Caroline Guitar Company Megabyte – Lo fi Delay Computer

The Caroline Guitar Company Megabyte builds on Caroline’s own Kilobyte.

This is one of the pedals that kicked off the lo-fi digital delay trend, adding tap tempo, more delay time, and a nastier self-oscillating Havoc mode on top of the original’s charm.

Key Features

• Two lo-fi PT2399 digital chips for up to 1200ms of delay time
• Tap tempo with three subdivisions: quarter, eighth, and dotted-eighth notes
• Havoc mode: hold the tap switch to trigger runaway, self-oscillating repeats
• +21dB drive preamp on the wet signal, so repeats can be pushed into clipping
• Modulation control for subtle detune through to noticeable warble
• Switchable trails or true bypass, selected by holding the bypass footswitch
• Internal dry-kill and headroom-limit trim switches

Lo-Fi Delay With Real Teeth

Like the Kilobyte, the Megabyte keeps its lo-fi digital chip focused purely on the delayed signal

Critical signal stage are handled in the analogue domain. This is the initial gain stage, dry signal, feedback, and output mixing in order to give it a rich, fat feel.

The Havoc feature is the standout addition here. Hold the tap-tempo footswitch and the delay runs away into self-oscillating chaos, tameable via an internal headroom-limit switch if you want to keep it from getting too extreme.

Combined with the +21dB drive preamp on the repeats, you’ve got everything from clean, subtle slapback to fully deranged, distorted delay trails available from the same footswitch.

Controls

• Mix: Sets the overall balance of the wet and dry signals
• Mod: Modulates the delay, from a subtle chorus-like wobble to a noticeable detune
• Sum: Sets the number of repeats
• Gain: Sets the input drive of the delay preamp, up to +21dB
• Divide: Sets the delay time via tap tempo, switchable between quarter, eighth, and dotted-eighth notes. Trigger Havoc mode by using the footswitch
• Clock: Sets the delay time manually
• Internal dry-kill switch: sets the pedal to 100% wet output, useful for parallel mix or production use
• Internal limit switch: sets the maximum headroom of the Havoc self-oscillation
• Bypass footswitch: tap for on/off; hold to toggle between trails (blue LED) and true bypass (red LED)

Power

Runs on a standard 9V DC centre-negative supply and draws 60mA.

Who Is This For

Worth a look if you want a delay with real character rather than a clean, transparent repeat — the lo-fi digital chips, drive preamp, and Havoc mode all push this toward experimental, textural territory, while still covering more straightforward slapback and rhythmic delay duty when you want it.

Watch The Caroline Guitar Company Megabyte In Action

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