Anybody prefer analog/tape delay simulators to analog delay?

[Agileguy_101]

So I'm in the process of putting together a mini board. I ordered a Wombtone for my phaser (super stoked on that), I picked up a Fet Driver for my dirt/boost, and I've got a Trombetta Bone Machine for my fuzz, though I may pick up something else just to have something I can switch in and out. Now for my delay, I decided that I wanted to go for an analog tap tempo delay. I thought about going for a Memory Lane Jr, which I had for a long time and I would consider close enough to analog (and also amazing at everything) but I found a good deal on a JHS Panther Cub so I bought that instead.

Well it was waiting for me when I got home from work. I plugged it in and messed around with it for an hour or two... and honestly, I remember being far more happy with my ML Jr, and even my old El Capistan. The repeats, while great in character, just don't melt the way I wanted them to, like they did on my Diamond/Strymon units. I connected with those immediately, but I didn't do so with the Panther Cub. Maybe I need to play it at more than bedroom volume? Either way it's no big deal because I kind of anticipated this may happen and pulled the trigger on an El Capistan that I found for a pretty good deal. At least this way, I'll be able to compare them back to back, though tbh I'll probably end up selling the JHS because the El Cap is perfect at what it does. And the favorite switch.

So, back to the question - do you ever prefer the tone of an analog simulated delay over an actual analog delay, or a tape simulator over a tape delay? I've owned a Memory Boy, a Panther Cub, an El Capistan, a Timeline, and an H9, and so far I like digital simulations more than analog. Call me cray

[gusman2x]

I much preferred the overall quality of repeats on the Disaster Transport over the DMM when I tried them. Bought the DT.

[gusman2x]

I much preferred the repeats on the Disaster Transport over the DMM. Bought the DT.

[Tristan]

The DMM-550TT and old big box DMM are my favourites from any delay I ever tried.
Other than that I really tend to like PT2399 delays with modulation.

[Eivind August]

I like them all. (Had a Memory Toy which I didn't really care for, though.) The Dr. Sci. ILFDD might be one of the warmest and best sounding delays I've had, and it's digital. Liked the Retro-Sonic Analog Delay. Now I mostly use the Catalinbread Echorec, another digital pedal. I also have an old, cheapo Maxon AD9, which might very well be the best analog delay I've tried. So long story short, I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other because they all tend to sound different.

[Tristan]

Yeah, I agree, the ILFDD is a PT2399 delay by the way.

[Muff_Diver]

big box dmm is the greatest delay ever made.

But I have a guilty pleasure for the cold consistency of a boss as well.

[hatshirt]

big box dmm is the greatest delay ever made.

But I have a guilty pleasure for the cold consistency of a boss as well.

this!

[Willem]

Bump.

I just had the same reasoning today. I just sold my Tonal Recall. I found it cool but doesn't sound as I expected it would. I said to a friend that I maybe like the digital tape delay more because the repeats are louder, brighter, sits better in the mix, most have tap tempo etc...
Well I thought I'll grab an El Cap' because it was always in my short list but finally decided to go for an other one. Just as today. Found a good deal on a Diamond Memory Lane 2. I'll give it a try and it will solve my problem. Maybe I'm not an analog delay guy (already had a Malekko e616 dark I liked though).

[rfurtkamp]

I've only liked AC-powered, high headroom analogs but they're very limited in max time. I loved the old Ibanez amp-top AD100s but they capped out at 350ms or so.

None of the pedal variants have done a whole lot for me except variety, and in general, if I want an analog-sounding delay, I'll just switch amp settings to match or parametric EQ the delay down.

As far as tape simulators, I'm still in love with the Boss RE-20 simply because it's consistent. I know what it's going to do and doesn't care if I change delay time mid-song (the only time I get *any* meaningful modulation out of my actual tape one). For times I want things only the real one will do (and that's with backing off the erase head a bit so it's not running at spec), I keep the real one around. But then I have to clean heads, perform occasional maintenance, etc.

After a year though, I can say I'd probably be happy with just the RE-20 by itself 99% of the time.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Favourite sounding delays I've ever owned are the DMM, Disaster Transport and a WEM Copicat. I like all means of creating the delay equally, it's about the individual pedal.