I’m pretty sure that you have heard about this pedal. It’s a legend among legends. Since its introduction in the early ’80s, it has been used by people all around the world. But, why is this delay so popular?

On a previous post, I mentioned that analog delays are special because of the technology they use: BBD chips. These chips are responsible for the great sounds of the past and as you can already tell, the BOSS DM-2 was of one those most recognizable analog delays that used these chips.

So, what’s behind this pedal? What BBD chips does it use? How good is the reissue DM-2w compared to the original ones?

On this post, I will try to tackle some of these questions and try to shed some light on the things everyone should know about this pedal. So… let’s go!

Before the DM-2, There Was The DM-1

Contrary to popular belief, the DM-2 was not the first analog delay made by BOSS.

I think this misconception arises because the DM-2 already came in the famous BOSS pedal-shape: a rectangular brick, built like a tank with three dedicated knobs. But that’s not the case.

The BOSS DM-1 was the very first analog delay pedal produced by BOSS. It was first introduced to the public in 1977 and went out the market at the beginning of the ’80s. The idea was to give players an alternative to their already successful tape delay, the Roland Space Echo RE-201. Even though the DM-1 didn’t have many of the features of the RE-201, it had two main advantages over his mechanical counterpart: it was more affordable and also, it was portable.

Some More Specs

I’m not aware if this pedal had more than one version. But there is something interesting at the core of this one.

The DM-1 did not use BBD chips! Yes, it’s an analog delay, but as surprising as it may sound, this pedal used something called a Charged Coupled Device (CCD), a competing technology with the BBD chips. I’m not really 100% sure about this, but I think it used the CCD chip made by Reticon, the R5101 as you can see on this picture below:

Concerning the delay time, this old boy could provide you with 500 milliseconds (some people say it can also go to 600), which is already superior to the 300 milliseconds of his future younger brother the DM-2 (but more on that later). As you can expect, the repetitions tend to be lo-fi, but they are good nonetheless.

Because it’s old and was in production for less than two years, this pedal is really hard to find, and the prices in the second-hand market tend to be really high.

The BOSS DM-2

As mentioned before, BOSS started to introduce their compact line of pedals during the late ’70s (the OD-1, PH-1, and SP-1 were the first ones). The logical conclusion was to follow on this pattern and do the same with their delays. Enter the BOSS DM-2.

The introduction of this pedal in 1981 represented a big leap forward. Now, players could finally have a truly compact delay. This pedal also had a clear advantage over the DM-1: it could run on batteries. The power consumption of the DM-2 was also significantly smaller: 11mA vs. 3000mA (I do need to further check this fact, but for now is what I have).

It is stated there are three versions of this unit. I am inclined to believe there are actually two versions and three production batches so to say. Let’s try to tackle them one by one.

Version 1

Logically, this is the version introduced in 1981. It also represented a shift in technology: from now on, the company decided that their analog delays will use BBD chips, instead of CCD ones.

The DM-2 version used the famous Panasonic MN3005 BBD chip. Engineers did the impossible to exploit the capabilities of it and give this pedal a max of 300 milliseconds of delay time. The side effects were notable, but they quickly became something desirable; the warm of this pedal’s repetitions is something cherished up until this day.

How do you know if a DM-2 is version 1? Well, first of all, you can check if it has the MN3005 chip. This is probably the best way to recognize that you’re dealing with the firstfruits. But it’s not very practical. Imagine you find this pedal on a flea market or something like that. Chances are you won’t be able to unscrew it and check for the chip.

Another internal feature is the PCB serial number. The first versions should read ET5214-510. Again, this implies that you have to open the pedal and check for that, so, what’s left?

Your easiest alternative is to check the color of the back label: if its black, it’s the first version.

I do have to mention something. I’ve seen some pictures on the internet of black label DM-2s with the MN3205 chips. My best guess is that these are the later black label production batch before BOSS decided to use the green label. I know it’s not as straightforward as one would like it to be, sorry.

If you find a black label DM-2, try to check the inside for the MN3005 whenever that’s possible. Happy hunting!

Version 2

Version 2 is identical regarding the appearance of the device. The difference lies one more time in the inside.

For some reason, BOSS decided to change the MN3005 chip for another counterpart, the MN3205. They did this probably for the better. As usual, some players can tell the difference between the outcomes of these BBD chips and, they are also not very hesitant to express their preference for the original batch.

