The Bondi Effects Art Van Delay is an analog delay pedal with a digital control section, announced by Bondi Effects on October 5, 2018 and offered for pre-order at $3991. Its analog signal path uses bucket-brigade delay circuitry, while the controls, presets and connectivity are handled digitally23. The design was inspired by the delay pedals of the late '70s and early '80s, and specifically by two widely admired analog delays: the Boss DM-2 and the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man23.
An analog-path delay with digital control
The Art Van Delay's core idea is a split between the audio path and the control brain. As Pedal of the Day put it21:
"And while the signal is analog, the control portion is digital"2
Guitar.com described the pedal at launch as one that "combines vintage bucket-brigade powered analog delay with modern digital modelling"1. For a player, that means the repeats come from bucket-brigade chips, the technology behind the classic analog delays of the late '70s and early '80s, while a digital section handles tap tempo, presets, MIDI and expression control23.
The controls break down as follows:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time knob | Standard delay time control2 |
| Level and Feedback knobs | Standard delay fare2 |
| Tap switch | Sets the onboard delay time; held down, produces maximum feedback2 |
| Subdivision toggle | Chooses between 1/8 note (600ms max), 1/4 note (1200ms max) and dotted 1/8 note (900ms max)2 |
| Bypass footswitch (held) | Accesses the 2 onboard presets2 |
The pedal keeps an analog signal path with a digital control portion, combining the analog circuitry of the DM-2 with the vibrato modulation of the DMM2. The two onboard presets are indicated by two LED colors that flip flop when you go back and forth between them2.
On the sound, Pedal of the Day's reviewer described it as "part analog warmth, part wild, modulated abandon," with "bucket brigade analog delay sounds with old school warbles," and concluded2:
"This delay, simply, sounds incredible"2
Connectivity: expression, Aux and MIDI
The pedal is housed in a classic boxed enclosure1 and carries a broader set of control options than its '70s and '80s inspirations had:
- An Aux jack on the side lets you control Bypass, Tap Tempo, Presets and any parameter knob with an expression pedal2.
- Guitar.com noted that hooking up an external expression pedal "will allow you to create swells of varying delay depths and feed[back]"1.
- The pedal features an Expression Output3.
- It accepts MIDI clock2.
The user manual covers firmware updates for the pedal, with instructions on page 94. The two onboard presets are indicated by two LED colors that flip flop when you switch between them2.
From the Boss DM-2 and Deluxe Memory Man
Pedal of the Day describes the Art Van Delay as "inspired by two of the most iconic delay pedals of all time: the Boss DM-2 and the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man," and as "combining the analog circuitry of the DM-2 with the vibrato modulation of the DMM"2.
The Boss DM-2 was the first BOSS analog delay in the compact pedal lineup, built on a retro BBD (bucket-brigade device) circuit; BOSS notes that turning up its Intensity knob drives the effect into gritty self-oscillation5. Its controls include Repeat Rate, which controls the repetition rate of the delayed effect6. The Deluxe Memory Man, meanwhile, is remembered for its vibrato-style modulation, the character the Art Van Delay borrows for its modulated repeats2.
The difference is control. The DM-2 offered a handful of knobs and nothing else, while the Art Van Delay wraps a similar analog repeat character in tap tempo, presets, MIDI clock and expression control2. Delicious Audio framed it at launch as "a tap tempo enabled, bucked brigade delay + modulation pedal"3.
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Questions
Is the Bondi Effects Art Van Delay analog or digital?
Both, in a split arrangement. The signal path is analog, using bucket-brigade delay chips, while the control portion is digital. Guitar.com described it as combining vintage bucket-brigade powered analog delay with modern digital modelling.
Does the Art Van Delay have tap tempo?
Yes. A dedicated Tap switch sets the onboard delay time, and holding it down produces maximum feedback. A toggle switch selects between three repeat subdivisions: 1/8 note (600ms max), 1/4 note (1200ms max) and dotted 1/8 note (900ms max).
How many presets does the Art Van Delay have?
Two onboard presets, accessed by holding the Bypass footswitch. Two LED colors flip flop to show which preset is active. A review also notes that MIDI gives access to presets 3 through 32.
Does the Art Van Delay accept MIDI?
Yes, it accepts MIDI clock. Per Disaster Area Designs, it defaults to MIDI channel 10 or channel 3 and can be reconfigured to use another channel.
What is the delay time range of the Art Van Delay?
The overall delay range runs from 40ms to 1200ms. The maximum available within that range depends on the subdivision toggle setting: 600ms in 1/8 note mode, 900ms in dotted 1/8 note mode and 1200ms in 1/4 note mode.
Can I use an expression pedal with the Art Van Delay?
Yes. An Aux jack on the side lets you control Bypass, Tap Tempo, Presets and any parameter knob with an expression pedal. Guitar.com noted this allows swells of varying delay depths and feedback.
Sources (6)
- Bondi Effects launches the Art Van Delay, Guitar.com, 2018-10-05
- Bondi Effects Art Van Delay, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2020-04-14
- Bondi Effects Art Van Delay + Modulation, Delicious Audio, 2018-10-02
- Art Van Delay Firmware Updates, Bondi Effects
- BOSS - PX-1 | Plugout FX, BOSS (boss.info)
- Boss DM-2 Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2016-03-29
