Delays

[chysn]

I'm considering adding a delay to my setup.

I've noticed that the Moog MF-104M seems to be generally unavailable anywhere, except for on eBay at absolutely ridiculous prices (north of $1000 USD). Moog doesn't indicate that it's been discontinued, but it sure seems that way.

The minifooger delay seems to be a semi-attractive alternative. It sounds good, it has a CV-capable expression input that can adjust time or feedback, and it's fairly inexpensive. But does anybody here have suggestions for a delay, preferably analog, and preferably with some degree of CV control?

[Razmo]

Probably not the answer you want, but I'd go for a digital delay instead.... surely no CV on these, but the versatility is so many times doubled because it's digital...

I also wanted analog first... and sure they have a nice sound to them, but I often found that I wanted a clean and crisp delay as well, as the analog is always dark and degraded in their sound... especially the longer the delay time. Also, they are usually in mono... that may not be a problem if you use mono, but can get irritating if you need stereo processing too. Also, the delay times rarely go beyond 7-800 milliseconds... and some do not have good filtering of the input sound as well, which results in strange "digital" artefacts, when sounds with too much high frequency content enter the device.

Sure... they sound good... but I myself decided to not go for analog delays anyway. But if you want them nonetheless, maybe some of the Electro Harmonix pedals will do it... I don't know if they have CV control, but some I think have pedal input, and that's probably the same. Also MXR and other pedals may be a solution, and those are in production... if you need rackmount gear or the like, you just have to go for old quirky stuff.

An alternative is to do it with Eurorack modules instead... I'm certain there are plenty of in production units with BBD delays... MOOG even has a modular one, but it's pricey, and not the Euro format.

[chysn]

Thank you for that reply, Razmo. Very thorough, as usual.

I do have a digital delay right now in the form of my Desktop Evolver; and my other analog synths actually sound pretty good through it. There's quite a bit of flexibility in terms of programming effects, when you count the LFOs and filters. I'm sure that dedicated digital delays are better, but it's difficult for me to imagine how. The signal seems clean, and it goes from simple to wild pretty easily.

But I want a delay pedal for the same reason I want a reverb pedal; something that I can just turn on and play through, something that's always hooked up.

[Fuseball]

The only standalone hardware delay I have now is an El Capistan pedal.  Of course, it isn't analog but there is an expression pedal input, which you can map to any of the controls.  Not sure if that is something that can be driven by a CV source too.

This Muff Wiggler thread has some info about it though...

https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=106428

I believe that Strymon's Generalissimo pedal/module has extensive CV control but it's not out yet.

[chysn]

Thanks, Fuseball!

Bonus: I love the name "El Capistan." It makes me smile.

[Paul Dither]

There's also the Eventide TimeFactor and the H9 both of which get lots of good press too.

In case you want full CV control to have it interact with your CP-251, you might just wait a bit for this one: http://www.strymon.net/products/generalissimo/

[Razmo]

Thank you for that reply, Razmo. Very thorough, as usual.

I do have a digital delay right now in the form of my Desktop Evolver; and my other analog synths actually sound pretty good through it. There's quite a bit of flexibility in terms of programming effects, when you count the LFOs and filters. I'm sure that dedicated digital delays are better, but it's difficult for me to imagine how. The signal seems clean, and it goes from simple to wild pretty easily.

But I want a delay pedal for the same reason I want a reverb pedal; something that I can just turn on and play through, something that's always hooked up.

A digital delay can certainly do more than the Evolver can... first off, I find the Evolver Audio input to be quite noisy in itself... A real digital delay unit will give you longer delay times, and if you get the more advanced ones you'd have a lot of extra features too... like filters in the delay for making the delays progressively darker, multi tap delays, reversed delays... and if you use a multi effect device, you can usually put all sorts of nice FX on the delays like chorus, auto-panning, phasers, flangers etc... the fun in delays really start to show off when the delays are processed themselves really.

But of course it all boils down to what kind of delays you're after... what style your type of music needs... personaly, the more options I've got, the better... when doing ambient stuff, which is why I recently got the T.C. Fireworx unit... and I tell you... that's one major f***** when it comes to modulation possibilities... that thing is HUGE!

[chysn]

But of course it all boils down to what kind of delays you're after... what style your type of music needs...

Sure. I'll probably see how much mileage I can get out the Evolver for a little while.

[Fuseball]

Sure. I'll probably see how much mileage I can get out the Evolver for a little while.

I had a Timeline for a while but, personally, found the digital/ping-pong/multitap delays weren't giving me enough useful stuff beyond what I already had in terms of built-in effects on many of my synths. I'm a creature of habit and love dotted 8th delays on sequences, which is something I can setup quickly and easily on my MEK and P-6.

The El Capistan (love the name too) does the one thing I love (tape delays) but can't otherwise get from built-in effects. Alongside the BigSky it's the only fx box I have hooked up to the synths. Both via fx sends on the mixer.

[DavidDever]

The (black, original) MXR Carbon Copy is quite good, if you desire a darker analogue BBD delay sound - they are not as picky regarding parts selection as Moog is, though you will lose the ability to modify the delay time via CV.

Personally, I'm not interested in a BBD-based delay that sounds as clean as my digital delay devices, though I will admit that the MF-104 is pretty special.

[AdamPloof]

+1 for the MXR carbon copy. Probably not as versatile as what you're looking for, but it's got a great tone. I use it on my Rhodes and have been really happy with it.

[minuteman]

I use an Empress Tape Delay (digital) for my synths and a Toneczar Echoczar (analog) for my guitars.  Very pleased with both.