You already know how to identify this version by the chip. You should also know you can check again for the serial on the PCB. It should read ET5214-510A. But again, the easiest way is to check the label: if it’s green, you have the second (or third) version.

So yes, in this case, checking the label just confirms that you found a unit that doesn’t use the MN3005 chips. You have to check the PCB serial to confirm if it is version 2 or 3. Which leads us to the next point.

Version 3

Finally, we have the last member of the pack. Version 3 is pretty much the same as his previous counterpart. It also utilizes the MN3205 and I’m not aware of any other sonic differences.

The best way to identify this pedal is by the PCB serial. It should read ET5214-510B. If you’re trying to check it through the label, well, as I mentioned before, you will find it is green, just like version 2.

There’s also an important piece of information I forgot to tell. All these pedals were made in Japan. I’m not aware of any counterfeit case, but nevertheless, be careful about that. Because they are very sought after, these units can be pricey and you don’t want to spend your money on something that’s not the real deal.

Using The Serial Number

I will add the following. I think it might be also possible to identify your version of the pedal utilizing the serial number on the device. This will require of course, that you at least have an idea about which serial numbers can represent a specific date/batch.

That being clarified, it is said that they decided to change the chip around the serial number 182.000. You also have to take into consideration that the DM-2 was being sold between 1981 and 1984. So, if you have a green label unit with a serial close the number above, chances are you’re dealing with version 2. The further you get from this number, the more your probability will increase of having a version 3 unit.

Also, there are sites that will allow you to submit your serial, and they will return the date of manufacturing; this can also help you to determine which version you have. I will put some links in the Resources section down below.

The BOSS DM-3, A Forgotten Younger Brother?

The DM-3 is was the last analog delay produced by BOSS (until 2014) and it was introduced to the world in 1984.

During the mid-’80s digital technology was the trending topic, and BOSS already had the DD-2 on the shelves. I think the main idea was to still provide an affordable option for players who wanted to have a delay unit and so, they came up with the DM-3.

The engineers did some tweaks here and there and provided an analog delay with clearer repeats and less noise, which was common of the older brother. Experts say the circuit pretty much remained the same, although it was not identical.

It also had an interesting cosmetic difference: the knobs on the DM-3 have a white top and a “thin” body. This design was not featured anywhere else on any other BOSS pedal, except for the early versions of the CE-2B.

What about its BBD chip? Nothing really different. The chip being used is the same as the later versions of the DM-2, the MN3205. And as expected, the label on this one is also green and again, was made in Japan.

Still In The Shadows

If you are a pedalboard junkie, you will notice that this delay is not very common. This poses the question, is there a good reason for that?

Sadly, I have to admit I don’t have the answer. But I did realize that players tend to covet the MN3005 chips, so that’s one of the reasons the DM-2 is always sought after. Another difference that is always pointed out are the repeats. At shorter delay times, the DM-3 produces a clearer sound; this was, to be honest, the idea from the very beginning. At longer delay times, the repeats are pretty much the same as the DM-2.

In essence, at least from the technical point of view, the DM-3 is better (it might even produce a slightly longer delay time) and has one more feature (an additional direct out jack). Still, the flaws of the DM-2 are so cherished, that in the end, people tend to forget about this one.

Nowadays, players are saying that the prices in the second-hand market are starting to rise for the DM-3. Perhaps, once the DM-2 becomes really hard to get, the DM-3 will gain some popularity. Let’s see.

DM-2 VS. DM-2W

As explained before, prices for the vintage used analog delays started to rise after these units were discontinued. Also, even though players were happy with their digital units, a new market trend started to develop: analog delay was something the people wanted again.

These reasons, among many others, lead BOSS to break the hiatus and make one more time an analog delay. The result? The BOSS Waza Craft DM-2W.

At a glance, it may seem like a simple reissue, but they came with interesting tweaks for this one. For instance, you have two modes: Standard and Custom.

Standard mode is the classic DM-2 delay we all know, with 300 milliseconds of max delay time; Custom mode will give you 800 milliseconds of delay time, and will also make the repeats sound cleaner.

Another feature is that now you have an input jack that can be used to control the delay time. Finally, the also added a direct out jack for running your signal to an additional amp (like the DM-3).

