob for the modulation. It would be perfect.
I know. Just bought one and realized there's no adjustment of modulation
The TimeLine sounds brighter and colder in this comparison which is probably true, but it has a build in dumping filter for highs in the parameter settings. Engaging this, would bring those pedals closer to each other.
It sounds more brighter and colder because its Digital at its best (A little Cliche') in trying to recreate delay echo sounds. I honestly did not like all the Strymon presets...That's why I haven't bought it, especially the Tape/reverse which are not accurate at all.
Oh Okay DUDE i can care less ...I am always RIGHT.
That Alter Ego sounds amazing... I think I would go for that on my rig. Right now, I just have a DD20.
Can you do a comparison with the Alter Ego and DD20?
Timeline is my fav out of all I’ve tried but I’ve been wanting to check the alter ego ever since I saw the Andy helped design it and create and he obviously knows a thing or 2 about pedals and good sounds. I’ve been watching this pedal go cheap on sweetwater and holding my trigger finger back ..... the alter ego sounds great man. But yeah timeline has soooooo many awesome presets. Your getting some great alter ego sounds on here man. ✌️❤️👊🏻
Alter Ego x4 seems to sound organic/natural. Timeline is great but can really notice digital sound on high ends IMHO
Keep in mind that the X4 sounds AS GOOD or as close as you can get....to the Strymon yet it costs almost a quarter of the price of the Timeline. The Timeline is not $300 better than the X4 in my opinion. I just ordered one of these from ProGuitarShop for $149 which is a KILLER deal IMO
Me too,man! hahaha
IN my country the Alter Ego X4 is like 320$ quite expensive,but hey I bought it.That is a really nice vintage delay unit.
No. The Alter Ego was developed to digitally emulate the sounds of vintage, analog echo units. "Only" that. It's very good at that. The Timeline is an outright digital delay that can do some vintage, but not as well as the X4 can. It sounds too digital.
Link?
TC has a little smoother sound.
Nice demo as usual
Alter ego for me 👌🏻
X4 sounds more analog, TimeLine's fine echo machine anyway. Matter of taste.
AlterEgo for me
Alter Ego destroys the Strymon - hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahhaha bullshits
@@xdx2653 Just me and all these other people then :)
@Gunawan Wijaya well i bought the flashbackii coz i heard is good pedal and its no so far from timeline but i really regret it.very overrated pedal and its nothing comparing to timeline.
i dont know what others like but for me timeline is a legend delay pedal
@@xdx2653 Sounds like user error to me. The TC just sounds straight up better. The only thing the Timeline has over it is the MIDI capability
While I get the comments about the X4 (and own an analog delay & Flashback myself) that Timeline is incredible! The X4 sounds have so much character they almost take away from the playing where the Timeline seems to enhance the playing. The X4 sounds a lot more like a special-use delay. For what its worth, as a sound engineer, I've seen the Strymon & Eventides on boards far more often than the X4 in any form. Still, I'd have to hear them in person to really get a feel for either.
I had a timeline the last year and a half and just sold it and got an alter ego x4. The timeline is fabulous and i actually have some delay on at basically all times, but i had realised I was basically just leaving on one MAYBE two settings at a gig and only changing the tempo and occasionally from quarter notes to dotted 8th. It was just too much delay for what I actually was doing. I knew how to work my timeline and could get some really good sounds out of it, but in person one compared to the other, the alter ego definitely handles tape and analog sim better. There is just a lot more warmth and character. I find it more inspiring to play and already use several of the presets for different situations.
ReddenDoom To see a pedal on boards more often doesn't mean it is better. I see a lot of boards that really looks the same, boring, for players with no personality. That's a fact, nowadays people are more like "I get what others have" than "I invest in my own tone".
I've never been like this and have a pedal selection I've never seen anyone else have. At the same time, if enough artists, especially from varying genres, are using a type of pedal I'll often look into it. In the case of a delay, seeing a pedal more often makes things like design and function stand out as possible benefits in my mind more that "it must be better". I also regularly see pedalboards filled with boutique pedals that would cost a fortune paired with "players with no personality" and it sounds terrible. I agree that the player is a big factor, and pedals don't make or break them, but thats my point. When enough real players, with lots of personality, rely on a single pedal, it makes me interested. Of course, sponsorship, placebo effect, idolizing pro's gear, etc. all come into play. Still, to date, I've never seen an alter ego and continue to see the others and I also think they are supper excessive unless someone is touring. Personally, I went with a Boss DD-20 after they tanked in price and am very happy with it!
