Ninja Tune Zen Delay (collab with ericasynths)

I returned mine as I had similar issues. I was told it was the analogue character of the device. I found reducing the resonance helped but didn’t remove it completely.

I just received mine and noticed that the resonance knob has a light scratchy/dirty sound when sweeping from 7-9’o’ clock, it disappears when sweeping further upwards to increase resonance. Anyone else noticed this or is this my unit? Also when switching between different filter types while the delay is active can cause a pop/clicking sound.
Love the sound and hands on approach of the Zen Delay, just curious if those issues described are observed by others or if it’s my unit.
The vintage mode is a head scratcher as well for now, can’t really figure out what it does, other than complete random audio destruction, not that that’s a bad thing:)

I don’t have any pot scratchiness.

I like (from the videos I’ve watched) how much you can fine tune the delay and filter,
but what about the drive?
Is anyone using this for subtle saturation/limiting?

I’m curious about putting this on my Octatrack output, and then dialing my OT’s master comp down more, so that I can lean more on some analog saturation.

Ideally, I’d get a pair of GA Pre73 Premier, and go the transformer route.
But they’re a bit too big for the space I have to work with, so looking for other options and this popped up. And my Bogner Harlow’s limited headroom is better suited to a drum machine’s output for techno, rather than a full program master out.

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If you’re interested in some Zen Delay drive A/B testing, feel free to send me some audio. I’ll run it though my unit and share the results.

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Maybe have a look at the fusion box too, very nice.

need stereo input :frowning:

Shit, of course, it’s mono in.

Sorry, carry on.

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Yea if that had stereo in, I’d be all about it.

And if Acidbox III had an HPF, I’d be all about it. So hopefully Zen Delay is the porridge that’s “jusssst right”

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Goldilocks mode confirmed

So, turns out I’m not a fan of the drive on the Zen Delay.
@jamesstiff was super kind enough to run a couple passes at different settings, on 4 different .wav clips of mine, and I noticed the highs got the air taken out, and the low end distorted in a very flat way rather than the big kinda 3d saturation I’m looking for. The drive knob being a crossfader between dry and fully distorted probably has a good bit to do with this. So, not ideal for my hyper specific needs.

So I guess Transformers are the only way for me to go now.
Or, maybe, an Analog Heat :thinking:

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So much for my dreams of becoming an Erica Synths brand ambassador!

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:point_up_2: :nerd_face: :ok_hand:

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Whatever that sentiment is, I second it.

FYI there’s a used Boum for sale over at MW right now. should scratch your saturation/compression itch.

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Thanks all, I don’t want to derail this thread too much more, so I’ll close after this little update with some thoughts on the Zen.

I have a very nice friend who will let me borrow a Heat MK1 to see how I like it, but I think I found my saturation solution in the HRK Colour 500 format. It’s compatible with DIYRE, but a different company. They have a stereo single slot 500 series module (yes, you read that right) that will take 2 colour modules per channel.
So I can get 4 transformers going there for about half the price of a pair of Pre-73 Premier, even after the cost of the 1 slot NOS Chameleon Labs 500 rack I just ordered. And less than the price of he Zen.
For those interested, I’m basically working to get a nearly mastered, finished sound out of my 2 OT + Typhon setup, since I’ve made some strides with the OT’s compressors

I’m just waiting on Mr Hrk to reply to some questions I had about colour module selection.
I’ll be sure to shoot them out vs the Harlow, the Heat, some plugins, and even the Zen files that @jamesstiff recorded, and post the results in a video at some point.


That said, the Zen is still super impressive, just not ideal for saturating the stereo output of bass music. That filter is magic. Not quite as dirty as a Wasp/Warp-9 filter, but still has a ton of character. If I bought one, it would be for the filter and the delay. I really like the digital delay modes that allow you to kind of tweak the buffer. Like the OT Freeze delay on one giant, lovely knob :slight_smile:
On the filter side, I had been wanting a pair of Warp9s, since I let mine go with my MPC some 15 years ago.
Way back around 2002, I did a track on the demo CD that used to come with the Warp9!
So there is some definite sentimentality there:

The Zen’s stereo analog filter definitely brings me back

So yea, perhaps some day, just not now, as I have other pressing needs.

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I am currently trying the zen delay, first 10 minutes test and I can confirm that it does not feel designed to sit on the master bus. It is really easy to clip the DSP (yellow LED), does not seem to handle hot signals, and drive can sound like a fart on a whole beat :grimacing:
I think drive works better in a more selective way making use of the bandpass filter, and some dry / wet signal blend

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Erica Acidbox 3 is sounding pretty good here: Analog Heat MKII vs Acidbox III vs Saturn vs Goliath. ANALOG vs VIRTUAL saturation CONTEST! - YouTube

mmhmm

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Today I tried the zen delay against Valhalla Delay / Little echoboy + Goodhertz LoHi filter with a midi controller.

The zen’s filter is great.
it reminds me the tests I made with the analog heat or the SP-16 master filter. it seems there is something about great analog filters that I can’t reproduce with my VSTs. LoHi seem ok, I also tried sound toys filterfreak, but none of them are tasty as the analogs I mentioned.
There is something deep and 3d, I wonder if this could be due to the fact that they are stereo, with tiny difference with the L/R filters specs bringing interest to the sound? I don’t know.

The decay knob behavior seem optimized for performance on the zen delay, the range does not feel the same when I tweak decay time of my VSTs.

feedback is different, much more controllable.

a lot of fun!

(EDIT) : actually with

  • echoboy Jr set to clean
  • Goodhertz LoHi filters properly tuned,
  • adapting the sensitivity of my midi controller knobs.

I get really close to the Zen tone delay behavior, appart the fact that the feedback is more controlled on the ZD.

LoHi sounds great, I has 6-7ms of processing latency though

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