Delay / Multi-effect pedal for M:C

Almost. They each tick a box or two. Plus they can be found cheaper than the m:c itself.

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It does! It has an input pad for higher level signals.

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The MFX Pedal has some pretty sweat delay algos. Vongon Polyphrase, Strymon Volante and Erica Synths Zen Delay would also be great choices.

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This brings back some memories. I had AW16G as well - bought it around the same time as you, but sold it after I got proper computer and needed to fund something other. Wish I still have it to multitrack separate outputs of a multitimbral synth. Looking at the prices right now, really not bad for their capability. Considerably less than when bought twenty years ago. :slight_smile: Kind of want it back. And the later AW1600 even has USB transfer… But the size.

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Torso S4.

A touch on the minty side perhaps but when a track is set to a bypass mode, the incoming signal can be ran through delay, reverb, overdrive, bitcrusher, compressor, a weird resonantor filter, dj style low and high pass filters and a kind of granular-lite effect.

There’s also an added bonus of having 3 other stereo tracks of sampling and playback, which can be sequenced from the cycles or looped in tape mode.

If you’re working in stereo, be aware that many of the MS70’s FX are not: only 59 effects are stereo, all others convert you audio to mono

The cheapest and smallest stereo delay that can sync to MIDI clock is the Pigtronix Echolution 3, which currently sells for $138 at Thomann. It’s surprisingly flexible for the price, and sounds great. It also has modulation, so it can also to Chorus effects. It’s 1/4"-TRS-MIDI Type A, so you can you can use any 1/8"-TRS-A to MIDI adapter and a simple stereo headphone adapter that goes from 1/8"-TRS to 1/4"-TRS.

It has a lot of hidden parameters via MIDI, but it appears nobody on the internet has ever demoed those in a video. Probably because the MIDI section in the manual is erroneous and incomplete, but if you look at the manual of it’s predecessor (the Echolution 2 Ultra Pro), you’ll find the missing details there.

You’ll find lots of videos that show how great it sounds, like the official demo video, which also does a great job showing how simple it is to use. Storing more than 4 presets is possible, but requires MIDI (you need to be able to send program change messages and a CC that means “save the preset now”. Did I mention it its really tiny? Connections are on the back.

If you buy used, you should find the following pedals in the same price range, all stereo and with MIDI Sync

  • Boss DD-200: 10 algorithms or so, including Tera Echo (which I find amazing). Storing more than 4 presets is possible, but requires MIDI. Connections (except for MIDI) are on the back.
  • Pigtronix Echolution 2 Filter Pro and Echolution 2 Ultra Pro (I bought both of them used for less than €130 each last week). Both are identical inside except for the UX, and they have two delay lines, analog filters and analog saturation stages for the delay line, a pitch shifter and an LFO that can modulate the delay and/or filter. Very nice pedals, with a unique but excellent UI.

A bit more expensive (but not a lot, you can get those for less than €250), also with MIDI Sync:

  • Eventide Time Factor: 10 algorithms, 10 knobs, no hidden functions or shortcuts, excellent sound. The display is designed for use as a pedal on the floow, if you look at it from a closer range, you might find it hard to read.
  • Boss DD-500: two totally independent delays, lots of routings, lots of parameters, excellent sound, can go above and beyond the Time Factor but takes time to master because of all the parameters. It comes with extensive EQ and ducking in all 10 algorithms. And it has up to 8 LFOs per patch. Also has the Tera Echo (everybody loves the Tera Echo!!)
  • Boss RV-500: Technically a reverb, actually two independent reverbs. But each reverb algorithm also includes a delay, so you can get 2 delays and two reverbs simultaneously. The delays are not as sophisticated as the ones in the DD-500, but they go up to 2000ms, and have modulation and ducking. There is also a dedicated Space Echo algorithm. Also up to 8 LFOs per patch. That’s a lot of sound if you’re willing to dive into the programming, most algorithms have 32 or more parameters to tweak.

If you are going for half-rack, take a look at the Boss VF-1, around here it sells for €80 or so. It’s basically a modern SE50/SE70, and can sync to MIDI clock, which the older units can’t. It has lots of algorithms, some of those even allow for changing the order of the effects. UI is not great, but bearable. As opposed to the units mentioned above, the three Boss effects color the dry sound, too, because they also provide distortion, eq, compression etc. The older ones introduce more “color”, which might or might not be what you want: the SE50 is 16bit/32kHz. SE70 is 16bit/32kHz, and the the VF1 samples at 24bit/44kHz.

All of these devices I recommend above have a comprehensive MIDI implementation and sync to MIDI clock. I can only recommend getting a delay with MIDI sync, because that makes life a lot easier.

FWIW, I also had recently bought a used Source Audio Nemesis, but I flipped it after a couple of days because you need to use the App a lot when you want to use all available algorithms and features, you even need the app for saving more than 8 presets. IMHO the app is slow and less than ideal, the manual does not explain all the options, and connecting the pedal to my iPhone did not work reliably. So I won’t recommend the Nemesis, even though I know many people like it.

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Audiothingies Doctor A.

Pros:

Excellent sounding delay and reverb algos.
Hands-on controls.
MIDI and CV control of parameters.
Plenty of headroom (handles up to eurorack level)
Memory slots.

Con:

Discontinued and might be hard to find.

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Midi sync
Analog through
Stereo
96khz
Size of a toaster oven

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analog signal path AND analog stereo delay
w/MIDI clock sync
Analog crunch really benefits the M:C FM sound

left-field option
Ineffable warmth and feedback modulated tones in reverb, delay, waveshaping
Great with warming digital sound sources
Fiddly
screeching feedback and blowing your speakers around every corner
Nothing else sounds like it
Bonus noise floor when activated

Dirt cheap stereo Analog delay crunch. $30- $40
Independent stereo timing adds width to delay

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Had not heard about these; very intrigued. Thanks for the rec.

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I wish these were more readily available. Probably my first choice.

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Strymon El Cap V2 sounds amazing. Both the delay and spring reverb are awesome! I love to use the El Cap with the DN midi sync’d! Also the baked in looper is a blast to use!

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I don’t think any of these take line level signal though, do they? that’s the main requirement, as the M:C is outputting way more volume than a guitar.

I’m not an audiophile but I’ve owned jomox, Donner, and efx1000 and M:C thought there was no problem.

Meraki is used by @jayhosking in his excellent YouTube jams. Example: https://youtu.be/gr7Kx4-Suhc

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Yabba dabba dooooooo:

Do your DSP-driven pedals handle both instrument and line levels? - Strymon.

Short answer: hell yeah, they dooooo!