Maxon | AD80 Analog Delay V2

AD80 Analog Delay has simple features with controls for Delay Time (adjustable from 10-300 milliseconds), Repeat (number of echoes) and Blend (level balance of delay signal). The unit houses one 9-volt battery accessible by removing four screws on the base of the unit, which is approximately the same size as a typical MXR effect pedal.

An AC adapter jack is provided as well as individual quarter inch input and output jacks. The AD80 uses a standard SPDT footswitch that operates quietly. One input and two outputs are included so one can run the unit in stereo, with one signal completely dry and the other delay-only.

These days, the question always seems to emerge, “Does X product have ‘True Bypass’?” The answer with the AD80: no it does not and here’s why I think you shouldn’t care. In my opinion, where true bypass has an impact is with effects such as a wah pedal. The inductor and components within a wah make it so you can noticeably tell the difference in tone when you turn the wah off. Highs are cut and the level is slightly reduced. Now 99.9% of the other pedals made and available out in the market have such excellent buffering, that you’re NOT going to hear any difference anyway. So while True Bypass can be considered desirable, and is certainly helpful in marketing, it can be expensive and difficult to implement in pedals with JFET switching such as the Maxon AD80. Try hooking up the AD80 in a chain and listen to it bypassed and then hook up a true bypass pedal in the same chain while removing the Maxon and again listen to the bypassed signal. I’d place a bet that you wouldn’t hear any difference. Again, the reason I ramble on about this is that I think honestly the whole true bypass deal has been way overhyped. I still get e-mails from people asking me if I’ll modify their Boss boxes for true bypass and I give everyone the same story. Yes, cool to have, definitely not such a big deal in most cases if you don’t. Did Hendrix, Page, Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan or countless others care that they didn’t have true bypass? I seriously doubt it. O.k. back to the review….

The manual that accompanies the AD80 is the same as the OD808 and is particularly useful because it includes not only basic operational directions, but sample settings also for obtaining different types of sounds. A warranty card is included and the AD80 and the unit is backed by a limited 3-year warranty on all non-moving parts such as transistors, while potentiometers and jacks are covered by a 1-year warranty.