What do you prefer,analog or digital delay

Steven Finley · Post by **Steven Finley** » 14 Apr 2015 10:50 am

analog or digital delay, how would you compare the two,as far as sound, which brand would you choose and why?

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 14 Apr 2015 2:30 pm

It seems that most players want a delay that has dark or mellow echoes so they don't clutter things up and give a nice rich, warm ambience. Analog delays naturally do that, but most modern digital delays will nicely emulate that dark echo tone quality. There are so many out there now. If you want "tap tempo", then that thins the herd a bit.

The Strymon El Capistan is pretty astounding. The Way Huge (Dunlop) Supa-Puss is great. The MXR Carbon Copy is a real nice and simple analog delay. TC Electronic makes a few. Wampler's Faux Echo is great. Tech 21 makes a cool one. And lots more, too many to name.

B

Tim Russell · Post by **Tim Russell** » 14 Apr 2015 2:39 pm

I love analog "anything". Even though I have digital effects pedals, I don't particularly care for the digital "steps" between the settings. On some effects it is more pronounced than others.

It's kinda hard to explain, but I would liken it to the volume control on a cell phone/mp3 player, any new "digital" device that the increments are in digital steps instead of a linear taper.

I guess that's a a long convoluted answer, but I'll tell you that the Echoplex tape unit I owned in the early 80's was the best delay unit I have ever had/played through.

Bill Moran · Post by **Bill Moran** » 14 Apr 2015 3:26 pm

Wampler !! Even though it is not used much sense I have a Wet Reverb.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 14 Apr 2015 4:04 pm

You can get a TC Electronics Flashback delay with variable types of delays for a reasonable price and experiment.

George Seymour · Post by **George Seymour** » 14 Apr 2015 4:44 pm

Brad Sarno wrote:It seems that most players want a delay that has dark or mellow echoes so they don't clutter things up and give a nice rich, warm ambience. Analog delays naturally do that, but most modern digital delays will nicely emulate that dark echo tone quality. There are so many out there now. If you want "tap tempo", then that thins the herd a bit.

The Strymon El Capistan is pretty astounding. The Way Huge (Dunlop) Supa-Puss is great. The MXR Carbon Copy is a real nice and simple analog delay. TC Electronic makes a few. Wampler's Faux Echo is great. Tech 21 makes a cool one. And lots more, too many to name.

B

Don't forget the Strymon Brigadier Analog. It is superb!

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 14 Apr 2015 6:12 pm

Yes, the Strymon Brigadier is the less talked about delay pedal by them. Where the El Capistan is designed to be like a real tape echo, the Brigadier is like a classic bucket-brigade "analog" delay pedal with LOT of control. For some people it's a toss-up between the El Cap and Brig.

B

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 15 Apr 2015 9:50 am

As Brad's post suggests, the analog v. digital comparison is not as stark as it used to be. The current generation of digital delays (the good ones, anyway) do not exhibit the undesirable artifacts that many of us disliked in earlier digital delays.

I have owned and still own quite a few classic analog delays, as well as a bunch of tape and oilcan echo machines. I still use them for various projects, but my two gigging pedalboards now carry digital delays: a Strymon El Cap on the large board, and a Catalinbread Belle Epoch on the small board. Both delays sound fantastic, are versatile, and are not noisy.

By the way, since I don't recall previous mention of them on this forum, I'll enthusiastically recommend the Catalinbread delay pedals (they also make an outstanding analog delay called the Montavillian). They're the best small-footprint delays I've ever played.

Dustin Rhodes · Post by **Dustin Rhodes** » 15 Apr 2015 12:25 pm

Different things for different uses. There are great sounding digital delays and awful sounding analog delays. I've played a ton of pedals on 6 string and at this point with delays the only thing that "analog" tells me is that it will have less options and cost more.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 15 Apr 2015 12:43 pm

I think that what it really comes down to is that most people want an echo that is darker, mellower, perhaps even grungier than the dry guitar itself. With older digital delays like say a Boss DD-3, the echo repeats are full fidelity. That high fidelity echo can cause clutter and mess if mixed too loud. But analog or analog-emulating-digital pedals have echoes that are dark and lacking in the clear, crisp top end. It's MUCH easier to mix a lot of delay effect without having the problems of clutter and without the appearance of an obvious effect taking place. The darker echoes create a really warm and lush ambience behind the guitar or steel.

These days I find it pretty rare to see a guitarist using a delay that doesn't have the darker sounding repeats. This is clearly catching on with steelers too.

In my opinion, analog vs digital isn't the question anymore. It's full-fidelity repeats vs dark/mellow repeats.

Brad

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 15 Apr 2015 1:37 pm

I still like my sound on sound tube Echoplex. Got it from Forumite Don Dixon, and he invented it! Just a wonderful sound for steel or 6 string. 6 volt tube circuit has a lot to do with it's sound.

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 15 Apr 2015 5:13 pm

John Billings wrote:I still like my sound on sound tube Echoplex. Got it from Forumite Don Dixon, and he invented it! Just a wonderful sound for steel or 6 string. 6 volt tube circuit has a lot to do with it's sound.

Yes. That's not just an "analog" delay, but a killer preamp as well.

I have several of them, but they don't fit too well on my pedalboard. The solid state EP-3 model also has a wonderful preamp.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 15 Apr 2015 5:16 pm

James,
I don't have a pedal board. Volume pedal, to Echoplex, to the Twin's reverb. That's all I need.
JB

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 15 Apr 2015 5:36 pm

John Billings wrote:James,
I don't have a pedal board. Volume pedal, to Echoplex, to the Twin's reverb. That's all I need.
JB

I was sort of kidding about the pedalboard, although I use one and a tape echo is an additional piece of gear to haul around and find room for on stage.

