Help! Archer Ikon is messing with my delay trails

[Padrino]

Really could use some ideas from people here...

 

I recently bought a J. Rockett Archer Ikon. When I plug that into my chain, my delay (Malekko 616) trails seem to "clipped", almost as though there was a noise gate after them. I use a pretty extensive board, but I traced the problem to simply to the Ikon. Normally I use a fairly long chain, but I recorded the samples with nothing more than Guitar -> Archer Ikon -> Malekko 616 -> Amp, and removing the Ikon from the chain to show the difference. Recorded with the Ikon OFF.

 

Samples are at the links below.

 

Without the Archer Ikon

 

With Archer Ikon

 

I'm very puzzled as how this could be happening, given that the OD is well before the delay in my chain. The only thing I can think of is that the Archer has some sort of noise gate / buffer on it that isn't playing nice with the 616.

 

Anyone have some advice?

 

For reference, my normal signal path is below

Fulltone Clyde Deluxe -> Wampler Velvet Fuzz -> Fulltone OCD -> Archer Ikon -> Catalinbread DLS -> Boss TU-3 -> Mooer Trelicopter ->Sweet Sound Mojo Vibe -> Boss CH-1 -> Volume Pedal -> Malekko 616 -> Malekko Spring Chicken

 

All of this is run directly into the front of the amp (neither of my tube amps have effects loops). However, the same problem occurs if I isolate the modulation effects in a loop with an old solid state practice amp I have.

[t_e_l_e]

i guess nothing wrong here

put a different pedal in front of a (analog) delay will "mess" around how the delay sounds. the trails are still there, but not as noticeable as on the clean sound...

you could increase the volume of the archer icon, or increase the mix on the delay or add "more trails" to make the repeats more noticeable

 

but basically its a feature from any analog delay that the repeats get washed out the dirtier the input signal is

 

[WRGKMC]

Sounds like the drive pedal has a fairly fast decay and the echo is simply capturing it.

 

Not sure if this applies but you may want to try the Pedal with its own independent power source. I've had some pedals like noise gates and other act strangely or at least less then optimal running off one of those spot one power supplies. Must have had something to do with its current rating or the fact the power was shared. I stuck it on its own adaptor and it worked fine. Like I said, I don't know if its the case here.

 

It kind of sounds like you have a hush box or similar gated noise filter in your chain some place. Not sure if the pedal has one built into it but I doubt it.

 

What it does have is what many call a Charge Pump. This is a step up voltage circuit which changes the voltage from 9Vdc to 18Vdc so the circuit has more voltage to work with. An incorrect DC adaptor may not have enough current to convert 9v to 18v properly and seeing this unit uses specific germanium diodes to get its sound, it may not sustain or clip properly.

 

This pedal is also supposed to sound best before a driven amp. If you have an effects loop your echo may sound better in the loop and seeing this a drive pedal designed to drive an amp into saturation, you could put it at the end of your chain or at least bypass most of your other pedals.

[Padrino]

Thanks - a noise filter is exactly what it sounds like to me. the strange thing is, the drive pedal wasn't on in that clip - it's simply it's presence in the chain (even when off) that does it.

 

I was trying it with both effects powered from my Furman board, which has isolated 9V outs. I didn't think that would be a problem, but I verified the same thing occurs when both are power with independent wall wart power supplies.

 

I'll probably end up putting it at the end of the chain after the delay, that does fix the issue. Though I guess it goes against the "rules" if you will, for placing dirt after delay. Very puzzling for sure.

[WRGKMC]

The review on the product does say the pedal remains powered like boss pedals do and are not true bypass. If the problem only occurs with the pedal off then using a true bypass loop pedal will removes it completely from the circuit.