Maxon AD-900 Analog Delay

Quite simple really. Just plug in the provided 12 volt AC adapter and turn some knobs...Some users are complaining about the "Wall Wart" clutters this pedal and they would prefer a battery operated unit. Well, it just wouldn't be the same now would it? The 12 volt operation of this unit allows for much more head room then a 9v batt. This pedal was thought out well, I can see why it was designed this way.

I've been using this pedal in line with other hand made effects units (Fulltone, Prescription Electronics etc...). My setup goes like this: PRS Custom 22 guitar + RMC Picture Wah + FT FullDrive 2 + Klon Centaur OD + FT Choral Flange + PE Vibe Unit + FT SupaTrem + Maxon AD900 into one of two amps A) Fender Vibro King or B)Bruno Cowtipper 45 2x12 Combo. Generally I gig with the these effects and the Bruno Amp (Loud ass amp), at stage volumes the AD900 outperforms any analogue pedal I've ever used (Boss DM2, Way Huge Aqua Puss, HK Replex and more...) this is not to say it doesn't do well in a studio environment, in fact that's when it really shines! cuz you know how live volumes can effect your sound quality:( however, the AD900 hold up very nicely but it's definitely a studio quality pedal nonetheless. Luckily I was able to try this pedal out at a local music store before buying it and ,with my extensive Analogue delay experiences, this puppy just stood out from the crowd (not a very big one unfortunately). I would describe the character of this pedal to be somewhat "Spongy" sounding, very smooth, never harsh or mangled and muddy. I find that it behaves much differently with each of my amps. With the Fender I get a lustrous sheen to the delayed sound and with the Bruno there's a fat midrangy kinda presence. This id probably more to do with the amps natural tone characteristic more than anything. The best thing is your tone is never compromised with this pedal. Analogue Delays are often very colorful, that's their nature and sometimes they add their own funk to the effected delay sound. The Memory Man is known for this type of coloration, and that's a good thing but the AD900 sounds pure and marries itself with your existing tone. Much like anything, if your tone sucks to begin with than pedals will not correct it. I play Classic Rock and Blues, this pedal does it's job and oh man! does it sound great! It's quite not hissy at all, you don't even know that it's on until the first note is played. Works excellent when I drive it with my overdrive pedals, completely fattens up my tone, Great for solo work just the way I like it Fat, Warm and Clean.

I've had it for about 3 months now and use it on gigs 4 times a week (at least) 3-4 hours a night not to mention practice sessions... Seems to be pretty rugged but I never gig without a backup. Currently My Aqua Puss hold that spot and I might pick up another AD900 if I can find one.

no experience.

Fantastic Analogue Delay. I have finally found my perfect setup, this pedal compliments and adds wonderfully to it! and I don't wish it had a 9v batt. because then it wouldn't be this exact pedal ,the one I'm nutz over, anymore. Analogue Rules!

Just got it yesterday! I had it up and running within minutes...there are 3 adjustable peramiters, you know them already so I'll stop there. The manual which came with the unit is simple and to the point, it's a combines manual with the entire Maxon "Vintage" series effects. There are some sample settings which help out but for the most part you just need to adjust to taste. This unit is packed full of goodness under the hood, there are like 6 adjustable trim-pot peramiters mounted on the board surrounded by four MN3008 Panasonic chips (now defunct). But the factory settings sound great outta the box and don't need any fine tuning IMO.

