Request: BL3208-based delay

[culturejam]

I'd love to see madbean crank out a 3x or 4x BL3208 delay, a la the Carbon Copy or Memory Toy. Or maybe rework the AquaBoy to fit the 3208 chips. I think they sound better than the V3205 by a long shot.

Maybe modulation, maybe not.

And it doesn't have to fit in a 1590A. In fact I'd prefer it didn't. But there could be a little SMD (1206 case size so it's not like sorting seeds) here and there to keep things from being massive.

Thoughts?

[madbean]

I'm actually all for this, although not for the Aquaboy. Too much time and money has already been spent on developing the AB Deluxe and the redesign of the original AB board to change course now.


However, there are still plenty of possibilities for doing something on the BL3208 ("a" or "b" version), so I'm down. It would be a good opportunity to maybe look at some alternate companding and filtering solutions, as well...something new and different from the standard DM-2 and DMM variety.

[culturejam]

I only suggested reworking the AB because I thought it might be quicker/easier. I'd actually prefer something a little different.

Another cool idea is something like the Echo Sol:
http://freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12455

Having a pair of 3208s and a 2399 in one box would open up the doors for a lot of cool trickery. 

[madbean]

Yeah a hybrid is an interesting idea. Or, a tube-based analog delay. Or both

[Scruffie]

Yeah a hybrid is an interesting idea. Or, a tube-based analog delay. Or both

If you go for tube based, why not Single 3208A or 3008, so there's less chip sourcing issues with the 3008 yet the tube plate and chip can run from 9V to 15V.

Or just 2 or more 3208Bs.

Oh and there's that AD-99 is it? The one with 8 x BL3208Bs for 1s Delay.

And culturejam... haven't you disliked every Analog delay you've tried or am I mistaken? lol.

[culturejam]

And culturejam... haven't you disliked every Analog delay you've tried or am I mistaken? lol.

Almost. 

I find that I really don't care for the V3205. The 3005 sounds better (at least in my head), and also multiple 3208s seem to sound better as well.

I use delay in the 400ms - 600ms range, and I don't think many analog delays sound good in the longer end of that range. But I also feel like it's worth pursuing as a project to see if can be done.

[madbean]

Well, the 3208 clones are pretty easy to get. Smallbear still has some of the "fake 3005" pairs, which are 3008s. I have a pair of those, myself.

[Scruffie]

And culturejam... haven't you disliked every Analog delay you've tried or am I mistaken? lol.

Almost. 

I find that I really don't care for the V3205. The 3005 sounds better (at least in my head), and also multiple 3208s seem to sound better as well.

I use delay in the 400ms - 600ms range, and I don't think many analog delays sound good in the longer end of that range. But I also feel like it's worth pursuing as a project to see if can be done.

Sounds like for you... a large quantity of BBDs buffered to run at higher clock rates for better fidelity would be the best, you're probably not liking those delay ranges as that's usually pushing the BBDs to their limits and S/N THD and what not are at their worst.

But to me... that kinda defeats the point of analog delay to a point, may as well use the filtering and companding of an analog delay on 2 x PT2399 to get a longer delay with the same feel and higher fidelity and a lot cheaper to build.

A build with 4 x 3208s buffered could be fun and still worth the build but you'd only be getting 300mS of good delay probably.

[Scruffie]

Well, the 3208 clones are pretty easy to get. Smallbear still has some of the "fake 3005" pairs, which are 3008s. I have a pair of those, myself.

That's what I was thinking although i'm not sure if Smallbear is gunna keep stocking those fake 3005 pairs... I'd feel more comfortable with only having to source a Single rare BBD (and there'd be a lot less of the issues we see with the 3005) if we start using 2 of them they're just gunna run dry quickly.

So if more delay was wanted i'd say just use the 3208 clones as they're easy to find.

[culturejam]

Well, the 3208 clones are pretty easy to get.

I like the new clones. Easy to get, pretty cheap, and smaller than the old ones.

Sounds like for you... a large quantity of BBDs buffered to run at higher clock rates for better fidelity would be the best, you're probably not liking those delay ranges as that's usually pushing the BBDs to their limits and S/N THD and what not are at their worst.

Yes, I think that is a good assessment.

But to me... that kinda defeats the point of analog delay to a point,

Well, maybe so. I have played a few analogs that I like that seem to me to have "character" without being noisy. But maybe what I'm really after is ...

may as well use the filtering and companding of an analog delay on 2 x PT2399 to get a longer delay with the same feel and higher fidelity and a lot cheaper to build.

^^ this. I may give that go and see what happens. With two 2399s in series, perhaps the compander wouldn't even be needed, provided each unit was kept at under 350ms.

A build with 4 x 3208s buffered could be fun and still worth the build but you'd only be getting 300mS of good delay probably.

Yeah, it is a project that I would at least try.

[djaaz]

I would be a huge fan of a 4x3208 delays. I love my memory toy but i'm a bit frustrated by the lack of controls for modulation.

Compared to my dirtbag deluxe build, it has more delay time and is not noisier or dirtier at all.

[gtr2]

I've always liked my carbon copy.  In fact I had two at one time, until I started building delays...  I still have one in rotation though 

Josh

[Bret608]

I think the Ibanez/Maxon delays used MN3208s, and from what culturejam mentioned the recent reissues likely use the BL3208s. I've always preferred the AD9 sound to the DM2, so maybe this could be a good way to go...it could be in that Ibanez/Maxon vein and complement the Dirtbag and Aquaboy. I for one can't get enough delay!

[madbean]

I've already got the AD99 drawn, I think. Lemme check.

[culturejam]

Bump to see if bean is still contemplating either a 4x 3208  or maybe a 2399 + 2x 3208 project. I think a hybrid would be sweet.