The Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man TT-1100 Analog Delay is an analog delay pedal with tap tempo, built around bucket brigade delay chips and modeled on the company's own Deluxe Memory Man circuit. Electro-Harmonix describes it as an "Analog Delay with Tap Tempo" and rates it at 1100mS of maximum delay time, a figure the model number reflects1. Pedal of the Day's 2016 review summed up the appeal plainly:
"it sounds downright amaxing, and we're glad we got our hands on one to hear the hype for ourselves"
The same review notes the pedal's standing in the delay world: "Considered by some to be the finest analog delay ever produced"2.
Controls and tap tempo divisions
The TT-1100 carries the Deluxe Memory Man control set with tap tempo added on top. Modulation, the chorus-like wobble the Memory Man is known for, gets its own depth and rate controls2:
- Rate and Depth: fully adjustable control over the Rate and Depth of the modulation2
- Tap Tempo: the sound of the Deluxe Memory Man with the addition of Tap Tempo2
- External tap switch input: an input for an external tap switch, so temps can be set without reaching the pedal2
The tap tempo footswitch can be divided against the tempo you tap, which is how players get rhythmic, syncopated repeats without tapping every note2:
| Tap subdivision | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Dotted eighth | The classic syncopated ringing echo |
| Quarter note triplet | A swung, rolling subdivision |
| Eighth note | Repeats on every eighth |
| Eighth note triplet | A shuffle feel |
| Sixteenth note | Fast, dense repeats |
All five subdivisions come from Pedal of the Day's review of the pedal2.
Power and bypass
The TT-1100 runs on 9 Volts, and Electro-Harmonix provides a power supply with the pedal2. Bypass is true bypass, so the delay circuit is out of the signal path when the pedal is off2.
The 1100-TT and the 550-TT
Electro-Harmonix made a smaller sibling, the Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT, also described as an "Analog Delay with Tap Tempo"3. Pedal of the Day, which had reviewed the 550-TT earlier and "were quite impressed," found that "the control layout, Input and Output jacks, Tap Tempo capabilities and the FX Loop are all the same" between the two pedals2. The difference is in the delay time on offer: the 1100-TT gives 1100mS of maximum delay time1, while the 550-TT's figure is shorter, as its model number indicates.
Versions and the original chips
There are two versions of the TT-1100 to know about if you are shopping secondhand2:
- Original run: the first 1100-TT pedals contain NOS Panasonic MN3005 bucket brigade delay chips, the same type of chip found in classic analog delays, and carry a "Tap Tempo" graphic2
- Newer models: these feature a different graphic that says "1100-TT" instead of "Tap Tempo," and they use different, high-quality ICs in place of the old-stock MN3005s2
Pedal of the Day notes that the first-run pedals have become scarce, and that their prices when they do show up reflect that2. The MN3005 chips are part of the story: "The classic analog delays we always hear about, or perhaps even own, used special bucket brigade delay chips," the review explains, which is the circuit topology the TT-1100 is built on2.
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Questions
Is the Deluxe Memory Man TT-1100 true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists the TT-1100 as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the delay circuit loading it down. That matters on a pedalboard where the delay sits in front of other time-based effects, and it is one reason players have kept the Deluxe Memory Man design in use for so long.
What power supply does the Deluxe Memory Man TT-1100 use?
The TT-1100 runs on a 9 Volt power supply, and Electro-Harmonix provides one with the pedal. Use the supplied adapter or a matching 9 Volt supply, and note that the pedal's current draw and polarity details are not published on the pages covered here, so match the supplied adapter's output when choosing a replacement.
How long is the maximum delay time on the 1100-TT?
Electro-Harmonix rates the 1100-TT at 1100mS of maximum delay time. That is roughly a full second of repeat, which covers everything from a short slapback to longer, more spacious echoes, and the model number itself reflects that figure.
What is the difference between the 1100-TT and the 550-TT?
The 550-TT is a smaller version of the 1100-TT. Pedal of the Day notes that the control layout, Input and Output jacks, Tap Tempo capabilities and the FX Loop are all the same between the two. The main difference is the maximum delay time: the 1100-TT offers 1100mS, while the 550-TT's number reflects its shorter maximum.
Can I connect an external tap tempo switch?
Yes. The TT-1100 has an input for an external tap switch, so you can set temps without bending down to reach the pedal, which is useful if the pedal sits in a rack or on the back row of a board.
Which chips are in the original TT-1100 pedals?
The original 1100-TT pedals contain NOS Panasonic MN3005 bucket brigade delay chips, according to Pedal of the Day. Newer models carry a different graphic that says 1100-TT instead of Tap Tempo, and they use different, high-quality ICs in place of the old-stock MN3005s.
Sources (3)
- Deluxe Memory Man 1100-TT, Electro-Harmonix
- Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man TT-1100 Analog Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2016-12-05
- Deluxe Memory Man 550-TT, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
