Xaoc Devices Sarajewo: Syncable Analog Delay Line SHIPPING NOW!

[djdiscord]

This is way more fun than the pronunciation of Moog!

[sacheie]

Mine arrived today from Detroit Modular! First impression - it sounds cleaner than any other BBD I've heard. I was expecting a lot of grit and shadow with high delay times, but no - it just darkens. Messing around with feedback and delay time live, it's surprisingly smooth and predictable. Hats off to Xaoc - this was worth the wait.

[djd_oz]

Vidoes please

[Jumbuktu]

I called to ask about preorders and realized that I have absolutely no clue how to pronounce/say “Xaoc Sarajewo”

I think it would be 'Chaos Sarayayvo'. However, if you say this to an American answering the phone, you will probably get nowhere!

[carlotter]

I know it's like comparing apples and oranges, but I'm seriously tempted to sell Magneto and replace it with Sarajewo, maybe using the feedback loop to add some grit if needs be...

[mantiwhore]

Just updated the initial post for updated specs and links.
The manual is here: http://xaocdevices.com/manuals/xaoc_sarajewo_manual.pdf

[BlinkyLights]

After watching that demo... I guess I didn't need a PS5 anyways. I can DELAY that purchase.

Sorry.

I'm looking at the PS5 specs and I don't see even a single BBD chip listed.

It's this sense of awareness and priority that keeps me coming back to MW. Kindred spirits and all.

Besides, I can play through Ghosts of Tsushima again on Kurosawa mode or something different if I must PS...

[BlinkyLights]

I called to ask about preorders and realized that I have absolutely no clue how to pronounce/say “Xaoc Sarajewo”

I think it would be 'Chaos Sarayayvo'. However, if you say this to an American answering the phone, you will probably get nowhere!

It is pronounced "Chaos", right, "Xaoc"?

Pretty sure I picked that up from Ben/Divkid's Belgrad video.

[closedLoop]

Here are 2 very simple patches with Sarajewo. These are quick, direct recordings with no fussing.

In both examples, the taps are panned in a Bubblesound 6x1v2:
T1 - hard right
T2 - middle
T3 - hard left

The first is a simple sequence into ZPO, with the saw out into the 1st channel of LxD with a envelope, and Sarajewo is in the WMD PM Aux send for that channel, coming back through the 6x1v2 into one of the PM's stereo channels. The tempo is synched to the main clock, and I'm going /1, /2, /4 (I think /4 might be off-scale in Sarajewo here). I'm starting with Sarajewo's tilt filter in the middle, then full treble, then full bass.

sarajewo1.mp3

(1.4 MiB) Downloaded 9 times

In the second, there's another simple sequence into ZPO, with Ts-L's sine in a sharp envelope hitting the zero point on ZPO, sine out into Delta-V's VCA, with the Sarajewo in WMD PM's aux send, coming back into the PM through the 6x1v2 into one of the PM's stereo channels. The main tempo is triggering an attenuated random voltage from RND STEP that's hitting the time input on Sarajewo. This is a clean sound, and there's a bit of a whine from Sarajewo that you can hear shifting pitch with the delay time. This could have been easily rolled off in post-processing, but I left it raw here. The filter is in the middle here.

sarajewo2.mp3

(907.4 KiB) Downloaded 8 times

All in all, I'm really happy with Sarajewo so far. It's got all the character that was missing from all the digital delays I've used. The one thing I'd note is that if you're interested in using the taps for panning, you need space in your mixer, or a small sub mixer, to spread them out.

[euxine]

[exper]

Nice. The panning synced delay is exaclty what I wanted to hear. Keep the demos coming. Mine won't be here until Monday.

I know I said earlier in the thread that I was waiting, but, well, you know...

[sacheie]

I know it's like comparing apples and oranges, but I'm seriously tempted to sell Magneto and replace it with Sarajewo, maybe using the feedback loop to add some grit if needs be...

I sold my Mimeophon for the Sarajewo, and I'm happy with the decision so far, even though they're such different things. The Mimeophon has a metallic character I never liked - similar sound to the Erbe-Verbe, unsurprisingly. I would have preferred if it had the same features but totally clean repeats.

