Strymon delay comparison: Volante vs. El Capistan

This is a comparison of the brilliant Strymon delays.
Find out more about the sound of a new tape emulation, a dark, old and wobbling tape, a multi head disc style stetting and how the Volante and the El Capistan might sound in the mix.
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0:09 new tape
1:08 dark old, wobbling tape
2:22 multi head disc style setting
3:17 in the mix
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gear: Fender Telecaster, DelayDude Custom Amp, Evidence Audio SIS Cables(www.evidenceaud..., Shure SM57, Cubase.
#strymonvolante #strymonelcapistan #delaydude

[@tjmac6191]

As the waves flowed behind the the El Capistan, something timeless and ethereal was felt The waves seem to tell of earths ancient origins, and the soul is moved When the Volante is used, the waves no longer speak All awareness shifts to the man made machine producing the backing track The El Cap has the intangibles Something that can’t be explained, only felt

[@Williamk492]

Beautifully said!

[@nym053]

Yeah it's weird, why does El Capistan sound better to me? A little annoying when you have those extra intetesting settings on Volante 😅

[@jammer777]

Totally agree! There’s something a bit sterile and cold with Volente. It’s just not there like El Capistan. You said it best.

[@avantgardenovelist]

spot on

[@nym053]

Btw, I switched out the El Capistan for a Volante for those extra settings. It also sounds its best on the drum setting imo. El Capistan sounds better for tape. I don't/didn't really use the modulation on any of them, since I think it sounds a little annoying actually. I don't regret the change :)

[@chrisk5402]

Personally I think the El Cap sounds better in this comparison. Thanks for making the video!

[@nym053]

Of course. The rec level on volante is not even set to the mid position in any of the examples. You might still prefer the El Capistan though, since they're not made to do the same tape sounds :)

[@williamswick7049]

Nice comparison. No winners or losers.

[@coldwar1977]

El Capistan for me!

[@jessieplaysmusic8530]

you are a god for showing it in a mix

[@jemandthemystery]

The mechanics and wear knobs on the Volante just sounds like something is wrong with the machinery. The age and wow and flutter on the El Cap sounds like a consious, musical decision. Having said that, there are some pleasant surprises to be had with the Volante. I didn’t expect to like drum mode as much as I did. The Volante also has more clear, stereo imaging than the El Capistan. It’s like a mechanical delay tutorial in a box too. Going back to other, menu based, virtual mechanical delays I understand better what selections to make to create the sound I’m looking for. So thanks Volante for that at least but, yeah, I sold it. Still have the Cap and others.

[@marcusstrymon693]

Volante modulation isn’t shown really properly here! The possibilities of different modulation is far wider than el cap - Modulation elements and sound is different for each mode just like in reality an echorec doesnt have splices like the tape. And then the sound changes completely depending on tapehead speed - on half there is way more and slower modulation than on double. Insane sounds even whammy delays. Check out dough hanson video on it!

[@PeterGuitarSound]

Great videos ! Got both, love both.... I prefer the sound of the El Cap, especially the Wow and Flutter that I miss a lot in the Volante, it is impossible to get that chorusy repeats on it. BUT I've noticed recently that in a clean rig/pedalboard, the Analog Dry-trough of it neuters a lot the tone. It is way better in the Volante.

[@shckltnebay]

How would analog dry through neuter the tone?

[@PeterGuitarSound]

@@shckltnebay Analog dry through is a not a direct pipe form enter to exit, and they are different way to do it. I like the fact that at the end of the Volante Manual, their is some technical explanation about the signal path.

[@shckltnebay]

@@PeterGuitarSound Then what is it, its sure not a digital processed output! There may be an op amp in there but its shouldnt change the sound.

[@phladjki]

el cap sounds dreamier, maybe more resonant

[@jessieplaysmusic8530]

The Volante sounds better in stereo in m opinion , But god damn the El Cap sounds soooooo. good

[@marcusstrymon693]

Don’t judge the volante yet, go to dough hanson and check his video put! Extremely superb sounding the volante. It is a bit of a concept you must look into for some time bc it delivers so many possibilities even whammy delays

[@rapidenamel8522]

Awesome song towards the end. Has a Pinback vibe.

