Effects Timeline
Our Vintage Digital and Analogue Effects timeline now includes Audio Recorders and Classic Music Tracks to help place these effects and devices within the history of recorded music. Any errors, please notify us using our contact form.
1979
Released in 1979
MicMix XL-305 Master Room Reverb
The MicMix XL-305 Master Room Reverb delivers live chamber reverb in a compact, rack-mount design. It eliminates artefacts, handles transients perfectly, and offers stereo capability with built-in EQ, making it ideal for professional studio and live use.
1979
Released in 1979
DBX 163 Compressor/Limiter
The dbx 163 and dbx 164 compressor/ limiters feature dbx's Over Easy compression. Over Easy refers to a "soft knee" compression characteristic that provides virtually inaudible gain control at ratios up to infinite compression.
1979
Released in 1979
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, released with no singles, initially failed to gain commercial success. However, the album’s unique sound has stood the test of time and is now widely regarded as a classic, frequently appearing on “Greatest Albums of all Time” lists. Unknown Pleasures was created under unusual circumstances, with the band and their producer […]
Engineered by: Chris Nagle
Mixed by: Chris Nagle
1980
Released in 1980
Sony PCM-1610 Digital Audio Processor
The genuine advantage of the Sony PCM-1610 digital audio processor is its enormous potential to deliver drastically improved sound. Whereas analogue recorders are saddled with performance limitations of one form or another, unlimited quality improvement is possible using digital technology.
1980
Released in 1980
Mitsubishi X-80 Digital Recorder
The Mitsubishi X-80 Digital Recorder was a pioneering audio recorder that offered significant improvements in fidelity and accuracy over analogue recording technologies upon its release in 1980.
1980
Released in 1980
Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo
The Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo is a rackmount tape delay based on the RE-501, offering chorus, tape echo and reverb effects. Designed for professional studio and live use, it features balanced XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs, a 77dB signal-to-noise ratio, and delays from 0.55 to 1.8 seconds. Its rack-friendly design and advanced noise reduction made it a reliable choice for engineers seeking classic Roland tape echo in a convenient format.
1980
Released in 1980
Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo
The Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo is the final and most advanced tape delay in Roland’s classic series. Combining tape echo, chorus and spring reverb, it features balanced XLR connections, noise reduction circuitry and delays up to 1.8 seconds. Its improved tape transport and sound-on-sound mode made it a studio favourite, delivering warm, analogue effects with reliable performance.
1980
Released in 1980
Lexicon PCM 41 Digital Delay Processor
The Lexicon PCM 41 was a huge success for Lexicon when it was released back in 1980 and even today you will still find them in use in major recording studios everywhere. The Lexicon PCM 41 was eventually replaced by the Lexicon PCM 42 which featured longer delay times but retained the sonic characteristics of the Lexicon PCM 41.
1980
Released in 1980
EMT 251 Digital Reverberation System
The EMT 251 Digital Reverberation System, released in 1980 is a rather rare reverb unit, strangely less well known than the legendary EMT 250, which is replaces, regardless of its superior specification and functionality.
1980
Released in 1980
Sony PCM-10 Digital Audio Processor
The Sony PCM-10 Digital Audio Processor is a rather elusive piece of audio technology.
1980
Released in 1980
360 Systems Model 2800 Programmable Equaliser
The 360 Systems Model 2800 Programmable Equaliser was a fairly unique product at the time of its release in 1980, with its tactile controls and programmability. Using a Z-80 microprocessor and CMOS memory storage, the 360 Systems Model 2800 Programmable Equaliser was able to store up to 28 user created EQ curves.
1980
Released in 1980
Publison DHM B2 Stereo Digital Audio Computer
The Publison DHM B2 out of France is a stereo audio computer, which allows dual digital delays and dual pitch shifting effects, it preceded the Publison Infernal Machine.
1980
Released in 1980
Sony PCM-100 Digital Audio Processor
The Sony PCM-100 Digital Audio Converter is a rather elusive piece of audio technology.