Sarajewo's filtering is butter-smooth and it's crazy clean for having three analog stages. I'll try to upload some demos after work today.

[ATW]

Here are 2 very simple patches with Sarajewo. These are quick, direct recordings with no fussing.

These sound great, super clean + warm. Thank you!

[Whatisvalis]

Sounds fantastic! I've just ordered a new BBD pedal, so will have to wait on this.

[Shakespeare]

Sounds so good... exactly what I've been looking for, character-wise. Now to wait until Monday's mail...

[Jumbuktu]

Just updated the initial post for updated specs and links.
The manual is here: http://xaocdevices.com/manuals/xaoc_sarajewo_manual.pdf

As usual, a very informative manual explaining exactly what is going on under the hood. First time I have seen the term 'companding' since the cassette multitrackers of the 1980s!

[Silentnotes]

So is standard ping pong somehow possible? I cant see how I would patch it because of three taps..

[BlinkyLights]

Those demos sound excellent. Thanks...

Nice. I'm sold enough.

[Squallaz]

Simple fast question: Ambient-ish / chill music, low space in the rack: Mimeophone or Sarajewo?

[Jumbuktu]

Simple fast question: Ambient-ish / chill music, low space in the rack: Mimeophone or Sarajewo?

Ha ha, you know the answer! AND

Technically mimeophon does so much more, but I love dub echoes and Sarajewo just has *that* vibe about it. Back to my first answer.

[tristanhbe]

Although this sounds great it does seem like you'd need a mixer in the rack to make the most out of this? I have a pretty small set up currently and only mixing with Quad VCA/Opto Mix. Although I still have 7 channelsish there difficult to control panning etc. Oh and I have 2 channels in Maths - and I'm sure I can figure out some fun stuff to pan around with the Morphagene. Fuck it.

[ookrsia]

Just got mine. Too busy to play with it right now, but after a really quick test I can confirm that the BBD clock noise is either completely filtered out or at least incredibly minimal. I did get some tiny clock-like artifacts when routing the feedback through a filter (that was in another case), but i wouldn't be surprised if this came from the filter's psu which has been acting weird lately.

Also, the feedback EQ fader seems to be really well implemented: really easy to affect the feedback tonality.

[vizor81]

Besides the amazing hardware and sound it generates I have to praise once more their design and graphical artwork. Well done!
Ask Ben from „bald and bankrupt“ to take some XAOC Devices modules along his journey across former soviet republics and play them at unique locations!
That would be some guerilla marketing!!

[closedLoop]

Just got mine. Too busy to play with it right now, but after a really quick test I can confirm that the BBD clock noise is either completely filtered out or at least incredibly minimal. I did get some tiny clock-like artifacts when routing the feedback through a filter (that was in another case), but i wouldn't be surprised if this came from the filter's psu which has been acting weird lately.

Also, the feedback EQ fader seems to be really well implemented: really easy to affect the feedback tonality.

There is some noise, but I'd agree that it is very minimal. I've had it for about a week now, and I've found that minimal amount of noise to be present at any input level, so I've been trying to keep the input level nearly all the way up (it doesn't seem to really overdrive if the signal isn't too hot), and then be careful with the gain on the signal after the Sarajewo output. For me, it has less noise than some digital delay modules.

Xaoc have done an excellent job with Sarajewo. If you're into the BBD delay sound, simply plugging into it just gives you that beautiful, warm delay. I was a little concerned about how Sarajewo would handle shifting delay times while tempo synched, but I find it to be very musical, and sometimes surprising in a good way.

I really don't have any criticisms of Sarajewo so far. The only 2 points I might have is the lack of CV control of level, and the relatively shallow range of the onboard EQ, and the EQ's lack of CV control. Because there's a feedback input, though, you can insert a VCA and/or a filter in that loop to provide that control.

This is the first module in a while that I've grabbed right on release where my excitement of using it that matched the hype.

[nomass]

Simple fast question: Ambient-ish / chill music, low space in the rack: Mimeophone or Sarajewo?

I would say it depends on what kind of delay time you want and how much you like the sound of bbds. I love bbds, but they are noisier than most digital delays.