AuDelay

AuDelay Golden Ratio Cosmic Delay (AUv3)

AuDelay is an audio effect plugin that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host application such as Logic Pro or GarageBand.

Overview

AuDelay is a delay effect that looks quite simple on the outside, but there's a lot going on inside. The Golden Ratio (*) is used extensively in the DSP code for AuDelay which results in a versatile delay effect that can also sound very unconventional. At its core, AuDelay is a trio of stereo delay lines with variable modulation, panning and lo-fi texture. Shorter delay times can produce an echo effect reminiscent of vintage "oil can" units, but with a maximum base delay time of 16 seconds, "cosmic" ambient soundscape delay effects is where AuDelay really shines.

AuDelay takes its name from the chemical element symbol "Au" for gold, and it just so happens to be an "AU" (Audio Unit) too!

Please note that by design, AuDelay is not well-suited to tempo-sync / rhythmic type delays, so if that's more your thing, please check out PolyDelay as an alternative. AuDelay is also similarly named, but not to be confused with AulDelay either, which is a much more basic analog-flavoured delay.

(*) The Golden Ratio, approximately equal to 1.618, is a special number that has fascinated many scholars going back to Ancient Greek times. It can be found in geometry, architecture, art and even some patterns in nature.

Controls

Active - Toggles the effect On or Off. This behaves as a "soft switch" or in "trails mode", allowing any delay repeats to ring out when you toggle to the Off state.

Time - Sets the base, or longest delay time. There are three delay lines, each with different pre-delay and base delay times. With Density set to minimum, you have just one line active, so you will typically hear a shorter initial (pre-delay) repeat, then a longer repeat equal to the Time value - very similar to an "oil can delay" with just one head.

Density - This activates the 2nd and 3rd delay lines progressively, so you will hear the output of these delays faded into the wet mix gradually as you increase the Density control. However, when the control gets close to maximum, something else interesting starts to happen...

Density 0% - Only one delay line is active.
Density 0-50% - A second delay line is mixed in gradually, with the two being equal level with the Density control at 50%.
Density 50-75% -