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In terms of features to dollars, the Nemesis really surpasses every other pedal in the $299 and below range. On that point alone, it's hard to argue against it. If you're more concerned with feel, intuitiveness, or raw sound quality, then I think there are still other pedals to consider like the Strymon DIG.

I feel like the DIG gets forgotten, though, when people start talking about Strymon pedals and the best delay options in general. With the DIG, you get dual delay channels for unique rhythms and appetizing textures. You also get bright repeats with clarity, and a sound that's really rich and inviting. (crisp modulation as well) You can't get the sounds of the DIG in the Timeline, and I think it's one of the best delay purchases you can make. I had a Capistan for synths, but quickly flipped it. I was hooked on the DIG right out of the gate, though, and I've only continued to find fresh ways to use it.

keyboard demo



guitar sounds

The DIG does seem appealing to me. I mean, Strymon being a company that makes digital pedals, producing a pedal that actually aims to do the digital thing. Need to check one out.

popvulture wrote:The DIG does seem appealing to me. I mean, Strymon being a company that makes digital pedals, producing a pedal that actually aims to do the digital thing. Need to check one out.

It really does deliver a uniquely dynamic sound that doesn't fall into the usual category traps. Ex. A) A lot of digital delays are pristine, but lacking warmth or body. Ex. B) A lot of analog-voiced digital delays seek to emulate analog sounds and are thus overly filtered to mimic that technology. Ex. C) Many analog delays lack optimal delay times and when flirting with their limits deliver undesirable noise.

The DIG, however, is a full-bodied delay where repeats ring out clearly, but it doesn't give you sterile, charmless echoes like many digital delays. In a way, it exists in a space between digital and analog delays. You really get the best of both worlds. You can get short or long delay times without compromising the signal. You can also get pleasant modulation, without it being overbearing or inconsistent from one unit to another. With a digital engine, you're not hunting a vintage machine that's aged to give sweetly corrupted modulation. You're going to be able to rely on something that performs the same on Wednesday as it does on Tuesday. (that being said, I've got all kinds of delays, and I like to use different kinds in a variety of combinations. I'm not a digital>analog guy. I use it all.)

Psyre wrote:I've been going through 3-4 delays a year.

I know that feel, trying to find a substitute for my OG DMMs

I just havnt found one that sounds quite as...idk...organic? As I'd like.

Man do I know that feel

I'm needing something suitable for guitar, synth/keys and drum machines. Maybe vocals?

I have 3 DMMs, 1 for guitar/bass board, 1 in an AUX loop on mixer for synth/keys/samplers/drums/vox, and the final one is an extra wildcard.

I'm thinking I may need to just get a timeline.
How is the looper on the timeline?

Have you tried a DMM?
I wouldn't get a delay for looping unless it's an OG EHX 16sec delay...other than maybe SMMH or DD-7. With a DMM compliment

If you need 100 types of delay then get something digital. If you want something that sounds good no matter what you run through it, I recommend DMM squad membership

You can get really pristine repeats with the El Cap too, even if that's not what it's really meant for. I've gotten some very digital almost glitch delay sounds with the multihead mode and all the tape decay and warble taken off.

Anyways, I think the point is I should start thinking about a Dig to complement the El Cap I'm getting next week.

Ahhh organic delays. I prefer mine to be gluten free.

Seriously though ive been having waves of gas for years over the el capistan but the dig never spoke to me. Gonna watch a few demos and im sure that will change....

Original DMM only or big box RI?

For me it's all about the originals. 70s/80s, 5 knob.
The big box RI are also great, though I prefer the ones with hardwired cord/not true bypass.

Let's also not forget about the new Alexander delays. They both look pretty rad. I'm especially interested in the Oblivion.

[youtube]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r9DDLKS_ijM[/youtube]

Maybe I should stick with just my DD-3 for a few months and go the RE-201 route.

I've got an mxr m-118, OG green box, but it's making a ton of ground hum, I'll open it up tomorrow I guess. It's all around pretty noisy, but really peasant otherwise, it and the dd3 could get me along for a good deal on an re-201...

Disarm D'arcy wrote:

jwar wrote:The Timeline to me sounds anything but organic. It sounds cold and mechanical IMO.

