The Analog Man AR20DL is a basic single analog delay pedal, the previous model to Analog Man's ARDX20 Dual Analog Delay12. It offers about 300ms of delay time, which the maker describes as typical for small delays, and it was listed at $145 when Analog Man's product page was current1. The pedal is no longer available: Analog Man stated in 2009 that these pedals were no longer being made1.
Where it came from
The pedal began as a Daphon analog delay, the E20DL, which Analog Man found at a shop in Japan. Daphon made the red pedals to Analog Man's special AR20DL design, and Analog Man then modified them in the USA1. The modifications cover the power supply section, which was reworked to run well on a battery or a 9V to 12V power supply, and the circuit runs on an internally regulated 8V supply for the wet bucket-brigade chip1.
The enclosure is the red sparkly color of the Boss DM-2 and DM-3, in lighter weight boxes, with the center REPEAT knob moved closer to make the LED easier to see13.
Sound and controls
Analog Man describes the AR20DL as tuned for a strong, warm, and clear dry normal tone, with the delays tuned for a little more upper mids and highs and smooth decays1. The maker also highlights how easily the pedal self-oscillates: it is described as super easy to get self-oscillation or infinite repeats going, without turning the repeat knob all the way up, and not touchy about it1.
"Ours is tuned for a strong, warm, and clear dry normal tone"
Power and battery
The AR20DL runs on a 9V to 12V DC regulated power supply or an alkaline battery, drawing only about 14mA, so an alkaline battery will probably last about 30 hours1.
Analog Man warns: "DO NOT use an old style carbon battery in this pedal or the tone may be too bright, even when bypassed."1
Bypass
Like the Boss DM-2, the AR20DL is not true bypass but buffered, and Analog Man says the buffer in it was tuned really well1. For players comparing delay pedals, this puts it in the same bypass camp as the Boss DM-2, a simple analog delay whose layout Pedal of the Day described as simple, and whose simplicity Boss's own interview subjects said became one of its most appealing traits once players moved on from crystal clear digital delay45.
The DM-2 connection
Analog Man makes the tonal comparison directly: the AR20DL has a similar tone to the DM-2 with a 9V power source, or to the Maxon AD900 Analog Delay with a 12V power source16. The DM-2's delay range, as described in Premier Guitar's coverage of Boss's Waza Craft reissue, is 20 to 300 ms7. The AD900, for its part, uses an unorthodox 12-volt power supply, as Guitar Player Magazine's 2001 review noted6.
The AR20DL-XL version
Analog Man also offered an extended version, the Analog Man AR20DL-XL, with a longer delay time of 600mS1.
| AR20DL | AR20DL-XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Delay time | about 300mS1 | 600mS1 |
| Circuit | single 3205 delay chip1 | extra delay chip piggybacked on the normal chip, with added circuitry1 |
| Sound | strong, warm, clear dry tone1 | about the same, maybe a little louder/stronger1 |
| Current draw | about 14mA1 | about 1mA more than the standard1 |
| Price | $1451 | $50 more at time of pedal order, or $75 plus S & H as an XL mod on an existing AR20DL1 |
Videos
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Questions
Is the Analog Man AR20DL true bypass?
No. Analog Man states the AR20DL is not true bypass, but buffered, and that the buffer in it was tuned carefully. The maker compares this to the Boss DM-2, which also uses a buffered bypass, and says the buffer was tuned so well that the tone holds up when the pedal is off.
How long is the delay time on the AR20DL?
About 300ms, which Analog Man describes as typical for small analog delays. The later AR20DL-XL version doubled that to 600ms by adding an extra delay chip piggybacked on the normal chip, with added circuitry to make it work.
Can the AR20DL run on a battery?
Yes. An alkaline battery will probably last about 30 hours because the pedal draws only about 14mA. Analog Man warns against using an old style carbon battery, saying the tone may be too bright, even when bypassed.
Is the Analog Man AR20DL still made?
No. Analog Man stated in 2009 that the AR20DL pedals were no longer available. The company's later dual analog delay, the ARDX20, is described in its manual as the model that followed the AR20DL.
What is the difference between the AR20DL and the AR20DL-XL?
The XL is an extended delay time version. Analog Man piggybacks an extra delay chip on top of the normal chip and adds circuitry, doubling the delay time from about 300ms to 600ms. The sound is described as about the same, maybe a little louder and stronger, with current draw about 1mA higher than the standard pedal.
Does the AR20DL sound like a Boss DM-2?
Analog Man itself draws the comparison, saying the AR20DL has a similar tone to the DM-2 when powered at 9V, or to the Maxon AD-900 when powered at 12V. The DM-2 is an earlier analog delay whose simplicity became one of its most appealing traits, according to Boss's own interview with users of the pedal.
Sources (7)
- Analog Man Analog Delay, analogman.com, 2017
- ARDX20Manual.pdf, Analog Man Guitar Effects, 2021-01
- Boss DM-3 Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2024-02-24
- Boss DM-2 Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2016-03-29
- Behind the Board: Mike Crawford with Portishead, Massive Attack, and Goldfrapp, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2024-08-08
- Maxon Vintage Series Review, Guitar Player Magazine (reprinted on maxonfx.com / Godlyke, Inc.), 2001-11
- Boss Introduces Waza Craft Compact Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2014-07-15