Anyway, there's lots of versitility in this little pink cream puff! tons of sweet spots can be dialed in...my setup goes like this Fender American Strat (stock pups) or Gibson Standard Les Paul (Classic 57's)>>FT Clyde Wah>>FT Fulldrive 2>> Z-VEX Fuzz Factory>>Diaz Tremadillo>>Maxon AD-900 >> 59 Bassman Reissue or Bogner Shiva combo w/reverb. Sounds very excellant, rich tones ooze outta thin pedal. Just what I expected, clean fat and round. There's no muddiness to be found here...I've put the AD-900 head to head against a DD5, and my friends Way Huge Aqua Puss...well let me tell ya, the AD-900 distroys the DD5 in terms of warmth and character (DIGITAL DELAYS SUCK HARD). The Aqua-Puss held it's own against the Maxon however seemed to lacked a certain roundness on the tappered delays. Even my friend agreed the Maxon sounded just a bit sweeter and has 300ms of extra delay time to boot! He's looking to buy one too, as soon as he can afford it, hopefully before they're all gone...in any case, the AD-900 is definately a real winner!

Miticulously constructed.

No Experience

Excellant Analog Delay. I've been playing guitar for over 25 years and I've never come accross an Anolog Delay with this much versitility, not to mention character...It's hard to find a nice anolag delay now days that has over 300ms of delay time and doesn't muddy up your tone. The Maxon AD-900 puts out some mouth watering sounds with wonderful clearity. I couldn't say that this pedal is an outstanding value, I mean it really costs too much IMO but at the end of the day, after enjoying the natural warm sound quality this pedal has to offer, it's worth every penny...Grab one, you will love it!

This is just an update to My previous reveiw. I had mentioned the AD-900 comes with either 4 MN3005 or 2 MN3008 Panasonic Chips, that's not true it's the other way around. I beleive theree are two configurations out there it's either 4 MN3008's or 2 MN3005's... sorry for the mix-up! I opened the unit last night and reolized mine cam loaded with 4 MN3008 chips which ,I gather, are half the delay time as the MN3005 but as mentioned before: Both chips have been discontinued by Panasonic. If you haven't had a chance to try this Gem yet let me assure you these chips sound wonderfull, the unit really costs an assload but well worth it! Anyway, just an update! Please e-mail me with any questions or your Favorite settings...

Very easy to use. 3 knobs figure it out...

I've got this pedal in the effects loop of My Mesa RectoVerb 50 allong with a Fulltone Choral Flange. Sounds Warm NOT muddy at all. The dude that says this thing sounds muddy is surely insane! This pedal Sounds exactly the way an anolog Delay was ment to sound and even better. This pedal has 600ms of delay time which derives from 2 MN3008 chips or 4 MN3005 chips. I'm not sure but, there seems to be two versions of this pedal. I have the 4 chips, both Panasonic chip models have been discontinues nontheless. Anyway, the pedal Works great with distortion pedals like Fulldrive 2 and Vintage Rat as well as SIB Vari Drive. This pedal sounds incredable, it nails the vintage analog sound to a T!

Seems to be built well. The switch operation is smooth and quite. Should last a long time..

N/A

These pedals are very Rare and they will not be anymore made after this run due to the now discontinued MN3005 and MN3008 Panasonic chips. I'm so glad I've had a chance to get one. What a sweet Sweet pedal. Get one if you can... Highly recommended for sure!

Very easy. Three knobs. Delay time,Repeats,Mix.

Dont know why anyone would give this a bad rating unless they have no idea what a great ANALOG delay is supposed to sound like. This is the most awesome tone. There is alot of versatility in the box also. This box can do just about anything you want it to with 600ms of delay. Prices have went through the roof on this delay pedal. It would be hard to pay $400 dollars for this box. I got mine off ebay for alot less. It was soooo worth it. It is by far my favorite analog delay pedal. I also have to AD-80. Thats another review. I do not notice any mudding of my sound. Switching is awesome. You cant even tell you kicked it on untill you play a bar. ZERO noise on or off. One of the sweetest analog delay pedals you can buy. Guitar player magazine also gave this a Pick Award and gave it high praise in the November 2001 issue. One of the main reasons i tried this pedal. Boy am i glad i did.

I have talked with Godlyke and they seem like some great people. Very willing to help with anything i needed. Quick responce time also.