Now the Boss DD 500 sounds way better and is cheaper and has a looper.

I'd say exactly the opposite. I'm a sucker for the timeline

Yeah, I'm with Disarm D'arcy on that. The TimeLine still sounds amazing and I'm still dialing new sounds with it.

201s are fun, but are NOT maintenance free (to you, and to somebody who can go under the hood). You'll have to commit to keeping it flying under band and practice conditions, etc.

What I can tell you is that for 98-99% of what I can get out of a real tape SE, the RE-20 does in "standard" mode as shipped from the factory (it has a "long delay" option you can set on power up, but I just can't gel with it).

I've kept my RE-150 (because I use two head over three the vast majority of the time anyway, and it has a preamp that's of the 301 era) but I can do 98% of the servicing it needs myself (I did SS 'plex and Space Echo overhauls in the early 90s when nobody would touch 'em), but it gets used less and less.

The RE-20 even gets "It's running away into oscillation but not fully taking off, but there's still delay of incoming signal too" down pat.

It's not "versatile" in that it does what it does, but I have other delays for that.

echorec wrote:

popvulture wrote:The DIG does seem appealing to me. I mean, Strymon being a company that makes digital pedals, producing a pedal that actually aims to do the digital thing. Need to check one out.

It really does deliver a uniquely dynamic sound that doesn't fall into the usual category traps. Ex. A) A lot of digital delays are pristine, but lacking warmth or body. Ex. B) A lot of analog-voiced digital delays seek to emulate analog sounds and are thus overly filtered to mimic that technology. Ex. C) Many analog delays lack optimal delay times and when flirting with their limits deliver undesirable noise.

The DIG, however, is a full-bodied delay where repeats ring out clearly, but it doesn't give you sterile, charmless echoes like many digital delays. In a way, it exists in a space between digital and analog delays. You really get the best of both worlds. You can get short or long delay times without compromising the signal. You can also get pleasant modulation, without it being overbearing or inconsistent from one unit to another. With a digital engine, you're not hunting a vintage machine that's aged to give sweetly corrupted modulation. You're going to be able to rely on something that performs the same on Wednesday as it does on Tuesday. (that being said, I've got all kinds of delays, and I like to use different kinds in a variety of combinations. I'm not a digital>analog guy. I use it all.)

About as ringing an endorsement as they come! I will definitely give one a closer look.

And re: analog vs digital, I'm with you—I use whatever works. I just feel like most digital delays that emulate analog tend to try too hard. A good exception would be something like the Ibanez DE7, which almost feels like a happy accident

Also, should add that just get a standalone looper.

They always seem like a half-assed thing tossed in delay pedals to sell to folks who are looking for a laundry list of features.

Nothing beats the versatility of two seperate delays imo. Opposed to one big ass digital delay I mean. For the money of one timeline you could pick out a great analog delay (maxon, moog, whatever), as well as a good compact digital delay that has a bunch of trippy modes and what not. If you're big on looping, you'll want a seperate dedicated pedal for that anyway.

I've been buying/selling quite a few delay peds myself the last decade or so. It's mostly about GAS and my short attention span, and the fact that my taste/style/preferences/priorities keep changing...

Fwiw, what I'm currently looking at for my next do-it-all delay combination that won't cost me a damn fortune:

EHX MM TT 1100 (yes, I'm apparantly the last personl on earth to find out they're making these again)
Hungry Robot Wash: Not your conventional delay, but I'm in the market for a reverb as well, something verry ambienty and big sounding.
EQD Avalanche Run: Dito.
Moog MF Delay: Should be able to do what my ES-2 does, only better, and while NOT falling appart
Digitech Obscura: Seems like it should be able to do some convinceable analog repeats that don't sound mimmicky. Don't know if there's some 'analog voiced' delay pedal out there (disaster transport jr? DE-7 maybe even?) that gets the repeats just right without needed an extra control for the degradation, but I would think that that little feature might make a ton of difference for a nitpicky delay nerd like myself. Using a control to go from almost digital sounding repeats to super mushy dark repeats...That makes more sense to me than having 6 different modes that are labled 'tape', 'bbd', 'analog', 'lo-fi' etc etc...'