Digital or Analog Delay for Vocals

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For Vocals, should I use digital or analog delay?

Analog Delay originated in the 1940s. Originally this was done with recording tape in a loop run through a tape recorder, playback machine. Each time a sound was looped, its sound degraded a bit. So each repetition was a lower fidelity than the original, and the previous generation through the loop.

Digital Delay came later (1970-1980s). Because the signal was processed digitally, there was no (or much less) degradation. Each repetition was the same fidelity as the original, and the previous generation through the (now digital) loop.

The Analog Delay may sound muddy and dark, or you may hear that as having a vintage quality.

The Digital Delay may sound clean, crisp and bright, or you may hear that as having a sterile or brittle quality.

Let your ears tell you what to use. You may find you use Analog Delay for some songs and Digital Delay for others. And you may make your choices about what and when to use these based on what other things are happening in the mix (other players or sound sources).

More: Delay - Wikipedia