Digital Delay

Digital delay, also known as digital echo, is an audio effect used in recording studios to create a repeat of a sound source at a specific time interval. The first digital delay units were developed in the 1970s, using a combination of digital signal processing and analogue-to-digital converters to create a delay effect. These early digital delay units were typically rack-mounted and used complex algorithms to create delay effects.

In the 1980s, advances in digital processing technology led to the development of more sophisticated digital delay units, which allowed for greater control over the delay time and feedback levels. These newer digital delay units often featured programmable delay times and feedback levels, making them highly versatile and capable of producing a wide range of delay effects.

Over time, digital delay technology continued to evolve, with improvements in processing power, algorithms, and user interfaces. Today, digital delay is an essential tool in the recording industry, and a wide range of software and hardware delay units are available to suit different recording needs and budgets. Digital delay is used in a wide range of musical genres, from rock and pop to electronic music, and is often used creatively to add depth, space, and movement to recordings.

Released in 1985
The Roland SDE-2500 Digital Delay came after the Roland SDE-3000 and coincided with the release of the equally excellent Roland SRV-2000 Digital Reverb.
Released in 1985
New creative worlds of musical adventure can be discovered through the magic of Lexicon Prime Time II, the successor to the most popular digital delay ever.
Released in 1986
The Boss RPS-10 Digital Pitch Shifter Delay from 1986 is ideal for Ultra-High Speed Pitch Shifting and Superior Sound Quality.
Released in 1986
When the TC Electronic TC 2290 arrived in 1986, it changes the landscape for digital delays forever and it is still in use around the world today because of its unique abilities. The TC Electronic TC 2290 was so iconic during the mid to late eighties, and it continued to show up everywhere in both studios and on stage with some of the biggest guitarists in history.
Released in 1986
The Korg SDD-3300 features three delay units in a compact 2U size with triple digital delay, MIDI compatibility, and extensive sound modulation capabilities, making it ideal for professional studio and live use.
Released in 1988
The AMS S-DMX is a dual-channel, microprocessor-controlled digital audio processor. It offers adjustable delay times with an 18kHz bandwidth, memory backup, and de-glitched pitch shifting. Key features include regeneration controls, silent ‘Nudge Buttons’ for precise adjustments, and modular design for easy updates and maintenance.
Released in 1989
The Bel BDE Series represent the latest in studio-quality delay and sampling technology with the Bel BDE-2400 model providing up to 48 seconds of delay/sample time at a lower bandwidth, or up to 24 seconds at 15kHz bandwidth.
Released in 1991
On the back of the success of the Sony DPS-R7, Sony developed and released the next processor in the line-up, the DPS-D7 Digital Delay with audible improvements. Sony didn’t just add in the new algorithms and release it, they also chose to make the DPS-D7 use a higher sampling rate of 48kHz to improve the bandwidth even further than the DPS-R7.
Released in 1993
The Roland SDE-330 digital delay was released at the same time as the SRV-330 and offers just as spectacular performance as it’s sibling. Roland had by now made a number of digital delays, and the SDE-330 showed they had nailed the concept.
Released in 1994
The Yamaha D5000 is something of a rare processor that is very difficult to find for sale, and when they are they are often rather expensive. So what is the magic? With the quote from Bob Clearmountain that it is the best digital delay ever made, the Yamaha seems to have gone underground in home studios or Yamaha simply did not make very many of them.
Released in 1995
Having done all they could with the DPS series, Sony only had one place left go, and that was to combine all four DPS effects into a single processor. The Sony DPS-V77 was born! In creating the Sony DPS-V77, Sony unleashed a ‘Best of Sony’ in terms of not only the effects on offer by combining all the best DPS Series effects, but also the sonic performance of the internals too.
Released in 1997
Klark Teknik offered a broad range og high quality audio processor in the 1980s & 1990s, the Klark Teknik DN 7204 was a combination Delay and EQ. Designed to meet and exceed the needs of the recording, broadcast, installation and live sound industries, the Klark Teknik DN 7204 Programmable Delay Line is a high quality, 2-input, 4-output configurable audio delay line that combines state-of-the-art DSP performance with ease of use.
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