The DMB Lunar Echo is an analog delay pedal, described by Pedal of the Day as a bucket brigade type analog delay1. On the Lunar Echo, Pedal of the Day found the repeats are nice and dark, and when set high enough they degrade into washes of noise instead of musical notes for repeats1. That character, along with a momentary "Take Off" switch that sends the pedal into self-oscillation at the push of a button1, makes it a pedal aimed at players who want a delay that can break down into noise on purpose.
Controls and features
The pedal's controls and extras, as described in the Pedal of the Day review1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | The middle knob, controls the level of the effected signal in comparison to your dry signal |
| Space | Shapes the delay character; can be controlled with an expression pedal via the expression input |
| Delay type switch | Up position selects Hi-fi mode |
| Take Off switch | A momentary switch that sends the pedal into self-oscillation at the push of a button |
| Effects loop | Lets you loop other effects into the delay circuit so only the delays are being effected |
| Expression input | Lets you control the Space knob with an expression pedal |
The effects loop is the feature that sets the Lunar Echo apart from most delays: anything you patch into it sits inside the delay circuit, so your dry signal stays clean while the repeats run through the looped pedals. Pairing it with an expression pedal on the Space knob turns the pedal's tone into something you can sweep live1.
Hi-fi mode and self-oscillation
The delay type switch has a Hi-fi position (up) that changes how the repeats behave. Corey F. described it this way1:
"Hi-fi gives you a more controlled and consistent delay. while it is certainly still nothing like a digital delay, it"
In other words, Hi-fi mode is the cleaner, more disciplined side of the pedal: it allows more repeats without self-oscillating, useful when you want a conventional dark analog delay rather than a noise machine. Outside Hi-fi mode, and via the momentary Take Off switch at any time, the pedal runs away into self-oscillation, where the repeats build on each other into washes of noise. Players interested in noise, drone and experimental sounds have a dedicated footswitch for exactly that1.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's guest reviewer Corey F. summed the pedal up this way1:
"All in all, this is a very unique and flexible analog delay."
He recommended it highly for anyone interested in noise or drone, and for studio engineers overall1. For a player comparing it against other delay pedals, the Lunar Echo sits on the darker, more experimental end of the analog delay field: bucket brigade repeats, a loop for coloring only the echoes, and self-oscillation on a footswitch.
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Questions
Is the DMB Lunar Echo analog or digital?
It is an analog delay. Pedal of the Day's reviewer Corey F. described it as a bucket brigade type analog delay, the kind of circuit where repeats get progressively darker rather than staying identical. He called it a very unique and flexible analog delay, and recommended it for anyone interested in noise or drone, and for studio engineers overall.
What does the effects loop on the Lunar Echo do?
The effects loop lets you place other pedals inside the delay circuit itself, so they affect only the repeats and not your dry signal. As Corey F. put it in his Pedal of the Day review, you can loop other effects into the delay circuit so only the delays are being effected.
Can I control the Space knob with an expression pedal?
Yes. The Lunar Echo has an expression input that lets you control the Space knob with an expression pedal, according to the Pedal of the Day review. That makes the pedal's character something you can sweep with your foot while playing.
What is the Hi-fi mode on the Lunar Echo?
Hi-fi is the delay type selected with the switch in its up position. Reviewer Corey F. described it as giving a more controlled and consistent delay, clean-ish, that allows more repeats without self-oscillating. He noted it is still nothing like a digital delay.
How does self-oscillation work on the Lunar Echo?
The pedal has a momentary Take Off switch that sends it into self-oscillation at the push of a button. The repeats are described as nice and dark, and when set high enough they degrade into washes of noise instead of musical notes for repeats.
Sources (2)
- Guest Reviewer Fridays: DMB Lunar Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2016-05-27
- DMB Lunar Echo, Pedal of the Day, 2016-05-03