The Best Delay (with tap) money can buy: your suggestions

[meekee73_2008]

I was thinking bout Akai Headrush E2, since it'also a looper

your advices will be precious

thanks

Michele

[jblock]

I'm a fan of the Boss DD-20 Giga Delay. Lots of different delay types, but the best thing for me is the ability to save settings in memory and then step through them and having the previous setting continue to play as long as you have the feedback set for. You can do hours of long delay loops this way.

[bigchiefbc]

Empress SuperDelay. Amazingly versatile.
check this out:
tap tempo available in 1/4, dotted notes, and triplets.
modulation
reverse mode
looper mode, with reverse
can save 8 different presets
hi and lo filters
tape mode with different amounts of wobble
mode that auto-detects your playing tempo
rhythm mode lets you tap in a pattern
exp pedal control of feedback or mix

[meekee73_2008]

Originally Posted by jblock

I'm a fan of the Boss DD-20 Giga Delay. Lots of different delay types, but the best thing for me is the ability to save settings in memory and then step through them and having the previous setting continue to play as long as you have the feedback set for. You can do hours of long delay loops this way.

dd-20 is also a loop recorder...isn't it?

thanks

Michele

[jblock]

Yes, it does have a sound on sound mode, total of 23 seconds of looping, which you can also overdub.

[OrionManMatt]

What are you wanting out of your delay?

Just tap function?
More analog sounds?
Or digital?
Subdivisions?
Modulations?
Do you need to store settings?
Do you just use one setting?
Loop capabilities?
Is how big the delay is a factor?
How will you power it?

[meekee73_2008]

Originally Posted by OrionManMatt

What are you wanting out of your delay?

Just tap function?
More analog sounds?
Or digital?
Subdivisions?
Modulations?
Do you need to store settings?
Do you just use one setting?
Loop capabilities?
Is how big the delay is a factor?
How will you power it?

tap: check
analog: if present would be ok
digital: check
modulations: check
store settings: check
loop capabilities: check
dealy size: non proper a factor
powering the delay: via A 1 SPOT 9V DC adapter if possible

thanks

Michele

[markjazzbassist]

diamond memory lane

[pedroims]

carbon copy , sounds great, plain simple, many people here will agree, I owned it but some issues with the switch made me change it for the TC nova delay, great pedal by the way but way expensive of course many more functions: Tap tempo, mode , store different settings etc.

[RCCollins]

ehx SMMH is not without its shortcomings, but can be found for fairly cheap used

i wouldn't get it for the looper though - that's why the other guy is selling it to you

[LowBSix]

EVENTIDE TIME FACTOR.

[Luther Blissett]

it's probably not THE best and most versatile delay, but i'm very happy with my DD-20. and at first glance it meets all your requirements. It's also not that expensive ( I got mine for a 180 euro)

[Andy Will]

Originally Posted by LowBSix

EVENTIDE TIME FACTOR.

+1 and also works off of a One Spot.......but does need it's own one that's not powering other pedals!

[SnakeAnthony]

On the cheaper side of these (I'll call them 'larger') delay boxes:

-Akai Headrush is the most simple of the <$300 area. It sounds good, has some awesome stereo capabilities, cool (but relatively minimalist) features, and the hands down the most user friendly looper.
-Line 6 DL-4 has more options in a similar price range, but the construction doesn't compare (they tend to fall apart, although mine never did), and while there are a lot of tones available, you have to work to find them. Not as user friendly.
-Boss DD-20 has more options than the Headrush, but fewer than the DL-4. A solid middle ground, but I wasn't a fan. Sounded very digital to me on essentially all modes, and I never did figure out everything Boss claimed the pedal could do.

In the $300< zone you have the Eventide Time Factor and the Empress Super delay, which I honestly consider equals. The Time Factor has more sounds available, but I tend to find the Super Delay sounds better. Neither are super user friendly. Both are expensive.

But if I wanted just a simple delay with some cool features (modulation, tap tempo, etc) and money was no option, the Diamond Memory Lane sounds fantastic, but is even more expensive than both the Empress and the Eventide.

The best of all, IMHO, is the Moog 104z, but that lacks the Tap Tempo that you explicitly mentioned.

[Jazz Ad]

The Headrush is perfect for me. I'd buy it again. It is indeed minimalistic though so it may not fit everyone.
The sound is pristine and the echo tape very convincing.

[SnakeAnthony]

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

The Headrush is perfect for me. I'd buy it again. It is indeed minimalistic though so it may not fit everyone.
The sound is pristine and the echo tape very convincing.

My feelings exactly. I have two of them. I will eventually replace them with a pair of 104z, but until I'm made of money, the Headrushes do what I need them to do, and they do it well.

[OrionManMatt]

So, not to go too off topic, but what won't the Headrush do? I've been wanting to put together a Radiohead-type board.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by OrionManMatt

So, not to go too off topic, but what won't the Headrush do? I've been wanting to put together a Radiohead-type board.

It won't save/record as many other loopers will. It won't let you remove just the last loop added. You can always go back to just the original loop, but if you have two loops and screw up the third, you have to go back to the first one.

It won't give you analog delay sounds and it doesn't do self-oscillation. And it's big.

Those are all the negatives I can think of. But the positive is that it gives you a solid tap tempo digital delay and a very intuitive looper.

I dig it.

[OrionManMatt]

Thanks. I had never really looked into it as a "delay" pedal. When I was looking, it was basically the DL4 and DD-20 that were the standards of choice on my radar. I really enjoy some things about my DD-20 but still want some Space Echo and expression pedal goodness....

[HelloJerk]

I've been impressed with the DigiTech HardWire DL-8; I think it meets all of your needs, and it has an analog simulation.