Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Nano

The Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man Nano (sold as the Nano Deluxe Memory Man) is a compact analog delay pedal with chorus and vibrato, released by Electro-Harmonix in 2021¹. It is a smaller version of the large-format Deluxe Memory Man, the bucket-brigade delay and modulation pedal that Delicious Audio calls "the gold standard for analog delay and modulation" after more than four decades². The Nano keeps the same delay, chorus and vibrato modes as the original, with a maximum delay time of 550ms¹³.

EHX describes the pedal as delivering "the unmistakably lush delay, chorus and vibrato of the benchmark large-format Deluxe Memory Man" in a compact, pedalboard-ready chassis¹. Guitar.com reports that its circuit is "as close to the original as it could possibly be, right down to the two MN3005" bucket-brigade chips⁴.

An analog delay with chorus and vibrato

The Nano is a bucket-brigade analog delay: the signal passes through MN3005 chips that hand the audio along in discrete steps, which gives analog delays their characteristically warm, degraded repeats. On top of the echo, a modulation section wobbles the delay time, slow for chorus and faster for vibrato, just as on the original Deluxe Memory Man⁴. Guitar.com's reviewer Richard Purvis found that "the familiar lushness that's been bewitching players and listeners for four decades is right there" when dialing in modulation, though he noted that "as pure chorus it has a slightly metallic quality, but it's pretty nonetheless"⁴.

The original Deluxe Memory Man earned its reputation on records. MusicRadar notes the effect "can be heard on scores of classic records"⁸, and Pedal of the Day called the big-box version "one of the best ever" analog delays⁹. The Nano carries those same three modes forward: Premier Guitar's buying guide confirms it "features the same delay, chorus, and vibrato modes as the original" while giving full control over modulation speed³.

The controls

The Nano is a single-footswitch design with six knobs⁸. The Delay knob sets the delay time from 30ms to 550ms, increasing as you turn it clockwise¹. That range extends well past previous versions of the Deluxe Memory Man, which MusicRadar reports had a maximum delay time of 300ms⁸.

Two LEDs help you keep an eye on the signal: a red one that lights when the delayed signal starts to clip, and one that shows whether the effect is on or off⁸. Delicious Audio describes the clipping indicator as "an overload LED which lights when the signal going into the analog delay block is too hot"².

The Tails Switch and bypass

Inside the pedal is a Tails Switch, and it decides what happens to your repeats when you stomp the pedal off⁸. With Tails on, the pedal uses buffered bypass and the echoes ring out to their natural feedback decay after bypassing. With Tails off, the echoes are muted immediately and the pedal runs as true bypass¹. MusicRadar describes this as a choice between "a tails mode, ie allowing the delay to continue and its repeats fade of its own accord after switching the effect off, or true bypass operation"⁸.

Guitar Player lists the footswitch as mechanical true-bypass, with buffered bypass selectable by the internal switch⁷. This differs from the big-box reissue of the Deluxe Memory Man, which is true bypass without the tails option¹¹.

A smaller Deluxe Memory Man

The Nano measures 4.5 x 2.75 x 2.1 inches in what EHX calls a "pedalboard friendly, compact, rugged enclosure"¹. Guitar Player's Art Thompson notes it "takes up less than a quarter the floor space of older 'big box' units"⁷. For decades the large-format DMM was a pedalboard staple, and this smaller version aims to capture its sound while saving space³.

The Nano is not the only modern take on the circuit. The Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT and 1100-TT are later variations on the Deluxe Memory Man, and the 1100-TT has since been discontinued, in 2025¹²¹³. The original big box Deluxe Memory Man is also discontinued, with the DMM XO now available in its place¹⁴. The Nano stands apart from these by taking up less than a quarter the floor space of the older big box units while staying analog⁷¹.

On That Pedal Show, Mick Taylor and Daniel Steinhardt compared the Nano directly with Dan's original vintage Deluxe Memory Man, asking whether the new pedal sounds anything like the old one¹⁵.

What reviewers said

Reviews of the Nano were largely positive, with some caveats about ergonomics and vintage accuracy. Premier Guitar's reviewer concluded that "the Nano fundamentally sounds like a really good bucket brigade delay," while noting that "most vintage DMM users will find the Nano's repeats comparatively toppy," meaning brighter than the old units¹⁶. The same reviewer found that "the close quarters and tiny knobs make it hard to achieve the same ergonomic satisfaction and freedom of movement" of a big-box unit, but that the pedal "facilitates creative, on-the-fly adjustments" despite the space constraints¹⁶. Their overall verdict: "what the Nano does not achieve in perfect vintage correctness, it makes up for in utility and a distinctive tone signature"¹⁶.

Compared with other delays, Premier Guitar found the Nano's repeats "hazier and more glued together" than a Boss DD-5, particularly with overdrive or fuzz upstream, and not quite as midrange-heavy as MXR's Carbon Copy Bright¹⁶. Slapback tones "take on a brash attitude that shines in recording situations where a lead or hook has to stand out"¹⁶. The reviewer also cautioned that the brighter voice makes "modulation peaks a little more intense, so you may not be able to use quite as much depth" as on a vintage unit¹⁶.

Guitar Player's Art Thompson praised its "rich, clear analog sound and very low noise," calling it "a must-have for anyone who thrives on the lush, organic vibe of analog echo"⁷. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen acknowledged the compromises plainly: "Okay, it's mono only" and there is "no tap tempo facility"¹⁰.

Who uses it

The Deluxe Memory Man family has a long player roster. MusicRadar reports it "has been used by the likes of Robert Smith, Chris Cornell and the Edge," with the Edge famously using it on U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"⁸. Legendary Tones noted that "artists ranging from Eric Johnson to the Edge of U2 used this unit to great effect on many songs"¹⁷. Pedal of the Day describes the big-box version as "used extensively by The Edge"⁹. These players are associated with the original Deluxe Memory Man rather than the Nano specifically, which arrived in 2021.

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