So.... it looks like my age-ing, much abused , but much loved and relied upon Zoom 8080 multi FX may not be much longer for this world..... it's been cutting out randomly , no visual fault, all the lights and so on are there , but sound just stops.... dead.... then comes back, usually , if i give it a kick..... i will open her up and check the sockets, but that's about as far as these things tend to be repairable....

and there are none on fleabay.... or anywhere else i can find at present.... and they'd all be as old as mine anyway.... and may have had even harder lives....

with this in mind, i need to start looking for alternatives , fairly quickly... can't be let down when playing with the band.....

so here's my shopping list.


Must have
1) Midi out, able to send patch change data to control my babelswitch./
2) External Loop pre-amp option.... to patch my Laney Chromezone's pre-amp in

signal path should be

guitar> input, Compressor ( or assorted dynamics) wah and octave fx > pre-amp out (external loop) >Laney> loop-rtn > time based FX (pitch, harmony, delay, chorus flanger etc) > reverb > main out back to laney powerstage.

3) 2 pedals , or inputs for them, is an absolute must.,... 1 dedicated for volume, the other assignable however i like.... but more than 2 would be nice (8080 effectively had 3 )


most of the time, only really need simple delay and chorus and a bit of reverb, but i do like to get silly with minor third harmonies,(8080 had a basic, but functional intelligent harmonizer reverse attack envelopes, multi tap delays (with tap tempo) and so on.... and be able to programme the loop send level settings on a per patch basis, to change how hard i drive the amp's front end....

the 8080 was basically a Zoom 9050 in a floor mounted unit.... (sadly my 9050 died earlier this year)

i need to replicate it's abilities..... and it's bullet proofness... bear in mind this thing has lasted about 15-16 years.... of frequently quite hard use.... done tours, festivals pub gigs and so on, and survived unscathed....




Nice to have bits.

a bit less noise wouldn't hurt...
multiple assignable pedal controls for Wah, volume, and say, delay time or delay mix, and other real time control options,


and maybe an amp footswitch out, (for when i use something other than my laney babel switch rig)


so, start telling me about your wonderful toys ....

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