Educate me on the Deluxe Memory Man

[Ed Reed]

Seems there is always something to know when buying a pedal. I have no experience with these, is there a version that is better? Vintage vs new? Etc.

[drolling]

Great pedal! But it has been thru' a number of changes since being reissued in the 90s.

aNaLoGmAn's got a whole page on the DMM at his website. A good read, it'll probably answer most of your questions..

[Wooley]

It is the "best" delay I've ever heard.

Absolutely one of the best purchases I ever made.

[Ed Reed]

Can anyone tel me about Analogman's "tweeks" offered on the buy page?

[Craig Walker]

Very natural, organic sounding delay. Probably 2nd best sounding delay behind Fulltone TTE [Echoplex copy], to my ears. [Fulltone being bulky with maint to deal with]....

Just sounds classic, and *right* to me.

I have a Badger 30 with the DMM in the loop, and a dirt pedal out from, and I could gig no problem with just that setup. I just set it with a slight trailing delay....say 3-4 repeat delay with very slight chorus effect.

Sweet pedal.

[I've got AM mods, but I can't tell you the A/B as this is the only one I've ever heard]

[jb1911]

It is the "best" delay I've ever heard.

Absolutely one of the best purchases I ever made.

I agree. I like the newest version with the LED for the bypass switch and the 24v wall wart. I power mine with a PP2 and the special cable from VooDoo Labs.

[orogeny]

+1 on every single thing said.

[Bongo Jonny]

The later version is the better one, it is true bypass. It is the version which has a separate power supply, instead of the mains cord being connected directly to the unit.

I love mine, its the only thing I never think of changing on my board

[kldonegan]

I have the newest version... Wall-wart, LED bypass and two chips! I don't have any idea about the new vs. old thing, but I love mine. Best delay I own.

The Analogman mods are there if you need a longer delay time, if you're using hot pickups that are overloading the input of the DMM or if you want the dry tone when the pedal is ON to sound a little less dull. I use low output pickups (generally...) and have no qualms about my tone when the pedal is on, so I haven't had a need for the mods. I'm sure they're great if the fit your needs, though.

DMM mods FAQ: http://analogman.com/faq.htm#analogdelays

[Ed Reed]

Apparently they work well in an effects loop? Would the gain mod help there? How much delay time is available stock?

[NeilYoungFan]

Don't know about the newer version, but a friend has a few years old one and although it's an excellent sounding delay, it has the issues of most
EH pedals...Their buffers suck!

[drolling]

Hey - just checking back in to this thread to say that I have the first reissue, the one that's probably closest to the '70s original.

And yes, it does have funky buffering, like a preamp that's always on. Headroom issues, too. The weaker the pickup, the better the DMM likes it - as a strat/tele player, this has never posed a problem to me.

Don't mind the hard-wired AC cord either, and as a true analog delay, I don't find it to be objectionably noisy.

If I had a single complaint, it's that it's never delivered the full 550 milleseconds, but I've read that there's a simple fix (recalibration?) - One day I may send it off to Howard Davis (TGP'r & DMM's inventor!) for adjustment and the "Leslie speaker" mod.

Think it's worth mentioning that altho' it's an 'old-school' effect, it sounds fantastic in an amp's effects loop (buddy's Lonestar)- somehow both quieter AND punchier than straight into my old black/brownface amps..

[iacntspell]

The DMM is my absolute favorite effect. I have the new version and run it in the loop of my Marshall. Hands down one of the most useful pedals made.

I believe it has around 300ms delay stock. Some don't think it's enough, but I use it for ambience and not super long delays -- I reserve the latter for my TC G-major.

[Structo]

I have the Stereo MM w/ Hazarai.

I can get some crazy sounds out of that thing for sure but for gigging I'm not sure how well it works.
It doesn't seem to hold things in memory when the power is disconnected and it doesn't take a battery so it seems you would have to dial everything in each time you play.

[Windup 43]

The later version is the better one, it is true bypass. It is the version which has a separate power supply, instead of the mains cord being connected directly to the unit.

I love mine, its the only thing I never think of changing on my board I have this one also and love it, not noisy at all and doesn't suck any tone as far as I can tell. Mine seems to go the full 550ms. (tested next to a DD20), but apparently some of the newer ones don't.

