The CKK Electronic Fluid Time MKII is an analog delay pedal with digital control. The audio signal path is all analog, built around bucket brigade device (BBD) chips, while a micro controller handles the control side: tap tempo, mode switching and bypass options1. It is the second generation of the pedal, with the first generation released in 20111.
The pedal already existed under the Sinvertek umbrella before CKK Electronic released this version, and the two share the same core concept1.
An analog BBD delay with digital control
The Fluid Time MKII is CKK Electronic's take on the bucket brigade delay with digital controls1. The maker describes the signal path as fully analog, with the micro controller managing functions rather than processing the audio1. Five reissued MN3208 BBD chips do the delay work1.
The maker says the tone preserves the traditional features of a bucket brigade device, describing it as warm and hoarse, misty and hazy, and full of the analog taste1. Pedal of the Day's reviewer heard it similarly, calling the pedal as warm, vintage and inviting as it can be2.
The pedal also has an FX loop, so you can insert other effects into the delay's feedback path2. Internally, the maker chose what it calls a military-level PCB and high quality components1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Sets the delay time, up to 750ms2 |
| Regen | Controls the feedback and repeats2 |
| Blend | Mixes your dry and delayed signals2 |
| ∆ (small knob) | Works differently depending on the mode, adjusting second delay times, pitch modulation and more2 |
| Working Mode toggle | Selects Kill Dry or one of the three special delay modes instead of Normal2 |
The layout is similar to CKK's Space Station TTM Stereo Delay Reverb, but with a differing set of controls2.
Modes and tap tempo
The Fluid Time MKII features tap tempo and tap division functions1. Other functions include six tempo subdivisions and Dry Kill1.
In addition to Normal mode, the pedal has three special working modes1:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dual Time | Set up 2 fixed delay times and toggle between them by pressing the tap tempo footswitch1 |
| Step Over | Delivers a strange effect with pitch-shifting modulation, which the maker calls perfect for sci-fi moments1 |
| Take Off | Gives a special increased feedback momentary effect when you hold the tap tempo footswitch1 |
When using the tap tempo function, you can get a lo-fi BBD delay signal with a delay time of up to 2 seconds1.
Bypass and connectivity
Beyond the common true bypass and buffer bypass, the pedal is also equipped with trail bypass, so repeats continue to ring out after you switch it off1. It also has a super buffer circuit to buffer the original signal, which the maker says keeps the signal pure in complex interference environments1.
A CTRL/CV jack lets you control and switch the bypass, tap tempo and special working modes. You can also connect a CV pedal or generator to adjust delay time and parameters1.
How it relates to the Sinvertek Fluid Time
The pedal as a matter of fact already existed under the Sinvertek umbrella before this CKK version appeared1. The Sinvertek Fluid Time MKII is likewise a BBD delay with digital controls, reaching up to 700ms, and includes tap tempo, an FX loop, subdivisions and trails3. It has the same three modes of operation: Dual Time, Step Over and Takeoff3, plus CV and expression inputs3.
On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick looked at the Sinvertek version and noted its tap tempo with different tap tempo divisions, its dual time mode that switches between two different delay times, and its effects loop4. Dan described Sinvertek as a Chinese company making really high-end nice stuff4.
"you've got a tap tempo which is quite cool you've got different tap tempo divisions"
That Pedal Show's demo of the Sinvertek Fluid Time MKII covers the tap tempo divisions, the dual time mode and the effects loop4:
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the CKK version in December 2020 and was enthusiastic about it2:
"the CKK Electronic Fluid Time MkII Analog Delay is nothing short of incredible, perfectly reproducing that classic 80’s analog delay sound with ease."
Videos
Premier Guitar
Pete Thorn
Dennis Kayzer
Questions
What BBD chips does the CKK Fluid Time MKII use?
The pedal is equipped with five reissued MN3208 BBD (bucket brigade device) chips. That is what gives it its analog delay signal path, with the digital side of the pedal handling control functions such as tap tempo and mode switching rather than the audio itself.
How long is the delay time on the Fluid Time MKII?
Pedal of the Day reports the Delay knob sets delay time up to 750ms, while Delicious Audio's product page gives 700ms. In tap tempo mode the pedal can reach up to 2 seconds, but with a lo-fi BBD delay signal.
Is the CKK Fluid Time MKII true bypass?
It offers three bypass types: true bypass, buffer bypass and trail bypass. The buffer bypass uses what the maker calls a super buffer circuit, designed to keep the original signal pure in complex interference environments, so you can choose trails or buffering instead of hard true bypass.
What is Dual Time mode on the Fluid Time MKII?
Dual Time mode lets you set up two fixed delay times and toggle between them by pressing the tap tempo footswitch. It is one of three special working modes alongside Step Over, which delivers pitch-shifting modulation, and Take Off, which gives increased feedback when you hold the tap tempo footswitch.
How does the Fluid Time MKII relate to the Sinvertek Fluid Time?
The pedal already existed under the Sinvertek umbrella before CKK Electronic released this version. Sinvertek is a Chinese company making high-end gear at sensible prices, and its Fluid Time MKII shares the same concept: a BBD delay with digital controls, tap tempo, an FX loop and the same three special modes.
Sources (4)
- CKK Electronic Fluid Time MKII Analog Delay, Delicious Audio, 2020-09-18
- CKK Electronic Fluid Time MkII Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2020-12-20
- Sinvertek Fluid Time Delay MKII, Delicious Audio, 2017-07-26
- TPS Pick’N’Mix: Orange Fur Coat, Vertex Steel String, Walrus Audio Julia, Sinvertek FluidTime II, That Pedal Show (youtube.com), 2017-10-03
