Noisy Carbon Copy?

Ok, so here's the deal. I have an Empress Superdelay which I think is the best digital delay on the market. But it seemed a bit excessive for my purposes. So I was looking for a simple replacement. My first thought was the MD-3 which I've had and liked, but decided to try a Carbon Copy.

This is the first analog delay I've had so I wasn't sure, but are they all this noisy? Every repeat on this thing is accompanied by a faint rustling noise. It's made much worse when I'm using the Low Z mode on my bass (Audere pre) or pegging it with a signal from my Boss OC-2, which are both things I do often enough that it would keep me from using this pedal.

Is this normal? Or did I get a lemon?

 

That's what I'm afraid of. At first I thought it was that it lacked headroom. Last night at practice I heard it while we were jamming, but it seemed to only happen when I'd hit it hard or with the OC-2 with just the octave down. But playing by myself today I hear it on every repeat, it's just more noticeable with really hard or bassy notes.

That was my understanding too which is why I asked. But the noise seems excessive considering I hadn't really heard this complaint from others who have tried it.

That said, even if it wasn't noisy it would probably be headed back. Love the self-oscillation and the repeats are nice and warm but the trade off is that it is too muddy in the mix on bass.

I busted out my old Echo Park to see if maybe it could do the job and replace my Empress, but at this point I'm spoiled. It just doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the Superdelay. It can make more wacky noises, but in a real band setting I don't think I've ever touched the modulation knob or used half the modes. And I know if I went back to the MD-3 I'd be complaining that it isn't tap tempo and I'd miss the modulation.

Oh well. I suppose there's worse things than being "stuck" with a great delay.

 

Yup, that's it.

 

Maybe. Right now I'm thinking I'll either just keep the Superdelay and try the new Malekko delay to see if it does better than the Carbon Copy.

Even with the noise, I really love the warmth of the CC and while the Empress can go into oscillation, it is very digital where the CC's is fantastic. It's also smaller and really simple which is becoming a bigger and bigger concern when I'm gigging.

On the other hand, the Empress can be crystal clear, do a nice tape emulation, reverse (and reverse with a pitch shifted octave up), can have long delay times, is tap tempo, has an expression control and has eight presets.

I think it's strange that I'm torn between two extremes but there you go. The Echobox seems to be right in the middle of the two. Digital but with a warm tone. Lots of controls, but not as many as options as the Empress. Will self oscillate better than the Empress but not as well as the CC. I think of modulated delay was a bigger deal to me it would be a no brainer.

As it is I'm trying to convince my guitar player to get an Echobox as he'd get more out of it that I would.

 

It's just me being unreasonable. The Empress is amazing but it's just overkill for my delay needs. But if I sold it for a simple analog delay I know I'd complain that "my old delay had tap tempo and looper modes and reverse" and so on.

I seriously doubt that it will be anywhere near the modulation on the Echo Box. As I said, if modulated delay was my thing, I'd already have ordered the Subdecay. But if I change delays, I'm going with something small, simple and analog.

 

I don't think so. I think it's just headed back for a refund. I liked it, but fair or not, if I get a defective pedal, I generally don't buy another one. Especially if I've head that others have had the same problem.

I'm thinking maybe the new Malekko is up next if I don't stick with the Empress.