[Howard Davis]

MEMORY MAN MODS:

DELAY TIME INCREASE MOD
The Deluxe Memory Man was designed for a 550 msec. maximum delay. Some units, due to component tolerances and manufacturing problems, do not have this long a delay time. A mod can be done that corrects this condition. You can get at least 650 msec of maximum delay time before distortion and noise are noticeably increased at the longest delay settings.

TOTAL BYPASS MOD
Most Memory Man pedals have an adjustable gain stage (drive level control) that introduces complications with total bypassing. This is because with total bypass, this variable gain can result in a volume mismatch between the dry (bypass) and effect-on signals when the footswitch is thrown. The level control can be set so the dry and effect-on volumes are equal, but this level setting may not be optimum for signal to noise ratio, which requires as high a drive level as possible without causing objectionable distortion. So you CAN have a total bypass mod done on such a Memory Man, but you then lose the ability to adjust the drive level exactly as you might want it and also keep the balance between bypass and effect-on volume levels.

INPUT IMPEDANCE INCREASE MOD
Where total bypassing is not desired, a mod that increases the input impedance of the first stage can be almost as effective as total bypassing in eliminating tonal degradation due to pickup loading. If you use other pedals or long cables following the Memory Man, increasing the input impedance is preferable to total bypassing, as the benefits of buffering by the input stage are retained.

HOT PICKUP MOD
The reissue Deluxe Memory Man now comes from the factory with direct bypass, but with the input level control stage as it was originally when wired for buffered bypass. This is workable with many pickups, but there is a bypass/effect-on level matching problem with high output ("hot") pickups. With these, effect signal overdrive distortion occurs at too low a level. The Hot Pickup mod corrects this by increasing the headroom of the delay signal circuitry.

LED EFFECT-ON INDICATOR MOD
In vintage units that lack one, an LED can be added to indicate when the effect mode is activated.

NEED AN ALIGNMENT?
Electronic products containing analog delay ICs have internal trimpots for adjustment by a technician. For proper operation these must be correctly set, and this is done at the factory. In time - especially with the rough handling that guitar pedals are often subject to - these trimpots can become misadjusted, resulting in distortion, noise, improper operation, or no operation at all.

It is impossible to correctly adjust all the trimpots - called "doing an alignment" - without using lab equipment and the proper procedure. An audio oscillator, oscilloscope, and the test and alignment procedure for that particular pedal are required, as well as technical training and experience. Attempting an alignment without these usually just makes the problem worse.

The most common symptom indicating a need for alignment in the Memory Man is overdrive distortion occuring at too low a signal level. Clock noise, a high-pitched sound heard at long delay settings, is another symptom.

DELUXE MEMORY MAN "LESLIE" EMULATION UPGRADE - not just a simple mod but a whole new range of effects, plus an expanded range of the effects the Deluxe Memory Man already delivers.

Who does not love that lush, liquid, rotating speaker effect? It is a complex combination of phase and amplitude modulation, hard to produce without mechanically rotating speakers. With this new upgrade you can now get it from your Deluxe Memory Man. You can set it for whatever rotational speed you want, and vary it from very subtle to so heavy it sounds like a rich tremolo. You can blend it with dry signal if you wish, and you can enhance it with feedback to get some indescribable, unique psychedelic and surf effects.

As it comes from the factory, the Deluxe Memory Man has only two modulation speeds - very slow for producing the chorus effect, and one faster speed for vibrato. This new "Leslie" modification upgrades the modulation oscillator with an added MODULATION RATE control pot. In addition it changes the chorus/vibrato switch to be chorus/vibrato at one setting, and the new LESLIE ROTARY EFFECT at the other.
Nothing is lost. Your Deluxe Memory Man will still be able to do everything it now does, and it will sound the same. What is ADDED is the ability to vary the modulation rate of the chorus and vibrato effects, and the amazing new Leslie rotating speaker emulation.

http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/
Contact me: howard.davis2@att.net

[jcshirke]

Howard,

Can you add modulation to an old DMM that does not have it stock? Has anyone here had that done?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Howard Davis]

Howard,

Can you add modulation to an old DMM that does not have it stock? Has anyone here had that done?