1980
Released in 1980
dbx 165 Compressor/Limiter
The dbx 165 is a professional single channel compressor/limiter that features the new dbx Over Easy compression curve. The dbx Over Easy compression curve permits extremely smooth, almost inaudible compression due to the gradual change of compression ratio around the threshold, instead of the customary sharp threshold.
1980
Released in 1980
EMT 244 Digital Reverb
The EMT 244 Digital Reverb, released in 1980, was a compact, affordable alternative to the EMT 250. Known for its simple design and high-quality 13-bit digital processing, it became a studio favourite for its natural, detailed reverb. Its legacy endures as a sought-after piece of vintage gear for its reliability and sound.
1981
Released in 1981
AMS DM2-20 Tape Phase Simulator
The AMS DM2-20 tape phase simulator is the result of extensive research into the requirements and needs of the recording industry, for accurate simulation of tape phasing. Unlike other units of this kind, which solely mix the delayed signal with the original, the DM2-20 uses two independent delay lines to allow true ‘over the top‘ tape phase simulation.
1981
Released in 1981
In The Air Tonight
Phil Collins
In the Air Tonight is one of Phil Collins’ most iconic tracks, famously known for its haunting atmosphere and dramatic drum break. The song’s recording process played a crucial role in its unique sound and subsequent impact on the music industry, particularly in the development of 1980s production techniques. The initial stages of recording In […]
Engineered by: Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham
Mixed by: Hugh Padgham
1981
Released in 1981
Bette Davis Eyes
Kim Carnes
In the early part of 1981, Bette Davis Eyes took the music world by surprise and became a massive hit. It topped the charts in 21 countries and won both the Song of the Year and Record of the Year Grammy Awards, cementing its place in music history. While the exact details of all the […]
Engineered by: Val Garay
Mixed by: Val Garay
1981
Released in 1981
Roland SDE-2000 Digital Delay
Roland's first digital delay, the Roland SDE-2000 was a big hit when it arrived, guitarists took to it like a duck to water, as too did home recording studios. It may have had limited bandwidth with the relatively low sampling rate of 26kHz, but that did not stop the success Roland enjoyed with the SDE-2000, but it did kill off the Space Echo, for a while at least.
1981
Released in 1981
AMS DMX15R Digital Reverb
The AMS DMX15R was designed as a digital reverb add-on for the AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay system. However, it is uncertain if this product was ever mass-produced, and if it was, it remains extremely rare. It is more likely that the AMS DMX15R was eventually developed into a standalone digital reverb unit (AMS RMX 16) that did not depend on the AMS DMX 15-80S to operate.
1981
Released in 1981
Sony DRE 2000 Digital Reverberator
The Sony DRE 2000 was Sony's first digital reverb and they headed straight for the heart of Lexicon with a complex and very advanced system, that also proved fragile. These reverbs are hard to find on the used market, partly because those who have them hang onto them, and partly because many of them have died, proving to be too expensive and difficult to fix.
1981
Released in 1981
Our Lips Are Sealed
The Go Gos
Our Lips Are Sealed is a song by the American all-female band The Go-Go’s, that was released in 1981 as a single from their debut album, Beauty and the Beat. The song became a major hit, reaching the top 20 in the United States and the top 5 in Canada. It also became a popular […]
Engineered by: Rob Freeman
Mixed by: Rob Freeman
1981
Released in 1981
Tainted Love
Soft Cell
Soft Cell’s rendition of Tainted Love, originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964, is undoubtedly one of the most enduring classics of all time. Released in 1981, the song became an instant sensation, reaching the top spot in 17 countries worldwide. In the United States, it also set a Guinness World Record for the longest […]
Engineered by: Don Wershba and Paul Hardiman
Mixed by: Harvey Goldstein
1981
Released in 1981
AMS RMX 16 Digital Reverberation System
There have been many digital reverbs over the years, but few are as revered as the AMS RMX 16, which you will still find in studios the world over, some 40 years later. That in itself is enough to indicate just how good this reverb unit is, but it is also the only 'old' digital reverb that is being remade now.
