I got a Zen Delay this week. I’ve had plenty of delays, but I love how hands-on and performative this is 
Really big sweet spot on the feedback so you can leave stuff repeating for ages if you wish and that filter is a real peach. Bandpass mode is really useful and works great for adding swells, risers and such into a tune. Very happy bunny indeed 
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Yes! I want to foot-stomp how tolerant the feedback is on the Zen Delay. Most of my delays I’m more or less terrified of ever pushing feedback past 10 o’clock. The Zen Delay, though, is so controlled that it really shines when doing exactly this. Don’t be afraid to get aggressive with it!
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Ive wanted one of these for a long time, but have prioritized life and other things. At least from what I’ve heard in the demos the analog drive seems to be the weak link? How are people getting along with it? I don’t see it discussed or used too much.
I really like the drive.
Thing is, I think “Drive” gives people the wrong idea. It’s not what you use to gain-stage the Zen Delay (that’s the input). The “Drive” knob acts more as a “Drive wet/dry” setting. Which is cool because it lets you really play the distortion up and down without needing to ride the input gain to keep things level.
But I think some people have tried it out with the input real low, and then turn the Drive expecting it to crank things up. And nothing happens because the input isn’t strong enough to clip so the dry and wet drive sound more or less the same. I think I did the same thing the first dozen times I used it before I read the manual. So I totally understand the confusion.
But I don’t know. It’s warm, crunchy, full of color, and prone to distort. That’s not what everyone wants from a drive, but it’s fantastic for feeding into a delay/filter combo.
I guess it is the “weak link” in as much as it’s my least favorite of the drive/delay/filter. It’s pretty cool, but the delay and that filter are just so 
that it’s hard for it to compete.
To put it another way, I don’t think I’ve ever used the drive solo, but that’s because it’s impossible for me to put the Zen Delay in my signal chain and not start messing with the polivoks, not because the drive is bad.
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Ty for the detailed info! I’ll keep this in mind for when I eventually pick one up… hopefully by the end of the year. I have an Analog Heat for the saturation side of things, so not wanting there, it’s just that I hadn’t heard much discussion of this outside of brief mentions in reviews. I’ll need to keep it in context.
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Mines just got delivered today.
Im getting this whining noise when using the filter section. More really on the HP filter but hear it a little on the others(not when bypassed). I could live with the LP,BP noise as isnt too bad but the HP is too much. See my video.
Any one tried the firmware to solve or should I return?
Mines going back after day 1 because of this. Gutted. Wanted this for ages. If could get one without this whining noise on filter(espesh HP) id defo take it.
So gutted right now after boxing it back up to return.
I just saw the Benidub digital echo mk2 at gear4music and put an order down. Should be here next week!
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I could never get on with the digital delay mode. The repeats would just die when changing the rate regardless of how much feedback was up. Filter was awesome and the drive was awesome, but the digital delay was just so disappointing.
Are you talking about the Zen Delay?
Yes.
Edit: If I recall, it would turn into a mess of a high pitched whine not related to the pitch of the source material.
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Hmm a second hand unit is on its way to me and now I read this about issues and whining noises. Will definately check my unit. Would be a shame!
Btw, anyone know if the bypass is buffered yes/no?
How can I check which firmware I’m on?
i couldnt replicate it. besides, never use the HP anyways, its all about the LP and BP for me 
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then don’t return it!
If I could bag one without this id be all in…great delays.
Contacted Erica and they said part of the design. Think it must pickup noise from itself (close components) or something.
I just tried it, and yes, with the resonance up to 50 and above you do hear a slight noise.
but I don’t really see the problem, this will completely disappear in the mix when playing an instrument through it, and when not playing, just turn the resonance down (or bypass the pedal)…
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Looking to clarify the signal flow. The filter does not feed back into the delay, it is placed after the feedback loop, correct? It was mentioned in another thread that the Zen cannot do true dub delays and I’m thinking this might be why.
.
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If I’m reading that correctly, the filter does not feed back into the delay.
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The first time I looked at this I thought the output of the filter was looping back around to the input of the delay but I see now that this is the dry signal. Of course, the drawing might not be 100% accurate!