Ninja Tune and Latvian modular synth manufacturer Erica Synths have announced that their new dub delay effects unit, the Zen Delay, is now available to pre-order.
The Zen Delay is a BPM-synched stereo delay line, combining extreme feedback ranges for dub and experimental lo-fi effects with a multi-mode 24 dB synth filter and valve overdrive.
The unit is housed in a metal case with Bakelite knobs and a valve circuit for extra analog warmth. Each function has a physical knob that you can play around with without diving into manuals or scrolling through menus on a tiny screen.
While many delay devices are designed as ‘stomp boxes’ for guitarists, the Zeb Delay is designed with electronic music producers, artists and DJs in mind.
“The ZEN Delay is a product of our expertise on vacuum tube designs, our powerful, custom DSP platform and the great sound of our filter ICs made and developed in Latvia,” says Erica Synths head Girts Ozolins. “It by far exceeded expectations in terms of how it sounds and feels when played.”
Pricing and Availability
The Zen Delay unit is available for pre-order now, priced at €499 + VAT. The first 300 units are available for pre-order at a special “early bird” rate of €455 + VAT from the Ninja Tune and Erica Synth websites and come with a free limited edition Zen Delay t-shirt. The Zen Delay is expected to ship for Christmas delivery.
At that price, it needs an LFO.
please … which is more „beast“? strymon volante vs ninja tune zen delay
test this in 2019
That’s an awfully high price for a delay unit. It does sound great, but for my money I’d pick up a used Timeline or Volante + a Deco from Strymon.
Unless these are low-voltage car radio tubes they are so starved of B+ voltages that I am curious if they are really just there to say ‘we have tubes in it’. As someone who builds tube amps for fun, I would never want the fire hazard near my patch cables.
12 volt power supply w/ internal charge pump can get that tube into the sweet spot easily. The company has done a few other pieces with a 12ax7 incorporated. As far as them being “fire hazards” uhhh, that’s really stretching it. But you go ahead and be safe if it makes you feel better.
Didn’t Korg or someone develop low-voltage tubes for audio/synth use ?
I agree!
You see a lot of these products with tubes as a key sell factor but everything useful with a tube is neglected and they are run at starved voltages.
I think that you need to have at least about 90V, preferable 200V – 300V of power supply if the tube is to be used for anything “tubeish”.
Lower voltages than that it is just a gimmick…
Of course it is entirely possible to include a DC-DC converter to reach these voltages from a 12V supply, but you rarely see it done in practice…
What bugs me the most about this is that the sound you get from a starved tube can easily be done with diodes and an OP-amp (similar to the Ibanez TubeScreamer), with much greater freedom of design and better sound as a result, so the tube is really only there for show to warrant a higher price tag…
Cost how much? Good grief man.I feel like this would just blend in with all the free, weird, delay plugins I have. I don’t think I would know the difference. I guess if you don’t use a computer at all it’s cool.