Delay - Analog vs Digital - #85 Doctor Guitar

In this episode I compare 2 iconic Delay pedals with the goal of showing you the differencebetween digital and analog delay pedals.
For that I've used two Boss pedals: The DM2 and the DD3.
I'm Not saying one is better than the other. I'm just showing the basic differences between an Analog and Digital Delay, with two great examples from Boss: the DM2w and the DD3.
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#delay #analog #digital #boss #dm-2w #dd3 #buddaguedes

[@shred5]

Great comparison. Personally for the Boss pedals, I like the digital delays the best. Their analog does not cut it for me, the attack is a little hard and rest dies off too quick for my liking. I use a Catalinbread Belle Epoch which is a great pedal but the MXR Carbon Copy is also a very good basic analog delay.

[@BuddaGuedes]

I actually alive the waza craft one

[@danjack-son4871]

Bought the Boss DM-2 3 days ago and wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me and my sound. I ended up trading it in for a Boss DD-8. Great video by the way.

[@BuddaGuedes]

👌

[@jeshely]

Paul Gilbert gets inspired enough with his dd-3.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Not only Paul Gilbert. Dave Navarro is another one. It’s a super classic delay pedal!! That’s why I own one.

[@harmonicsball89]

@@BuddaGuedes to me the DD3 is much better. I had both of these and found the DD3 to be WAY more inspiring, and that's coming from someone who normally loves nearly everything analog.

[@BuddaGuedes]

That’s why the dd3 is a classic. There’s no better or worst. It will all depend on the player. Thanks for sharing

[@jonny1251]

I like how you referred to analog tone as "magical" and inspiring to play. This is exactly what I have found when comparing, not only delays, but also analog vs digital chorus. The analog effects are simply more inspiring and lifelike. TRUST ME I'm not one of those analog-only connoisseurs, but with things like delay and chorus the difference is huge. I can see digital being good for rhythmic U2 things tho.

[@BuddaGuedes]

In this case the digital delay is meant to be an exact replica of the original signal and that’s why it doesn’t had that magic. By accident, the analog delay filters the high end and distorts a little what gives it the magic. But there’s a lot of digital delays with that magic thing, like the flashback, it jupiter effects fernweh, the line6 DL4, strymon brigadier, etc.

[@th3m00g9]

Awesomely helpful review, thank you very much... Now I understand why I like certain sounds and for a West Coast warm delay it has to be the Analogue 👍🏼

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks. I’m glad you like it

[@tanker1960]

Thanks, I have been using a SD Vapor Trail and a Boss DD8 ,love the combination of the two.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Great

[@RyanHolmsMusic]

Pablo escobar on guitar hey that rhymed

[@yael21sc]

Thank you man for the review im getting the dm2

[@BuddaGuedes]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@stevenadler9174]

Great comparison. I go with the DM2 for sure.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Just different choices for different uses. For the way I use it I prefer the dm2 for sure!!!

[@jeancarturano]

Melhor vídeo do youtube comparando esses dois pedais! Esse DD3 possui o famoso long chip? Abraço do Brasil! 🇧🇷

[@BuddaGuedes]

Obrigado

[@user-tm3xl4jn2z]

Great review. Good to understand difference between them. Thx

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks

[@davidteissier5704]

Thanks !!! I prefer the DM2W !!! FANTASTIC !!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@noahgraham2960]

Tbh for slap back I prefer the dd3 because when you’ve got a fuzz or overdrive on it gets muddy with the analog

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks for your comment

[@MrMeik1970]

Cool comparison 👌🏻I'm an digital Guy because it sounds more like 80s 🤘🏻😉

[@BuddaGuedes]

Definitely

[@Doug5524]

Thank you, Budda I also like the DM2w enjoying you vids looking forward to the next episode

[@todosportodos1]

3:22 Original guitar tone 3:29 & 5:03 Analog 7:41 & 7:56 Digital I disagree, digital delay changes the tone. The analog does not change. I agree when you say that the repetitions of the analog delay are getting darker. However, the digital delay changed its tone even before the first repetition. Anyway, your video is very enlightening. Great content.

[@BuddaGuedes]

They both change the tone, but it’s way more obvious on the analog delay, because it filters the high end in order to correct the clock noise. I actually prefere the analog delay sound, but don’t really care if it’s made by a digital delay, like the TC electronic flashback. As long as it sounds inspiring... I use the DD3 when I want some artificial sounds .

