# Thoughts on the Retro-Sonic Delay?



## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

I have a Malekko E600B that I really love but I love the fact that there's a huge sound/treble boost when engaged. I'm looking for something voiced more "dark" and with a lot of flexibility. The tone know semms interessing for the dark/bright voiced sound and the long and short delay can be useful but I need some experts advices.

Tech me with your experience!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The tone quality on the Retro-Sonic should be decent. Had many chats with Tim Larwill about it during the design stage. He describes it as being modelled on the DM-2, but quite frankly it likely has better sound quality than the original since he uses a pair of 4096-stage BBDs (instead of one as in the DM-2/DM-3) and aims for less overall delay time from each, permitting greater resolution (shorter delay time means faster clocking/sampling frequency) and bandwidth.


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## Rwinder (Oct 20, 2008)

I'm in the process of saving for one now. I like every demo i have heard, still haven't found one to try in person though. The only thing is i find the short long switch to be a little gimmicky and will probably never use it, but if the tone is there then this is a null point. 

Check Youtube for some demos.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

My absolute favourite delay of all time.

It has the best echo fade out of any delay I've ever played. The volume drop, darkening, and gradual weakening of each echo are tuned to the exact decay I've always been looking for. 

Really well thought out. The short long switch is really useful for doubling up or halving speeds too. The tone knob is a nice touch for more or less present echoes.

These are the delays it beat out for me :
- Keeley modded AD-9
- Diamond Memory Lane
- Empress Super Delay
- Boss DD2, DD3
- Maxon AD-9 Pro
- Maxon AD-999


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

During the design phase, I was trying to talk Tim into incorporating a form of "trails" feature (what I would call an "input kill"), since he indicated to me that it would use the same sort of box as his 4-knob/2-switch overdrive unit, and was looking for ideas about what to fill those holes with. Tim considered it, and messed around with it, but could not get it to work to his satisfaction. (That's more a reflection of my propensity to propose things that I don't know how to implement myself than any sort of reflection on Tim's design skills.) The short/long switch came about simply because he was using two BBD chips and could tap the delay signal after one or both. In other words it was easy, it was available, and made reasonable use of a hole that was already machined and paid for. Is it the most useful foot-switchable feature you could stick on a delay? I don't think so, but it does something useful for some users, and helps to make the delay control easier to set for shorter delay times (e.g., slapback).

If you gotta have analog, gotta have true-bypass and a solid click when you step, gotta have more than 330msec delay, and gotta have a modest footprint, and like to buy Canadian, it's a solid choice.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Thanks to all the comments.
mhammer: What is your delay of choice?? :wave:


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I must have about 8 or so, including digital (a Lexicon MPX100, Behringer Virtualizer, Echo Park, MXR rackmount Digital Delay), a couple of analog units including a Vantage rackmount and DM-3 clone I made and modded, and a couple of units in preparation (including a stereo digital unit that has crossfeeds of the feedback signal). But I don't really try anything new, so I don't know if I'm the right person to ask. I know I really enjoy the dual ins/outs of the Echo Park, and anything that has similar sorts of ins/outs has my vote because of all the interesting creative things you can do with cascaded delays. I also kind of like the MXR unit because it will let you modulate at audio rates to produce ring modulator-like sounds, and also lets you modulate longer delays as well. Certainly the Empress Superdelay has impressed me with the demos I've seen up close and personal. But I generally don't walk into a store and plug in a pedal that either doesn't intrigue me or isn't anything on my shopping list. The memory Boy Deluxe looks like it could be interesting, though.

Personally, I have no preference for analog over digital, tonewise. I enjoy the flexibility of sound creation that digital permits, as well as the longer delay times and endless repeat. At the same time, I enjoy the modding possibilities of analog, such as being able to shape the tone of the repeats separately from the overall delay tone.


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## Rwinder (Oct 20, 2008)

just a heads up if your thinking of getting the retro-sonic. Theres a used one in Spaceman in ottawa. $200

I demo'd it. Its nice but i think i prefer the Malekko 600D


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Ooops, my bad!
I forgot to update the thread!

I bought one @ axeandyoushallreceive, in fact I got it in a trade!
Seriously this is a really nice delay! I really love the Delay and Tone knobs, I can sculp my sound very weel!
The long and short switch getting useful for different flavors of delay, I'm very happy with it!
No icy pick or volume lost on tap and get along very well with my hoof fuzz!


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## Rwinder (Oct 20, 2008)

The tone knob is by far the best part of it, makes it pretty versatile. I played with the long short switch for a bit but could never see my self using it. 

Its definitely a great delay, no question.


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## Beltone (Jul 10, 2009)

I just bought a Retro-Sonic delay this week. I compared to several other pedals, and it won out. Among the features I like is the long/short and tone controls. Also, it is built in Canada.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

It's built in Stittsville, to be accurate.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Gnak gnak gnak (eveil laugh)
Another one's converted! kkjuw


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