Strymon Deco

Elek4 · 2023-08-24T07:55:52.797Z

The pedal is now available in plugin.

Deco Tape Saturator & Doubletracker - Strymon

Makers of precision-crafted music electronics and effects pedals. We want to build products with no compromises. We want to push the limits of technology in music.

Hope it sounds better than it looks.

RytmMASCHINE · 2024-01-08T07:09:03.454Z

Hi, I’ve got the Deco V2 recently and use it on synths, e. g. Bassline DB-01. I love that sound …
Deco V2 is set to mono in and line level input. FW is version 1.22 from September 2023.

My question regarding the Wobble (LFO) effect on the lag time:

While the YT demos with guitars show a noticeable effect on the lag after turning the wobble knob there is only a marginal effect in my setup.

First I thought the wobble knob might be defective but I can use it flawlessly to switch the Stereo Width Mode (a Live Edit function) on and off.

What’s your experience with synths? Does your Deco V2 behave similarly?

handed · 2024-01-08T07:36:57.000Z

Still in love with my Deco V1 after all these years.

Anyone have any experience with the plug-in version? Curious to know how it goes…

DimensionsTomorrow · 2024-01-08T08:02:40.202Z

I don’t use mine in wide stereo mode, but it might be the case that wobble doesn’t really do much in the wide stereo mode (I can’t remember). Try in the regular mode and compare. Also check where the blend knob is set. All the way to the right is where the wobble is the strongest i think. Sum, invert and bounce also affect it I believe. Try those settings and compare with blend all the way to the right in non-wide mode.

JacopoAcquafresca · 2024-01-08T08:24:38.086Z

I have Deco V1. Although almost every function is pretty subtle (I like that way) with blend and wobble at maximum in bounce setting when you are not in the studio wide mode, the vibrato is very, noticeable.

Area_808 · 2024-01-08T10:48:37.838Z

I have the plugin and think it sounds really really good!

Don’t have experience with the hardware but do use it alongside the Analog Heat in processing signals and find it to be really useful in achieving a sound really quickly that I can’t do so easy on the AH.

RytmMASCHINE · 2024-01-08T21:36:16.477Z

@JacopoAcquafresca and @DimensionsTomorrow

Thank you for your suggestions.
For me wobble didn’t work well together with the DB-01. Everything else worked very well though.

Then I connected the Deco V2 to my Volca FM 2 and there wobble effects are very noticeable.
My lessons learned: Again some synth / pedal combos work better than others. That will be never a boring game.

Edit: Of course I will continue to use the Deco together with the DB-01 but with lesser expectations to that wobble.

handed · 2024-03-24T02:44:38.390Z

Folks with the V2 Deco - how are you controlling it with MIDI? It has a non-standard 1/4 inch TRS MIDI input - does that just mean I can use it as a 3.5mm MIDI port with a 3.5mm to 1/4 TRS adaptor (like for headphones) to interface with my other DIN MIDI and 3.5mm MIDI gear? Or does it really need you to buy some extra Strymon MIDI dongle to access MIDI through that port? Does it conform to TRS-A or TRS-B MIDI? I’m not so interested in using MIDI over USB.

RytmMASCHINE · 2024-03-24T11:45:03.751Z

Hi, my Strymon pedals are MIDI In TRS Tip active.
I would try it with a MIDI Type A adaptor because e.g. Chase Bliss is Ring active and there MIDI Type B is reported to work.

EDIT: I use a MIDI Box 4 that can drive any MIDI In TRS setup.

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Kegeratorz · 2024-03-24T16:35:44.358Z

I have a El Cap so I’d assume all is the same. I have a Type A TRS-midi dongle I use with the DN and all works well!

g3o2 · 2024-06-18T00:10:22.548Z

I am positively surprised by the fact that, with Deco’s wide stereo mode with stereo input, the OB-X8’s stereo voice spread is pretty much preserved when double-tracking, or at least I didn’t get the impression that the voice spread would become any less stereo. I thought Deco would sum to mono in bounce mode. Nevertheless, the X8, being relatively bright sounding synth, appears to benefit most from the tape saturation.

shigginpit · 2024-08-21T17:35:03.018Z

Do you know if they can use both or is it type A specifically?

8bitBarry · 2024-08-21T17:29:06.937Z

Having a Deco for guitar use, I banished a Microcosm and put the Deco into one of the Aux Sends. I am absolutely blown away at how it ‘completed’ the stereo field became. I’ve found the answer I didn’t know I needed

For those that don’t know (you can find the pedal’s technicals on YouTube), it creates a wonderful saturated central focus point. It works very well with on literally anything, but you can focus a monosynth and add subtle overdriven delay.

It compliments clinical delays and high fidelity with some much needed grit, but it’s so smooth it never sounds distorted, just thicker.

Any tips from Deco users gratefully accepted.

Kegeratorz · 2024-08-21T18:45:35.568Z

Not sure about both, I happen to have the A and it just works.

LyingDalai · 2024-08-21T19:02:10.986Z

8bitBarry:

Any tips from Deco users gratefully accepted.

I love it on drum machines. Especially MD.
Hats loose some treble, but I just love it. Might get another one at some point ^^

KaOsphere · 2025-04-23T15:34:49.187Z

Hi everyone, I have a deco v2 and cannot make it react to midi clock…

I have verified that a midi clock signal is present…Is there a connection trick I missed or did they cripple it on purpose to sell their 40 bucks midi cable ?

Thanks everyone !

Kegeratorz · 2025-04-23T15:41:08.385Z

I have the Capistan so possibly different but you do have to enable midi on the pedal. There are also other configuration options for midi.

KaOsphere · 2025-04-23T15:59:19.615Z

Thanks, yeah, I dunno. I managed to make it work with the undocumented usb connection. The led is now purple instead of red but the functions have somewhat changed and the lag time is working backward…Not sure if I gain anything with this…

Kegeratorz · 2025-04-23T16:06:58.507Z

Haven’t tried midi over usb but my el cap is solid when the DN is running the show!

Stone262 · 2025-04-25T03:16:42.992Z

I have the zelzah which I have set to midi clock and remembered it being fiddly.

Just had a glance at the deco manual, looks like the midi sync setting is per preset, so dunno if you use presets and missed that detail when switching between, you would lose sync. Weird about the lag time knob behaviour, it looks like from left to right while synced to midi clock its lowest to highest division of the clock signal, which seems to be the same when not synced.