Thoughts on Delay...

[cajone5]

After reading all the resonses in Donnel's FS thread I figured this was a good topic for discussion in the Community Forum...

More than any other type of effect I have really found that price doesn't really mean much (for me) when it comes to delays. To explain what I mean...

I shelled out a bunch of $$ and tried the Echoczar/Angelbaby/ExpPedal setup, the Moog MF-104Z, Strymon Timeline and El Capistan, etc. and none of them was what I was looking for. They all sounded nice, of course, but the Skreddy Echo blew them all away for me. I know most will think I'm crazy but these "holy grail" pedals never really did it for me.

I've been through...

-- Analogman ARDX20
-- Diamond Memory Lane Jr.
-- Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master (incoming)
-- ElectroHarmonix Memory Boy
-- Keeley Ibanez AD-9
-- Line6 DL-4
-- Line6 M9
-- Moog MF-104z
-- Rocketride First Echo on the Moon
-- Skreddy Echo (x3)
-- Strymon El Capistan with Favorite Switch
-- Strymon Timeline
-- Toneczar Echoczar / Angelbaby / Expression Pedal

Probably more I can't think of...

... and while I'd agree that, for many pedals, price seems to be loosely correlated with "tone" (greater prices = better sound). I have not found this to really be the case for delays...

Well that was probably really confusing but hopefully it got my thoughts across.

What have been your experiences with delay?

[rockeroo]

I have a big box DMM (and a skreddy echo), and I am VERY pleased with the delay tones they offer. They are clear, adjustable and normally exactly what I need. The DMM and skreddy are excellent delay units, and I can never really understand the complaints some may have with them. They have never been an issue for me tonally or mechanically.

I also use a VMSD from time to time, but have yet to put the work in to set it up just how I like it.

I have never tried the larger delay units (TES, Echoczar, TTE), but I cannot imagine liking them enough to ditch what I currently use. I only wish I had a second DMM or skreddy echo to run two at once. Right now, I just use one of each to achieve layered delay tones.

I own about 5 delay pedals (Bobby's DBD and a carbon copy as well), but have never been compulsed to try all that is out there. On the other hand, I own an obscene amount of dirt, distortion, fuzz and boost boxes. Not sure what has driven me to indulge so heavily in all of those, but I have done so nonetheless.

Great curiosity, cajones!

[thesjkexperience]

I picked up a Skreddy Echo for cheap while waiting for the Timeline to be released. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough! It was so mushy and dark. I am not one to leave the delay on all the time and I think the Skreddy would be great for that use.

I really like the sound of my Strymon Timeline, but it is such a pita to deal with I find myself not using it much. I really like revers and ducking delays as well as having the digital/analog/tape sounds and modulation. I did have a bunch of great presets, but they disappeared after doing the firm wear update a month ago. I can't see selling it until I think there is something better for my needs or at least easier to use on the fly. I guess that is the cost of having lots of flexibility in one pedal.

I really liked my TC Electronic Nova Delay, but it converted everything to digital and it really affected the straight sound's fidelity and dynamics! Again the presets were nice to have, but a bit fiddely to use though it was simple enough you could change it in just a few seconds.

[rockeroo]

I picked up a Skreddy Echo for cheap while waiting for the Timeline to be released. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough! It was so mushy and dark. I am not one to leave the delay on all the time and I think the Skreddy would be great for that use.

I really like the sound of my Strymon Timeline, but it is such a pita to deal with I find myself not using it much. I really like revers and ducking delays as well as having the digital/analog/tape sounds and modulation. I did have a bunch of great presets, but they disappeared after doing the firm wear update a month ago. I can't see selling it until I think there is something better for my needs or at least easier to use on the fly. I guess that is the cost of having lots of flexibility in one pedal.

I really liked my TC Electronic Nova Delay, but it converted everything to digital and it really affected the straight sound's fidelity and dynamics! Again the presets were nice to have, but a bit fiddely to use though it was simple enough you could change it in just a few seconds.

What about the Superdelay (or vintage modified version)? Any qualms about that one?

[musicsoma]

I really like my Eventide TimeFactor. I also have a 70s Deluxe Memory Man which I love. I have a preset on my Eventide that gets me pretty close to the DMM while still allowing me the convenience of tap and blending in a second delay.

[Donner]

I have found that I dont really like delay by itself - it either has to be in a bit a reverb or have some tasty modulation....

