EHX Grand Canyon

Can Electro Harmonix ‘go large’ with their Grand Canyon delay/looper pedal? Bruce Aisher gets tapping

Electro-Harmonix have been in the stomp-box game longer than most, and now have a huge, ever growing, line-up. Many units come in a series of variants aimed at different price points, and with slightly different feature sets. A classic example is the Memory Man delay, with its Tap Tempo, Stereo, Boy and Toy variants. Like these, the new EHX Grand Canyon delay and looper takes its cue from the 2017’s smaller Canyon pedal. The Canyon was one of EHX’s first forays into compact, all-digital, multi-effect territory, that companies such as TC Electronic have embraced for some time.

One of the issues with providing multiple effects in such a small footprint is the necessary limitations that it imposes on parameter editing. The Canyon did offer a series of secondary editing functions, but these necessitated additional button presses, and constant reference to the manual. The Grand Canyon gets around many of these limitations by adding two new parameter adjustment knobs as well as additional switches and feedback LEDs. Thankfully, these are combined with a parameter matrix and programme indicator display, which makes everything easier. The extra space also allows the inclusion of stereo outputs, a CV/expression pedal input and external footswitch jack.

Besides its looping function, the GC specialises in echo/delay effects, though not exclusively so. Echo, by default delivers clean digital echoes, though it also has variable low or high-pass filtering and an adjustable bit-crusher to make for a more characterful tone. Other delay programmes take in modulated, multi-tap, tape, drum and BBD-style delays. The multi-tap programme can have up to 31 taps, with the ability to change their relative volume contour (decay/swell). For a more overtly ‘vintage’ flavour, the DMM setting makes a stab at the Deluxe Memory Man sound (with adjustable chorus), the Tape programme allows you to dial-in some distortion and flutter, and Drum delivers a more retro take on the multi-tap sound. While none of these is perhaps as good as the real thing, they sound decent, and offer more control and better reliability than the originals. Other programmes include those dedicated to reverb and pitch-based treatments (including the ambient favourite, ’shimmer’).

The Grand Canyon, is a strong addition to the EHX line-up and works well with a range of sources. However, the lack of stereo inputs (and stereo looping), might frustrate those using it with some synth and other line-level situations. Although the reverb and shimmer programmes aren’t perhaps as good some units dedicated to the task (or more powerful and expensive boxes) they are a useful inclusion. Looping is easier on the GC than the original Canyon pedal, and offers some powerful quite powerful features – and with more visual feedback than some competing products. Ultimately, the Grand Canyon is a good all-rounder that doesn’t hide its tweak-ability behind convoluted sub-menus.

A good all-rounder that doesn’t hide its tweak-ability