Recommendation for an analog delay build using MN3008?

[peAk]

I just recently purchased a couple of MN3008 from Paul and am looking to build an analog delay. I gave up trying to find any 3005s so I went with 3008s. I am finishing up a Multiplex Echo Machine at the moment but I am looking to do an analog delay. One of the reason I wanted to get into pedal building was to build an analog delay. Little did I know that the best chip is nearly impossible to find.

Would the Aquaboy Deluxe be people's recommendation for the 3008s?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Stomptown]

I think that would be a great build for the MN3008's. You will only get half the time as you would with 2-3005's but it is just as much as an original DM-2/Aquapuss. Great for slapback and shorter delay times...

[peAk]

I think that would be a great build for the MN3008's. You will only get half the time as you would with 2-3005's but it is just as much as an original DM-2/Aquapuss. Great for slapback and shorter delay times...

what's probably the most I can expect out of the 3008? 250ms?

[Stomptown]

MN3005's are about 300-350ms and the MN3008's are about half that. The Aquaboy DX calls for 2 BBD's, so in the end you will end up with somewhere around 300-350ms just like a DM-2/aquapuss if you use mn3008's. If you find 2 of the highly coveted mn3005's you can get 600-700ms out of the aquaboy dx. I build the old version of the aquaboy that only used one chip and added a daughter board to add a 2nd mn3005 and actually pulled it out and decided to go with one. I like a 300ms delay for most stuff; especially live applications. Studio would be a different story but I haven't stepped foot in one in years. What ever you do, make sure you socket the IC's. That way if you get some 3005's down the road you could swap them out. Or if something goes wrong...

[peAk]

MN3005's are about 300-350ms and the MN3008's are about half that. The Aquaboy DX calls for 2 BBD's, so in the end you will end up with somewhere around 300-350ms just like a DM-2/aquapuss if you use mn3008's. If you find 2 of the highly coveted mn3005's you can get 600-700ms out of the aquaboy dx. I build the old version of the aquaboy that only used one chip and added a daughter board to add a 2nd mn3005 and actually pulled it out and decided to go with one. I like a 300ms delay for most stuff; especially live applications. Studio would be a different story but I haven't stepped foot in one in years. What ever you do, make sure you socket the IC's. That way if you get some 3005's down the road you could swap them out. Or if something goes wrong...

sold, ordering one now.

[billstein]

Can't you use 4 MN3008's with daughterboards to get the same delay as the 3005's?

[Stomptown]

I don't see why not but it would be pretty difficult to bias. I would also wonder if there were other negative impacts of using 4 chips. Not to mention all of the wiring involved to add 2 daughter boards (16 wires IIRC)...

[LaceSensor]

in my experience 2x 3008s wasnt as nice as 1 x 3005, or as much delay time

id say 250-275ms a pair of 3008s
it could be to do with how well you clock and bias them. I dont have a scope so do that stuff by ear or clock frequency on a fancier DMM that I have.

You can use adaptor boards and run two pairs of 3008s, but that doubles the amount of biasing and clocking setup.

I would absolutely recommend a DM2 / Aquapuss style build however, they sound great.

Heck, if you can wait for the new Dirtbag or find an old one, they sound excellent with 3008 in there, and you can simply change the clock cap to adjust the max delay time. You'll add some clock noise at the higher delay times as a trade off, but its worth it. The DMM sounds better than the AquaPuss to me.

[peAk]

I went ahead and went with the Aquaboy Deluxe.

Hopefully, within time, I will be able to find some genuine 3005s and swap them out with the 3008s.

At least this way, if I decide to take a chance and buy some off Ebay, I will have a way to test them.

[Stomptown]

I went ahead and went with the Aquaboy Deluxe.

Hopefully, within time, I will be able to find some genuine 3005s and swap them out with the 3008s.

At least this way, if I decide to take a chance and buy some off Ebay, I will have a way to test them.

If you are patient, you can probably fine one or two here on the forum. Just make sure to use the "Show unread posts since last visit." link to see everything that has been posted since your last visit and also double check the buy sell forum so you can jump quickly...

[Scruffie]

There are some small differences between the 3008 and 3005 if you check the datasheets, the 3008 is technically the better chip for noise, headroom etc. but that doesn't mean we'll necessarily find the sound of those benefits to sound pleasing. But 2 x 3008 should provide exactly the same available delay time as 1 x 3005, it's still 4096 stages.

With more chips it certainly does become more necessary to use a scope to get them working optimally but doing them by ear is still an option, but you have to take your time and preferably use an audio probe to bias the BBDs one at a time.

One thing to note on any design where you drop in 2 or even 4 BBDs in place of one is that the circuit was not originally designed with that in mind (same goes for using 320X BBDs in place of 300X, you have to alter the circuit to accommodate) BBDs have losses and other signal factors which is why the DMM has a make up gain stage between the two chips for the best signal, in fact I helped Jacob here do a custom project of a DM-2 with 4 x 3008 and used that very set up... although improved over the DMM to remove the annoying gain/bias interaction.