Boss SDE-3 Dual Digital Delay Pedal

Compact Legend

Introduced in 1983 by our parent company Roland, the SDE-3000 is revered for its beautifully rich sound and distinctive modulation. The coveted SDE tone was realized through a finely tuned digital engine and the non-linear behaviors of the supporting analog circuitry, including magnetic saturation in the anti-alias filter, evolving modulation produced by the components of the time, and an altered triangle LFO shape. The SDE-3 brings the authentic vibe of this classic delay to a pedalboard-friendly BOSS compact, enhanced with innovative creative features for every musical style.

Vintage Color and Character

Dripping with warmth and musicality, the SDE-3 elevates your tone with endlessly evocative delay sounds. The efficient panel provides the primary controls of its vintage benchmark—including delay time, feedback, and independent rate and depth knobs for the modulation—plus additional knobs that expand your sonic potential. Explore retro single delays and ’80s-style mod/delay combos. Or tweak the mod and high-cut controls to conjure moody, atmospheric tonalities for ambient, chill, and lo-fi music.

Multiple Output Modes

The versatile SDE-3 provides output configurations for any stage or studio scenario. Run it in mono for basic setups. Play in true stereo with discrete left/right delays or a panning mode for ultra-wide sounds that move across the stereo field. Send dry and direct feeds to two amps for wet/dry setups. Or mute the direct sound entirely for studio mixing and parallel effect rigs.

Modern Workflow

The SDE-3 offers numerous control options to enhance your performances. Press and hold the pedal switch to enable the tap tempo function. Or use the TRS MIDI input to receive clock sync signals from DAWs, pedals, and drum machines. Connect external footswitches for on-demand access to tap tempo and a hold function for on-the-fly looping. Alternately, an expression pedal can be used to control the Level, Feedback, and Time knobs for delay mix adjustment, wild pitch effects, and dramatic self-oscillation.

Specifications

Sample Rate 48 kHzAD 

Conversion 24 bits + AF method
AF method (Adaptive Focus method) This is a proprietary method from Roland & BOSS that vastly improves the signal-to-noise (SN) ratio of the AD and DA converters.

DA Conversion 32 bits

Nominal Input Level

INPUT A (MONO), INPUT B: -20 dBu

Maximum Input Level INPUT A (MONO), INPUT B: +7 dBu

Input Impedance INPUT A (MONO), INPUT B: 1 MΩ

Nominal Output Level OUTPUT A (MONO), OUTPUT B: -20 dBu

Maximum Output Level OUTPUT A (MONO), OUTPUT B: +7 dBu

Output Impedance OUTPUT A (MONO), OUTPUT B: 1 kΩ

Recommended Load Impedance OUTPUT A (MONO), OUTPUT B: 10 kΩ or greater

Bypass Buffered bypass

Controls

TIME knob
FEEDBACK knob
LEVEL knob
DEPTH knob
RATE knob
HI CUT knob
OFFSET Knob
Pedal switch
CARRYOVER switch

Indicator CHECK indicator (Used for indication of Tempo and check battery)

ConnectorsI NPUT A (MONO) jack, INPUT B jack, 

OUTPUT A (MONO) jack, OUTPUT B jack: 1/4-inch phone type
CTL/EXP jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
DC IN jack
MIDI IN jack: Stereo miniature phone type

Power Supply Alkaline battery (9 V, 6LR61 or 6LF22, commercially available)
AC adaptor (PSA series: sold separately)

Current Draw 75 mA

Expected battery life under continuous use

Alkaline: Approx. 4.5 hours
*These figures will vary depending on the actual conditions of use.AccessoriesLeaflet ("USING THE UNIT SAFELY," "IMPORTANT NOTES," and "Information")
Dry battery (9 V, 6LR61 or 6LF22)

Options (sold separately)

AC adaptor: PSA series
Footswitch: FS-5U
Dual footswitch: FS-6, FS-7
Expression pedal: FV-500H, FV-500L, EV-30, Roland EV-5
TRS/MIDI connecting cable: BMIDI-5-35, BMIDI-1-35, BMIDI-2-35, BCC-1-3535, BCC-2-3535

Size and Weight

Width73 mm
2-7/8 inches

Depth129 mm
5-1/8 inches

Height59 mm
2-3/8 inches

Weight (including battery)450 g
1 lb