With the price i paid i'm will say it is a great value. The only thing i have against it is the aweful wall wart. You think they could of found a 9volt solution. O well. It at least comes with the wall wart. If it were lost i would have to buy another and probally pay way to much for it. It works well for all styles of music its a delay pedal.
I have played for 12 years now and this is by far the best analog delay a have tried. I will say i have only tried a few but why bother to try more now. The only other one i want to try is the Way Huge pedal. You may want to do the same. I have heard good things about it. If you can find one.

There are 3 knobs: Delay Time, Repeat, and Delay Level, very straightforward. Delay range is 40msec to 600msec.

I used a PRS custom and a Les Paul Standard through a couple of amps; a Mesa/Boogie Single Recto 50, a Marshall JCM 800, an Ampeg B15, a Fender Bassman 10 and even a Line 6 POD. This pedal sounded awesome through every one of them, producing an effect ranging from just noticeable to heavy echo. This unit is also designed to feedback when you have the repeat and mix maxed out, which can be really cool at times. The unit is not as quiet as a digital delay, but noise is nothing major. Although the AD900 is not true bypass, it is an FET buffered circuit, and when the effect was off I did not notice any signal loss at all.

The large housing design is the same as Ibanez's/Maxon's from the '70s. Looks and feels solid and should last a long time, but I really can't say because I have had it for only 2 months. Inside, the circuit is laid out nice and clean. This makes it easy to work on in case of failure. I noticed on mine that there are 4 of the MN3008 chips not the advertised 2. I know that some of these came with 2 of the MN3005 chips, and I've read that the MN3005 allows for twice the delay time as the MN3008 so it makes sense that mine has 4.

Kevin at Godlyke (Maxon's North American distributor) has been really responsive to my emails. I had a few questions when I first bought the unit and he replied within the same day.

I play music from all different backgrounds, jazz, rock, r&b, blues etc., and this pedal works well throughout. I compared this side by side to the Boss DD5 and there is a huge difference, the AD900 sounds much thicker. Of course the AD900's repeats have less top end than the DD5 but I definitely would not say this pedal is muddy. I also compared the AD900 to the Ibanez AD9 and the sound was close, however the AD9 seemed to sound a bit more compressed. The only thing I don't like about this pedal is that a wall wart powers it exclusively, and being that it is a 12-volt supply, replacements may be harder to find than the standard 9-volt version. I know a circuit like this probably eats batteries like crazy, but I think Maxon could have made a better design with a built in regulated power supply instead of the wall wart. For this I am only giving it a 9. Analog delays are not as in your face as their digital counterparts. They have less high end and degrade with each successive repeat. Many digital delays sound as though you were gradually turning down the volume with each repeat. For this reason analog delays are liked or disliked. Some say they are muddy, others say they are warm. Let your ears decide. There are not many choices for analog delays that have a longer delay time than 300msec(typical max for analog delays), certainly not in this price range. I purchased this pedal for $305 with tax, a used Aqua Puss is going for $400+ and is only approx 300msec max delay time. The Mooger Fooger has 800 msec but it costs $600. The AD900 is definitely an excellent delay with a great tone offering a wide range of delay time at a relatively reasonable price.

Simple to use. Plug it in and go.

I use an ESP Vintage Strat Plus and an ESP MH-201 with a Marshall JCM 600 a Crate Vintage Clubman 50 (The Old blond one not the new black one) and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe that i have modded. This pedal is quiet as they come. The delay sounds good regaurdless of the setting. Its very warm and capable of whatever setting I need. I give it a nine cause no delay sounds perfect without tubes or tape.

Havent had it very long but the case is cast aluminum and when I inspected the insides it seemed well built. I would take it too a gig without a backup if I did'nt have one. And after the $400.00 I paid for this I'm glad I do have a back up cause I damn shure can't afford one now.

I have never delt with Maxon customer support but have herd and read good things.