What about the BBD Chip?

As you can already guess, the BD-2W is fully analog. That being said, the BBD chip being used is not an MN3005.

On a previous post, I shared the fact that original BBD chips are hard to find. This is because the original ones are officially out of production. But due to the recent demand for delays (and other devices) with this technology, some companies are making replicas of these famous chips.

One of those companies is CoolAudio and they have replicas of the MN3205 chip. So, long story short, the DM-2W utilizes three CoolAudio MN3205SD BBD chips.

I know you saw this coming, but it has to be mentioned. Some experienced players and users were quick to point out that even though the CoolAudio chips are replicas of the MN3205, they do not sound “exactly” the same. I don’t understand a lot about electronics, but it’s something to do with the frequency response and noise aspects of the original ones.

That being said, it was also mentioned that the Waza version was better in many aspects as the original, for instance, it does not suck some tone from your setup. This is something nice because you don’t have to be adjusting the volume every time you engage the unit.

The Verdict

Putting all the hype of having a unit with the MN3005 chips in it, the DM-2W is a great pedal. It has some clear advantages from the old counterparts and offers you with some features the original ones could only dream of. I would say it has all the magic of these aforementioned sought after units.

Nonetheless, I want to leave you with some homework. Call this some rabbit hole if you want, but believe it or not, apparently, there are two versions of the Waza pedals. The earlier runs of the BOSS DM-2W had a label that read “Inspected in Japan” while the later versions had a label with the words “Made in Japan”. Some users pointed out that the earlier version sounds darker, more “analog”, while the later runs have a brighter sound.

So, what do you think? Are people going to start now hunting the earlier run of this new version? Let me know in the comments if you know more about this supposed differences. In the meantime, I will post a link in the Resources section from a forum discussion about this topic.

A Quick Note On The Word Waza

Just so you know: in Japanese, the word “waza” means art and technique. So, in essence, BOSS wanted to show that they were tackling these new series of pedals with this whole mindset; it represents a pinnacle in design, tone, and workmanship.

Some Final Thoughts

BOSS is a legendary company with legendary pedals. I know there’s no need to mention this, but along the Memory Man, the DM-2 has to be one of the most legendary analog delay pedals ever created.

I applaud the idea and intentions behind recreating this pedal, not only by offering a simple re-issue of it but also by adding some new features and capabilities. This is remarkable because, in my opinion, it worked: the DM-2W has the looks and the feelings of the old units, and the new features don’t mess with that.

Nonetheless, this leaves me the question? Are players going to stop hunting for the older units now that they have a better version of this pedal? Mmm… I’m not so sure, what do you think?

I hope this post was somehow helpful adding a little bit of information about this great delay pedal. If you have one, let me know in the comments about it, like which version and how much did you pay for it ;).

Until the next time,

M.M

Image Credits:

• 1: From the official Roland UK blog: http://www.roland.co.uk/blog/echoes-time-history-boss-delay-pedals/dm-1-top1/
• 2: http://www.tonehome.de/boss/dm-1-delay-machine/
• 3: From the official BOSS US blog: https://www.bossus.com/blog/2015/11/11/echoes-in-time-the-history-of-boss-delay-pedals/
• 4: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/1981-boss-dm-2-mn3005-chip.1967543/
• 5: https://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-29/1762539-
• 6: By ArtBrom – Flickr: My New Pedalboard (Complete for the moment), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26864926
• 7: From the official BOSS US blog: https://www.bossus.com/blog/2015/11/11/echoes-in-time-the-history-of-boss-delay-pedals/
• 8: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/inside-the-boss-dm-2w-waza.1529715/
• Feature Image: From the official DM-2 owners manual: http://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/DM-2_OM.pdf

Resources:

• The BOSS serial decoder: http://www.stompboxzone.com/decoder/
• Another BOSS serial number decoder: http://serial-number-decoder.co.uk/boss/boss.htm
• Here you can see the schematics from the DM-2: https://www.hobby-hour.com/electronics/s/dm2-delay.php
• PDF version of the DM-2 manual: http://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/DM-2_OM.pdf
• A super interesting thread concerning the DM-2W versions: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/pedal-comparison-review-boss-waza-craft-dm-2w-early-run-vs-later-run-yes-there-is-a-difference.1902793/