Heresy from a Delay Nut

[BmoreTele]

Having read the various threads and listened to the clips that have shown up, I am pretty sure I won't be buying either the TC Nova or the Eventide TimeFactor.

No one has been raving about the sound quality, as a matter of fact the descriptions of the tape delay settings has been disappointing. I've already got delays with tone that I dig. And how much "tone enhancement" should you expect from a delay anyway.

I have delays that do ducking, panning, ping pong, short and long delays, infinite looping, runaway oscillation, etc.

I was hoping the less expensive Nova would seduce me, but aside from a few wrinkles (global modulation and color controls), it just doesn't seem to offer that much new. I recognize that the TF is deeper with the potential for massive tweakage, but it suffers from a $400 price tag, early reports of bugs and noise, and an apparently steep learning curve to get to the "goodies." I admit that I am a lazy SOB, and I have gone through a boatload of pedals with thick manuals that I never mastered.

The USB port on the TF is the ringer in this because Eventide could come up with something new in a future upgrade that would suck me in, but right now I'm still waiting for the next big thing ...

[musickbox]

I have to agree with most of your post. I decided to pick up the Nova since it was significantly less and about the same price as my DD20. I was looking for an improvement to my DD20 (and the DL4 I use to own). I think the Nova can do that. I still think it's going to be awhile before we start replacing delays like tape delays for their digital counterparts.

[TaronKeim]

Yeah man, I had an Echoczar... and a bunch of shorter analog delays, and as much as I loved my Echoczar, the flexibility of a DD20, DD6 and the new Roland Space Echo... just flat out kills for gigs, and honestly, I can't tell the difference when I listen to myself live.

The Echoczar was amazing in the studio though.

_TJK*

[slingshotmb]

Im still on a honeymoon with it ..but im loving the new Retro-sonic delay. sound quality is superb..very warm..no distorted delay.
I like a simple delay and this is it.. i just had a Maxon AD-9 PRO,AD9,AD999,AD80,Meomory Lane,also had a dd20,dd6,digidelay etc..

[Last Nerve]

The TONE of the Nova is great. I think maybe some owners didn't comment on it because they felt it was already understood.
The tone IMO, is better than all the other delays I've owned and I feel the Color knob covers the entire spectrum of delay tones (cranked to tape, its actually too dark for me).
See if you can try before you buy, Bmore.

[lv]

Originally Posted by Last Nerve

The TONE of the Nova is great. I think maybe some owners didn't comment on it because they felt it was already understood.
The tone IMO, is better than all the other delays I've owned and I feel the Color knob covers the entire spectrum of delay tones (cranked to tape, its actually too dark for me).
See if you can try before you buy, Bmore.

+1 I may not have gushed about it, though I did compare it favorably to my Cornish TES. The TC is easily one of the very best delays I have heard, and aside from the noise factor, the Eventide was just as nice though different.

Having only had the units for a few days, I wasn't able to really dial them in to perfection, but did spend all my time comparing sound quality since I don't need any real features other than great tone.

I've owned the H&K Replex, T-Rex replica, DLS Echotap, Boss DD-2, DD-3, Digitech Digidelay, Cornish TES, MP Deep Blue, AD-999, and probably more that I have forgotten and both the TC and the Eventide are superior to all of them other than the Cornish TES for what I like to hear and when you factor in the features and price I even prefer the TC to the Cornish.

Being a delay nut, Bmore, I think you'd dig both of them.