Re: The Maxon AD900 Appreciation Thread.....

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:57 pm

I took delivery of my AD999 yesterday. First impressions are very good! It oscillates easily, but very controllably. Long delay times with high feedback build into this decaying, wall of sound that is sometimes not too easy to obtain. The delays are somewhat bright the way that you get when clock times are pushed a bit beyond where they are not exactly the happiest. It is obviously most present at the max times. But it is not a "bad" sound and is exactly like what I had read before buying it. "Lo-fi" would certainly apply here. It is not as hi-fi as the Moog MF104Z in short mode, but not as dark as that pedal in long mode. I liken it to be more in between. The frequency response is really wide. With my Danelectro Baritone, it responds down to the low B perfectly, and with guitar, even with a fuzz box, reproduces notes up the neck on the high E. In long mode, the Moog is somewhat weak after a certain point. It is also a bit less present than the old 18v Maxon AD80. I would describe that one (the AD80) as clunky and percussive, more firm, almost like a really early digital delay in some ways (more like a DD-2 or a DOD/ Digitech PDS). The AD999 is most like a Boss DM-3 to my ears, but thicker, a bit less refined, with more than double the delay time available. Overall, I am very pleased with it. The AD900 should be here any day now. Suffice to say, I will NOT be parting with the AD999 when the 900 gets here though!

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:31 pm

Thanks for posting initial thoughts. Especially good read comparing the Moog 104 and AD80. I totally forgot the 104 had a short and long setting. I'm thinking of your descriptions in terms of what I know about having an AD-900 for almost a decade and I can totally get it. The way it can handle a huge range of frequencies makes it so usable. I used to run it through my old Moog Satelite Combo organ, sooooo smooth. Interesting to compare to the old digital delays too - similar, yes, but with something else. A thicker quality to the repeats. These Maxons seems like standard delays at first, and they are! But they do have a special quality to them. And the oscillation and edge of oscillation...

Now I can't wait to read the show down of 900 vs 999 vs Moog, etc. Damnit! I may have to breakdown and grab a 999 - for, um, scientific purposes.

Is the 999 standard polarity? I think they're just 9v, right? Don't forget the 900 is 12v and reverse polarity!

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:02 am

kosmonautmayhem wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:31 pm

Is the 999 standard polarity? I think they're just 9v, right? Don't forget the 900 is 12v and reverse polarity!

Yeah, the 999 is 9v, negative tip (Boss style). The 900 is 12v, positive tip. I have my trusty old Godlyke Power Pump ready and waiting! Waiting on the damn post office as it were. The 900 was MIA in their system for a few days. If it weren't for that, I probably would have had it already.

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:49 pm

Oh no! Fingers crossed it arrives ok.

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:06 pm

Well, the AD900 is here

I opened it up to confirm it was a two chip model (I bought it assuming that it was based on the VERY low serial number). And it is :boobs:

I'll be giving them a good run through tomorrow. It's pretty cool seeing them side by side. I even have the boxes, manuals, AC adapters and everything for both of them. It might be hard to justify using my DM-2/3 and AD80/9 now that I have these. Not a bad situation to find myself in..

Ursa Minor · Post by **Ursa Minor** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:30 pm

Oh man! So excited for you! I love these things so much. How early a serial number do you have? Just curious since I had a couple pretty early ones. I'd have to dig up the old pics to find out the exact #s.

They really did kill my desire to use my AD80 anymore. To the point I couldn't even justify keeping it around. And I always preferred them hands down over any of the DM2/3s I've tried.

Anxiously awaiting the review!

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:40 pm

Thanks!! I am really excited to try it out tomorrow. It is my day off from work and the kids will be at school... perfect time for some noise!

The AD900 is #000818.

Post by **zhivago** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:25 pm

Excellent news, Justin! Can't wait to hear your thoughts!!

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:05 am

I've been in the basement comparing these two for a while now. I will say right off that they are more similar than they are different. They are also both really great. The setup is my all stock '64 Jazzmaster and Vox AD4HW.

