I don’t think so
Totally different. Both really cool. The delay on the deco is one repeat, , mostly used as a master fx, i use it mostly for fills/breakdowns, etc and the saturation always on. The capistan is an awesome delay pedal, mostly for individual tracks or in an aux send.
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hey there @Stemshade!
Is the Studio mode retained when switched off?
Or do you have to dial in it every time you switch it on?
Thanks
everything stays in memory till you change it again
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Yeah. Have not cracked open the manual since i first set it up. Deco 
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Anyone run a Deco and AH in the same chain yet? I’m thinking I could bypass the Tape Sat on Deco and just use the AH for saturation. I’ll have to experiment with which device will go (before/after) before it hits the card.
If u just want the right side (flange-delay) i would go with a capistan. Can do that and much more. I use the right side of mine a lot and love it but the tape saturation is always on. I can say though that once i got the deco i stopped gassing for the heat.
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Darn this thread! I picked up an Analog Heat a month ago or so (still need time to get used to it), but sometimes it seems like “too much” much for my needs. I recently got a new job, so I rewarded myself with a Heat to add that analog touch to my mix before recording, go nuts with distortion if need be, plus the filters seemed like a really nice bonus, as well as the fact that it can be an audio interface. BTW, I’m very much an amateur home-jammer, not a pro by any stretch. At any rate, while reading this thread I’ve gone from “Sell Heat / buy Deco” to “Keep Heat, it’s great!” back to “Sell Heat / buy Deco” haha. I think if I had seen this thread before buying Heat, I would’ve gotten the Deco due to lower cost and simpler controls. At this stage, since I already own the Heat, I might as well learn how to make it work for my needs / wants. However, with limited time (15-month-old & full-time job), I lean toward streamlining my setup, so I can just plug in and get going quickly.
I dont have a heat, but I am gonna go out on a limb and say, sound quality wise, I imagine the Heat to be superior.
The Deco is still very much a guitar pedal.
It sounds really cool, but it definitely colors the sound no matter what.
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If you want ANALOG then keep the heat. However fun it is or good it sounds, the Deco is still digital, and I have yet to hear digital come anywhere close to doing what true analog can do with distortion.
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Not at all if you’re after tape saturation. Deco does a better job at that.
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To be more specific, I meant just as a device being on the master line, bypassed, or with just saturation applied.
The Deco alters the original signal quite a bit, maybe it’s a headroom thing?
I would imagine the Heat, to be more transparent when you want it to be.
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I am in a similar situation. I bought a Heat in March and have yet to fully explore its capabilities. I have severe gas for an Avalon 303 Bassline and selling the heat would cover half the cost. However when I re-watch the sonic state video demonstration, which was the initial clincher for me, it reinforces what a unique device it is.
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I’ve matched bypassed to active using the vol knob fine. The only issue is the natural frequency roll offs.
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I hear ya, avalon bassline is always something to consider! The sonicstate video with Cenk is also what sealed it for me. The analog-ness and the deep, deep capabilities made it seem like a game-changer. I think, based on the comments that rolled in after mine, I’ll keep the Analog Heat, mostly because I already own it. Selling it might lead to more remorse than keeping it. Take some time to really learn the nuances and I think it’ll start to come together.
That being said, the Deco sounds like a great piece of gear, doing what it’s meant to do really well.
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I was hoping that me bouncing this idea off the forum would help! Cheers.
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Super happy with my decision to get the deco and bigsky instead of the heat. After setting up the deco properly it sounds amazing to me. Never looked back.
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Then you go and say something like that! Haha, just joking. I’m gonna stick with my Heat (for now!) until it doesn’t fit into the scheme anymore. Love your youtube videos - keep 'em coming! Showcase the Deco, perhaps.
@cold_fashioned Thanks! The deco has been in every video since i got it. Love reaching for those moog style knobs and flanging or introducing a galloping delay before a transition.
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For me, the Heat has two modes: lovely analog saturation and destroyer of worlds distortion. There’s some amount of in between, but realistically I go between those ends. Fortunately, for my tastes it’s great at both. The wet/dry knob is your friend here, so use it along with the ‘dirt’ level. Even at low levels of enhancement once you take it away something just feels like it’s missing.
I’m sure other devices do similar things well, no doubt and as do some plugins. It’s not an all or nothing for me, I use a bunch of virtual stuff too. I also want a Fatso at some point, though my holy grail is a Vertigo Sound VSM-3, but that’s off the table, so Heat and plugins it is for me. 
Heat is a fantastic unit and I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it more as you use it.
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