EDM

EDM is Leqtique's first non-distortion effect. The delay circuit of the PT2399 chip, which is the mainstream of digital delay design in compact effects, has been researched to the limits, maximizing the potential of this attractive chip. By incorporating it into a mix circuit with the original sound using the LT1213 ultra-high resolution op amp from Linear Technology, which has a proven track record in Leqtique - Beryl, we have succeeded in outputting a unique high-resolution, wet delay sound.

 This circuit idea is the same as that of the PT2399, or in other words the majority of the digital delays in compact effects on the market, but the constant settings for each part that uniquely determine the tone are established values, so it was a format that was difficult to produce a big difference without detailed study. However, by making fairly bold settings for the constants that should have a big impact and then adjusting the overall balance, it has a tone that is very different from similar digital delays in compact effects on the market up until now.

 When I think of a spatial effector, not just a delay, the first thing that comes to mind as a designer of Leqtique is to take advantage of the ultra-high resolution or ultra-Hi-Fi heart element that I have cultivated in distortion effects. First, by turning the Level control all the way to the left to 0, the delay circuit does not affect the circuit that outputs the original sound as is, so you can experience how closely the original sound is reproduced in this EDM. The Level control is a simple control that determines how much of the EDM's delay sound is mixed into the original sound, so you can intuitively find the optimal position right away. The same can be said for the Repeat or Delay control, where Repeat determines how many times the delayed sound echoes up to around 3 o'clock and how much it decays. At 0, it echoes once, and at 3 o'clock, it approaches infinity. As for the delay, setting it to 0 will result in a 50ms doubling effect, while the middle range of 100-250ms will result in a slapback delay, and a Max 500ms delay will be output, the maximum level for the PT2399 format.

 The above controls, which are typical of delays, are very intuitive to operate, but you will quickly understand that the bold constant settings emphasize the original sound and create a thick, moist delayed sound. Many PT2399 format digital delays have a processed feel to the delayed sound, especially the low end, to create a light sound, but this unit, on the other hand, makes the delayed sound close to a flat response, creating a high-resolution yet wet sound image that is different from that of analog delays.

 On the other hand, the above explanation is for the case of Ambient=0, which is a mini control, and this control does not just form a filter to muffle the sound, but also acts as a stabilizer to compensate for the nature of the PT2399, where THD worsens when the Delay is set long. Musically, you can immediately touch on ideas by first setting the other three controls and then turning the Ambient control to the right. Unlike when you turn down the Level control, which leaves the sound image the same but only the delayed sound relatively lowers, the volume and attenuation also decrease slightly, and the tone has a flat response and outputs the original sound as it is, which is the exact opposite of one of the characteristics of EDM, and is more like a cave-type reverb effect that blends into the space. In practical terms, when playing fast passages with a distortion effect, using a short delay to create a reverb break is more effective, and when combined with a long delay and lots of repeats, turning up the ambient volume can also create a fantastical tone.This is a mysterious control that brings a completely different tonal aspect to this unit, evoking a kind of ambient music.

As a final bonus, when Repeat exceeds the infinite range, the delay sound begins to break down and oscillate, but unlike many digital delays that approach the oscillation sound of analog delays, this oscillating sound originates from the thick, strong decay sound of EDM (Ambient=0 is recommended), and you can discover an oscillating sound that can be heard in club music or "EDM". First, turn Repeat all the way to the right, then after it oscillates, turn the Delay control to 0, then turn it all the way to the right and back again to create a unique oscillating sound. Please use this as an idea for creating new music.

Control : (Left to Right) Level, Ambient(mini), Repeat, Delay

EDM Interview

Yuichiro Hosokawa

https://yhosokawa.myportfolio.com

--This is Leqtique's first delay pedal. First of all, please tell us the name of the model and the origin of the name.