[@dr.stevenpennym.d.3241]

The digital delay brings out the harmonics. The algorithms they use are pure. Analog delays have a lot of wiggle room in their algorithms. They just sound playing crappy to me. Tape echoes are another good delay, but they are in a different category. Boss dd3 rules

[@BuddaGuedes]

👌👌

[@user-yr3dh3sv2v]

for Boss delay, I like the DD-2 DD-3 with long chip! the DSD pedals are good! and the DM2-W. I use to have a DD-5 but it was just too digital for me and the ones that came after that just have extra features but not superior sounding

[@firdausHITMAN]

great demo. thank you.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

Analog delay heaven

[@BuddaGuedes]

🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻

[@victormontreal8083]

Great presentation, thank you!!!

[@BuddaGuedes]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@dahliafiend]

I got both.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Me too

[@CC-fi3pp]

I prefer the DD2 unless it's the early DD3 that is essentially a DD2.

[@BuddaGuedes]

👌

[@mickrick84]

IMO it's a matter of its owns taste and the kind of sound you wanna reproduce too.. Good explanation by Budda though!

[@BuddaGuedes]

That’s exactly it!!!

[@PedroMachadoBorges]

Excelente demonstração e explicação ! Obrigado e parabéns ! Tinha de ser um Português ;)

[@BuddaGuedes]

Ehh Eh grande abraço

[@sakitakungtyan]

Have you tried the Ibanez EM5 Echomachine. Those are digital but sounds like an analog delay unit. I slightly like it more compared to my very awesome 1981 DM2 with MN3005 chip.

[@BuddaGuedes]

No I haven’t!! I’ll be looking for it. Thanks for the tip

[@dr.stevenpennym.d.3241]

Boss dd3 is the best delay pedal ever made.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Eh! Eh! It’s funny how it’s so subjective! Thanks a lot for sharing

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I think you’re right. It’s an analog circuit with an AD converter. The chip is huge and it’s the warmest DD I’ve ever heard. The early models are the best, offering insane oscillation. In the last decade or more the boards are totally different. But personally my favorite delay is the Boss DM-3.

[@BuddaGuedes]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@TelipatiEvolustions]

Old is gold . facts

[@BuddaGuedes]

Eh Eh!

[@underoath16v]

Very cool video! I just bought one dm-2w one week ago...to join to my TC Electronic Flashback x4, my Ibanez DL-10, and my Electro Harmonix Memory Boy...

[@BuddaGuedes]

Eh eh delay for life

[@idontwanttousemynameyoutub7538]

I just want to add a little ambience to my sound and don't need many variations - which would be the most reliable and cheapest delay? The sounds I like are people that use very short delay times like 13 and 24ms (Pat Metheny).

[@BuddaGuedes]

Pick the Custóias then. I would always go with the dm2

[@Gregorious2270]

👍 to the Waza Craft DM2-w

[@BuddaGuedes]

Great pedal indeed

[@DiegoApunto]

I think “repetition” is the word you are looking for.

[@GustavoPatias]

analog all life!! tape echo the best

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks

[@ricmel8008]

You said the Waza is not your favourite, then what is your favourite? I am trying to make my mind up in buying one.

[@BuddaGuedes]

I love the MXR Carbon copy but my favorite at the moment is probably the walrus audio D1 Mako

[@ricmel8008]

@@BuddaGuedes Thank you very much for your reply.

[@BuddaGuedes]

You’re welcome

[@presentelaw]

@@BuddaGuedes I sold my Waza delay because I didn't use it much. Now I'm thinking of a cheap Joyo analog delay that'll probably do that job with 500ms. I don't use delay much. It's either I get a $50 Joyo or spend on an EHX Memory Boy Delay w/ Chorus/Vibrato. I might regret because I won't use the EHX much. What do you think?

[@BuddaGuedes]

Two different things. There’s a beringher analog delay really close to the boss, but with less ms available. The memory boy has a fixed boost so always when you turn it on it is louder.

[@iforgotthenamemate]

The waza has that hendrix flavor for sure and its better for improv in my opinion, but for each is own.

[@BuddaGuedes]

That's exactly it!!!!

[@iforgotthenamemate]

Budda Guedes is there any chance you could rig boss reverb delay and fuzz? i Just Wonder how it could sound togheter, probably big :D

[@mrcards169]

Hi can you help me . Is it ok to take the batteries out my pedals and just use the mains with no battery in the pedal . Thanks for any help . ?

[@BuddaGuedes]

Yes no problem at all as long as you have a power supply In

[@MichaelSmith-op3uq]

Awesome vid!!! What guitar is that? Love it!

