ANALOGUE SYSTEMS RS-INTEGRATOR
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THE DELAY MODES
THE DELAY MODES
THE DELAY MODES
THE DELAY MODES
THE DELAY MODES
The RS290 provides two delay modes; one which echoes the operation of a vintage tape delay, and the
other of which is that of a modern digital delay unit.
Tape delay
In Tape delay mode, the operation is very similar to a true tape delay, on which the delay time is determined
by the speed of the tape as it passes across the heads, and is controlled by speeding up the tape and
slowing it down, as appropriate. This makes it possible to create unusual effects that are not as common
today as they were thirty years ago. For example, if the tape is running slowly (you have a long delay
time) and you then speed up the tape the delay time will decrease and the pitch of the delayed sound
will increase. Once the whole loop of tape has run through the machine, the delay time will stay at its
new, faster rate, but the pitch of the delayed sound will drop back to the input pitch. Extending this idea
a bit further, imagine that you increase the tape speed and then quickly decrease it. The pitch will increase
and then decrease. Then, as the loop is replayed on its next revolution a few seconds later, the opposite
will happen; the pitch will decrease, then increase.
The Tape delay mode on the RS290 imitates this unusual behaviour, thus making it possible to create all
manner of unusual effects. However, due to the nature and complexity of the algorithm needed, you
may experience the generation of digital artefacts. You may wish to avoid these, or alternatively use
them to create extreme sounds, as you choose.
Digital delay
If you think of the Digital delay mode in analogue terms it differs from the Tape delay in the following
manner:
•
In Tape delay mode, changes in delay time and pitch are caused by changing the tape speed,
while the distance between the heads remains constant.
•
In Digital delay mode the ‘tape’ runs at a fixed speed but the distance between the heads varies.
Digital delay mode is capable of creating larger pitch shifts, but the shift only occurs while the virtual
‘tape head’ (delay time) is being moved. As soon as you stop changing this, the pitch at the output
returns to the input pitch.
One novel consequence of this is that, if you increase the delay time quickly enough, you can make the
RS290 play the sound backwards briefly. (To visualise this, imagine moving the head faster than the tape
is moving).
The incidence of artefacts in much smaller in Digital delay mode than in Tape delay mode, but you may
still experience some at extreme settings.
Delay Sub-Modes
Both types of delay offer three sub-modes of operation (for a total of six delay modes) as described in the
following pages.
