Analog vs digital delay
- Thread starter Revelation Sound
- Start date
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Analog vs digital delay
The TC Nova has a knob that blends from digital at one end through analogue to tape at the other end.
The TC Nova has a knob that blends from digital at one end through analogue to tape at the other end.
TimmyPage
New member
Re: Analog vs digital delay
I always think that digital are more 'useful' in more circumstances. Analog delays you get repeats which get warmer and mushier as they degrade, but with a digital pedal they simply reduce in volume OR filter off some of their high end meaning that they don't change your sound at all. This allows a digital delay to sit perfectly underneath your notes (because it is just YOUR sound repeated, not effected) and not stand out, while still having the crispness and clarity to do cool rhythmic stuff too.
In terms of doing slapback or room style reverb sounds I also find that digital delays like the DD-3 do a much more 'accurate' sound. I love the sound of analog delays, they are warm, lush and beautiful, but if I had to pick only one small delay unit for 90% of my gigs it'd probably be a digital styled one.
Fortunately in the modern age we don't really have to make choices like that. We have powerful digital delay units which can simulate the tones of tape, analog, digital and more. You can get a pedal which has the filtering and headroom of a tape delay but with the turn of a few knobs you can still have digital styled bright, accurate and unmodulated repeats. My Source Audio Nemesis has replaced all of the analog delays on my board because you get all of the darkness and subtle modulation of my favourite analog delays but with tap tempo and the ability to control the headroom and brightness of the bucket brigade delay.
I always think that digital are more 'useful' in more circumstances. Analog delays you get repeats which get warmer and mushier as they degrade, but with a digital pedal they simply reduce in volume OR filter off some of their high end meaning that they don't change your sound at all. This allows a digital delay to sit perfectly underneath your notes (because it is just YOUR sound repeated, not effected) and not stand out, while still having the crispness and clarity to do cool rhythmic stuff too.
In terms of doing slapback or room style reverb sounds I also find that digital delays like the DD-3 do a much more 'accurate' sound. I love the sound of analog delays, they are warm, lush and beautiful, but if I had to pick only one small delay unit for 90% of my gigs it'd probably be a digital styled one.
Fortunately in the modern age we don't really have to make choices like that. We have powerful digital delay units which can simulate the tones of tape, analog, digital and more. You can get a pedal which has the filtering and headroom of a tape delay but with the turn of a few knobs you can still have digital styled bright, accurate and unmodulated repeats. My Source Audio Nemesis has replaced all of the analog delays on my board because you get all of the darkness and subtle modulation of my favourite analog delays but with tap tempo and the ability to control the headroom and brightness of the bucket brigade delay.
Revelation Sound
New member
Re: Analog vs digital delay
After spending much time listening and evaluating, I concluded that both analog and digital delays have certain pros over the other. Therefore having both is the best option.
A sales person at Sweetwater told me the Strymon Timeline is the best pedal that provides superior sound for analog and digital. After testing this unit out, I found myself preferring the Vapor Trails over the bucket setting on the Strymon. Emulations are emulations, and there is a tonality difference that I just prefer with the Vapor Trails.
After spending much time listening and evaluating, I concluded that both analog and digital delays have certain pros over the other. Therefore having both is the best option.
A sales person at Sweetwater told me the Strymon Timeline is the best pedal that provides superior sound for analog and digital. After testing this unit out, I found myself preferring the Vapor Trails over the bucket setting on the Strymon. Emulations are emulations, and there is a tonality difference that I just prefer with the Vapor Trails.
IMENATOR
Well-known member
Re: Analog vs digital delay
I never used it but that was the SD predecesor of the VT, I think it was called the DejaVoo? Maybe you can just buy one digital delay and one analog delay, put one on the L singnal chain of the L channel and the other on the signal chain of the R channel.