- Shun Nokina (hereinafter, SN): First of all, the model name is "EDM". I would like you to imagine the origin of the name and what word it stands for. There are hints in the instruction manual, so please use them as a reference when you try to make it oscillate!

--Leqtique has only released boosters and distortion effects, so why did you decide to release a delay now?

-SN: There's not just one reason, but I've always made distortion effects, so I was worried that I might end up making something that was just an extension of what I've done up until now. At the same time, the main reason was that I wanted to try something that I'd never designed before. Also, up until now I've designed without any restrictions, but this time I decided on the framework of "how far I can go with a chip called PT2399 (an IC for making digital delays)," so that was also a new attempt .

--I think that only people who make effects pedals will understand what PT2399 is, so I'd like to ask, what kind of chip is PT2399? For example, what kind of characteristics does it have in terms of sound?

-SN: In a word, it is a chip that allows you to create delays relatively easily with some limited functionality. It is a very famous chip as a design idea for effects, and is used in several popular effects, but I feel that Mad Professor's Deep Blue Delay creates a unique character while bringing out the performance of this chip to its limits. It is difficult to say what kind of characteristics it has in terms of sound, as it depends on how you use the chip. For example, the aforementioned Deep Blue Delay and the EDM I made have completely different sounds even though they use the same chip.

--What was the fundamental concept behind EDM delay?

-SN: I felt that many delays using PT2399 had a light low-frequency delay sound, so I wanted to create a delay that would have a more solid sound that would return flatly. That was the concept. A flat, natural delay sound that doesn't sound fake. It's like turning up the reverb on the amp you normally use.

 

--I see.

-SN: Also, I feel it's very meaningful to be able to release a delay under the Leqtique brand. That's because, while there are more and more good distortion and boosters being made at low prices these days, I feel like that's not the case with delays and reverbs. I'm glad we can release a good delay at the Leqtique price range.

--So, the price is the same as other Leqtique effects?

-SN: That's right.

--What are each of the four controllers that are included?

-SN: The big knobs are Level, Repeat, and Delay, which set the volume of the delay sound (the mix level of the delay sound against the original sound), the number of delays, and the delay time, respectively. And the small knob is Ambient.

--What is Ambient?

-SN: It's easy to say that the delay tone can be muffled by turning the knob, but when you actually use it, you can make the delay sound more reverberant, like a blurred sound. It's not about the volume of the delay sound, it's about getting closer to reverb. So it goes well with clean tones, and with distortion. I think there's a story that if you use distortion and delay together, you can't tell what you're playing, but if you turn up the Ambient, the delay sound doesn't overlap with the original sound, so it blends in nicely.

--It certainly sounds a little different from the tone correction of typical delays. Rather than being muffled, it seems like the delay sound is farther away. What kind of technology did you use to achieve this?

-SN: It's the same with distortion, but we believe that there is important filtering in the circuit that has a critical effect on the sound, and filtering that is necessary to make the circuit work but is not important, and Ambient controls one of those critical filterings.

--What is the longest delay time?

-SN: 500ms.

--You mentioned Mad Professor's Deep Blue Delay earlier, but are there any products from other brands that you consider to be rivals?

-SN: Delays using the PT2399 often end up sounding similar, but I think the Deep Blue Delay is the one that stands out the most.

--First of all, what do you think makes an excellent delay sound?

 

-SN: Personally, I'm a reverb person, and I like delay sounds that go beyond delay, like the ones Allan Holdsworth creates using eight delays. First, there's the purely super clear digital delay sound, and in contrast, the vague reverb sound. The PT2399 I used this time approaches its functional limits when the delay time is set long, so the delay sound becomes unclear, but in this EDM, the circuit, constant settings, and part selection allow for an incredibly clear sound, and if you shorten the delay time, you can get a very high-fidelity sound. Conversely, if you set the delay time long and use the Ambient controller, you can also get a vague reverb sound.

--I think there were other genres besides delay, such as compressor and modulation, but why did you choose delay?

