Tonal Differences Between Analog & Digital

[jhguitar1]

What are the tonal differences between analog & digital delay pedals?

 

[dmt]

It really depends on the pedal and the settings. Most analog delay pedals a warmer sounding but will tend to lose some highs when you crank up the repeats and or feedback. Analog pedals will typically have a shorter delay time, although that isnt really too big an issue since too long a repeat makes for a sonic mess.

Digital delays will have longer repeats and sound cleaner, although they are very cold and lifeless in comparison to their analog brethren. There are some very good digital delays, although they are expensive and typically rackmount.

tape delays are even warmer and are totaly different beast. They can be very hifi and sound cleaner than digital will still being warm. You can also get man more sounds out of them from the degredation of the signal in ways that cannot be reproduced digitally or otherwise. My personal favorite is the Binson echorec that pink floyd uses.

Tape:
Fultone Echoplex

Maestro Echoplex

Roland RE-301

Copycat

Binson Echorec 2

Analog:

Maxon AD9

Maxon AD999

EH Deluxe Memory Man

Ibanez (Maxon made) AD-202

Digital:

Boss DD6

 

[jhguitar1]

Thanks for the great response.

 

[aberrant]

There are also a good many delays out that are digital but have built in modulation to mimic the sound of analog units. (i.e. T-rex Reptile, Boss DD-7 in analog mode, etc...)

 

[dmt]

Sure, but nothing beats the original. The Line 6 Delay Moddeler is quite good tho for many options and settings you can tweak.

 

[camsna]

Sure, but nothing beats the original. The Line 6 Delay Moddeler is quite good tho for many options and settings you can tweak.

+1.

I'm an analog kind of guy - but the Line 6 DL4 is great. Eric Johnson has even been known to use one live!

 

[dmt]

I just want a Binson Echorec 2 and a Eventide Harmonizer, then I'd be done. At that point I could harmonize the delay and the repeats....

 

[aberrant]

Sure, but nothing beats the original. The Line 6 Delay Moddeler is quite good tho for many options and settings you can tweak.

I was just adding a point that I thought would be helpful.

If you can afford the original and it works logistically, by all mean, go for it!