Analog delay

[steve-soar]

I've been watching ebay for analog delays for a while now and have been outbid on DOD, Electro Harmonix and other pedals.
I use to have a Boss DM2 that I sold to my cousin years ago for £20, suprisingly he won't sell it back for that.
I don't want to spend too much, so I ask the pedal gurus, "what's reasonably priced and good sounding?"
Ta.

[gnasher1993]

A few to vintage ones to look at:

Boss DM-2
Boss DM-3
Ibanez AD-9
Ibanez AD-80
Tokai TDL-2
Pearl AD-08
DOD FX90

A few modern alternatives:

MXR Carbon Copy
EHX Memory Toy
EHX Memory Boy
EHX Deluxe Memory Boy
Tech 21 Boost DLA
Way Huge Aqua Puss
HBE Mimic

There's loads of analogue delays out there, if you want to pay more:

Diamond Memory Lane
Empress Superdelay
Mad Professor Deep Blue
Maxon AD-999
Red Witch Titan
Retro Sonic Analog delay
T-rex Replica



I'd personally recommend the (Vintage) Ibanez AD-9, the Way Huge Aqua Puss (a DM-2 clone) or the MXR Carbon Copy.

[steve-soar]

God bless you. I got outbid on a fx90 about an hour ago.
The Boss and Ibanez pedals are quite steep in price.
Carbon Copy looks interesting.
I'll check out the ones I haven't heard of.

Thanks for replying.

[escholl]

The Artec ADL-2 is supposed to be nice, and is fairly inexpensive. Not used one personally though, just heard good things.

[thisnameistaken]

The EHX Deluxe Memory Boy. I don't know if it's analogue (they say it is) but it sounds right and it has some wicked features.

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='escholl' post='905051' date='Jul 25 2010, 06:35 PM']The Artec ADL-2 is supposed to be nice, and is fairly inexpensive. Not used one personally though, just heard good things.[/quote]

I think I read somewhere it's not properly analog although that may be incorrect.

I use a Carbon Copy and am very happy with it.

[1976fenderhead]

I have a Memory Toy and it's great. Tried the Carbon Copy, which sounds darker but the most you can blend the fx with dry is equal volumes. In the Carbon Copy you get equal volumes at 12 o'clock, so you can still make the fx louder than the original note which sounds pretty cool!!!

[escholl]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' post='905377' date='Jul 25 2010, 11:57 PM']I think I read somewhere it's not properly analog although that may be incorrect.[/quote]
It doesn't use a conventional BBD, instead it uses something known as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to achieve the same effect. As far as I can tell they seem to have produced their own chip that they can then source at a far lower cost, and yet still use analogue circuitry. Assuming they aren't blatantly lying about its function (which they could be), then the delay should be analogue.

I don't really know much about the company however, so this is just my interpretation of the engrish and specs on their site.

[Bassnut62]

having gone down the same road a little, i.e. wanting reasonably priced analog delay, I ended up realising tap tempo was pretty essential and that digital emulators can cop analog extremely well these days. My choice was Tech21 Boost DLA TTT for about £130 via TalkBass classifieds. I reckon the Boss DD20 looks pretty impressive too.

[xgsjx]

The Moogerfooger MF 104z is a cracking analogue delay pedal, but at £460 it should be!

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='escholl' post='905421' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:02 AM']It doesn't use a conventional BBD, instead it uses something known as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to achieve the same effect. As far as I can tell they seem to have produced their own chip that they can then source at a far lower cost, and yet still use analogue circuitry. Assuming they aren't blatantly lying about its function (which they could be), then the delay should be analogue.

I don't really know much about the company however, so this is just my interpretation of the engrish and specs on their site.[/quote]

There are a load of cheap delay pedals with the same IC, it's a digital delay that sounds analog, plus you can even get it to self oscillate. Here's a kit for one:

[url="http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/content/view/125/26/"]http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/content/view/125/26/[/url]

And their blurb:

[quote]This is the best DIY digital delay stompbox kit on the internet. Warm, quiet, beautiful echo, patterned after the Ibanez AD80 analog delay unit. This project emulates the old-time analog delay unit, in this case the Ibanez AD-80 vintage stompbox, with a modern digital delay IC. The results are excellent and you won't know it's not 100% analog. The general design of this circuit is almost the same as the AD-80 except the bucket brigade ICs are replaced with a Princeton Technologies PT2399 delay/echo IC and the electronic switching is replaced by a 3PDT stomp switch. The compander IC gives it excellent noise specs and also contributes to the great analog-like sound of it. A charge pump is on board so that it has plenty of headroom from a single nine volt battery. The charge pump was not part of the original AD-80, but is a modern bonus in this project to save on batteries and be able to use a typical stompbox wallwart power.[/quote]

I have the Carbon Copy and it sounds great, but the Memory Toy is nearly half the price and is supposed to sound very similar so I'd check that out first!

Edited July 27, 2010 by dannybuoy

[escholl]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='907636' date='Jul 27 2010, 10:05 PM']There are a load of cheap delay pedals with the same IC, it's a digital delay that sounds analog, plus you can even get it to self oscillate. Here's a kit for one:[/quote]

The ADL2 doesn't use the PT2399, whatever they use is an in-house design with their own markings on it. No information available beyond their chip number, AT34F512.