Bel Electronics BD-80 delay - any good?

jazzius · 19th July 2003

Anyone know this delay unit?........is it useful?

Wiggy Neve Slut · 19th July 2003

Bel gear is pretty cool and cheap even though it can be a little noisy like a lot of 80's gear. The flanger is WAY cool for drums instant 60's pschydelia drums.. whoa man!

sometime it will need a bit of teching out to make them work and sound ace.. the flanger has the same chipset in it as the MUTRON bi phas as in the word of Fletcher that in my books is 'worth the price of admission alone'

PEACE
Wiggy

jazzius · 19th July 2003

cheers, Wiggy.......is the flanger the BD-80 or is that a different unit?

De chromium cob · 19th July 2003

I know they make a hell of a radar detector.... The Bel 980 has saved my ass more than a few times.

2064 · 19th July 2003

I have been using Bel BD80´s for over 12 years now and if you can get a good sounding unit they are well worth it. I have now gone through about 6 of them and the last one I have is on its last legs. I have yet to find someone that can refurbish these units properly.

The first time I used one was for triggering a sampled snare from a real snare off tape, I also used it for spinning in 8 seconds of vocals for repeated choruses (if I had a bad vocalist), As Slipperman pointed out they were a very big deal when they first came out. For me it brought basic sampling my way for the first time as well as cool delays. I had so much fun in those early days!

If you get a good sounding unit the delays will sit in the mix very nicely on just about anything. Great for vocals especially as delay seems to be very fashionable again these days

Oh and theres a stereo version BD80s. Never heard it, but reports are pretty good. If the stereo version sounds like the mono version your on to a good thing.

toolstudio · 22nd July 2003

Yeah the BD80 is quite cool. Different sounding than the Lexicons but good sounding. The triggers are also cool, but if I do triggering than I use the AMS.

There are two versions, a grey one and a blue one, don't know about difference. My BD80 has about 4 seconds delay time.

The flanger is the BF20. Really cool, reminds me a bit on the eventide instant flanger. You could also flange with an envelope follower.
There are also two different units, a 2U blue face one (like we have) and an 1U grey unit.

The stereo BD80 is called BD80S, haven't seen one, we have only the BD80 mono.

wolfgang

valvusmusicus · 19th February 2011

I have one for sale-see classifieds
Hope its OK to post this here!?!?!

kinkyr · 19th May 2011

i want to get a bd-80s does anyone know if it has memory on it ?
can you save settings ? or you have to dial in from scratch everytime

19th July 2003	#1
jazzius Lives for gear Joined: Nov 2002 Location: Amsterdam.....The Netherlands Posts: 593 Thread Starter	Bel Electronics BD-80 delay - any good? Anyone know this delay unit?........is it useful?

19th July 2003	#2
Wiggy Neve Slut Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 2,205	Bel gear is pretty cool and cheap even though it can be a little noisy like a lot of 80's gear. The flanger is WAY cool for drums instant 60's pschydelia drums.. whoa man! sometime it will need a bit of teching out to make them work and sound ace.. the flanger has the same chipset in it as the MUTRON bi phas as in the word of Fletcher that in my books is 'worth the price of admission alone' PEACE Wiggy __________________ If i see another 'Which neve clone is better thread... im seriously gona go postal!!!!!!!"

19th July 2003	#4
De chromium cob Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2003 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,659	I know they make a hell of a radar detector.... The Bel 980 has saved my ass more than a few times. __________________ "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." Tolstoy

22nd July 2003	#6
toolstudio Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 821	BD80 Delay Yeah the BD80 is quite cool. Different sounding than the Lexicons but good sounding. The triggers are also cool, but if I do triggering than I use the AMS. There are two versions, a grey one and a blue one, don't know about difference. My BD80 has about 4 seconds delay time. The flanger is the BF20. Really cool, reminds me a bit on the eventide instant flanger. You could also flange with an envelope follower. There are also two different units, a 2U blue face one (like we have) and an 1U grey unit. The stereo BD80 is called BD80S, haven't seen one, we have only the BD80 mono. wolfgang

19th February 2011	#7
valvusmusicus Gear interested Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 24	Bel BD80 I have one for sale-see classifieds Hope its OK to post this here!?!?!

19th July 2003	#5
2064 Gear Head Joined: Jul 2003 Location: l Posts: 54	I have been using Bel BD80´s for over 12 years now and if you can get a good sounding unit they are well worth it. I have now gone through about 6 of them and the last one I have is on its last legs. I have yet to find someone that can refurbish these units properly. The first time I used one was for triggering a sampled snare from a real snare off tape, I also used it for spinning in 8 seconds of vocals for repeated choruses (if I had a bad vocalist), As Slipperman pointed out they were a very big deal when they first came out. For me it brought basic sampling my way for the first time as well as cool delays. I had so much fun in those early days! If you get a good sounding unit the delays will sit in the mix very nicely on just about anything. Great for vocals especially as delay seems to be very fashionable again these days Oh and theres a stereo version BD80s. Never heard it, but reports are pretty good. If the stereo version sounds like the mono version your on to a good thing.

19th May 2011	#8
kinkyr Gear interested Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 8	Bel bd-80s i want to get a bd-80s does anyone know if it has memory on it ? can you save settings ? or you have to dial in from scratch everytime

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