EHX Memory Boy - First Impressions

icarussmicarus · #1 08-23-2009, 01:20 AM

I know most of you all have hard-ons for the new Malekko delays on the horizon, but I'm sure there's atleast a few people interested in the Memory Boy given its amazing price and excellent lineage.

I can't give a full review yet because I can't record clips until the next few days, also I currently have no expression pedal to test its weirder side out and lastly because it is capable of so much with the crazy square wave controls I don't know if I'll every completely have my head around all the weird **** it can do.

But for those anxious to here some kind words about its performance on bass before pulling the trigger - here are some.

Very nice warm analog tone that losses no lows, but perhaps losses a smidge of higher frequencies to create that darker analog tone. This analog tone is exactly what I was after to pair with my digital delay, the subdecay echobox. There has been some banter by guitards online that the Memory Boy is perhaps slightly darker than the original Memory Man. Imho the Boy is ther perfect amount of dark without being too muddy or too chimey (we do play bass afterall).

Can't really give a great answer on the chorus/vibrato modes because I personally am not a huge fan of those sounds on bass (or atleast I haven't a use for them in my playing). But I can tell you the modulation can do ridiculously extreme, so don't worry about it being similar to the Carbon Copy with its so called 'weak modulation'.

It has a really fast response with suprisingly huge headroom. I've fed fuzz, OD, delay, octave, synth into it and it hasn't had any trouble at all which I found surprising. It has definately defeated my expectation of what an analog delay could handle as far as effect combinations. It even easily keeps up with a 3 octave giant sweep from the bass micro synth.

If you have even mild interest in this pedal, try it, its super cheap compared the rest of the market and its alot of fun.

As I said, updates and clips shall come in the next day or so.

sonic assassin · #2 08-23-2009, 01:36 AM

whats the max delay time?

icarussmicarus · #3 08-23-2009, 01:42 AM

550ms - it's written everywhere on the internet. I'm sure that won't be enough for some, but personally I don't even crank that to its max. Even when I had my 20 seconds of delay DD-20, I must have had about 20 something different settings that I believed were musical and non of them when over 500ms.

icarussmicarus · #4 08-23-2009, 01:44 AM

Actually speaking of info on the internet, one thing that isn't easy to find is its mA draw. Despite having a 200 mA power supply, it runs on 45mA, making it very friendly for SupaChargers and other power supplies with mostly 100ma outlets.

irvinz · #5 08-23-2009, 02:36 AM

waiting for the new zealand shipment. and i'll have one too =) another 4-6 weeks =(

icarussmicarus · #6 08-23-2009, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irvinz

waiting for the new zealand shipment. and i'll have one too =) another 4-6 weeks =(

I got mine from Tonefactor since I didn't need the power supply. They offer easily the cheapest international shipping rates. This was after an ebay seller had to back out of my original purchase cos they accidentally started advertising them a month early!

sonic assassin · #7 08-23-2009, 03:09 AM

maybe this will replace my DOD analog delay thats been a real a-hole lately. for some reason, it sounds all kinds of crazy at max delay. weird low pitched warping noises. unique.. yes, but also annoying. all of my ambient delay stuff is down there.

irvinz · #8 08-23-2009, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

I got mine from Tonefactor since I didn't need the power supply. They offer easily the cheapest international shipping rates. This was after an ebay seller had to back out of my original purchase cos they accidentally started advertising them a month early!

yea. i know tf has them in stock. i work for the ehx distributors here tho. =) so i'll wait a lil bit.

bhass · #9 08-23-2009, 03:35 AM

Just wondering; what's the use with 2 delays?

icarussmicarus · #10 08-23-2009, 04:04 AM

Same as doubling up on any type of effect. They aren't the same.

Happynoj · #11 08-23-2009, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

II don't know if I'll every completely have my head around all the weird **** it can do.

That is enough of a review for me.

neatobassman · #12 08-23-2009, 05:42 AM

That kinda makes me sad that there's lots of head room. I LOVE the Deluxe Memory Man because of the great tone it gets when it clips.

Still want both though

icarussmicarus · #13 08-23-2009, 08:20 AM

Well I can try and make it clip if you give me a suggestion of something that would normally clip it?

Mr. Pickles · #14 08-23-2009, 09:34 AM

The DMM clips in a musically pleasing way. The Memory Boy likely does the same. Perhaps that is why Icarus perceives that there's tons o' headroom.

icarussmicarus · #15 08-23-2009, 10:58 AM

True. I am largely ignorant to using analog delays. There is a noticeable haze adding to the delayed signal, kind of like when an old record is played. A soothing mild distortion that doesn't really effect the delay signal but makes background noise. Is this what you refer to?

JanusZarate · #16 08-23-2009, 01:48 PM

I just got mine yesterday and am working on a full review. To say the least, it surpassed my expectations.

I like that EHX is now publishing the current draw information in the manual (the manual actually states that it uses 45mA, and even gives an approximate battery life estimate).

neatobassman · #17 08-23-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icarussmicarus

True. I am largely ignorant to using analog delays. There is a noticeable haze adding to the delayed signal, kind of like when an old record is played. A soothing mild distortion that doesn't really effect the delay signal but makes background noise. Is this what you refer to?

Ok, that's exactly what I want. I have something to buy then.