I really like my El cap and Timeline and old Chandler SDE2 - and I still really like the Echo Park and just love the old Ibanez DML

But I always prefer it into a bit of reverb for some reason........

[thesjkexperience]

I picked up a Skreddy Echo for cheap while waiting for the Timeline to be released. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough! It was so mushy and dark. I am not one to leave the delay on all the time and I think the Skreddy would be great for that use.

I really like the sound of my Strymon Timeline, but it is such a pita to deal with I find myself not using it much. I really like revers and ducking delays as well as having the digital/analog/tape sounds and modulation. I did have a bunch of great presets, but they disappeared after doing the firm wear update a month ago. I can't see selling it until I think there is something better for my needs or at least easier to use on the fly. I guess that is the cost of having lots of flexibility in one pedal.

I really liked my TC Electronic Nova Delay, but it converted everything to digital and it really affected the straight sound's fidelity and dynamics! Again the presets were nice to have, but a bit fiddely to use though it was simple enough you could change it in just a few seconds.

What about the Superdelay (or vintage modified version)? Any qualms about that one?

I never tried it in person, but I did try their Tremolo and felt it was really cold sounding. I know the Superdelay has been around for some time and I think with digital pedals, in general, the newer the design and components the better. That is why I chose Strymon. I have the Orbit and had the El Cap, so I know they don't sound digital. I just wish TC Electronic would update the Nova to 100% analog dry signal like the Strymons.

[hawaii121]

As is kind of obvious from my two choices of delays, I like tinkering with them and love how they sound at home. In a band setting, I never seem to be able to get them right (any suggestions?). I'm sure a lot of this is my lack of experience and probably lack of opportunity to really play around with one (in a band setting) without irritating the guys I'm playing with. Most of the time, I don't really feel like I need them as much when things are loud.

What I look for is something that has a very subtle and natural decay that doesn't turn everything to mud. I really like the way guys like Gilmour and Bonamassa use them to make things sound HUGE. I have now had an ECzar for over a year and I would say it's only been in the last few months that I feel I have gotten in dialed in and I'll probably say the same thing a year from now . It's certainly not for everybody and I used to have an AD900 and though I wouldn't compare it to the ECzar, I believe it would cover most people's needs in spades. The ECzar is incredibly ambient and VERY fun to tinker around with and Ed is like Bjorn in the fact that he is just such a cool guy that I am happy to simply own a pedal that he made (of course they are also very special pedals). I also think for someone trying to create their own sound, the ECzar would be a very powerful tool. To my ears, there is no denying that it is something more than the typical analog delay.

Delay 80's was, by report of two owners who also own a TES, the closest you could get to the TES without owning one. It complements the ECzar well and I found using them together, with both mixes set very low, yields some wonderful HUGE sounds (tip passed on to me by a jazz player in the Pacific NW). The D80's is really simple to use, if you have ever owned a Boss Delay, you will be right at home with the controls. Compared to ANY other digital delay I have used the D80's sounds more organic and punchy, but with great ability for natural decay that doesn't get in the way of the original notes.

I have also owned a Roland tape delay. That thing sounded INCREDIBLE, but talk about a pain in the . It was not really not practical for my needs.

All of these three delays sound to me like what most other delays are trying to emulate. Maybe not the specific brands, but the sounds they produce.

Ones I have owned (that I can remember)
El Cap
Eventide
Carbon Copy
AD900
Boss DD2, DD?, and DD?, and DD?
I think I had some pedal by Ibanez or something of the sort in the 80's
Trex Replica
Wampler Analog

[thesjkexperience]

Donnel, if you are a leave it on all the time guy there are some cool settings on the Timeline where you can set the echoes to drop in volume when you play the next note. There are also some cool things you can do with Ducking, Swell and Lo-Fi for an always on. YOu should look at the Strymon site and check out the Instruction Manual to see what it can do. There are also a ton of demos on the web. FWIW I thought the always on was the Deep Blue's strongest feature.

What delay does Bonnamassa use? I think I know the sound you are after, but I don't know the delay market well enough to say what else to look at.

On the Exotic site (home of the BB Booster etc) there is a guy Alan Hinds who does the always on sound. You could check his demos and see what he uses.

[thesjkexperience]

Well.... It looks like TC fixed what I didn't like! http://proguitarshop.com/tc-electronic- ... delay.html

Now what?