1981
Released in 1981
MXR Delay System II Digital Delay
The MXR Delay System II is a high-quality digital delay unit offering up to 800 milliseconds of delay with a 16 kHz bandwidth. Designed for studio and live use, it provides effects like flanging, chorus, echo, and doubling with clean, noise-free performance. Featuring a four-digit display, LED indicators, and XLR and ¼-inch connectors, it ensures easy integration and precise control.
1981
Released in 1981
Sony PCM-F1 Digital Audio Processor
The Sony PCM-F1 is a groundbreaking digital audio processor that delivers superior sound quality, versatility, and portability, setting new standards in the digital recording industry.
1981
Released in 1981
Roland SDD-320 Dimension D Chorus
Roland's Chorus effect that featured heavily on their JC Series guitar amplifiers was a unique and desirable sound back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The demand for this new chorus effect was so great, Roland developed the Roland SDD-320 Dimension D to satisfy that market demand, and it is quite possibly the greatest chorus effect processor ever made.
1981
Released in 1981
dbx Model 224 Type II Noise Reduction System
The dbx Model 224 Type II Noise Reduction System was not a professional noise reduction system, but it did find its way into smaller studios and home studios for noise reduction duties on reel-to-reel recorders of the day.
1982
Released in 1982
Marshall AR-300 Tape Eliminator
The Marshall AR-300 Tape Eliminator was designed for one purpose only; to duplicate the sound of true analogue tape echo. The Marshall AR-300 Tape Eliminator can eliminate the need for a dedicated tape machine, along with overcoming many of the limitations associated with tape and tape transports.
1982
Released in 1982
Korg SDD-3000 Digital Delay
The Korg SDD-3000 is one of those effects that has retained it's appeal even after decades of newer product coming after it. The Korg SDD-3000 digital delay has remained so popular that Korg themselves have re-introduced it in a guitar pedal form, as it was guitarists that fell in love with this very capable delay.
1982
Released in 1982
Ibanez AD202 Multi-Mode Analogue Delay
The Ibanez AD202 offers a wide range of delay effects, from filtering to long echoes, using advanced switching technology. It includes modes for echo, doubling, chorus, and flanging, with automatic adjustment for ease of use. It has two inputs for microphones or instruments, adjustable levels, and is built with a durable steel cabinet, fitting any EIA standard audio rack, ideal for road use.
1982
Released in 1982
Lexicon PCM 42 Digital Delay Processor
The Lexicon PCM 42 improved on the PCM 41 and became a studio staple, even today you will find this nearly 40-year-old digital delay in use around the world. The Lexicon PCM 42 combines Lexicon’s reliability with features for musician. Unique in concept and execution, the Lexicon PCM 42 performs all of the functions you would of a high-quality digital delay line, while the door to realms of musical expression that were only a dream now.
1982
Released in 1982
Quantec Room Simulator Digital Reverb
The Quantec Room Simulator is a new technical concept that enables emulating the acoustical behaviour common to spaces of any volume or size, so that acoustical impressions ranging from a tin can to a columned cathedral may be synthesised and created at fingertip command.
1982
Released in 1982
Tascam 244 Portastudio 4 Track Recorder
In 1982, Tascam introduced the Tascam 244 Portastudio, revolutionising the recording world, especially for home musicians. This four-track cassette recorder made high-quality multi-track recording more accessible and allowed musicians to create complex demos from home. It also impacted professional studios by enabling artists to pre-produce tracks more efficiently, marking a turning point in music production history.
1982
Released in 1982
Ibanez DM1000 Digital Delay
The Ibanez DM1000 is a versatile digital delay unit with up to 900 ms of delay, offering controls for tone, modulation, and feedback. With multiple outputs and a repeat hold function, it’s ideal for studio use, delivering a wide range of effects from echo to reverb.
