The Ibanez DML Digital Modulation Delay is a digital pedal from the mid 1980s that puts three effects in one box: flanger, chorus and delay. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as a unique digital modulation delay that combines those three distinct effects in a single unit1. It was sold under the Ibanez name, and according to JHS Pedals, all three versions in the family were made by Maxon2. The line ran in three generations: the original DML in the L Series, then the DML10 Digital Modulation Delay II and the DML20 Digital Modulation Delay III in the Power / 10 Series234.
What it does
As a modulation delay, the DML covers ground that separate delay and chorus or flanger pedals would otherwise take up two or three boxes for. RockBoard describes the circuit type as digital1, and TONEHOME notes that the original DML does 512 ms of delay time5. TONEHOME also lists the DML's collectibility as high and its availability as rare5, so finding one today usually means the secondhand and vintage market.
The three versions
The DML name covers three pedals that Ibanez moved between series as the line developed. JHS Pedals describes the path: the digital modulation delay was originally from Ibanez's L Series, then moved to the Power / 10 Series as the Modulation Delay DML10 II, and then the Modulation DML20 III234.
| Version | Series | Produced | Delay time | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DML Digital Modulation Delay | Master / L Series | 1985 to 1986 | 512 ms | rare5 |
| DML10 Digital Modulation Delay II | Power / 10 Series | 1986 to 1987 | 9 ms to 900 ms | rare3 |
| DML20 Digital Modulation Delay III | Power / 10 Series | 1987 to 1991 | 1 ms to 1024 ms | 4 |
The DML10 controls its range with a four position mode selector, producing delays from 9 ms up to 900 ms, and a D-Time knob that fine tunes the delay time you want3. The DML20 stretches the range further: TONEHOME notes that its delay times from 1 ms to 1024 ms cover a very wide spectrum, and that the DML20 operates on the same principles as other delays such as the DDL20 Digital Delay III, but with the added feature of modulation4. TONEHOME's DML20 page also passes along a player setting for chorus tones: set Repeat to 0 and D-Level to about 3 or 44.
None of the three versions has been reissued. TONEHOME lists the DML, the DML10 and the DML20 as re-issued: no534, so any unit on the market is a used original from the 1980s or early 1990s.
Power and practicalities
The DML runs on 9V DC with a center negative connection and draws 80mA1. That is a meaningful draw for a single pedal, and it is worth accounting for when planning a power supply.
At 80mA1, the DML draws more current than many compact pedals of its era. A supply with enough headroom per output is the safe way to run one.
TONEHOME hosts the Ibanez DML Digital Modulation Delay manual as a PDF at tonehome.de5, which is useful for a used-unit buyer since the pedal predates the era of easily found online documentation.
Where it sits in Ibanez's delay line
The DML family belongs to a broader 1980s Ibanez delay output that also included the DDL Digital Delay, the DDL10 Digital Delay II and the DPL10 Digital Pan Delay. The DML's distinguishing feature across all three versions is the modulation section layered on top of the delay engine, which is what sets it apart from the plain digital delays in the same series24. For players interested in the lineage, Ibanez's later delay pedals such as the DE7, the Echo Shifter and the recent Layer Delayer carry the line forward, though none of them is a reissue of the DML.
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Questions
What voltage does the Ibanez DML use?
The Ibanez DML runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, the standard for most pedal power supplies, and draws 80mA of current. That draw is higher than many compact pedals, so it is worth keeping in mind if you power a board from a daisy chain or a low-output supply.
Has the Ibanez DML been reissued?
No. TONEHOME lists the DML, the DML10 Digital Modulation Delay II and the DML20 Digital Modulation Delay III as never having been reissued. All three are out of production, and the original DML is described as rare with high collectibility.
What was the original price of the Ibanez DML?
TONEHOME gives the 1986 list price of the Ibanez DML as $230 USD, which was also listed at 499 DM in Germany at the time.
Who made the Ibanez DML?
The pedal was sold under the Ibanez name. According to JHS Pedals, all three versions of the digital modulation delay were made by Maxon, the Japanese manufacturer that built much of Ibanez's effect line.
Sources (5)
- DML Digital Modulation Delay by Ibanez, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- PEDALS I WISH I MADE, JHS Pedals
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME, 1986
