Best Delay for the Front of the Amp at 150$ ??

koury73

New member
I have been using a rack setup going through my effects loop for a while now, but my new amp's fx loop colors the tone really badly. So I am contemplating buying individual pedals and sending everything through the front. I have found a bunch of effects that I do like, but I have found a delay that I have fallen in love yet. I wanna keep my spending to around 150 bucks, so I'd love to hear some suggestions as to what you would recommend.

I do realize I could run my rack through the front of my amp, but I am also looking to kill any unnecessary hookup time and getting rid of rack gear all together. I can mess with a pedalboard before a show, but it's hard to open up my roadcase and check it all and then move it to the stage. If I could just have one chord to the amp+chord to the speaker cabs that would be ideal for my situation.
 
The key is your problem is, to change
the Rack signal from Digital to Analog.
The Digital FX Unit, colors the tone of your
Amp, ex. (like making Kool Aid)
Your amp is the Water and the Kool Aid
mix is a Digital signal, it will blend with the
water and color it, changing the whole structure.

The Analog signal is like cake Frosting and the
Cake is your Amp. You want to layer the Frosting
over the Top but not change the structure of your
cake in the process. Thus, you keep the Original
Tone of your Amp while you layer the FX over the Top
not coloring your tone.
I achieve this with a "Suhr Minimix" :rock:
It essentially converts the serial effects loop of your amp into an extremely transparent parallel effects loop that will not mess with the purity of your amp signal.

On of the best rig components to run Digital
Rack FX without coloring the Original tone of
your amp....Look into one, changed the whole
ballgame for me!
 
When I recently purchased an early 80's 2203 I was looking for the same thing. I had a Boss DD-5 lying around that was holding me over until I purchased a Carbon Copy but I am starting to get used to the Boss. I actually think it sounds pretty good for a delay up front. Granted, I use very little delay.
 
I run a lovepedal gen 5 in front and I think it sounds bad ass. Kinda of camparable to the carbon copy but a little bit better for me. I only bought couse guitar center was blowing em out for 75 bucks a few months ago. Pluged her in molested her for a few weeks and sold my carbon copy....
 
Tech 21 Boost DLA. I bought mine used for $100 (dead mint w/ the original box) and it is the only delay I can use upfront without washing out. It has a db boost knob and a tap tempo switch as well. I think new models run around $160-180.
 
I own most of the pedals mentioned here and can tell you from what I've heard of the Hardwire delay it eats those for breakfast.....
 
If your looking to stay under $150 and put it in front of the amp, check out the MXR Carbon Copy, Im a big fan of that one. If your willing to double that, Eventide Time Factor.
 
chubtone I trust your ears on all things Marshall and 80's.. you run any delays out front or do you stick to loops?
 
I use a Maxon AD-80 analog delay out front and it works fine for slapback. For me the key for delay is to keep the dirt before the delay. So if you get your dirt from pedals and run the amp clean, the delay out front works pretty well. If you get your dirt from the amp, than the loop is what you need. I still prefer my delay in the loop when I can though.

The other option, but this is more hookup time, is to slave your amp. Hook up the main amp to an attenuator, then send the line out into your time based effects, then into another power amp, then into a cab. I have never actually slaved an amp, so if I have this wrong, someone please correct me.
 
try running the carbon copy at 18v! its sounds awesome you have to keep the regen low though or it will get out of control.
 
I run the Carbon Copy in front and I think it sounds great. I have always run delays in front of my amps. Echoplexes, Space Echo's, Rockman Chorus Delay, Lexicon PCM-41, and these days either the Carbon Copy or for way more money the Strymon El Capistan. Bang for the buck though, to my ears, I really dig the Carbon Copy.
 
The carbon copy is my fav so far. Yea the Eventide is sweet, but out of my range. I did buy the Pitchfactor though. Its the only harmonizer pedal that I thought did as well as the TC unit. I do need to try the hardwire pedal.
 
Back
Top