I play blues to Metal and lots of leads. I have been playing for about 25 years started at 12. If it were lost? I won't lose it barring a natural disaster. If it were stolen? I would hunt down the creatin and mame his sorry ass. The ease of use use and quality of sounds are awesome. I talked to the guy who owns musictoyz or gaspedal.com and he said ther are about 100 of these left in the states and thats it no more. I can't think of a pedal delay to compare this too the closest to quality and sound would be the Boss or the Ibanez 9 series but they dont come real close.

Pretty easy to use, 3 knobs:- D-Time, Repeat & D-Level. Pity there are no numbers or markings to help you find a particular setting again. Knobs are loose enough to be easily twisted in transport, so fun finding the "exact setting" again.
A rather over-sized box (1/2 empty) & there is plenty of space inside for a 9v battery or even two, but this has not been provided for - it runs with the wall wart only :-(
Despite the AD-900 name and earlier review below, this anolog delay has a capability of up to 600 ms, not 900 ms.
I agree with the earlier reviewer though, that (suprisingly, and despite all my expectations) "300ms is plenty" :- all the classic rock echo sounds can be got without using the extra long delays that the 600 ms can provide. I tried a lot of experimentation, but in practice on gigs I found myself never going past the 1/2 way mark on the D-Time knob.

Using this with a '64 Strat with Fralins, in the FX loop (also tried it before the input) of a Dr. Z "Maz Junior" or with a Fender Pro Junior. A big dissapointment. I've had several echos / delays in my 30 years of playing, including the old 'tape' echos, both tube and solid state, and more recently a Chandler delay. I know Analog Delays are supposed to be "warm" but this is just plain muddy. NOTHING like as clear as, say , the much hyped Way Huge "Aqua Puss" - I wouldn't mind betting someone at Maxon has put a high pass filter in here to try to emphasise the "vintage" sound, ...and totally screwed it. There is so much loss of treble on the delayed signal that you have to turn the mix right up when you need to hear a clear repeat, and then it interferes with your playing. Bummer. This means that the AD 900 can only be used where you want a really pronounced echo "effect", not just left on to enhance the sound, as it just "muddys" everything too much.
Opening the box reveals 11 (yes, eleven!) miniature pre-set pots, maybe one of these can be tweaked to reduce the loss of treble, I dunno. Don't really want to try in case I make matters even worse. Anyone have any ideas?

Seems pretty typical Maxon/Ibanez quality, so I guess it'll be good for a few years, although I've only had it two and a half months. I've actually stopped using it on gigs because of the poor sound quality of the repeats, but on the couple of dozen or so I used it on it functioned OK, although the "wall wart" is a pain and came out a few times, which completely cuts the guitar signal (i.e. no true by-pass, so no power to AD 900 = no sound at all from your amp when its in your signal path).
I'd go without a backup as I can play OK without any delay/echo.

Got a quick response from Mutsuo Kishida at Maxon / NISSHIN ONPA CO., LTD. when I enquired about this. He said Maxon can't deal with the public, but he put me in touch with retailers. I don't speak any Japanese, so lucky he has prerfect English.

I play rock, blues, pop and country, some originals, some covers, in different bands, gigging 2-4 nights a week, and have been playing 30 years. I mainly used this is the FX loop of my Dr. Z amp, sometimes with a Demeter 'Tremulator'. I also use a Klon Centaur pro overdrive. It didn't make any difference whether I use this alone or as above, the delayed signal suffers from far too much loss of treble, so that it really muddies the sound. In the end - after a couple of dozen or more gigs fighting with it - I decided it is just more trouble than its worth, and its been left at home since. If anyone can tell me which pre-set to alter to get back the 'top end', I'll give it another try.
Luckily I got this at the equivalent of US$167, which is a LOT cheaper than I see it's going for on US web sites. Still wasn't worth it.
I'm not prepared to pay US$400 for a 2nd hand 'Aqua Puss', so I guess I'll have to just wait for Atomic (aka Future Analog Technologies, maker of the " F.A.T. Multi-Scream" TS 808 clone much hyped on www.musictoyz.com) to bring out their 'Echo Clone" ...apparently they bought up all the old surplus circuit boards for the Aqua Puss from Way Huge and are due to re-release it (for US$275) in August (2001).
I'm keeping my fingers crossed !