Thanks,
Jeff

No, it would not be practical to add modulation circuitry to a vintage MM that didn't come with it. It could be done, but would cost more than the pedal is worth. All DELUXE MM pedals do have modulation - the chorus/vibrato feature. If yours does not have it, it is not a Deluxe model.

Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:
http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

[jcshirke]

All DELUXE MM pedals do have modulation - the chorus/vibrato feature. If yours does not have it, it is not a Deluxe model.

Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:
http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

This is odd then. My model does say "Deluxe Memory Man" on it, but I do not see a chorus/vibrato knob or switch anywhere on the unit. I have four knobs: level, blend, feedback, and delay. Two switches: Power on/off, and squelch on/off.

I emailed you privately, as you know, but I thought I would reply here in case the info. I learn is useful to others.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Holey Lint Trap]

Analogman will also do an expensive mod to double the delay time up to 900ms. He can also add expression pedal unputs on every pot except the delay time.

[delayayay]

The Memory Man is a great delay for sure, but I've never understood the obsession.

Plus, I need tap tempo :(

[Jahn]

This is odd then. My model does say "Deluxe Memory Man" on it, but I do not see a chorus/vibrato knob or switch anywhere on the unit. I have four knobs: level, blend, feedback, and delay. Two switches: Power on/off, and squelch on/off.

I emailed you privately, as you know, but I thought I would reply here in case the info. I learn is useful to others.

Thanks,

Jeff

Ah so you have the first gen "blue face" 4-knob Deluxe Memory Man. I'd be interested to know what kind of mods would be available for this version as well:

http://electroharmonix.ronsound.com/gallery/delays/mm2.jpg

[Howard Davis]

Ah so you have the first gen "blue face" 4-knob Deluxe Memory Man. I'd be interested to know what kind of mods would be available for this version as well:

http://electroharmonix.ronsound.com/gallery/delays/mm2.jpg

While this scarce 4-knob model was the first to be called a "Deluxe," it does not have the chorus/vibrato modulation all the subsequent Deluxe MM models have. I can do all the mods I listed except the "Leslie" mod on this one.

Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:
http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

[Ed Reed]

Howard, thanks for the input!

[Jahn]

Agreed, great info, thanks!

[flickerbot]

Just picking up on this- I had the wall wart/ true bypass model and the built in transformer/ AC cord model- the older sounded better to me. More lush, less clipping, and overall I preferred the older model when I did some extensive A/B'ing- sold the true bypass model and am happy with the old.

[popinvasion]

The old is better, I never buy a DMM unless it has the attached cord.

[voodoo364]

I love my DMM. I love the way Andy Timmons uses it...Check out around 3:30 til the end
http://www.guitarplayertv.com/?channel=andytimmons&videofile=gptv/artists/gptv_1208_timmonssignal

[orogeny]

The old is better, I never buy a DMM unless it has the attached cord.
. . . and i feel exactly the opposite. more noise issues with "chord-ed" ones. . ..

[Franktone]

TGP member Jon OBrien did a video comparing the sound of the old deluxe memory (on the left) man to the new one (on the right) and there does seem to be quite a difference. In another video he compares the sound of the old memory man to a TTE and the memory man while not quite as good in somes ways, nevertheless still holds its own, easily.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=LcfutksrGTM&feature=channel

[Franktone]

But, then again, the newer ones:
-are true bypass
-have an external transformer that means that they are quieter for hum
-don't suffer a volume drop with the true bypass
Heard also here somewhere that the earliest late model wallwart models are possibility better than the later ones in terms of sound and quality of parts. It might be that the most recent models have their chips solder directly to the board, but earlier late model ones have their IC's mounted in socket, which makes it easier to swap in warmer sounding operational amplifier chips (if thats what you call them).
Anyway, I've never owned one, but all this talk about them in this thread has caused me to seek out a used one, and I hope it shows up not too far into the future. Let's face it, nothing sounds as good as a strat or tely into a Deluxe Memory Man. This pedal is in another league.

[Morgan24]

The newest vintage two chip version is absolutely the best ever.... love it big time.... lol

[MelMann]

Mine got fried at a club where they had a power surge while I was playing. But I think it's just about my favorite sounding delay ever. It has a way of being able to "float" the delays above your guitar that are just amazing. I prefer it to my 2 echoplexes. The downside is that it's a huge box and feels kind of fragile.