The 999 is more tape like. The bandwidth on the repeats is definitely much wider versus the 900. There is more lowend making them feel bit more present and the high end is likewise stronger. The repeats are more clear. At it's highest delay times, it still does really well. The 900 is more analog delay like. That might sound a bit absurd, but in the context of comparing these two specifically, I think it makes sense. The 900 is more atmospheric. The narrowed bandwidth makes the repeats melt into the background more. If our ambience is the goal, this one would probably be a bit better choice. The 999 would be a little better for rhythmic delays and also for better presence on the higher strings and with gain. It would be a good choice if you wanted an analog delay that held up for solos or work pretty high in the frequency range. I would say that anywhere ou would see an advantage to using a tape delay, a slight nod would go to the 999. The 900 is really, really great at filling up space but not getting in the way. In one word: ambience. At it's max delay time, the 999 introduces very little if any clock noise. I mean really minimal. The 900's ~600ms is pretty clearly pushing it right up to it's limitations as far as keeping it's base tone intact. By the end of the dial, it has some clock noise and the fidelity drops noticeably from shorter times. Is that a deal breaker? No, certainly not, but we are splitting hairs here.

I've not blasted the front end of either one enough yet to see if there is truly any headroom advantage to the 12v 900 vs the 9v 999. Both oscillate just as well as the other also.

It will take a long time before I really, REALLY get a great feel for the differences between the two. Initial thoughts are that they are both really nice delays. Certainly bargains at current prices, I would say. I have $300USD between them BOTH. There is more overlap between the two than not. I've been using old analog delays forever and feel I have a pretty good handle on the main players. Someone without as much time behind one would be super pleased with either one. That I am sure of. Someone who has more experience and already owns one or the other would do well to have both and would see the difference between the two and probably find a different use for each.

Cliff notes: AD999- tape AD900- ambience

Maggieo · Post by **Maggieo** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:57 am

The 999 sounds right up my alley. I've got that same Vox, too. Say, what are your setting on it?

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:02 am

Maggieo wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:57 am
The 999 sounds right up my alley. I've got that same Vox, too. Say, what are your setting on it?

I usually use the high input, (using O’clock increments): gain 1; treble 8:45; bass 2; volume 11:30. I use a footswitch for the hot switch also. I have that on about 60% of the time. It is a great little amp! I love mine.

Maggieo · Post by **Maggieo** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:20 am

i love sharin foo wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:02 am

Maggieo wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 17, 2019 9:57 am
The 999 sounds right up my alley. I've got that same Vox, too. Say, what are your setting on it?
I usually use the high input, (using O’clock increments): gain 1; treble 8:45; bass 2; volume 11:30. I use a footswitch for the hot switch also. I have that on about 60% of the time. It is a great little amp! I love mine.

Thanks!

I love mine, so very much. I'm going to crank it up ASAP.

Post by **zhivago** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:59 pm

Great review, Justin!! These Maxons really are a bargain, especially the 900, with he original MN3005s on it!

Funny thing you guys mentioning the serial numbers...I could never figure out what my serial # was:

Is yours like mine? Blank, and then with a sticker under it?

Post by **i love sharin foo** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:22 am

zhivago wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:59 pm

Is yours like mine? Blank, and then with a sticker under it?

Mine has a little sticker right where it says ‘serial number’. It is all numbers also. From what I have gathered, it appears that the earliest ones were like that, then they switched over to the numbers that used letters too. The AD999 has a number with letters too which leads me to believe that to be the later system.

Post by **zhivago** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:04 am

i love sharin foo wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:22 am

zhivago wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:59 pm

Is yours like mine? Blank, and then with a sticker under it?
Mine has a little sticker right where it says ‘serial number’. It is all numbers also. From what I have gathered, it appears that the earliest ones were like that, then they switched over to the numbers that used letters too. The AD999 has a number with letters too which leads me to believe that to be the later system.

Aha...cool...I've had three AD900s in the past, all with MN3005s, and I can't remember if I have kept pics of the serials...

I'll have a dig around on my computer and see what I can find. This is exactly the sort of thing I can geek over!!