Standard 3-knob analog delay configuration: delay time, number of repeats, and mix level. This delay features 900ms of delay time and is in the bigger sized box like the early maxon pedals (and some even had the ibanez name). Go to this link for a picture: http://www.zyband.com/ad-900.jpg The knobs are large enough that you could put a rubber cap over the knob like they used to do on the MXR pedals, and turn it with your foot to increase/decrease one or maybe two of the knobs. Since these knobs are farther apart it would be even easier to use in this fashion.

Not giving a 10 here, but may upgrade in the future. It sounds very good, I have not had the chance to compare it to the smaller 300ms version the AD-80. I did have the Ibanez circa 1982 AD-9 pedal, which was good but maybe a little muddy. It's been a long time since I played thru the ibanez delay... I do have some recordings, however. The Maxon pedal is replacing a boss DM-2, which I've been using the last few years. I will do a side by side comparison and come back to this another time. For now, I would describe the maxon ad-900 as warm but not muddy (trying to avoid using that "t" adjective but I think it's inevitable). I find the Boss DM-2 to be a little on the muddy side, and not in a warm toneful way. The AD-900 is supposed to have two of the famous Panasonic MN3008 bucket brigade to get you the 900ms, hence the hefty price tag.

Hopefully, the bbd chips won't wear out anytime soon, other then that any of the web pedal gurus should be able to fix it if it started to crackle or something. I supposed if it broke in the next two years, I would contact Kevin at Godlyke distributing. He's responsoive to emails (we had a lengthy discussion about the true-bypass "mystique" ;-). This pedal does not have a mechanical 3PDT, it uses an FET circuit. Kevin assured me that Maxon's circuit is done well. And with the size of this box, I'd be able to change it to such a switch if I needed to. No numerical rating yet as it is an early review. Will come back to this after it sees more gigs, but I'd say the constuction is pretty solid.

Very helpful, see maxonfx.com for the US distributor, ask for Kevin. I also emailed the sales guy over in Japan at Nisshin Onpa (www.maxon.co.jp), he was responsive as well. Certainly NOT like dealing with a huge Japanese company that makes everything from satellites to coffee machines... know what I mean, boss?? I mean they might have a huge parent company, but they seem accessible.

I play blues rock type stuff, am influenced by Cream, Hendrix, and 70's rock stuff. Some of the new stuff is good, but in NY/NJ you gotta look hard, it surely isn't played on the radio :-) OK, back to the AD-900. Nice pedal. A little pricy, I think I got a good (relatively) quoted price because I pre-ordered it, I was looking on the web just now, and it seems to be up closer to $400 now that they are in stock. They probably weren't getting a good enough markup on it! If cost is a serious issue, then look at the Maxon AD-80, 300ms is plenty, I probably won't use the longer delay times often anyway, but I wanted to splurge on this one. I've been sick of waiting for a decent analog delay. I figure if I get a good buck for the DM-2 on ebay, that will recover some of the high price. I'll probably get almost as much for the DM-2 as I paid used for the loaded boss carrying case and two extra pedals back during the rack mount craze :-) I use a 60's strat and an 80's dean or hamer with excalibur cables into a pedal board with, these days, all fulltone stuff except for a pro-co rat for heavier sounds (been eyeing the maxon distortion master as a replacement for the rat). The amp is either a dumble-esque Fuchs Overdrive Supreme, or Holland Magma head. So this clear sounding delay is a nice addition to this rig. P.S. I listened to the sound clips on the way huge website and the maxon pedal's echoed tone sounds better to my ears then the aqua puss.