MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay

The MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay (M292) is an analog delay pedal from MXR, first released in 2017 as an expanded version of the company's Carbon Copy Analog Delay¹. Where the original Carbon Copy gives you 600ms of delay time, the Deluxe doubles that to a full 1.2 seconds and adds the tap tempo facility players had been asking for since the original launched²¹. Under the hood it keeps the analog bucket-brigade design the Carbon Copy line is known for: Guitar World's review counts eight bucket-brigade chips inside³.

The controls

The Deluxe keeps the three core knobs familiar from the original Carbon Copy and adds top-panel control over the modulation that was buried inside the M169².

The pedal comes in MXR's compact wide housing to accommodate the multiple controls on its top panel³. There are footswitches for Tap-Beat (tap tempo) and Effect (on/off), with an orange LED above the Tap-Beat that flashes the current tempo³.

The modulation is a big practical difference from the original. On the M169, modulation is optional and adjusted with internal trim pots for width and rate⁶; on the Deluxe, the Speed knob sits on the top panel alongside the delay controls, so you can dial in modulation on the fly rather than opening the box.

Tap tempo up to 1.2 seconds

The headline feature is tap tempo. The M292's tap tempo switch unlocks a full 1.2 seconds of delay potential, with delay time spanning 40ms to 1200ms⁴¹. Pedal of the Day called tap tempo "probably the main thing everyone wanted that was missing about the original"⁵.

The Tap Division switch, accompanied by an easy-to-read status display, gives four subdivisions: dotted 8ths, 8ths, triplets, and 16ths¹. That covers the rhythmic settings most players use for tempo-synced delays, from straight eighths to the dotted-eighth pattern common in ambient and rock playing.

The pedal also holds two preset slots⁷. Combined with the expression jack, this gives you more flexibility than the single-knob original: you can program two different configurations of the Delay, Speed, and Width knobs and the Bright, Tap Div, and Mod switches, then blend or switch between them¹.

Expression and external control

The EXP jack accepts an expression pedal or an external footswitch⁴. An expression pedal sweeps between the two programmable "A" and "B" setting configurations; the MIX and REGEN knobs cannot be controlled with an expression pedal⁴. An external tap switch can act as a tap tempo control, toggle between A and B configurations, or control the Bright, Tap Div, or Mod buttons when programmed at power-up⁴.

History and versions

The Carbon Copy family starts with the MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay (M169), released in 2008, which MXR describes as delivering rich, warm bucket-brigade delay with up to 600ms of delay time and modulation⁶⁸. Dunlop notes that in the 10 years since its 2008 release, the Carbon Copy became a rock 'n' roll staple⁸.

The Carbon Copy family has since grown to include the Carbon Copy Deluxe Analog Delay, announced with availability due that October⁹¹⁰¹¹, and the Carbon Copy Mini Analog Delay (M299), a compact version with 600ms of delay time¹⁰¹², and a 10th Anniversary Edition of the original with the same circuit and features⁹¹⁰¹¹.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's Paul Riario reviewed the Deluxe in March 2018 and was positive about both its flexibility and its sound:

Delicious Audio's best-analog-delays guide describes the Deluxe as an expanded version of the classic Carbon Copy with more delay time (1200ms), two preset slots, tap tempo and subdivisions⁷. Pedal of the Day's write-up says the Deluxe "takes the original and makes it better," all while retaining the warm sounds the original is famous for⁵.

For context on the family as a whole, MusicRadar's buying guide lists "authentic analogue delay tones" among the Carbon Copy's strengths¹³, and gearnews' delay buying guide reports that user feedback consistently praises the Carbon Copy for how naturally it sits in a mix, especially with overdrive and fuzz where cleaner digital delays can feel too sharp¹⁴.

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