Best delay pedal

[SteveA]

Hey, Steve, ironically, I got mine from a Canadian distributor: http://www.moogaudio.com/. I note that it does not appear as though the super deluxe model I described above is made anymore, though you still can get the echo with the MN3205 BBD Panasonic chips and the "pig's tail". If you were local, I'd be happy to loan you both my Way Huge Aqua Puss and my upgraded That's Echo Folks, so you could check them out. Anyway, Good luck!

Thanks Steve! Yeah I know Moog Audio, been there a few times though my favorite store /distributor is by far BoutiqueTone! That's where I first discovered the Mad Professor line and my Divided by 13 amp. Plus the guy there is extremely nice. All the same, i'll be checking out the original Way Huge whenever it pops up for sale. To be honest though, it never ends! I always say after this after that...

And thanks for the invite. If i'm ever in the 'Bay area i'll definitely pass by with your invitation of course. Sounds like you have one hell of a collection there

[strings2wood]

Is the diamond memory lane the second best to the toneczar? I would maybe consider waiting for the tone czar but the 3 year wait. I am probably going to spend around 1100 on my new pedaltrain mini.

Try and contact Newarkwilder (a member here on this one).
Mike is a very nice and knowledgeable guy, who has tried a few of the better known delays
(and other pedals especially fuzz) including the FEOTM, the Skreddy Echo, and The Diamond Memory Lane II.
He also has/ had a Roland Space Echo 201 to compare these units with.
From memory he liked the Skreddy, but found it almost too pristine clean.
He said it was hard to put his finger on it.
He might have even tried it twice from memory but it wasn't a keeper- (but check with him).
The Diamond was his biggest surprise. He said it was a delay he had wanted to try for ages,
but was really disappointed with it's sound, despite the features which are a selling point.
He said after the expectation, he just couldn't understand how not up to par he found it.
I think he might now prefer the 201 as the best tape delay solution.
Bobby D can vouch for Mike being an extremely good guy with a good ear and understanding of a wide range of pedals.
He's pretty busy at the moment but has always responded quickly and with honesty whenever I've wanted his advice.

another one to consider is the retrosonic analog delay, it's a version of the BOSS Dm-2, but with 800ms of delay time, long/short time switch, and a very nice sound and build quality.

Interestingly enough Bobby D,
that's the other delay Geoff Wells has on his board.
He uses it for slightly longer delay times and says it matches the AD-900 nicely.
He said the AD-900 is the sweetest sounding delay he has has ever heard. (He found the updated AD-999 to have less headroom),
and as far as analog delays go, the AD-900 is great for headroom.

[Jordan]

Yeah the diamond seems to be pretty overated. I really like the wampler analog echo for evh stuff and a donnerbox spatial delay they have on ebay for other stuff. I am winning a might red right now.

[Strat-o-lux]

Well this thread illustrates, no surprise, how subjective this stuff is. By the way, the Retrosonic is an excellent suggestion (somehow slipped my memory), basically an improved DM2 (longer delay time, less noise, added tone control, "long/short" switch). I've played it and really liked it; friend of mine who's tried them all and has a nice Roland 201 as benchmark says it's one of his favorites.

Try and contact Newarkwilder (a member here on this one).
Mike is a very nice and knowledgeable guy, who has tried a few of the better known delays
(and other pedals especially fuzz) including the FEOTM, the Skreddy Echo, and The Diamond Memory Lane II.
He also has/ had a Roland Space Echo 201 to compare these units with.
From memory he liked the Skreddy, but found it almost too pristine clean.
He said it was hard to put his finger on it.

I'm surprised Mike would find the Skreddy "too pristine clean". I've had the Skreddy for a couple months now and that's certainly not how I'd characterize it (and I'm the tape echo guy who still keeps an ancient DM2 on the pedalboard). I think it sounds great with or without the modulation (more often without for my use). On the other hand, I found the AD900 rather sterile sounding and was happy to trade it. Go figure.

In the end you have to try them (if you can) and decide for yourself.

[Bobby D]

yeah, Newarkwilder Mike has a LOT of delays. he is going thru a 'gear purge' right now, and he is seriously going thru all his gear and selling whatever doesn't REALLY intrigue him

he is VERY fond of the Damage Control Timeline, and so am i from what i have heard.

but even with ALL THESE amazing delays on the market.....i keep finding the Deep Blue Delay to be so very GOOD for guitar. it gets that "smeared" sound with a slight touch of modulation on the repeats just like a tape delay.

i don't quite know how Bjorn managed to make the PT2399 chip sound so natural and tape-like. but he did it! it's almost ALCHEMY what he does with circuits.

he's not a professor, he's an alchemist!

[strings2wood]

.....i keep finding the Deep Blue Delay to be so very GOOD for guitar. it gets that "smeared" sound with a slight touch of modulation on the repeats just like a tape delay.

I know Sebastian Nylund loves the DBD and the FEOTM.
I know Bobby D you love the DBD (an always on pedal in just about all your demo clips!).
As you have also tested the FEOTM and said in your experience it really did have the 201 Space Echo thing going on,
I'd love it if the DBD could get close to that level of modulation/ 201 vibe but I'm guessing it might not have the depth of modulation that the FEOTM has.

You commented that the DBD is great in the od/ dist chain (and some suggest better there than in an effects loop).
I would probably be interested in trying one of the new Mad Professor versions when it becomes available.

In the end I agree that one persons grail is another persons "meh.." depending on the rig etc.
On the Ad-900..I think Geoff Wells demo is a good case for why I bought one!!!
But as stated earlier,horses for courses.

Pretty sure that MIke (Newarkwilder) really dug his 4 chip version of the AD-900 too.
On his purge,
he recently commented he's selling a lot of pedals/ gear as he's getting more into amp od.
I wish him success in that as with all his projects on the go.

Hope you end up with what works best for you Jordan.

[Jordan]

Well for the amount that i use delays and mods i just said screw it and bought a tc electronics g major 2. I mean theres really not any difference in this chorus to that really . But my dirt boxes are different you can tell every little detail.

[SteveA]

I beg to differ. Delays when used properly certainly add their own character to the sound you create. I can say the same things about phasers which I'm really into right now. Go and check out a TOP and compare it to a tc electronics XII phaser and we'll see what you come up with.

[melodichaotic]

"Best Delay Pedal"..right, like "Best Overdrive, Distortion, etc...Hey, it's the one that works best for you, and if you're looking for quick advice, better to just go out and actually PLAY a few when and where available.

[jdandry]

I'm in love with the Chandler SDE.