I've wanted a real drum or tape echo for quite some time now. I love multi-head delays. I owned the Boss Re-20 for years until I could afford the Boss RE-202 after it came out (A massive improvement in tone). Once the DM-101 went on sale for a good price, I grabbed one. If I knew what I was missing, I would have sold my RE-202 and bought this at full price when it came out. I wish I could explain it. It was like going from the RE-20 to the RE-202, though. There is this openness and clarity that just sounds so nice and smooth. The Multi-Head and Pattern modes are my absolute favorite. I only play clean through this. I've been searching for that perfect tone (for me) and this (combined with everything else) is it. It's not a tape echo or even trying to emulate one but it certainly gives me the sound that I've been looking for.

I'm only using this on my desktop at the moment. I run a Surfy Bear Reverb into the Boss DM-101. I use 4 different guitars through this. One is an Epi Les Paul with TV Jones T-Armonds (Dynasonic) pickups, a Strat Copy with Pure Vintage 65s, a Gretsch Electromatic Hollow with TV Jones Duo-Trons and occasionally my Brian May guitar (which sounds glorious clean through this setup). I play it all through Amplitube/Tone X.

I'm a sucker for delay and echoes and own many hardware and software effects because of it. Their characteristics are chosen for different situations in performance and recording. There is a lot to like about the BOSS DM-101.

First, is the tonal qualities (analog circuit) and behavior (digital control) of the six (6) monaural (mono) and six (6) stereo panoramic delay modes. The different modes emulate echoes and delay of the past as well as contemporary spatial effects. The modes vary in delay time ranges and, er, variations. Notable delay mode variations are the ten (10) mono multi-head and ten (10) stereo rhythmic patterns. These variations are a lot of fun when coupled with the tap division feature.

Note that the multi-head patterns are different than the BOSS Space Echo (SE-202). The SE-202 has twelve different head combinations. Three (3) of those are single-head which are irrelevant compared to the ten (10) other DM-101 delay modes.

There are four memory locations to save settings on the face of the pedal with an additional 123 (5-127) via external MIDI device.

Tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) control (CTRL) and expression (EXP) input allows for switching between on-board memory locations or modulating between settings with an expression pedal.

MIDI control and features utilize Type B MIDI TRS to 5-pin cables for MIDI in and out.

The construction of the pedal is solid.

The downsides to the DM-101 include the following. The USB port is only for updates. The audio input is only mono despite stereo outputs. The pedal takes a good amount of space claim for the pedal board conscious. Using a footswitch controller is potentially redundant since programmable functions are available from footswitches on the pedal face.

The closet other pedal for a shoot-out is the Electro-Harmonix Grand Canyon (Electro-Harmonix Grand Canyon Delay & Looper Pedal | Sweetwater). The Grand Canyon adds a looper, has more memory locations accessible from the pedal face, has separate inputs for footswitch control and expression, and about half the space claim. The Grand Canyon delay modes differ, seem more versatile, and has a maximum delay time of 3 seconds (DM-101's maximum is 1.2 seconds in "Classic" mode). There is a multi-tap mode, but no patterned repeats like the DM-101. The Grand Canyon is about $ cheaper on Sweetwater. The Grand Canyon does not have an on-board footswitch for accessing presets, MIDI features, or USB port.

A choice between the DM-101 and Grand Canyon comes down cost, looper, delay time, patterned multi-tap, MIDI, accessory connections (external footswitch, expression), workflow enabled by the pedal face controls, and space claim.

I like the DM-101 for its differences and particularly the virtual tape head combinations and patterned stereo delay. Again, I am a sucker for delay.

This pedal is amazing. I use it for guitar and synthesizers. It can get a very wide delay sound and sounds beautiful. Very versatile with the midi implementation and variations for the repeats. Some people online claim the the input can get too hot with keyboards but I haven't found that to be the case. The input impedance is 1M ohm. Just keep them at a normal volume and you're good. Boss killed it with this!

I love analog delay. I'm a simple man. This pedal does all I need. It's even better at the new price.

If you're a fan of analog delay (DM-2, AD-9, Deluxe Memory Man) and the type to keep multiple on your pedalboard for different purposes, do yourself a favor and just buy this. Don't get too hung up by the abundance of different delay modes. Vintage, Modern, and Multi-Head is where 90% of players will be living 90% of the time. I found the user interface very easy to navigate. The fact that you can now have the DM-2 with modulation (based on the CE-1), tap tempo with subdivisions, and savable presents should say enough. I love this pedal. If you love analog delay, you'll love this pedal. If you're more into crystal clean hi-fi delays, this may not be your jam.

I really wanted this to like this delay, and it does everything as promised, but IMHO, it's way too complicated for live use. It's hard to read the various settings unless you're right on top of it and I just found it hard to get the tones I wanted from it.

I ended up going back to my Maxon AD999 which I think sounds better and is infinitely easier to dial in what i want.

If I could give a pedal 6 stars I would for this one! For reference, I own a moogerfooger analog delay (big briar), analogman dual delay with amazeo, catalinbread exhorec and belle epoch deluxe, a 90's memory man, and a boonar. This has quickly become my absolute favorite! The sound quality is truly indescribable, it sounds sooo good no mater how you set it. The programmability and crazy different stereo sounds are mind blowing. So versatile, has instantly become a can't live without pedal. If considering buy it!!!

I really was looking into possibly buying this but for the size and the price at $ it should have a stereo input option and not a mono input only. Oh well. Thanks Boss

This checks every box for me. Analog, presets, great sound, versatile, tap tempo. I have 2 small issues. I wish it had self-oscillation by holding down tap tempo. I know you can add an expression pedal, but this pedal is already quite large, and I don't have room on my board for an expression pedal. I love to use that effect during and at the end of songs to help with transitions. Not a deal breaker, but I really wish it was there. Perhaps in a firmware update? My other complaint is that when I do get into self-oscillation, it can get quite loud. Pretty typical of these kinds of delays, but the volume knob gets just to the point that I like it, then completely mutes the sound for the last 5% of the knob. So, if I want a very quiet bed of noise, I really have to be careful, or the sound totally cuts off. Not sure if this is on my pedal only, or if it's just built into the software inside the pedal. Fix those two issues, and it's really the perfect delay pedal for me. It's already the best one on the market as far as I'm concerned, but I'd love to get it perfect!