Digitech IPS 33

[El Chiguete]

How does it compare with newer units and how do you use it? any tips?

PS:
Whats the difference between a IPS33 and a DHP33?

[rnolan]

Hi El Chiguete.  I'm not that familiar with newer harmonisers but it probably compares quite well even though it's quite an old unit.  I bought it many years ago (~25 or so).  Its never missed a beat over thousands of gigs so very reliable. Back then it was the bees knees and affordable.  Other units of the day were very expensive.  I think I paid around $500 AUD back then so it wasn't cheap even though I got it on sale.  It's main claim to fame was being a smart shift i.e. you tell it what key/scale you want and it adjust the various harmonies (intervals) to match the key/scale.  So I set up some banks with harmonies in various keys (E, A, B, G, F# etc) to suit the set list.  It gives you 2 separate selectable/programable harmonies per patch (2 above, 1 above 1 below, 2 below) and can also do a very nice chorus (without modulation).  It's mono in (guitar/line selectable) and you get the 2 outs.  It also has a distortion loop on the input so you can plug the guitar directly into the input and put a distortion device (in my case MP1 in the early days and now MP2) in the loop.  This was to assist in tracking the note as harmonisers can struggle to get the right pitch from distorted guitar.  I ran it like that initially (with MP1 in its loop) the return feed from the 3rd effects send of the little mixer I use (see post on how do you connect your rack gear).  All I/O is on the back of the unit so it was a bit of a pain to have to plug the guitar in from the back so I stopped using the loop and it still tracks fine.  I found the interface easy to use and well laid out.  It only has 99 patch locations so these days I set it on a octave up and down and use ADA patches above 100 so it ignores midi changes and I use a bypass switch to include it when playing.  My unit has a little physical hum as the transformer vibrates the top cover, if I take the cover off it stops, a bit annoying but you can't hear it when playing.  It also has a tuner function, not bad but not as good a peterson strobe tuner but better than Roland tuners which have quite wide dead zones.  Digitech made a foot switch for it but I've not used one.
So in summary, very reliable, programable for lots of different scales/keys (including augmented and diminished), 2 harmonies, tracks well even playing fast and has the distortion loop if your sound is too distorted for it to track reliably.
You can hear it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIr9nZ4aJfo), I play the 3rd guitar solo.  I think I had it set to a minor 3rd in G (one of the patches I ran up for highway star).  This was live in a warehouse and my original MP1.
Cheers Richard

[El Chiguete]

So reading this I see that the best way to use it in a rack with midi is to get something like this http://www.amazon.com/MidiBox-Midi-Merge-Interface-Vista/dp/B00ANHYJ20 so in can give specific midi changes when you want it instead of changing to the same patch number as the MP1 or other unit.

Also I read your post ¨How do "you" connect your rack gear together¨ and there is something I dont quite understand, shouldnt you use this unit just after your preamp and before the post preamp effects? That way if you have a delay the repeats will have the harmony effect that you set up instead of harmonizing the repets?

[rnolan]

Hi El Chiguete, a friend of mine bought the Behringer controler pedal to use with his MP1, apparently it's got lots of cool patch options (he's very happy with it).  With the MP1 or MP2 you can program any change number to the midi out for any given patch recieved (eg recieved 100 on midi in, unit changes to 100, midi thru sends 100, midi out 40 (or whatever you set it to)).  There are lots of ways to do it.  As I said I used to have lots of different harmonies patched for various songs, these days I keep it simple with just an octave up/down.
Regarding my setup, by using the mixer and it's 3 effects sends gives the result you refer to (obviously depending how you route the various signals).  So I do:  MP2 L/R outs into mixer ch 1/2 (pan left/right to mixer main outs which feed power amp ins), aux send 1 and 2 I send to quadverb L/R ins and aux 3 I send to IPS33 in (mono).  The quadverb L/R outs return down ch 3/4 (paned L/R to main outs) and the IPS33 outs (harm 1 & 2) return down ch 5/6 (again paned L/R to main outs).  ch 1 (MP2 L) send to aux 1 (left channel effects) and aux 3 (IPS33 in (so IPS is getting straight MP2 left channel, no external effects)). ch 2 (MP2 R) send to aux 2 (right channel effects) and again aux 3 (IPS33 in (so IPS is getting straight MP2 right channel, no external effects)).  ch 5/6 (IPS returns) send to aux 1 & 2 respectively so the IPS outs 1/2 are also fed to quadverb L/R ins so the harmonies get effects (delay, reverb) (and of course careful not to turn up aux 3 on IPS returns to avoid earsplitting feedback loop  ;) ).  So this way I then adjust the channel volumes to suit (ie mix it).  If I want more/less IPS or quadverb I just adjust their channel vols. Does that make it a bit clearer ?

[finstah]

I used to own an IPS33B and controlled it via a GCP board. FWIW this is a great harmonizer for the price.

There is a dude on Harmony Central (I can't remember his name) that has a good deal of knowledge with this unit as well as the DHP55. I believe you can also buy a mod kit for the 33 to upgrade it to a 55.

[El Chiguete]

What gets upgraded?

[finstah]

the EPROM, circuit board, chip

[rnolan]

Hey finstah, the upgrade sounds interesting, must check it out.  In its day the IPS33 was the bees knees and probably the first decent "affordable" (intelligent) harmoniser.  The interface is very good and easy to use, the built in tuner function has a pretty wide digital dead zone though (bit like allot of Roland tuners).

[finstah]

I think I found mine after a year or so of searching for $135. For the price you can NOT beat the harmonies. I had it keeping up with my AxeFX Ultra pretty good for what it could do. NOTE: it is NOT anywhere near an h3000 or the AFU.

I have no idea the differences between the 33 and 55. Damn I wish I could remember the dudes name. 

[Peter H. Boer]

I have no idea the differences between the 33 and 55. Damn I wish I could remember the dudes name. 

If I remember correctly the difference between DHP33 and DHP55 is:
DHP55 has reverb, while DHP33 has not
DHP55 has input loop, which DHP33 has not. This is so you plug your guitar in the DHP55, the pitch gets calculated on the direct from guitar signal, signal then goes unaltered to your (pre)amp before returning to the DHP55 (in the amp's effect loop) for it's effect. This facilitates good tracking (especially with highly distorted sounds).

I chose the DHP33, because:
I'm using it for bass so I do not need the direct tracking, and I already had a Lexicon for reverb

[rnolan]

Hey Peter, the IPS33 (not sure about a DHP33, was that a later version of the IPS33?) has the distortion loop so you can plug your guitar in and give it a clean signal for tracking, I used it like that for a while but found it tracked just fine fed from the MP1/2 outs (I feed it from Aux 3 on the small mixer I use to plug it all together).  The down side I found with using the loop is you have to plug your guitar in on the IPS33s back panel which was a pain and then you have to feed the loop out (clean signal) back to the front to go into the MP1/2, more pain.

[finstah]

Hey Peter, the IPS33 (not sure about a DHP33, was that a later version of the IPS33?) has the distortion loop so you can plug your guitar in and give it a clean signal for tracking, I used it like that for a while but found it tracked just fine fed from the MP1/2 outs (I feed it from Aux 3 on the small mixer I use to plug it all together).  The down side I found with using the loop is you have to plug your guitar in on the IPS33s back panel which was a pain and then you have to feed the loop out (clean signal) back to the front to go into the MP1/2, more pain.

The DHP is the later ISP.

I thought I was running mine through an Access FX looper say on loop 4 and then ran my AxeFX and other crap on the other 3 loops. I don't remember having to plug into the Digi.

'stah