-SN: The existence of the PT2399 chip mentioned earlier. I was originally attracted to the PT2399. Many manufacturers make delays using the PT2399, but they are similar to each other and have some differences. So, what would happen if I made one? I wanted to challenge myself. I think of delays using the PT2399 as being like a TS type of distortion.

--There are other ICs besides the PT2399 that can create digital delays, and I think you could have created an analog delay if you had wanted to. But you wanted to use the PT2399?

 

-SN: When we talk about distortion, many manufacturers make TS-type effects, right? It's a challenge for manufacturers, and I think there are times when they want that kind of (TS-type) sound. The same goes for the PT2399. Even when making a delay, you can't make only one type, so you wanted to try making a delay in an orthodox format using the PT2399. "First of all" might mean "first of all," but I think it could also be said to mean "all of them." TS-type effects have that kind of nuance, don't they?

--So, if there is one component that is most important to this EDM, is it the PT2399?

-SN: Yes. I think it's the PT2399 and the op-amp used in the circuit that mixes the delay sound and the original sound. As for the circuit that mixes the original sound, as you know, I'm oriented towards high fidelity, so I do the usual things to keep the original sound thick and clear. The PT2399 element is important for the delay sound, but I think the constant settings related to the PT2399 are more important than that. How to make the most of the performance of the PT2399, or not to kill it, but the number of repeats that affect the tone is also determined by the constants.

--By the way, is the op amp used in the mix circuit related to the original sound the Linear Technology "LT1213"?

-SN: Yes. The LT1213 is very faithful to the original sound, and the LT1498 made by the same company is also faithful enough to the original sound, but it is a little lighter and more dignified, and the LT1112 is also good.

--As usual, many of the resistors used are made by PRP.

-SN: Same as usual. However, sometimes I need a more exotic resistor value, so I use the RN55 made by DALE.

--What is this transistor-like part?

-SN: That's a regulator. The PT2399 is often used regulated to 5.0V, but I run it at 6.0V. The rated value of the PT2399 is 6.25V, but running it at a value very close to that is a secret that greatly affects the dynamics of the effect.

--We've heard that the painted swirl pattern on the surface of all Leqtique products is chosen in a color scheme related to each model, but why did you choose this color scheme this time?

-SN: This was the first time I'd made an auxiliary device other than a booster, but I tried to give it my own unique character while keeping in mind that it would be used alongside other effects as an auxiliary device.

--Do the colors themselves have any meaning?

-SN: The color itself has a meaning, but the other day when Todaka-san (Todaka Masashi Art School, MONOEYSE, Ropes, etc.) came to our workshop, he looked at the "9/9S" (Shimamura Musical Instruments limited model) and said, "I wish the delay was this color," and that comment has stayed in my mind ever since, so I based the design on a similar paleness. There are some that were inspired by Monet, an Impressionist, who I love.

--Will EDM be released under the L' brand later, just like Leqtique's other products?

-SN: I would like to release one, and I am thinking about doing so, but unfortunately there are a lot more parts involved compared to distortion pedals, so I think it will be quite a while before it is released.

--Recently, the Leqtique brand has released many 2-in-1 series. Will EDM be incorporated into these?

-SN: I'm trying to do that. There's a lot of demand for 2-in-1 distortion and delay. For example, for me it's Beryl and EDM. I think it's perfect for use in sessions.

--Finally, the EDM is Leqtique's first delay pedal, but do you have any plans to release any other effects pedals other than distortion pedals in the future?

-SN: I'm not sure, but I'd like to release "Zolo EQ" soon. It's an equalizer, so it's in a different category from distortions and boosters. However, since I'm planning to release Zolo EQ from a custom line that ignores limitations and is thoroughly particular about its sound, it may not be as expensive as I'd hoped...

*↓This time, it is a feature-length documentary starting from the middle of development, so we hope you enjoy not only the EDM sound, but also the real story from the design stage to the final product.