Title says it all.

I have been using the RS290 analogue systems delay (stunning; it just makes everything sound more organic and less electronic; but sadly one small part of a swap I am doing for another modular) and a roland tape echo (off to be mended right now)

I am thinking I want a classic 'character' delay unit.

Doesnt have to be stereo because the sends on my console are mono anyway (although I can also create stereo sends from protools)

Something like: an AMS 15-80, a bel BD80, a Roland SDE-3000, PCM42...?

Of course yes I have to find ones in great nick at reasonable prices, but what should I be scouting for. Is the later bel BD80s (1u) not as good? (I can get one of those quite cheap). How about cheaper units like the Dynacord DRS78?

There are loads of posts about delays on gearslutz, but my question is about what works best with SYNTHS (not eg vocals or guitar loopers)

I make electronic music that ranges from ambient wierdness to tribal house.

well, to me it doesn't really matter if it's analogue digital banana or grapefruit, but...

Echo Pro Line 6- cool IMO, sync works but manual is better, algo's sit nicely, needs amp because built in output amp is complete and utter ****e

Roland Space Echo- AAAAAH yeah, instant space, don't own one but... it rocks, one trick pony, pretty standard here in studios

Sound Craft weirdo box- got this last week, pretty weird. digital and crappy thumbsup

BBD- a bucket brigade delay. a chip with little dwarves inside passing buckets of audio. Moog, Doepfer, various others (lexicon). unique sound, but love it or leave it.

Logic built in delay- it syncs, it grooves, it hasn't got much of a character mwehmwehmweeeeeeeh

midi delay- yes. copy paste. why not?

Cowdelay- itttsss we.. it it it's weird and it stutters

Kingdubby- roll one, light up, instant dub

this is what I use, more often than never.

boss DM-100.

Hiya,

Line 6 Echo Pro is great- can be BPM based.
Lexicon do some great boxes- the MPX1 I have is often used for synths- has a full midi spec.
I use a Vortex a lot- the tap tempo is really easy to use and some of the modulated delays are really cool- and has footswitchable morphing.

I use a Digitech Quad quie a bit also- it is only 16 bit and not the best converters but it is extremely flexible- you insert modules and can have quite a few at once. The routing is really good also with internal series/parallel cabling.
You can also run 4 mono instances at once (it is 4in 4 out).

My oh my, I thought I was the only user! thumbsup


ruudman

There are a lot of nice delays suitable for analogue synths out there. I have to meantion Korg SDD-3000 though. The thing about it is that it sounds great all the time. No fuzz and no menus, just fantastic sound at almost every setting. You can't go wrong with it.

If you are looking for a high-quality versatile dedicated delay box, check this:

http://www.tcelectronic.com/D-Two

DP

Thx for suggestions
(I really like the idea of tapping in delay patterns on that D-two)

One further option; has anyone tried the moogerfooger 104 analogue delay?

I like the idea of controlling it with CV from various modular synths

But how does it sound?
(some say "warm"/"gorgeous" others "lofi"/"no sparkle")

ps yes the Korg SDD-3000 gets rave reviews, I will certainly look out for one

I have tried it and well, it sounds good, but to be honest I really don't get the point with these BBD-based analogue delays. The "recording technique" in these chips never makes it sound better and in my opinion it is inferior to almost all digital delays. The sound of a delay is all about how the delayed signal is treated with filters, compressors, expanders and so on. The thing is that the old classic digital delays are great in these area and they are all analogue there as well.

When it comes to CV inputs on delays I have several and also a few modular synths, but I really don't find much use of those inputs. They're nice for some experimentation, but I rarely get anything usable out of them.

Well, I'm keeping the two I have. heh heh heh

here are some tonal examples of the Doepfer BBD
in an experimental setup
BBD-Modul A-188-1

http://www.doepfer.de/home_d.htm

Yep, I've listened to those analogue delay samples & some others - I think it is a good digital delay that I want (apart from anything it's what I am replacing). And I have a tape echo once it's fixed up again, which I love for more down & dirty stuff.

In terms of what I have tracked down I may have found a D5000 and a TC2290. They are not that different in price (whereas the TC cost a LOT more new).

I'll prob get one of them tomorrow, I doubt I'll get a chance to listen to both.

Any last minute votes/thoughts?

The only other dark horse is that D2, which functionally looks amazing. There are some really good deals on those new. Has anyone heard both the D2 and some of these others? How good a sounding delay is it compared to those other two?

Sorry to come in late here. I have the BD-80, 15-80s, 2290 and a bunch more. General comments - the Bel BD-80 (grey or blue 2U) is very musical. You can play against the output like you do with an echoplex. I tend to go to the BD-80's first because they're easy to use and sound good. The bigger units (BDE 2400 and 3200) also sound great and have useful features (I'm a sucker for reverse). Note that the keypads on those boxes tend to get dirty/intermittent. The tc 2290 is awesome, but it's kind of like the Eventide H3000 - it's not necessarily a 'grab and go' box. you need to think a bit and scroll through settings or punch in numbers.

The AMS delay is also a great sounding unit. To me, the mono input units seem to have a bit more character than the stereo units (this may just be my particular units).

One killer box for delay/pitch shift is the Publison DHM-89 B2. when it's working... Simply unbelieveable, but not repairable if it breaks.

The PCM-41/42 has a nice sound and fairly easy to use interface. 41's should be cheaper due to the lack of a display like the 42. You also can't go wrong with any Space Echo, Echolette, or Echoplex. (Check the Korg Stage Echo line, especially the -300 and -500 units for a budget priced tape echo with major league features and sound).