[@BuddaGuedes]

Thanks a lot. The guitar is my Knaggs Choptank. The best guitar I've ever played!!!

[@enwolf6696]

How good does the digital behave when you go into analog mode?

[@BuddaGuedes]

The DD-3 doesn’t have analog mode.

[@brettdiaz]

What is your favorite delay?

[@BuddaGuedes]

It's hard to answer that, but the Analogman ARDX20 and the MXR Carbon copy are definitely two of my favorites. I also love the Memory Man and the DL4, that does a lot of delays in just one pedal. But if I had to choose one it would probably be the MXR carbon copy.

[@GustavoSampaioLP]

If I was to bet, I'd have to guess the Analogman Dual Delay, judging by previous videos on effects and pedalboards!

[@TelipatiEvolustions]

Analog true of souls

[@Saurondor]

There's just so much great tone in classic gear like the analog delay isn't there? I have a special appreciation for analog delay because of its unique tone and it's the first pedal I ever owned and if I could only have one pedal I'd pick it over all else. I'd like to add my two cents to the tonal difference between digital and analogue delay. The best and simplest explanation I've heard is that of a brigade of firefighters trying to put out a fire with buckets of water (ergo the term bucket brigade circuit). The first firefighter fills up a bucket and passes it to the next firefighter who passes it on to the next and so forth. The bucket is shaking and moving as its passed from one firefighter to the next and in that back and forth movement some water spills out and there is less and less water as the bucket moves down the line of firefighters. When it finally reaches the fire the bucket is no longer as full as it was in the beginning as it has lost part of its water down the brigade of firefighters. When we change water for voltage we can see how the guitar's signal degrades as it moves down the bucket brigade circuit. This loss of "water" affects the high end more than the low end and this is why we get that unique and amazing tone from an analogue delay. More so, when we loop the effect with more and more repeats we are actually moving the partially empty "water bucket" back to the beginning and it will lose more and more "water" as it moves down the bucket brigade. That is why the echos are progressively darker. They lose more and more top end. Another thing to keep in mind is that the term "analogue" is confusing. An analogue delay has nothing to do with tape delay which is truly analogue. An analogue delay does sample the guitar's signal and thus also has an analogue to digital and digital to analogue converter too. The analogue delay samples the guitar's signal in small capacitors that make up the bucket brigade circuit, it is not truly analogue or continuous as a tape delay, it is discrete, with guitar samples thousands of times a second.The digital delay also samples the guitar's signal, but converts the voltage into a number a computer can use to calculate the echo. Why is this important? It contributes to tone because the signal has to be filtered to be able to create a delay with the limited equipment, and this kills the high end. Those bucket brigade circuits had very few of those tiny capacitors in them. I believe it was 1024 and 4096 in the higher end ones. So that means an average chip could only hold 1024 samples of your guitar signal. Nowadays we put hundreds of thousand of millions of those capacitors in a chip and call it laptop memory, but back in the 70's putting one thousand of those was really really expensive. So when you have few capacitors to hold your signal you really can't sample the signal that fast and a low pass filter needs to be applied to your guitar signal to kill the high end. I'm sure you're familiar with sampling rates for recording equipment, 24k, 48k and 96k. One needs to sample at twice the rate of the max frequency we want to reproduce correctly. So if we sample at 10k samples per second then only up to 5kHz can be faithfully reproduced. If the analogue delay only has 4096 capacitors it means it can only handle 4096 samples per second or a max guitar frequency of 2048 Hz, which is really low. So to increase that we have to increase the sampling rate and decrease the max delay time (that's why analogue delays usually have max delay times of 300 ms and hardly more than 500ms). If we reduce delay time then we can accelerate sampling time. If we store 360ms of time in 4096 samples then we have about 12,000 samples per second which allows us to reproduce guitar signals up to 6kHz (1/3 of a second for 4000 samples is the same as 1 second for 12 thousand samples, x3). Simply put the more delay you want to get from an bucket brigade circuit the lower the hi cutoff frequency you''ll need to apply. Longer delays will imply darker tones as more of the high end is cut off prior to sampling by the bucket brigade. This technical restriction is what also adds to the great tone of an analogue delay.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Wow!! Thanks a lot for your contribution to my quest!! That’s why I prefer the DM2w in the C setting . It gets longer but distorted and lo fi delays! Thank you so much

[@Saurondor]