Lots of guys would find an old tape unit troublesome, size and maintenance-wise. But for sheer tone, they're absolutely wonderful.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 15 Apr 2015 7:43 pm

James Hartman wrote:...

Lots of guys would find an old tape unit troublesome, size and maintenance-wise. But for sheer tone, they're absolutely wonderful.

Amen!

Brad

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 16 Apr 2015 8:21 am

The analog delay and reverb that Sage Benado is building is awesome! No conversions back and forth to digital keeps it amazing clear...love the Strymon stuff, too...

Michael Hummel · Post by **Michael Hummel** » 16 Apr 2015 9:01 am

Here's a good one you electronics experimenters might appreciate...when I was a "kid" playing with electronics in my bedroom (that's a lot of years ago) I got my hands on a Philips bucket-brigade delay chip and decided to build my own delay pedal. I couldn't be bothered with an anti-alias filter (you electronics guys know what that is) and I used a crappy R/C transistor oscillator for the clock. The repeats coming out of that thing were rather yucky-sounding, to say the least...but everyone that heard it on my recordings would ask me "How did you get those fantastic delay sounds? Through a bunch of expensive processors?"

I told some people the truth...

Mike

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 Apr 2015 9:38 am

back in the '70s i liked the ibanez AD9 analogue delay. very fat and warm. then digital appeared and at first the dod and boss delays sounded a little brittle and trebly. then i found an old ibanez dml10 modulation delay. digital. simple stomp box. it's perfect for what i want. never wasted money on rack mounts or anything newer.
i think it's mainly trying stuff out and finding one that sounds good to you. digital is definitely cleaner than analogue, as long as it still has some warmth.
the cheaper the better.
i pair this up with my only other stompbox which is an ibanez fatcat fc10.

Walter Bowden · Post by **Walter Bowden** » 16 Apr 2015 5:14 pm

I'm using an MXR Carbon Copy and it sounds good on my steel and electric guitar.
It is a dark sounding and very analog effect but that was what I was looking for.

Easy to make on the spot changes and dirt simple to understand and good price point.

I also have owned a tape loop Echoplex unit back in the day and it sounded superb and FAT.
The maintenance of those things however was a big downside.

They were mechanical devices and didn't like being mishandled, you had to clean and demagnetize the heads a lot because the tapes were graphite coated. I learned to buy blank 8 track tapes from Radio Shak to reload the Echoplex tape because Gibson replacements cost too much.

Best wishes, Walter

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 16 Apr 2015 10:57 pm

There's a phenomenon called "ducking" where a new signal will turn down any previous repeats, so the echoes only come when you want them to, by leaving the time open. I think it used to take a rack compressor with a "side-chained" override. Using an analog delay where the repeats get darker and softer, so the new signal simply drowns it out, can be sort-of inferior to a ducking delay, in my opinion. If you're using the delays as an integral part of the music, timed to the beat, I prefer a clean digital delay that doesn't color the repeats - you can still control the levels and fadeout. I know the Digitechs RP-150, 155, 250, 255 350 etc. have control over ducking (triggering)threshold and ducking level, all the good studio rack units from Lexicon, TC Electronics, Eventide and such have it.

I wouldn't spend money on a delay that didn't have it available, but it's in a lot of good floor units now too. Stomp boxes are one field where "the old ones were better" meme is pretty much nonsense. It's a good time to be a musician, or a race car driver or a sniper or a painter or or or....

Michael Butler · Post by **Michael Butler** » 17 Apr 2015 3:27 pm

both actually. i have two ep3 echoplex that i love to use. and, i have a strymon timeline that is fantastic. just depends upon my feeling at the time. as others have mentioned, sometimes i use the echoplex just for its preamp. altho, the strymon deco does a great job of giving you the same sort of clean boost as well as its great sounding echo, delay and flange.

as you can tell, i like both worlds.

play music!

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 18 Apr 2015 1:15 pm

For steel I like the analog MXR Carbon Copy. Its just "dark" enough to not interfere with pick attack. I often just set it for a short slapback with a repeat or two, more like a pre-delay reverb. I sometimes use it alone without reverb. For slower ballads I set it for a longer delay time and combine with the RV-3.

Steve Pawlak · Post by **Steve Pawlak** » 18 Apr 2015 1:23 pm

Has anyone tried the Catlinbread Echorec pedal?
The original Binson was my favorite.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 18 Apr 2015 2:15 pm

Brad Sarno wrote: In my opinion, analog vs digital isn't the question anymore. It's full-fidelity repeats vs dark/mellow repeats.

Yes. If the fidelity is the same, can you tell the difference between A vs D?

Brad Sarno wrote:I think that what it really comes down to is that most people want an echo that is darker, mellower, perhaps even grungier than the dry guitar itself. With older digital delays like say a Boss DD-3, the echo repeats are full fidelity. That high fidelity echo can cause clutter and mess if mixed too loud.

I think I prefer hi-fi repeats on steel. That way I hear the chorusing better, meaning the interaction between slightly different pitches as I wiggle the bar.

Mel Bergman · Post by **Mel Bergman** » 18 Apr 2015 7:36 pm

Steve Pawlek

Has anyone tried the Catlinbread Echorec pedal?
The original Binson was my favorite.

Steve,

I posted here once about the Catalinbread Echorec. If you like the Binson, yes, the Catalinbread will really move you. This pedal is an absolute time vampire. I have had mine for months, and is well worth the asking price. It is not at all like an Echoplex, but it is VERY inspiring. In fact, a Catalinbread Belle Epoch is on my list also.

That said, I just got both of my tape delays serviced ( 1963 Fender Echo Chamber by Eccofonic, and a 70's WEM Copicat), and the vibe of playing through tape is pretty great.

Go for the Echorec!

Mel