Delays...Educate me please.

[Slowy]

I currently use a TC Flashback. I like it. It's simple enough for a Neanderthal like me to operate.

But...
I'm in a band which offers the opportunity for more sonic oddities than I've ever been allowed before. Think ambient washes, pulses and swells without going full shoegaze.

Timeline (OMG the COST!!!!!) and Empress seem to get some love around here. What's special about them? What else might be worth a look?

[LucyTheSpud]

I looked at the Timeline. Ended up getting a DD500. Honestly both tools are more powerful than i need (i use 1 preset on the DD...). BUT. Midi is awesome. I use short midi cables between the Eventide gear and M5 on my board to the DD500, and have it all synced to a single tap tempo. If you are into ambient modulated delay weirdness, it makes it so easy to have it all tempo synced together. Very rare feature to have, and it makes life so much easier.

Edit. Forgot to say. Timeline is better, DD500 is cheaper. And i knew i wasnt gonna use a lot of delay, so cheaper won for me.

[jeremyb]

Strymon stuff is all the bells and whistles but people seem to flick them on quite often, just too many options... if you're using a flashback you probably don't need tap tempo, so maybe look at doubling up with a nice analog delay, I used the carbon copy with my alter ego (modded flashback) and they worked really nicely together, both were set on quite short delays with a decent amount of repeats so it just fattened up with a big wall of sound rather than going all dotted 8 praise and worshippy.

[jeremyb]

And for less than the cost of a timeline you could get a M9 and get a lot more flexibility and fun!

[StratMatt]

The Timeline sounded great to me when I had one. The learning curve is actually much easier than it looks. Once you program in 3-6 delays or however many you need I didn't bother tweaking much past that. Second hand is the way to go; new prices are eye watering.

[Conway]

Use the TC Toneprint app - there are a lot of interesting custom delays you can download.

[Reg18]

Key to ambient delay is a washy tape or analog with a bit of modulation. Set the mix kinda low (like just below half)
And the feedback higher than usual. I'm sure your Flashback would be able to achieve it but you might be better with presets so you can have a normal one then a washy one seperate. I use a Timeline and love it! But like others have stated I don't use even a quarter of what it can do. I have a tape delay set up with an expression pedal assigned to increase the feedback and modulation which works very well and I'm sure you could find another cheaper delay to do just that.
This new ehx delay looks the business!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kPvWDj0wdRg

Or buy an ambient reverb to use along side your normal delay and it can create some huge ambient sounds!

[H671]

For a budget approach, I'm happy with my Danelectro Fab delay & echo running together and sometimes with the Fab chorus.

[Slowy]

.. if you're using a flashback you probably don't need tap tempo

Actually, I think it's essential. Flashback has tempo control, just not tapping.

[Kev77]

Also, the diamond memory lane Jnr on Trademe , get that sync it with your TC. That's a good option too.

[Kris]

if you like the flashback and are familiar with its workings-why not a flashback x4?

i picked up a Trinity(more ambient geared HOF) and alter ego(vintage geared flashback) for 198usd from PGS. Heaps of abyss contained within in which to lose ones self

[Darth Sabbathi]

Diamond delays are great. The ML Jr is an excellent analogue voiced digital delay - best of both worlds in many ways. Disclaimer: I am selling one (that one on TM is mine)...

[kwhelan]

Bang for buck just get a zoom g3x ,even if you just use the delays of which it has everything covered in spades you have an easy to use multiple delays in tandem option to say nothing of the all the other reverbs, phasers, choruses etc etc
people seem to rip them for the distortion and cab sims but , turn that off and you have a dam good effects pedal that fits on pedal boards
especially as you can control individual effects, or parameters live thru all the foot switches
check youtube for demos

[Delayman]

.. if you're using a flashback you probably don't need tap tempo

Actually, I think it's essential. Flashback has tempo control, just not tapping.

Imho that audio tapping is nothing like tap. External tap means you can tap the tempo in as you carry on playing, to line up with drifting tempo if you're not using a click track. I tend to have one dotted eighth that I can tap, and then I have an ambient delay on all the time, instead of reverb.

[TmcB]

Timeline if you want to piss around for hours and hours crafting delay noises.

Deluxe Memory Man if you like haunting, beautiful modulation, analog, and fairly bright delay.

AD-9 if you like darker, "clicky" delay and slap back.

Echolution Deluxe if you want fat analog sounds and weirdness available in an ugly box and spend hours and hours crafting delay tones.

Memory Lane Jr if you want a simple goldilocks delay that sounds like it fits exactly between analog and digital with tap tempo

Empress Tape Delay if you like Tape delays and simple layouts in a digital package

Carbon Copy/Memory Toy if you want cheap dark analog

El Capistan if you REALLY like Tape delays and tinkering with everything.

TC Flashback and variants if the grass is always greener and you never want to be quite happy




My opinion - get a Memory Lane Jr, they sit perfectly in the Goldilocks zone of delay. They're not too bright but not too dark, simple enough that you won't spend hours pissing around but enough control to get great sounds, aren't $300+, sit wonderfully in any mix, and aren't pedalboard hogs.

Tonally the best of the bunch is probably the Echolution or DMM depending on whether you like analog or digital. Memory Lane is just behind those two along with the El Capistan.