@@BuddaGuedes You're welcome! I did a bit more research on the matter and found this article: www.premierguitar.com/articles/25035-behind-the-bucket-brigade?page=4 It shows delay times given a sampling rate. On the graph you can clearly see how delay time increases as sampling rate (cutoff frequency) drops. We might want to revisit this topic when you do the episode on cables and their effects on tone. Doing a bit more digging into the bucket brigade circuit I a came upon a property called insertion gain, which is the loss of signal as frequency increases. The chained capacitors of the circuit could be interpreted as a very long guitar cable and its associated capacitance which acts as a low pass filter. In the words of this article colinraffel.com/publications/dafx2010practical.pdf. "Apart from aliasing distortion, the constant transfer of charge between thousands of capacitors results in additional unintentional imperfections. One relatively minimal effect is a frequency-dependent insertion gain [8]. This gain effectively acts as a low-pass filter with a cutoff frequency determined by the clock rate of the BBD. This effect can be thought of as a result of the BBD’s capacitors not being able to react to changes in the input signal which occur at a frequency close to the Nyquist limit [maximum frequency we're looking to reproduce faithfully]. As a result, the extremity of this filtering varies with the number of clock stages. In general, the insertion gain tends to be between 0 and 2 dB at low frequencies, but falls off slowly to between -4 and -6 dB at the Nyquist limit for any given clock rate." For a typical circuit like the MN3005 at a 10kHz sampling rate there's a 0.2db loss @ 600Hz relative to a zero loss @ 100Hz. This loss quickly increases as the signal frequency increases. Going up to 0.4db loss @ 1kHz, 1.2db loss @ 2kHz, 2.2db loss @ 3kHz, 3.2db loss @ 4kHz and so forth. You can find a graph of this in the manual itself. Third page of the PDF. There are 9 graphs the fifth at the center of the page is the insertion gain one. It graphs loss at three different frequencies. I used the 10kHz sampling one which would have a Nyquist limit of 5kHz. That means any guitar signal (harmonics for that matter) with a frequency between 4kHz and 5kHz would be greatly attenuated by the bucket brigade circuit. Hope this helps giving you a better picture as to how much your tone is affected in decibels across the tonal spectrum of you guitar.

[@145bpm]

"An analogue delay does sample the guitar's signal and thus also has an analogue to digital and digital to analogue converter too."

[@Saurondor]

@@145bpm right, but the real magic is the sampling not the final conversion to a digital (ones and zeros) value and the potential loss of resolution. That's what takes it from the realm of the continuous (tape delay) to the realm of the discrete. It is possible to take samples with so many bits that resolution is way higher than the electronic's noise. Imagine using 256, 1024 or even 2048 bits instead of 16, 24 or 96 bit samples. The resolution of the sample would be way way smaller than the power supply ripple or variances of the sampling circuit from one device to another in the same silicon waffle. Resolution would be infinite for all practical purposes. Of course the terms tape and analogue delay are way catchier than continuous and discrete delays.

[@aintnothinbutdablues]

I had the MXR Carbon Copy and I regret having sold it till now, that I got a MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe with TAP tempo switch. Best delay ever!

[@BuddaGuedes]

NothinButDaBlues I also want one of those

[@lolobuggah2670]

I have both but i still prefer the sound of the original Carbon Copy. It's more murky and has a certain mojo about it. A more beautiful sound. The deluxe version can't duplicate the sound of the original.

[@hammettfcb]

I think there's more music in analog delays. Digital sounds to sterile

[@BuddaGuedes]

I totally agree! Thanks for your comment

[@thunderoz1254]

Sounds like 🚀

[@silverstone3228]

Budda can you make an episode explaining the difference between delay and echo , I don't understand that difference

[@BuddaGuedes]

Hey there. There’s no difference. Just two different names for the same thing.

[@silverstone3228]

Budda Guedes thanks budda👍🏻

[@drelido5736]

What model guitar is that?

[@BuddaGuedes]

It’s a Knaggs Choptank

[@MrJuan2828]

Dd7 simule dm2 and much other more

[@BuddaGuedes]

It’s nothing like it. I had one and sold it

[@rocknrollcowboy1620]

Cool stache 😎

[@BuddaGuedes]

🙏

[@johnstudiob2481]

if i use a delay into the front of my amp where would i put a drive pedal that's used as a boost really like boss DM2 as an always on

[@BuddaGuedes]

The most normal way to do it is to use the boost before the delay. , but it’s a matter of taste.

[@johnstudiob2481]

so it will still boost before the the delay (bit of a novice with boosts)

[@BuddaGuedes]

john brown it’s usually cleaner if you don’t overdrive the delay (the repetitions). That’s why people who use distorted amps use the delays and reverbs on the fx loop of the amp. But there’s really no better way than testing it and figuring out what suits you better.