[pold]

TGP member Jon OBrien did a video comparing the sound of the old deluxe memory (on the left) man to the new one (on the right) and there does seem to be quite a difference. In another video he compares the sound of the old memory man to a TTE and the memory man while not quite as good in somes ways, nevertheless still holds its own, easily.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=LcfutksrGTM&feature=channel


That comparison clip it's worth $$$$, it says everything. The '70 ones were the real deal, and I will stay away from the new versions forever, they just sound dull and dark, who cares about true bypass if the sound is not as good?

[rastaman]

No tap tempo?!?!?! WTF? And, um, is it as niosy as all of the other EH pedals I've had? Tell you all what, I just bought an Empress Delay yesterday and couldn't be happier. I've played it for a few hours and it does EVERYTHING I want.

Carry on....

[pold]

I am on the market for a delay, but feel very frustrated. If you like the Echoplex EP-3 and the vintage Memory Man, all the other products are just NON-delays with true bypass...
Still waiting for the Fulltone solid state tape...

[Howard Davis]

These are the CUSTOM MODS I now offer for the Deluxe Memory Man:

DELAY TIME INCREASE MOD
The Deluxe Memory Man was designed for a 550 msec. maximum delay. Some units, due to component tolerances and manufacturing problems, do not have this long a delay time. A mod can be done that corrects this condition. You can get at least 650 msec of maximum delay time before distortion and noise are noticeably increased at the longest delay settings.

TOTAL BYPASS MOD
Most Memory Man pedals have an adjustable gain stage (drive level control) that introduces complications with total bypassing. This is because with total bypass, this variable gain can result in a volume mismatch between the dry (bypass) and effect-on signals when the footswitch is thrown. The level control can be set so the dry and effect-on volumes are equal, but this level setting may not be optimum for signal to noise ratio, which requires as high a drive level as possible without causing objectionable distortion. So you CAN have a total bypass mod done on such a Memory Man, but you then lose the ability to adjust the drive level exactly as you might want it and also keep the balance between bypass and effect-on volume levels.

INPUT IMPEDANCE INCREASE MOD
Where total bypassing is not desired, a mod that increases the input impedance of the first stage can be almost as effective as total bypassing in eliminating tonal degradation due to pickup loading. If you use other pedals or long cables following the Memory Man, increasing the input impedance is preferable to total bypassing, as the benefits of buffering by the input stage are retained.

HOT PICKUP MOD
The reissue Deluxe Memory Man now comes from the factory with direct bypass, but with the input level control stage as it was originally when wired for buffered bypass. This is workable with many pickups, but there is a bypass/effect-on level matching problem with high output ("hot") pickups. With these, effect signal overdrive distortion occurs at too low a level. The Hot Pickup mod corrects this by increasing the headroom of the delay signal circuitry.

LED EFFECT-ON INDICATOR MOD
In vintage units that lack one, an LED can be added to indicate when the effect mode is activated.

NEED AN ALIGNMENT?
Electronic products containing analog delay ICs have internal trimpots for adjustment by a technician. For proper operation these must be correctly set, and this is done at the factory. In time - especially with the rough handling that guitar pedals are often subject to - these trimpots can become misadjusted, resulting in distortion, noise, improper operation, or no operation at all.

It is impossible to correctly adjust all the trimpots - called "doing an alignment" - without using lab equipment and the proper procedure. An audio oscillator, oscilloscope, and the test and alignment procedure for that particular pedal are required, as well as technical training and experience. Attempting an alignment without these usually just makes the problem worse.

The most common symptom indicating a need for alignment in the Memory Man is overdrive distortion occuring at too low a signal level. Clock noise, a high-pitched sound heard at long delay settings, is another symptom.

Contact me: howard.davis2@att.net
Howard Davis - Designer of the Deluxe Memory Man
Guitar pedal design engineering, repairs, and custom mods:
http://howard.davis2.home.att.net/

[bgoez]

And yes, it does have funky buffering, like a preamp that's always on. Headroom issues, too. The weaker the pickup, the better the DMM likes it - as a strat/tele player, this has never posed a problem to me.

Don't mind the hard-wired AC cord either, and as a true analog delay, I don't find it to be objectionably noisy.



+1 I agree with you on all points. It's a pretty great delay