Jam Pedals has released a new-and-improved version of its cult classic analogue delay pedal, the Delay Llama mk.3, adding tap tempo with subdivisions, a self-oscillating mode, and switchable true or buffered bypass.
At its core, the Delay Llama is very much the same breed as those that have come before, and has a circuit incorporating ‘faithful reproductions’ of the Panasonic MN3205 BBD chip.
The beauty of such analogue BBD delay circuits is that your repeats fade away organically, a little warmer and less clinical than some digital delays – think of the analogue repeats as biodegradable, if such a concept could be transfigured to an audio phenomenon.
This old-school vibe and the no-fuss controls setup makes the Delay Llama an attractive proposition to players looking to dial in sounds ranging from slapback echo for rockabilly to longer, more unhurried repeats, with the unit offering a maximum delay time of 600ms.
The Delay Llama mk.3 has a similar design to its predecessors, with three dials for L (Level), T (delay time) and R (number of repeats). But here we have two footswitches, one for engaging/bypassing the effect, the other for setting the tap tempo.
You can further tweak your repeats via a three-way toggle switch that works exclusively with the tap tempo feature – i.e. not the T knob – and selects between quarter, eighth and dotted eighth notes.
If you are of a mind to resort to internal trimpots, you’ll find one that adjusts the trails fade out time when in buffered bypass, and another to set the maximum number of repeats.
There is, finally, a very cool Hold feature which is accessed by holding down the tap tempo footswitch and allows you to send the unit into oscillation for as long as you like.
The Delay Llama mk.3 takes a 9V DC power supply and draws 120mA. It is available to order now from Jam Pedals, priced £189 for the standard version, and from £199 for the Custom Artwork edition, with which you have the choice between ‘Reverse’, ‘Achenbach’ and ‘Warer Lillies’ (£229, and surely that’s a typo on the site and it should be ‘Water Lillies’) finishes.
See Jam Pedals for more details.
