Modular Add-On: Doepfer A-188-1 BBD – Softube Delay Module

The module models the warm, dirty sound that BBD delays were known for in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Softube describes it as capable of dirty delays, sharp slapbacks and swirling ambience. Because the signal degrades as the delay time grows, the effect adds a distinct texture to drums, guitars, vocals and synth sounds alike.

High feedback and very short delay times can also produce Karplus-Strong style plucked string tones, which makes the module useful as a sound source as well as an effect.

The hardware Doepfer module comes in six versions with 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048 and 4096 stages. Here all six are packed into one module, and you can switch between them with a single click. The number of stages changes the delay length and the character of the sound.

A switch lets you turn off the audible noise bleed from the high-frequency clocking oscillator, or keep it for a more authentic sound. You can blend the modulated delay in parallel with the dry signal to build flanging, doubling and chorus effects, or take the wet output separately and process it on its own.