Cheap stuff (especially in the US) is the Deltalab units. The ADM-1024 looks kind of minimal, but it's a great sounding budget delay.

I had a Korg SDD-3300 (not 3000) and an SDD-1000 and never fell in love with them. The 3300 was great in theory, but too fiddly to work with for a delay unit. There's some basic expectation that you'll just crank a knob or something and set the delay time and feedback and be done with it. The 3300 always felt like too much work.

Tom

Thanks Tom, I'm still hunting, all very useful
:J

Get Roland SD 330.You won't be sorry.As for TC 2290 it is probably the best delay unit money can buy, but it's not very straightforward, its not true stereo and i think it would be overkill to get it just for synths.

Deltalab Effectron ADM 1024 is my thing. 1 second digital delay. Mono. Great set of controls including modulation that is extreme. Knob changes delay time in real time (important!). Klunky switches (same as the 1178) change the delay time in 4x increments (musical): 1ms, 4ms, 16ms, 64ms, 256ms, 1024ms, plus infinite repeat.

Its got a nice lo fi grunge to the sound, this isn't a crystal clear device!

I use it thru my desk on aux send + channel return, then use that channel, same aux, to send it back to itself. This is insted of using the feedback in the unit itself. If the aux is set up post fader, you can then control the level and the feedback with that one fader, making it easy to natuarly ride the feedback. You can put EQ's, compressors etc in the loop to change the feedback, every time it goes round, it gets reprocessed. The type of desk will make a big difference to the outcome, as any sonic qualities of the unit get magnified with every cycle.

I like both the Roland Space Chorus and the 2U MXR 'blue face' digital delay.
Both have an analogue vibe, can be trippy and dubby.
I could see how the AMS and TC2290 would be great though.

That sounds a neat trick, I'll have to give that one a go and probably put some modular stuff in the loop too. Meanwhile what I found by scouring the market for a few weeks (at great prices) were a moogerfooger reissue and a bel bd80. I couldnt choose so in true gearslut fashion I bought both!

thx for all the help & advice :J

my favorite is PCM42

I LOVE my TC Electronic D-Two delay! I've used it on almost evey track I've done. It sounds great and is extremely flexible. I feel that it's the best delay in its price range.


Good luck!

-T

for me nothing beats the moog 104sd. its so good i didnt shed a tear when i sold my sre555 space echo. plus its controllable with footpedals and the driveable preamp stage is beautiful.

Try and find a Bel unit.
I just sold my PCM42 which I really liked but have replaced it with a Bel BD80s (1u).
This is fabulous.
I prefer it to the PCM 42. It has additional features like sampling (stereo), midi as well as normal trigger and such like. The LFO is smoother on this than the 42 but only does sin.
In any case, I think it's fabulous. Paid 1/7th what I sold my PCM42 for
Doesn't do certain things the 42 did, but for what I want, it's excellent.
13 seconds delay or 6.5s in stereo too...

I like the pcm42. it has an envelope follower that you can do some really interesting things with. it's also a rather charismatic-sounding unit.

i used to have an old digitech delay unit,but i forget the model number. it was a single rack unit with 1.5s of delay time. you could sample the delay input and then adjust the delay time to do something like timestretching. it was cool.

Hey TEKNOSMOKER, (or any other TC D2 owners/users)
Really interested in the D2 myself..
OLDGEARGUY mentioned that :

"The tc 2290 is awesome, but it's kind of like the Eventide H3000 - it's not necessarily a 'grab and go' box. you need to think a bit and scroll through settings or punch in numbers. "

Was just curious to know whether the D2 seeing its from the same family behaves in this fashion too?
Thanks

i LOVE delays

theres nothing i own that convinced me as much as the AMS 1580 does every time i turn it on. it sounds superb with long repeatings and even with the tricky short ambience simulations it sounds just great ( sadly i have just one )
the Eventide 3000 has some really cool sounds as well. it might not shine like the AMS but its able to do a hundred things more.
the Space Echo is a dirty lil box thats doing what it wants to.
i dig the spx 90 delays as well. somehow they are lofi but cut well through the music.

besides all of that, i just heard good things about the Echo Boy !

someday ... ? pcm 42 & tc 2290

space echo is a classic. i actually like it when tape has some warble, esp on digitals like Waldorf XT. usually i run the output into Mutator for a creamy shave of HF, to add to distance effect.


for CV controllable weirdness and classic BBD sound i'm using Blacets Time Machine. its perhaps not as warm as Ibanez ADs, but has presence and some nice woodyness. big delay time range. instant krautrock oblivion..


eHX Memoryman is way too noisy. i let it go, maybe it was a faulty unit. (EDIT: indeed it was, i tried a "good" one in the meantime, and am looking for another unit for myself. it works beautifully with synth leads)


i actually dig the el cheapo Alesis Wedge for dubby stuff - it got full control over HighPass and LowPass of feedback, so its easy to do it. it resides in my andromeda, but i'm considering getting another standalone unit to be able to run other synths thru it, esp XT n MW1.

delay algos on PCM70 are very nice/grungy, but i dig 80/81 as well, little cleaner but you can route reverb into delay with dual fx card - heaven for electornica leads/arps..


more than often, i prefer to eq/comp sends to all of the above.

Great thread!

My favourite delay is the Bel BD80 (a blue 2U rack here). Sounds great.

Ams 1580s
Roland Sre 555 (It's noisy though)
The delay preset on the Lexicon 224xl
Roland Sde 330

I just have my korg ms2000r and I think it sounds nice as delayunit, bf the signal, when sending from mixer and adding a little feedback to the chain. Its not highclass but its quite punky.
cheers