[@empathysgone96]

Always great stuff my man. Just wish it was longer. Thanks

[@ckwong1581]

Volante for me. I like El before getting Volante. Volante has better clarity and lots of control are the reasons.

[@dogwalk3]

owned both at different times & in practice, there's not a lot of crossover! volante has so much more to play with that you miss when you just have the cap, but decay over long periods of time sound better on cap. as well as being able to have a near instant delay & turning the cap all the way to wet - can't do that with the volante which is my least favorite thing about it. don't think ones better than the other & don't think i'd wanna live with just one.

[@coldmedina]

The EL Cap FTW

[@simonschole]

Your vids are top notch!

[@Dam-oH]

Good job. Thanks.

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

How is the El Cap still better lol, its the legend that can not be defeated even by its own manufacturer.

[@metricdeep8856]

Ya, I own the el cap and timeline...looking for an el cap with presets. Volante is amazing as is the timeline but the El cap always captures me. I hate this game sometimes.

[@empathysgone96]

Lol I hate this game too! Now this UA starlight! Ooof. Prince Dawner coming out with a modified Boonar and j rocket is coming out with their EP echoplex version 😰😂

[@MadsenMister]

If I had the money.... Six or seven El Caps! There's my presets!!

[@metricdeep8856]

@@MadsenMister Nice. I Could squeek by with three or four I bet. Think of the savings!

[@JayDoge]

Gotta buy em' all

[@chuckdriver8269]

The Volante is the better pedal. The only people claiming the opposite are the cats who already own the El Cap and either can’t or won’t pony up the dough for the upgrade.

[@teacher5376]

As a delay pedal, need to have three kind of effects. Analog 's , hold buttons and a filters effects!!!

[@flyjohnson711]

These pedal comparisons never tell even 20 percent of the overall story. The Volante is way more hifi and will sit in a mix better. It’s the same as amps. Playing by itself has a vastly different feel and sound vs in a mix. What sounds great alone may wash more when other ingredients are added. Volante is a superior unit, but El Caps highs are rolled off more and it’s a bit of a warm blanket to the ear which can lead one to say they prefer El Cap alone. Also the parameters on Volante are endless and with some tweaking can get closer to El Cap.....finally put a compression pedal in front of both. That changes the dynamic as well. It’s all so subjective and by themselves this is very simplistic

[@fadefadfaf]

thx for In the mix !

[@nym053]

Not fair comparison when not even having the rec level on Volante on 12 o'clock. No Wonder if it appears a little thin in comparison to El Capistan ;)

[@nym053]

@@delaydude weird, doesn't sound gritty at all on mine. Have to go 3 o'clock and above for that. But I do use line inputs with the switch set to it. I use it for dubmixing

[@NoiseMaker001]

What cables you used here?

[@delaydude]

These are Evidence Audio SIS Cables solderless cables. My favorites for my pedalboard 🙂

[@NoiseMaker001]

Thank you!

[@sandyturner1911]

I have the Deco. If the El capistan had the Drum echo, it would be a no brainer. Maybe the El capistan, and the Catalinbread Echorec? I'm torn, now.

[@reidjames6]

Echorec is amazing

[@sandyturner1911]

@@reidjames6 I ended up getting the Volante.

[@BadMofoMusicCritic]

@@sandyturner1911 how are you liking it?

[@empathysgone96]

Could you post secondary settings for el cap?

[@empathysgone96]

delay dude thank you!

[@TheGuitaristChannel]

El Cap

[@jcshirke]

Did you keep both?

[@savanaviolenta]

The shape of Volante and NightSky puts me off. Too big and clumsy looking. Timeline/Bigsky /Mobius shape is perfect tough.

[@G.GordonMidi]

The Timeline/BigSky/Mobius are BIGGER than the Volante/NightSky tho hahaha

[@Wooburnmusic]

Volante is the one but why so much useless pring pring pring pring / pring pring pring pring / can't take out a rock n roll medley with pring pring pring pring /

[@Wooburnmusic]

@@delaydude no offence meant, best wishes to you 😁👍 🎼🎸

[@shckltnebay]

El Cap