Nux Loop Core

The NUX Loop Core is a looper pedal made by NUX Audio: you record a phrase, it plays it back in a loop, and you layer more playing on top while a built-in drum machine keeps time. NUX lists the original Loop Core as a Legacy Product, meaning it has been superseded in the range, and the line has since grown into two follow-ups, the Loop Core Deluxe and the Loop Core Stereo¹.

The original Loop Core records in 16-bit audio with up to 6 hours of recording time, and it introduced features that NUX carried forward, such as automatic tempo detection, where the pedal works out the tempo of your loop so the drum patterns lock to it².

What it does

A looper with drums does two jobs at once. You record a guitar phrase, the pedal loops it, and you can overdub layers over the top. The drum machine provides backing rhythm in a range of styles, so a single player can build a full backing to practice or perform over.

The Loop Core range in brief:

Loop Core Deluxe

The Loop Core Deluxe is a 24-bit looper pedal that records loop phrases up to 8 hours with unlimited layers, and NUX describes its audio quality as 24-bit high-resolution². It keeps the features original Loop Core users already know, including automatic tempo detection, and it ships with the NMP-2 Dual Footswitch control pedal, which gives you hands-free control over more functions than the pedal's own switches allow².

Its drum machine covers a range of genres, which NUX lists as rock, pop, blues, jazz and more². One routing detail matters to players with a PA or mixer: the Deluxe detects the type of devices connected and sends the original guitar tone and loop phrase to your guitar amplifier while the drum machine sound goes to the mixer². That separation keeps drums out of your amp, which is usually what you want.

Loop Core Stereo

The Loop Core Stereo is a stereo looper with MIDI control, and it allows you to create up to 6 hours of music phrases³. Its signal processing is 32-bit, with 24-bit A/D conversion at a 44.1kHz sampling rate, and it carries 50 built-in rhythm patterns, MIDI In and USB-C⁴². Its controls are Drum Style, Tap / Tempo, Save / Delete, Global Settings, and Value / Volume⁴.

The Loop Core is a looping pedal from NUX¹. Its recording quality is 16-bit, and it holds up to 6 hours of recorded phrases².

In Premier Guitar's demo video, John Binger walks through the Loop Core's drum patterns, routing, recording modes, amp simulation and MIDI control⁵.

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Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike, covered the Loop Core Stereo as a looper with MIDI, noting its up to 6 hours of music phrases⁶.

Where the line went next

NUX has continued the concept in newer pedals, including the NUX NML-3DLS Dual Loop Stereo, which builds on the stereo looper and drum machine idea. Players comparing loopers with built-in drums can also look at the BOSS RC-10R Rythm Loop Station and the DigiTech SDRUM, which take different approaches to the same problem: a backing band under your foot.

Videos

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