Chase Bliss Big Time: An 80s Rack Delay Reimagined as a Stereo Hybrid Beast

There's a particular sound that lives inside an early-80s rack delay. Slightly compressed and grainy, the highs wilt just a touch with each repeat. Chase Bliss and Electronic Audio Experiments spent six years chasing that exact character for Big Time. The result is a $999 stereo hybrid that feels like a modern reinterpretation of those classic studio processors.

It carries a serious price tag. That fact deserves honest discussion upfront. Yet the pedal delivers an ambitious blend of analog warmth and digital flexibility. For many players and producers, it might justify every dollar.

A hybrid signal path with analog stages on both sides

Big Time places a 32-bit, 48 kHz digital delay engine at its core. Each channel still runs through its own analog preamp on the way in and a dedicated analog limiter in the feedback path. Repeats evolve naturally as they cycle. The analog stages add movement and character that purely digital designs often miss.

The COLOR slider pushes the preamp into pleasing saturation. STATE then shapes the limiter response, ranging from clean to heavily compressed. CLUSTER spreads the signal into multiple diffused taps. MOTION introduces modulation with hidden depth and rate controls. Together these elements create shifting textures that reward long exploration.

Four modes that share one expressive fader

A single MODE button cycles through four distinct personalities. Mod delivers chorus and flange at short times. Short handles crisp slapbacks. Long opens into meandering, glitchy repeats. Loop mode stretches the engine into full performance looper territory.

The TIME slider adapts its behavior to each mode. SCALE lets it glide smoothly or snap to musical divisions. In Loop, the default setting offers 48 seconds at near 44 kHz quality. Sliding upward trades sample rate for length, reaching 3.2 minutes at around 11 kHz. A dedicated 0.5X mode further reduces bit depth for deliciously smeared lo-fi textures.

Motorized faders bring presets to life

Big Time follows Chase Bliss Automatone design principles. Six motorized faders physically move to match the loaded preset. This visual feedback lets musicians see settings instantly. It also invites real-time overrides without losing the original patch.

Ten onboard presets sit ready alongside 127 MIDI-accessible slots. Full MIDI Clock, Program Change, and Control Change support integrates the pedal into larger rigs. CV and expression inputs add even more performance options. An AUX jack handles tap tempo or ramp functions. The mysterious "#!&%" mode remains a playful, lightly documented surprise on the front panel.

Built for synths and studio work

True stereo I/O on both input and output sides sets Big Time apart from typical guitar pedals. Balanced or unbalanced connections welcome stereo synths, drum machines, and full mixes. The analog dry-through and true bypass design keep the signal pristine when the effect is off.

This versatility turns the pedal into a studio process box rather than just another stompbox. Producers can insert it on subgroup buses or aux sends with confidence. Chase Bliss includes a Current Doubler cable because the analog stages and motorized faders demand more power than standard 9V supplies. Plan accordingly for clean isolated power.

Does the flagship price make sense?

Nine hundred ninety-nine dollars positions Big Time as a serious investment. Six years of development between Chase Bliss and EAE produced something genuinely different. The hybrid architecture with per-channel analog stages delivers a unique voice. Stereo operation and flexible looping further expand its appeal.

Not everyone needs this level of sophistication. Guitarists seeking simple short echoes may find cheaper alternatives more practical. Yet for those who value evolving textures, stereo width, and performance looping, Big Time earns its place as a creative centerpiece. Preorders are open now directly at chasebliss.com, with shipping scheduled for June 2026.