Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
- inverseroom
- on a wing and a prayer
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Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
Hey, y'all, long time no see.
I got my hands on a Super Time line ADM2048. It works, passes signal, successfully creates echoes. All the time buttons seem to work fine, with the delay times usually correct. But the output is…inconsistent. It sometimes has trouble maintaining pitch. The LFO knobs have less effect than they should (and a lot less effect than the, let's say, whimsical pitch changes the machine creates on its own). Sometimes there's a high fizzing sound, sometimes the echoes are a little distorted.
I cleaned and lubricated all the pots and switches, which didn't really improve matters. Time seems to have made it more "normal" (I've put a couple of hours of playing into it), but it's still touchy. At present I'm happy to use it just as a somewhat haunted doubling machine for guitar, but I'd love to get it shipshape.
What should I try next? New electrolytic caps?
I got my hands on a Super Time line ADM2048. It works, passes signal, successfully creates echoes. All the time buttons seem to work fine, with the delay times usually correct. But the output is…inconsistent. It sometimes has trouble maintaining pitch. The LFO knobs have less effect than they should (and a lot less effect than the, let's say, whimsical pitch changes the machine creates on its own). Sometimes there's a high fizzing sound, sometimes the echoes are a little distorted.
I cleaned and lubricated all the pots and switches, which didn't really improve matters. Time seems to have made it more "normal" (I've put a couple of hours of playing into it), but it's still touchy. At present I'm happy to use it just as a somewhat haunted doubling machine for guitar, but I'd love to get it shipshape.
What should I try next? New electrolytic caps?
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- zen recordist
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Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
i have no idea. but hi!
- Snarl 12/8
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Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
That thing is from the era where you gotta start suspecting the caps, IMO. But it could be a lot of work to not really solve anything. Do any of the caps have leakage or bulging? Does poking around on the board with a non-conductive stick change anything? I'd start with a visual inspection and jiggling shit while passing signal through it. But I'm a total hack, I should mention.
- Snarl 12/8
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Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
Oh, and welcome back.
Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
It kinda sounds like it has aged perfectly, perhaps you should consider keeping it, in it's current unpredictable state?
Put it this way, if I had one, that was working correctly, I'd trade you in a heartbeat.
Put it this way, if I had one, that was working correctly, I'd trade you in a heartbeat.
The previous statement is from a guy who records his own, and other projects for fun. No money is made.
- Scodiddly
- speech impediment
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Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
Capacitors, obviously. That's usually a fairly cheap and easy thing to replace, and a good idea in gear that old. Just pay attention to polarity.
And yeah, welcome back!
And yeah, welcome back!
- inverseroom
- on a wing and a prayer
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Re: Keeping a DeltaLab Super Time Line alive
Thanks, guys! Nice to see y'all. No, the caps aren't leaking or bulging but that doesn't mean they haven't failed…maybe I will give it a try. A pleasant afternoon's work if all goes well, right? If I get round to it I will report back.
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