Delay Recommendations

[ggwatt]

Hi Everyone,

I am interested in getting a delay that works well in the effects loop. Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[Steve73]

How much are you looking to spend?

I just bought a Damage Control Timeline ($399) and it is amazing through my LSS's FX loop. Rack grade delays in a pedal (albeit real big) format. There are some great vids on Youtube of it in action (not mine). Here is DC's website:

http://damagecontrolusa.com/products/timeline/

On the cheap, I had good results with a Boss DD-6 digital delay through the loop as well.

 

[SonOfIAm]

I use an Eventide Timefactor in the effects loop of my LSC. It offers great sounding delays and has some really cool features, my favorite being the ability to run two different delay times simultaneously.

 

[lonestarpaul]

I don't know how they work in the effects loop, but these are some of the best delays in my opinion:

Carl Martin Echotone Delay
Diamond Memory Lane 2 Analog Delay
Eventide Timefactor Delay (1, 2)
Moog MF104z Analog Delay
TC Electronic Nova Delay
T-Rex Replica Delay

If you like echo sounds...
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
Fulltone Tube Tape Echo TTE


I have the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man that I use in my main pedal chain with LSC and I love it...it sounds great to my ears!!! :wink:

 

[Octavarius]

It really depends if you prefer analog or digital. If you go digital, a lot more versatility to sound and functionality can be had than with an analog pedal. The more pro digital (i.e. input/output level/impendance controls, ect.), the better.

The Lonestar has adjustable loop send, so I don't really see how pedal compatibility can ever really be an issue here, but I use a Moog 104Z analog delay in my Lonestar Classic's loop without any level/performance issues whatsoever. The pedal has adjustable buffer input and output levels, which I have to keep reasonably low as the buffer is mainly designed around instrument levels (although it'll take line level just fine).

As for analog delays, I strongly recommend either the Diamond Memory Lane 2 (I think it's discontinued by know, though...) or the Moogerfooger 104Z (if you want to spend that kind of money). Among the digital ones, I'd say the Eventide and TC are some of the best. I've heard many great things about the T-Rex Replica as well, though never tried one.

 

[Rockin_Ron]

Carbon Copy

A Simple to operate and dial in effect (not too many buttons)

Inexpensive (lots of bang for the buck)

Clean analog delay

 

[ggwatt]

Thanks for all the responses. This is a great forum!

Ken

 

[polishcomedy]

I use a Boss DD-6. I'd use a DD-3 if I could, but that one was available. I don't use the extra features. Pretty good pedal. If you're going to use a single pedal in the loop, make sure it is buffered.

 

[plan-x]

Yeah, I use a DD-3 with the Allums mod. Does a high cut on the repeats. Kinda like a psuedo analog. But with the flick of a toggle, I have the digital tone available. Delays can be pretty expensive and imo don't justify the costs of the high end stuff. The ultimate would be an actual combo analog/digital unit. I'm sure if there is one, it's gonna cost. Another delay no one has mentioned as of yet is the Boss DD-20. It's got a lot of features including 2 delay times at once plus 4(?) programmable patches. Not to mention an analog, tape, tap, reverse and some other voices. All digital of course.

 

[Octavarius]

I use a Boss DD-6. I'd use a DD-3 if I could, but that one was available. I don't use the extra features. Pretty good pedal. If you're going to use a single pedal in the loop, make sure it is buffered.

Why so? The signal coming from the preamp is low impendance line level, and certainly strong enough to withstand cable lenghts, etc. It is the high impendace instrument level signal that you'd want a buffer for, to prevent loading your passive pickups and high-end loss from long cable lengths (for the record, a buffers job is to convert high impendance to low impendance, check out this and this for more info)

I'd rather say make sure it's not buffered, as that scenario will probably present the most proper loading for both the send and return I/Os (thus more signal transparency). Though a buffer in the loop certainly won't degrade the signal, it most likely will color it. If it's not a high quality buffer, I'd prefer true bypass.

 

[polishcomedy]

I use a Boss DD-6. I'd use a DD-3 if I could, but that one was available. I don't use the extra features. Pretty good pedal. If you're going to use a single pedal in the loop, make sure it is buffered.