ReddenDoom the alter ego is a hard comparison in terms of people having them on their boards or not. It's like a side delay that tc did, partnering with premier guitar shop. The timeline is one of the l, if not the flagship pedals of strymon. You can't go wrong with either honestly. Tc electronic have been near or at the top of the digital delay game for 25-30 years. Timeline is the it delay currently and rightfully so. I have no bad things to say about it or my two years owning one. If you like the alter ego but think the modulation is a bit too heavy, here is always the flashback which is the actual pedal it's a spin off of. You have as much or more control than the timeline via their tone print app. You get an additional 4 slots you can load custom presets into the alter ego with. I used one of those for a nice really clean, regular digital delay, so I have basically all my needs covered.
Yes you will see the strymon en eventides on more boards 1 because you got more midi functions and 2 because Dan & Mick put them on alot of boards. But I prefer the sound of the alter ego myself, also have the catalinbread echorec, tc flashback and for normal delay nothing can beat my Trex replica :-)
I love that riff at 13:28 sounds like never surrender by triumph but cool like pink floyd :)
Prefer the X4..
The warmth, the "liveness" and everything people is considering as the features which makes a delay better than the other...are there on the Timeline. It only depends on how this guy set his device. To be honest I think the Timeline can do everything the Alter Ego can do, not vice versa though.
Nicola Coin I have to disagree. I had a timeline and learned to use it really in depth. You can do some great things with it and it is a fabulous delay. The timeline itself no matter the tweaking just doesn't quite get as close to the analog and tape stuff. The timeline is a bit sterile for that. It can get you a proximity you might be happy enough with, but after having both, when it comes down to the analog and tape recreation, the timeline just wasn't as inspiring to play with those particular sounds. It makes up for it in other areas and if you need a more in depth unit, you can do no better than a timeline. For something slightly more streamlined that nails tape and analog units a touch better, an Alter Ego is a great choice.
Agree with Eric. Would love to hear a comparison of the Alter Ego with the Boss DD20. I know you prefer the DD20 (in some settings) over the Timeline.
For a modulated analog spaced effect I would go for the Alter Ego. The Strymon Timeline has better defined repeats (the repeats are longer and more separated) and a more articulate digital sound. Both are good and may break your sound, depends what you want out of your >Delay.
I guess my biggest fear is not being able to dial out the modulation on the X4
Same, I need my delay's to be ultra versatile, something like this is too specific. I recently got the DD-20 from Boss, it lets me control modulation on its own but, unfortunately, doesn't allow for super deep modulation.
I own the TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 and love it, I am not into the digital delay area more into the VIntage Analog tone and the Alter Ego would be the ultimate Echo pedal if it had Depth and Speed settings, but it really sounds great for the $75 I purchased it for. The Benson Ecorec and Watkins Copycat settings are outstanding !!
I am bias as i own the x4 for enough time to play it through and find the depth. I lust for the Timeline as Strymon are pinnacle products. The tone i was hearing from the Timeline was to strange in the top for my taste and may be adjustable with all those dials? Alter Ego is easy to get to a sound fast, and the Tone Print 4 slot is great. Both are top for me. Nice vid.
As an alter ego owner I must say that it is a beast.
Here's the fact of the matter. The strymon timeline can do anything the alter ego can do, IF you REALLY know how to tweak parameters like an audio engineer. If you're like me and you're not really sure what the heck makes an echorec sound like it does, then the alter ego is the pedal for you, because professional engineers did the tweaking already. If you want ultimate control and infinite possibilities, the timeline is for you. If you just want classic delay sounds at the push of a button, the alter ego is for you. The alter ego is waaaayyyyy cheaper, but the timeline is the last delay pedal you'll ever need, it's only limit is you. It's all a matter of taste and preference.
