Let's talk about DMMs

[Exclaimed]

I've been feeling kind bleh about my El Cap lately and been thinking real hard about getting a DMM.

I know that old big box ones are like THE THING, but how do the XOs compare? Are they good? Are they worth flipping an El Cap for? Is the big box power supply a huge pain in the balls -- it's like 24v or something, right?

I really don't much about them other than sound pretty damn chill. Help a dawg out.

[DarkAxel]

I'll quote myself

Vintage blackface over here, absolutely fantastic delay pedal on either bass or guitar (on bass i like less repeats so it doesn't get too spacey and cloudy and has a bit more definition)

huge and noisy, but still absolutely worth it.

having a vintage one and being able to compare with the XO version... really didn't like the XO. OR let me put it differently - compared to current production, the XO is quite nice, but comparing it to the vintage one makes it sound like just another run-of-the-mill delay pedal. Sure it's smaller and less noisy, but the character of the repeats seems almost drastically different to me

the old one is heavily coloured but a bit more clear. The new one is the default generic modern analog delay voicing, so darker... doesn¨t saturate nearly as nicely and i also didn¨t enjoy the modulation that much. And in my head, the DMM is all about the repeats saturation and modulation

update is that I'm retiring the DMM and keeping it at home, because i'm worried about it - for a good reason, it's not exactly reliabel after it was destroyed to shit and then rebuilt again. I still consider it a fantastic pedal and the XO doesn't feel even close to me

[rustywire]

Checking in.

XO DMM is better than no DMM
XO DMM is no better than big box DMM
DMM is better than XO DMM.

All are true statements. If you have the option to get a big box unit, do it.

DMM has massive footprint
DMM has picky power requirements; either ac/mains or 24V adaptor
DMM is fragile...even finicky...yet still easier to maintain and even resurrect than XO DMM which is SMD like all other XO EHX...and even more fragile

All are true statements.

As for the sound...I've gone into it in the same thread Dark Axel is quoting.
And other threads, It's a pedal that's easy to gush about and sing its praises.
Try a forum search.

If you're going to trade in and want to trade up, then this is 1 more vote for real DMM.
As recently as January I had 5 of them. Now I'm down to 3...because I just had to have a UA 1176LN.
Someday I'll have 5, 6, 7, 8 again. *busts move*

[Ghost Hip]

As a previous owner of an 80s DMM, XO DMM, and a current owner of the 2000s reissue, all of the above I agree with.

The thing about the DMMs before 2000 reissues is the preamp is always on, regardless if the delay is bypassed or not. On the 2000 reissue the preamp is bypassed when the delay is bypassed. With that said, I totally did not mind the preamp being on all the time with my 80s one.

[weed_killer]

As a current owner of a 70s/80s dmm, I also agree with rusty's sage advice. I use a true bypass box with mine just for convenience. I've talked about them before, so all I'll say is that nothing sounds like a real vintage dmm - it's a world within itself, and if that's what you want then there's only one way to get there.

[misterstomach]

I have a reissue big box. from the 90's or 2000's or something. i love it beyond description. i wouldn't trade it for ten el caps. the chorus/vibrato is my favorite i've ever heard. the delay is so gooey and wonderful i'm in heaven with that thing. i tour with it and stomp the shit out of it. i don't worry about it and it's been fine. i do appreciate that it's true bypass, but i don't think i'd mind really if it wasn't. i love the sound of that preamp. i've actually thought about seeing if i could somehow get a pedal that was just that preamp cause it sounds really good.

[Uncle Grandfather]

Blueface DMM is best DMM...

[misterstomach]

blueface is just mm though, right? i need that vibrato so bad i don't think i could go blue face.

[Uncle Grandfather]

blueface is just mm though, right? i need that vibrato so bad i don't think i could go blue face.

Yeah there is no modulation, but its still named deluxe memory man, I'm just in love with its tone

[tremolo3]

Have 00s reissue and I like it. The modulation is just too good.
I'm thinking in replacing it with a L6 Echo Park because I need to make space to add more shit, and the 24v thing is simply annoying.

I'll probably only use it for recording.

Oh, and I have the Vintage Time Machine and is far to be a DMM replica but it has its own cool sound.

[misterstomach]

i don't really mind the 24v thing. i just run it on it's own wall wart and my other shit off my power supply and i've never had a problem. it is fucking huge. one of my band mates jokes and calls it my large pizza. but it's worth it. i don't play through a ton of effects, so i've got room on my pt-1 for it.

[Andrew]

I've had a couple of DMMs, I really like them. I like Analog Delays, just not the noisy, dirty repeats.

[oscillofuzz]

One of best 'reverb' sounds I've ever heard out of a stompbox was produced by an old DMM
I don't own one myself but when I saw Chrome last year the guy had no reverb pedals, only the DMM + some dirt & what not. At first I thought it was his amp but upon further inspecting his switching, the delish verby sound turned out to be the big box DMM.
I haven't been able to reproduce the exact sound with my MF104M Super Delay, but it does give me other delicious delay toanz.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Yeah I've never had another delay that could do the reverb-y sounds the DMM can. The modulation is second to none. Why did I get rid of it again?

As for XO vs vintage, I've only OWNED a vintage but have tried the XO, and the XO still sounded great it wasn't as good as the old one.

[fcknoise]

While on this subject, has anyone tried the alternative from madbean? The dirtbaby/dirtbag or whatever they're called. Seems pretty interesting http://madbeanpedals.com/projects/Dirtb ... Deluxe.pdf