Best Sounding Analog Delay

[Matteran]

Analog Delays are outrageously expensive nowadays, and I want to build my own. I've seen quite a few schematics out there, and I'm not really sure which one sounds the best. I don't need incredibly long delays or anything, just a simple delay that sounds good, and is relativly easy to make for a beginner. I'll be building the Bazz Fuss, and after that I'm thinking about building a delay, so with that little experience, I need something fairly easy.

[Mike Burgundy]

Analog delays are hard to get right, but do have an advantage over digital - they sound different. Apparently we like our delays to be slightly deformed.
The simplest delay with "that" sound is the PT80 - sounds very convincing though it really *is* digital, and still relatively buildable.
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=80

FWIW, I really like the ibanez de7 on its "tape delay" settings. Can't build it for the money (under â,¬90) and great sound. Not too digital either.

[jmasciswannabe]

I just finished the rebote2 build and I am pleased. I used the 10k resistor for the oscilating endless repeats and a 250k pot for the longer delay. You can get lofi sounding delay over about a second or so, but its almost like the pedal has to warm up to do it. The longer you have it running the less noise you get in the longer delay times. Of course this might be something wrong with my build. Anyone else notice this with their rebote2?

[Paul Marossy]

Not a DIY project, but an Arion SAD-1 is a nice sounding one. You can pick one up off of ebay for around $50 or less. It's worth it, IMO.

You can also get a brand new SAD-3 as well, but I hear that they don't sound as good as the SAD-1 and do not have quite as long of a maximum delay time...

[petemoore]

You may consider a real reel tape echo...VERY DIY...if you happen to have some tape decks laying around...we did one easy...with a TEAC reel to reel, adding a third 'gravity tension' reel [hung on the tape loop we spliced, about 3 feet below the front of the unit], with just splicing a loop, hanging the 'third reel', and a patch from playback to record inputs [IIRC] we had a continuous echo, very nice for the price, tape speed control for echo length was limited to the three settings in the TEAC.
  Very Analog.
 To get more control [# of repeats, echo length, volume etc.] though would take more 'serious DIY'ing, electronic and E/Mech.

[bwanasonic]

"Best" in this context is hard to say. I like a really gnarly sounding AD, but some people may prefer a slightly more *hi-fi* sound. It's a damn shame about the prices on analog delays. People with the Ibanez de-7 seem to like it, but I have never A/B'd one with a *real* analog delay. Keep an eye out for off-brand obscure models on ebay. I have a KMD, which is a Boss DM style knockoff, with the added bonus of a tone control knob that stays in signal path with the effect on or off!  :wink:  Haven't checked the ebay prices on some of the older DOD models, and there is an Ibanez model that's a little more obscure (I forget the model - Rodgre has one, maybe he has more info). I can attest to the fact that the Arion SAD2 is indeed lame, don't bother.  

As for DIY, if I didn't have an AD already, I'd probably try the AD3208 at generalguitargadgets. Not what I'd classify as a begginer project, but there is a good amount of info to help you along.

Kerry M

[iBANEZAce]

I second the PT-80, moderate build difficulty but definately worth it...

[Jason M.]

Analog Delays are outrageously expensive nowadays, and I want to build my own. I've seen quite a few schematics out there, and I'm not really sure which one sounds the best. I don't need incredibly long delays or anything, just a simple delay that sounds good, and is relativly easy to make for a beginner. I'll be building the Bazz Fuss, and after that I'm thinking about building a delay, so with that little experience, I need something fairly easy.

I think most analog delays are somewhat more complicated than a basic booster or distortion pedal.
This is because of all the low-pass filtering required to remove the clock noise from the audio signal.
Most Bucket Brigade Device analog delays also use pre-empahsis/de-emphasis and/or compression/expansion to yield a decent signal to noise ratio.

Given the above, you may want to build a couple of simpler pedals to get the hang of the basics, and then go for the delay.
It will probably help reduce time spent troubleshooting.

There are quite a few schematics for analog delays out there and the only one that I know of that has a posted layout, detailed instructions/diagrams, runs off a 9V battery and uses readily available BBDs is the AD-3208 by Scott Swartz.
I built it and it sounds just as good as my Boss DM-2, which many consider the standard.
The AD-3208 is similar to the DM-2 in design, but uses two BBDs.
You can get a good 500ms with two MN3205 BBDs.
Other analog delays are out there, but don't have layouts available or they use extremely hard to find BBDs (SAD4096).

Good Luck.
J.