Had any problems? Mine really was a piece of cake.

I replaced my XO with the previous version. However, I actually had to open it and adjust the range of the sweep. Now that it’s working as it should (except for the volume drop) I wish I’d tried doing this on the XO. It’s NOT as complicated as it’s made out to be however it will void your warranty. ALWAYS make a tick with a Sharpie so you can set things back if it doesn’t work out. Having it plugged in and using a non-conductive screwdriver or alternative tool will ensure no accidental short circuits or electric shocks while making adjustments. This just goes to show that not every item that leaves the factory is calibrated the same (as they should be!) The old, “Well they’re analog” excuse is just that – an excuse for sub par quality control.

Perhaps sometime in the future I’ll give the XO a try again but tweak it. Mine had so many inconsistencies it was ridiculous.

Alright! Comparison time!

I’m curious as to whether or not yours is new or used. I got one of the last new DEMs and although I agree it’s noticeably better than the XO it may have similar “knob sensitivity”. I’m not 100% sure but I know there have been several models of the DEM and it’s possible that mine, being brand new, doesn’t quite live up to the one I bought back in 2007. There’s a web page devoted to all of the Mistresses throughout the years so I’ll give that a close inspection.

Of course the volume drop is an issue (the XO did NOT fix this which really ticked me off!) HOWEVER, there is a simple fix that I used on my previous version. Get yourself a used BOSS LS-2 line selector. The Mistress is placed in one of the two available loops and the return signal can be amplified so the output can be tailored to exactly what you want. Of course the pedal has the bonus of an LED so you’ll know whether it’s on or off. And because of the size of the DEM it fits nicely on top.

On anothernote, The MOOER ElecLady (now just the E-Lady) is a ridiculously good clone of the DEM. It also has a volume drop but there’s another workaround. I used to pair it with a MOOER Pure Boost to compensate for the drop PLUS EQ the signal to make it a little less shrill. Now, because other clones are so cheap, I’ve ordered the Donner Convolution Jet Flanger (same guts as the ElecLady) and pairing it off with their “Boost Killer” (an Xotic-RC clone) for the same result at a FRACTION of the price. You can order it directly from China on their website for $30.99 each with free shipping (or take a careful look on Ebay for a very close price and faster delivery). $61.98 for a budget DEM clone is pretty amazing.

Anyway, I’ll give my DEM a closer look so I can compare the control responses to yours. Perhaps we can trade MP3’s via private email to compare.

Cheers, Rends!
TheD0ct0r

I just ditched my XO for the previous DEM model. I’d rather have a big, bulky flanger that actually does what it’s supposed to without an LED or true bypass than this XO thing. Best of luck to you all.

Yeah. Such s shame. If I’m lucky I can get mine back.

Are you buying the ElecLady locally or online? Donner sells the Jet Convolution flanger for $30.99 US with free shipping (from China though) but it’s more than half the price of an ElecLady. Same guts. Pair it with a Donner Boost Killer (an Xotic RC Boost clone another another half price savings) and you’ll have tonal control and a fix for the volume drop. I just spent the last hour looking for the cheapest clones. Those Donners are also available from the US on Ebay (same seller). The Jet Convolution flanger is the same price as from China. The booster is $10 more. I’m in Canada so there’s currency conversion and S+H to deal with. They’re so cheap that they go through customs without duty or taxes added!

I hope EH doesn’t have a problem with us discussing alternatives to their products but they REALLY dropped the ball on this one. We’ve been waiting YEARS for this pedal to be issued and they pooched it.

Let me know how things pan out.

Cheers!

P.S. I’m going to grab my ARTEC Vintage Flanger SE-FLG Two-Band Flanger out of the closet. Rather that than that green monster.