That's probably a good sum'up, but a couple more things to consider though: Strymon's tape delay really doesn't sound much like a tape delay at all. In addition - I don't think Timeline is in the running for the last delay pedal you'll need simply because you cannot update the firmware.
Poul Winther Knudsen Strymon's DIG is their best digital delay.
You are wrong, Strymon BigSky, Timeline and Mobius are updatable devices.
I’ve heard a few demos of the Alter Ego and they were pretty bad (premier guitar video in particular) because the guitarist didn’t really have a good sense of rhythm and couldn’t “play along” with the demo. You did, you played along with it really well and got into the groove, brining out the best of both units.
Some of the most honest criticism of the Alter Ego is that some of the settings have too much modulation. The guy who did the premier review of the AE only exasperated that by diving for his vibrola arm after almost every chord
I was unprepared for how well the AE sounded compared to the much pricier Strymon.
Vibrola arm? Lol
TC Electronics sounds more "natural"
If the x4 has enough presets and tweakability in the toneprint software I'm getting rid of my TL. Agree with all the comments. X4 nails all the qualities that inspired those original guys to get creative with the original units. The x4 inspires. Nothing more important than that.
TC Guys need to create a V2 Alter Ego x4 with more functions and foot friendly features!
I have the Alter Ego (singular pedal, not the X4). It's my favorite delay I've ever had.
I actually preferred the x4 .... (jaw dropped face)
The AEX4 has more soul, and warmth. I'll take it over the Timeline any day.
+m fox
Yes it does . i love the sound! but i have to say you can hear everything more clearly with that strymon! but for half the price... ill take the alter ego !
I'll put it that way I have these two pedals and IMO AEX4 is great lo fi tape analog emulator, Timeline is Hi Fi tape analog emulator.
the alter ego is just "omni midi" and if you have severals midi device how can do ?
Great demo,tc win
The alter ego sounds great but in a band mix I think the timeline will standout more.. Both are great delay pedals, in the end it's just a matter of taste.
For the price you can't beat the alter ego v2 (there's a huge cut price on PGS now!)
Agreed. I love fat guitar tones. But they tend to disappear in many band mixes for those who will end up recording or playing in a mix.
TC 10 X 4 Strymon
Alter Ego Sounds Warmer & Fatter. Can someone tell me if the Alter Ego has " Global Tap Tempo " ??? or do you have to Re-Tap Every-single-Time - you Switch Presets ? Thanks - Michael Caz - NYC -
From what i can tell from getting mine and research, no it doesn't have global. have to reset it every time you switch presets. the one way around it is say you want to use 2 or 3 presets in a song, get them dialed with each selected...just quick cycle the buttons as you are tapping tempo at the start of your song.
Thanks Man. Major Drawback for my own personal Live Performance applications.
I have a afvise for you. First you da mp the string so we can hear the building of the ccco secondly dont play acords play single notes from a tune
The TC sounds awesome in this vid, but where the Strymon really shines v the TC is in stereo separation. I would really like to hear them in stereo to make a judgment.
Hello Alter Ego goodbye Strymon
Timeline is so overpriced, overrated, and very stale and cold sounding. Alter ego is very warm and melodic. I will say my catalinbread echorec is a better echorec than alter ego but overall love the alter ego. Never liked strymon never will.
Seven minutes in I think the Timeline took the KOT better and would be easier in a mix, my guess is the AE would be muddy alonside bass and drums
I played with a nearly identical setup (strat/vox ac/kot/alter ego) last night. Used to have a timeline. There was no mix issues with the alter ego. He just has the delay level up pretty high in this video. When you back it down to a more reasonable amount, it's totally fine.
This is such a nonsense statement, no offense. There's no reason to say that.
@@NuZTheRockerOFFICIAL Totally. There are so many people in the comments saying, “the TC sounds better here but I am guessing the Strymon sounds better in a mix.” These people must own Timeline’s and their trying to cope with the fact that the TC pedal sounds better lol
I have the time factor and the alter ego I spend more time on the x4 but love both. Strymon is way too overrated and cold and sterile you can have that pedal.
Tc electronic has much more emphasis in their tone compared to strymon.
Re-read this now and laugh at yourself