Malekko Heavy Industry Ekko 616 MkII Dark Delay

We did a written review for today’s delay pedal a couple years back, but wanted to add a video demo to the words as well, so the following review contains portions of our previous review, but the demo is ALL NEW. Enjoy!

When you’re jumping into into the “dark” delay territory, the 616 MkII Ekko Dark Delay from Malekko Heavy Industry is an awesome way to start. There are a lot of option in this really nicely-sized pedal, and it looks sinister as hell, too. It even took us a minute to figure out which controls were which, as the labels are a bit tricky to decipher on the deep, glossy black background.

The first main control is Time, which sets the delay time, maxing out at 650ms, which is a great length for this brooding analog delay. Mix is up next, adjusting how the Wet/Dry ratio is incorporated into your signal path, from zero effect when turned to the left to all effect when cranked to the right. Regen controls the repeats, going from a single repeat to far-out territory when it’s been maxed out, which results in a self-oscillation, infinite signal thing happening.

Up top are a couple of smaller controls, which are the 616’s secret weapons. Mod mixes in the level of modulation you want to affect your delays, and goes from minor and subtle to raging flutter and twist. This Mod section is further controlled by the next two knobs: Speed and Depth. The Speed measures how fast the modulation comes across, and the Depth controls its intensity. These three controls working together will create beautiful, random and intriguing sounds, sure to put a smile on the face of any delay nut.

There’s also a T/B push button, which selects between the pedal being true bypass or a buffer, another handy option to have if you need it. There’s also an Internal pot, which adjusts the overall gain output, allowing for even more customization to fit your setup. Overall, the 616 Dark is a really cool and unusual delay, with a ton of options and great tonal sounds. Thanks to everyone at Malekko Heavy Industry for sending this wicked delay our way – if you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path for your next delay purchase, you should give the 616 Dark MkII a shot.