The Spürr Audio MD-800 Modulated Digital Delay is a delay pedal that combines digital delay with built-in modulation. Pedal of the Day describes it as pairing "the digital precision" of delay with analog-style character, and its reviewer summed up the pedal as "a futuristic style with classic analog delay tonality, along with a couple of sliders and light-up meters to make it an instant conversation starter."1
What it does
The MD-800's modulation section is built around an LFO system inspired by the low-frequency oscillators found in popular '80s chorus units such as the CE-2 and Small Clone. Unlike optical circuits, the modulation is fed directly to the echo processor, which Pedal of the Day says ensures seamless integration between the two stages.1
The modulation introduces spontaneous wave inputs within the delay repeat stage, creating a subtle "wear and tear" effect that the reviewer says enhances the sound's texture and warmth. Players who want the delay without that movement can turn it off: setting the Depth and Rate controls to zero disables modulation entirely, leaving a straight digital delay.1
Design
The enclosure is a deliberate throwback. Pedal of the Day writes that the exterior "evokes memories of VHS players and vintage lo-fi equipment, as a tribute to the '80s," with sliders and light-up meters carrying the theme.1
The modulation section draws on older chorus designs: Spürr Audio describes it as "an LFO system inspired by low-frequency oscillators found in popular '80s chorus units such as the CE-2 and Small Clone"1. The way that modulation reaches the signal also differs from some familiar circuits. "Unlike optical circuits, the modulation is directly fed to the echo processor, ensuring seamless integration," according to Spürr Audio1.
Related Spürr Audio pedals
Spürr Audio builds the MD-800's modulation around "an LFO system inspired by low-frequency oscillators found in popular '80s chorus units such as the CE-2 and Small Clone," and feeds that modulation "directly to the echo processor" rather than through an optical circuit, which the maker says ensures seamless integration1.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
David Greer
Questions
Can the MD-800 be used as a plain digital delay without modulation?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that users can disable modulation by setting the Depth and Rate controls to zero, so the pedal runs as a straight digital delay when the modulation section is turned down.
What does the modulation on the MD-800 sound like?
According to Pedal of the Day, the modulation introduces spontaneous wave inputs within the delay repeat stage, creating a subtle "wear and tear" effect that adds texture and warmth to the repeats. The reviewer described the overall result as a futuristic style with classic analog delay tonality.
Sources (1)
- Spürr Audio MD-800 Modulated Digital Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2024-12-08