[@johnstudiob2481]

Thanks very much for your help

[@soulcaliber256]

If the dd3 is from Taiwan I think I will prefer the dm2 but if the vintage dd3 from Japan maybe I'll change my mind ...

[@learnmusic488]

I remember buying that boss digital delay pedal back in 1987... it was the most expensive boss pedal at that time, I remember distinctly paying around $160.. Doing price indexing, that would equal to around 365 bucks today.. and so many new pedals around _that_ price range can do WAY much more than the boss pedal.. The irony of time

[@BuddaGuedes]

That’s right. But it was very ground breaking in 87

[@urwholefamilydied]

Ya, I had the Boss digital delay in the early-mid 90's that had the "reverse" function on it. I remember it being quite pricy as well. I also remember getting kind of tired of it because I didn't really understand delay at the time. I understood what it did, but as a kid, I was just hoping the pedal had more features besides reverse and delay. The novelty wore off!! (little did I know).

[@BuddaGuedes]

Eh eh! Mysterious times

[@Xxmeca421xX]

I have money for one boss delay pedal right now lol. I dont know what to buy after watching so many demos. I think i need something with a shimmer effect. There's sounds ive heard that i love, like dreamy effects added but idk what pedal can do what I hear in my head.

[@BuddaGuedes]

If you want shimmer you’ll have to go with a digital delay. Boss has come out with a new model that has it. Here’s an affiliate link for it. If you buy it from there I’ll get a small percentage from Amazon. amzn.to/3vvP41a I would go with the Flashback. It’s upgradable and very customizable. Here’s a link too amzn.to/3eIbhD6

[@Xxmeca421xX]

@@BuddaGuedes cool I'll check it out

[@BuddaGuedes]

You’re welcome

[@gavinvonmeyer3746]

I bought a digital delay and I am sorry why I did not buy an analog. The analogue is soulful.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Digital delay has its thing too.

[@lolobuggah2670]

What kind of guitar is that?

[@BuddaGuedes]

It’s a Knaggs Choptank

[@andres.moore997]

It would be great if you know how the waza pedal works before creating the video. The middle knob is echo, and the first one works counter wise.

[@BuddaGuedes]

I don’t understand your comment! That’s exactly how I use it. It’s not a complicated pedal at all!

[@andres.moore997]

Budda Guedes on 4.55 you are adjusting the echo, not the repeat rate. You never point out that, it’s a big difference between the dd3 and the waza. And the repeat rate on waza, works to the left, not to the right. You don’t explain how the custom button works on the waza.

[@teacher5376]

Hi.happy ' , because many new pedals , of brands , in early days ,that are super best selling pedals , since 1982.....now super , thanks to the company 's , released many old kinds , pedals in yesterday 's ....money 's take it.....I said, give me more , pedals, of yesterday 's .....( not for sale ! Soon.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Eh! Eh!

[@jmadventures9830]

the secret to delays is ONE repeat only, two is too much and three's a crowd... prove me wrong

[@BuddaGuedes]

That’s one way of looking at it

[@jmadventures9830]

@@BuddaGuedes you know what I mean, when I had my delay and I set it on ONE repeat, it was like yeah that's what a delay's supposed to do you know what I mean, but I see all these videos and there's too many repeats like what come on man

[@BuddaGuedes]

It depends on what effect you want to achieve . I usually use one repeat delays but I also use big repeats for swells and ambient

[@heyjarrod]

There’s a lot of different genres of music. So it depends. … a lot of Hard Rock and Metal greats leave a nice trail of 2-3 repeats, that fade out nicely. 😝🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸

[@rickthomas393]

Master delay wizard-guitarist David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and his fans would disagree.

[@ismaelbelda1]

Man, the hands and the dude playing guitar are not synched. We don't know what pedals you're playing.

[@SamuraiBud]

Got dd3 its just for clean and od, useless in heavy tone

[@BuddaGuedes]

What do you use with heavy tone, then? Satriani use the dd3 with his heavy tones

[@SamuraiBud]

@@BuddaGuedes i donno man im still searching for analog delay

[@BuddaGuedes]

Analog delay is the thing!! Our a good sounding digital

[@avispasentuass]

Adam jones tool and slash use dd3 with very heavy gain 😄🤷

[@BuddaGuedes]

DD3 is great on a lot of different uff specially into an overdriven amp

[@bobc.5698]

I had an AD 999 and sold it....stupid.

[@BuddaGuedes]

Never sell