Best Analog Delay Pedal

[Marc Jenkins]

My problem with digital emulations is that sometimes I can hear the overlays on the sound. The Strymon tape delay emulation used some sort of sample of a warble and added an artificial hiss to the essentially pristine digital signal. Once I noticed it it was sorta annoying.

I keep an H9 on my board for delays that I use sometimes. I mostly use some sort analog delay for basic tone like Susan does. I'm becoming disenchanted with my Analogman delay lately because I need to record direct and it adds to much noise. I'll experiment some more with an amp and see if that sound is still there.

Agreed on all counts! My solution for steel - Strymom DiG - has sweet emulation of an already digital device. Boom!

[Tommy Detamore]

I like the Nemesis delay by Source Audio. It is a digital pedal at heart but it emulates analog delays pretty nicely IMHO.

If you need reverb as well in a pedal their Collider looks cool. It seems to be something of a cross between a Nemesis and a Ventris (their dedicated reverb pedal.). Although unlike the Nemesis I don't own one of these so I have no direct experience.

[Bob Womack]

If you like the sound of tape echo you might consider the Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe. The actual delay is a digital delay but they've accurately reconstructed the analog preamp of the Echoplex EP-3 which is lauded for its effect on tone and created what is considered the very best EP-3 clone available. I've owned one or another orignal EP-3 for years.



Bob

[Jeffery Mercer]

Actually...there all good, like anything else though the more cash you got to spend the better they get...sad but true...

[Bob Hoffnar]

Actually...there all good, like anything else though the more cash you got to spend the better they get...sad but true...

Except for the electro-harmonix memory boy. I have been using a stomp box rental service in austin and trying out true analog bucket brigade delays. The EH deluxe memory boy is pretty much kicking the ass of all of them. So far it has everything I like about analog delay and doesn’t have the things I don’t like. I’ll keep at it for another month and see what happens.

I am not interested in digital emulations. I have an H9 which is absolutely fantastic already. If I need to move on from analog delays I’ll just buy another H9.

[Jeffery Mercer]

Strymon

[Marc Jenkins]

STRYMON VOLANTE hands down the absolute BEST!

It’s not analog though

[Dave Mudgett]

It’s not analog though

And neither is the Strymon Brigadier analog, in the sense of a time-sampled-data but purely analog amplitude device like a bucket-brigade delay. Nor do they describe it as a "true analog delay". Read their white paper on the core DSP - https://www.strymon.net/documents/Strym ... ePaper.pdf

They mathematically model the response of analog bucket-brigade delays. From the white paper (my notes to set context in italics):

So what is the solution (to the issues with standard digital delay emulation of analog delay)? The BBD (Bucket Brigade Delay) must be recreated in its entirety, with all transistors and capacitors being described mathematically, and the signal moving along the bucket with consideration of the clock chip’s contribution to the process. This is computationally complex, and requires a powerful Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip to be dedicated to this task. But the result is one that accurately captures the subtleties and nuances of an analog BBD delay, including the loss characteristics, self-oscillationqualities, pitch effects, and delay-time artifacts.

I'm not even slightly against any of this. But there's a difference between these and a true time-sampled-data/analog-amplitude device. To me, if it sounds good, it is good, and that is totally subject to personal taste.

[Eric OHara]

Seems like you have plenty of options to choose
From but thought I’d throw in my 2 cents based on
A delay I recently purchased - TC Electronics
Flashback II mini. The tone print abilities are endless
On this pedal. You can pick from a wealth of delay
Types and sounds and change them on the go with
Your cell phone right through your guitar pickup.
The sounds are great and it only takes up half a space
On a board. It’s one pedal but with limitless options.

[Karen Sarkisian]

diamond memory lane jr is a good option for analog sounding digital delay. also wampler faux analog but no tap tempo on that one.

[Jeffery Mercer]

The Absolute Best Delay is the MXR EP-103 Delay none better...

[Corbin Pratt]

I recently got a Chase Bliss Tonal Recall and it sounds fantastic. Probably overkill, but it is all analog and saves presets.

[Steve Kaplan]

TC Electronics Flashback.

Digital but with incredible analog, tape delay, lofi, and modulated delay settings.

[Gary Newcomb]

Digital I know but curious if anyone has tried the newer Boss DD8? Seems to have a good amount of settings including Analog and Tape type emulations.

https://www.boss.info/global/products/dd-8/

[Jack Hanson]

I'm partial to the Hilton. All I want out of a delay is a little slap-back, and the Legend Pro-Delay delivers. The digital units with more controls than the cockpit of an Airbus have no appeal to me. Simple to use, priced right, and manufactured in the USA to boot. Thank you, Mr. Hilton!

[Tony Prior]

don't overlook the Way Huge Aqua Puss. A very fine clean Delay Pedal. I used one for over 2 years until I replaced it with the DUAL DUTY NU-X Atlantic , delay/reverb

[Jim Pitman]

I just rediscovered my 1982 big box Deluxe Memory Man. It had been sitting in my basement for 25 years. I went through it and repaired a couple things and it works marvelously now. It has a power cord rather than a battery.
You can dial in some really far out sounds with or it or just simple delays too.
After years of playing through a Quadraverb GT digital unit I'm now appreciating the immediacy of knobs rather diving down through menus.

[Chris Harvey]

Try the Donner Yellow Fall. I keep trying to not like mine but always go back. You can pick one up from anazon fir 35 bucks and return it if you don't like it.

[Clyde Mattocks]

I see lots of votes for for the Deluxe Memory Man. I have had two and both had enough hum to make them unusable for the studio. I sent one back and they improved it, but not enough to make it satisfactory. Maybe just my luck. I use an old Lexicon Alex, #10 vocal plate setting that I am quite happy with.

[Jim Pitman]

Clyde, my Deluxe Memory Man is hum free.

[Chris Harvey]

Malekko 616. Just about every other modern analog delays gave horrible artifacts above the 12th fret. I love my Brig as well. In the digital world, and I’m not sure why, Nux Atlantic is very pedal steel friendly.

[Dennis Detweiler]

MXR reviews shows the Carbon Copy at the top overall. I have one. Analog and excellent choice. I also like the Ibanez Analog Mini, but its controls are touchy if you want to tweak it for slow and fast songs. Carbon Copy is more controllable.

[Jack Hanson]

Lotsa bang for the buck with the Joyo JF33.

[Tom Wolverton]

I’ve tried about a dozen different delay pedals. I keep coming back to the Carbon Copy. Works well for my simple needs.

[Mike Neer]

One of my recent favorites is Catalinbread’s Adineko, based on the Tel-Ray oil can delay. It really adds an eery, mysterious quality.