In 1983, Ibanez/Maxon built something absurd: the DM2000, a 12-bit digital delay so over-engineered that it made everything else look like a toy. Forty years later, Trey Anastasio has been abusing one onstage, using its Hold function to create infinite, warbling loops called the “Funk Siren.” The only problem? Vintage units are dying. Justin Stabler, Trey’s guitar tech, begged Keeley to save him the heartache.
The Keeley RK2000 is that rescue mission.
It replicates the DM2000’s quirky architecture – specifically the 12-bit conversion and the unique analog compander circuits that gave the original its strange, grainy texture. It doesn’t sound like a clean modern delay. It sounds like a memory degrading in real-time.
The magic is in the modulation. This isn’t subtle chorus wobble. It’s a deep, slow LFO capable of cycles lasting up to 44 seconds, which creates the illusion of physically slamming your hands against a tape reel. It pitches the repeats up and down with an organic, terrifying grace.
The Hold switch captures the buffer and reads it continuously. You get infinite sustain, a frozen ambient loop that you can then manipulate with the Filter and modulation controls while you solo over the top. It’s glitchy, unpredictable, and utterly musical.
This is what the controls do
$369 gets you five onboard presets, full MIDI, expression control over any parameter, and true stereo ping-pong.
It’s a weird, deep, brilliantly flawed box of tricks for players who think a delay should do more than just echo.