Why so? The signal coming from the preamp is low impendance line level, and certainly strong enough to withstand cable lenghts, etc. It is the high impendace instrument level signal that you'd want a buffer for, to prevent loading your passive pickups and high-end loss from long cable lengths (for the record, a buffers job is to convert high impendance to low impendance, check out this and this for more info)

I'd rather say make sure it's not buffered, as that scenario will probably present the most proper loading for both the send and return I/Os (thus more signal transparency). Though a buffer in the loop certainly won't degrade the signal, it most likely will color it. If it's not a high quality buffer, I'd prefer true bypass.

hmm...I didn't know that. shame on me for spouting off at the mouth

what's a good compact digital delay pedal that is true bypass, then?

 

[jaquetapus]

I love my TC Nova Delay. Pretty easy to use, and way more transparent then those Green Line 6's you see everywhere.

-dave

 

[Octavarius]

I use a Boss DD-6. I'd use a DD-3 if I could, but that one was available. I don't use the extra features. Pretty good pedal. If you're going to use a single pedal in the loop, make sure it is buffered.

Why so? The signal coming from the preamp is low impendance line level, and certainly strong enough to withstand cable lenghts, etc. It is the high impendace instrument level signal that you'd want a buffer for, to prevent loading your passive pickups and high-end loss from long cable lengths (for the record, a buffers job is to convert high impendance to low impendance, check out this and this for more info)

I'd rather say make sure it's not buffered, as that scenario will probably present the most proper loading for both the send and return I/Os (thus more signal transparency). Though a buffer in the loop certainly won't degrade the signal, it most likely will color it. If it's not a high quality buffer, I'd prefer true bypass.

hmm...I didn't know that. shame on me for spouting off at the mouth

what's a good compact digital delay pedal that is true bypass, then?

Eventide TimeFactor is the only true-bypass that I know of. I don't think the Nova is true bypass, though I'm not completely sure. On the Eventide you can choose. Buffered bypass is often noiseless, while with the TB switches you'll most likely get a bit of a pop. The buffer on the Eventide is very good, though.

My Moogerfooger 104Z analog delay isn't true-bypass, but the analog buffer amp is extremely transparent and only colors the tone in a pleasant way (ANY analog circuit will color your tone to some extent).

 

[plan-x]

BYOC has true bypass in analog or digital. You just got to build it. I've built a couple of there pedals, good stuff.

 

[polishcomedy]

BYOC has true bypass in analog or digital. You just got to build it. I've built a couple of there pedals, good stuff.

yeah, I have looked at that one. Most people say the buffer in the boss digital delays is pretty much transparent. a lot of pro's seem to use them, too, so i'm just going to stick with it. i don't have much room on my board for a nova, and i need something super basic. i've heard the carbon copy and didn't dig it. i just prefer digital when it comes to delay. i do believe the carbon copy is mxr's only true bypass pedal.

 

[plan-x]

Delays can be pretty expensive and imo don't justify the costs of the high end stuff.

Yeah, it's no big deal. Haha, quoting myself.

 

[Steve73]

The Timeline is true bypass as well and keeps your signal analog, by far the most transparent I've tried.

 

[ggwatt]

Any good rackmount alternatives?

 

[Steve73]

Lots of rack guys rave about the TC Electronics D-Two but I've never tried it.

If you really want to get crazy, go track down a TC Electronics 2290.

 

[Octavarius]

Lots of rack guys rave about the TC Electronics D-Two but I've never tried it.

If you really want to get crazy, go track down a TC Electronics 2290.

Yeah, the D-Two is kinda the pro studio/live PA standard. It's not specialized for guitar though, so some will perhaps miss certain features we're used to with guitar delays. But it's certainly overall one of the most advanced delay units on the marked.

Other than that, I don't think I know of any delay-only rack units. If you wanna go high-end, though, I hear the Lexicon PCM-96 delay/reverb processors are fantastic.

I'd say, either go with a rack processor for all or most of your effects or find a really good delay pedal that does whatever you need it to do. I had an Eventide Eclipse, which was amazing. But it did a little too much for what I needed, so I sold it and used part of the money and bought the Moog 104Z, Xotic RC Booster and an Analogman Std. Chorus. That, along with my Ernie Ball volume pedal and Lonestar Classic combo is pretty much it. I play jazz, though, so I don't need that much versatility in tone, but this setup certainly satisfies all of my needs.

Back on topic though, ProGuitarShop.com has lots of nice demos out on YouTube of practically all the delay pedals that are currently on the marked. Should at least give you a good idea of how the pedals are like.

Another thing to consider is noise. The Carbon Copy, for instance, sounds completely fine, but I've heard lots of complaint on a conciderable amount of white noise when the pedal is on. Whether this is really a problem, varies from player to player, of course...