Bucket-Brigade and Analog Delay

Hi mates!

Just bought a really satisfying analog delay: the Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy. I love it.

As soon as I pulled it out of the package, I could not resist the temptation to open it and see what was inside and how it worked.

This delay is real analog and true bypass. The technology it uses is called Bucket-Brigade. The Bucket-Brigade is the classic technique the firefighters use to extinguish the fire, when they put themselves in a line and pass each other buckets full of water.

The first BB delay lines were made of series of capacitors which stored the audio signal incoming. The signal was moved along the line of capacitors, one step at each clock cycle. Now the line of capacitors has been replaced by integrated chips that serve the same purpose. Tap tempo and modulation are digitally controlled, but the signal (both the dry and the wet one) is never A/D or D/A converted in the whole process, as in the classical bucket brigade delay processors. The digital circuitry in the DMB has absolutely no effect on the sound.

I tried it along with the SIEL Orchestra and it sounds awesome. I'm sure I'll use a lot this combination in my next musical productions.

Huh... waiting for a spring reverb arriving in a couple of days. ;-)

Keep in touch for the next update!