Analog delay
vs.
digital delay
I hesitate to even include the historically
contentious analog-versus-digital rivalry in
this article, primarily because I think we are
very near to the point where the debate is
entirely moot. The newest crop of analog-
mimicking digital delays is so good that
it is becoming increasingly difficult for
hardheaded analog puritanism to exist
any longer. Pedals like Catalinbread’s
new Belle Epoch Deluxe have set a new
standard for analog-voiced digital effects,
one that has nearly broken the will of even
the most die-hard DM-2 and Echoplex
fanatics. The flipside of this coin is that
some of the new, purely analog delays like
DOD’s Rubberneck—which boasts 1500
milliseconds of delay time and tap tempo—
features that were once the sole domain
of digital pedals. As you can see, the once
clear lines between digital and analog are
becoming ever blurrier.
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TONE TALK //
This being said, however, it is helpful
to understand the fundamental sonic
differences between analog and digital
styles. Traditionally, analog lovers have
preferred the darker, somewhat softer tonal
qualities of BBD and tape-based echo
devices to the harder-edged, more cutting
sounds of a standard digital unit. The
murkier quality of analog repeats can allow
them to blend more seamlessly into a mix,
making things like exact tempo matching
mostly unnecessary. Digital repeats,
however, with their cleaner, clearer timbre
and precise repetitions, make careful tempo
matching more important.
It is not necessary to choose between these
types of sounds when finding your delay
style, as many units will do both kinds of
sounds quite well, but if you do have a
strong preference for one over the other,
then don’t be afraid to let this preference
be your guide down the path to delay
enlightenment.
A Guide to Your First Delay Pedal