Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Keeley's Trey Anastasio favoured DM2000 rack unit inspired RK2000 Funk Siren Delay is finally launched, after being teased for a number of weeks
Key Points
Keeley RK2000 Funk Siren Delay — a pedal-sized recreation of the 1983 Ibanez/Maxon DM2000 "Dub Siren", favoured by Trey Anastasio. It’s a Freeze‑Hold Delay / Ambient Loop Delay with 16Bit architecture and tape-style modulation.
Controls: Blend, Feedback, HPF/LPF, Modulation Depth and Rate, Input, Time (1/50/300/750/1023ms), subdivisions, Tap and Hold footswitches, preset store/recall, True or Buffered bypass, stereo Normal/Ping‑Pong, EXP/MIDI (72 presets), top-mounted jacks, Made in Oklahoma; powered by 9V DC (centre‑, 2.1mm, ~150mA).
Custom Shop PGH editions and Standard Edition listed $369/€419/£369; remote-package around $420/£420. As of 2026-07-13, the price was £369. For electrical or modification work consult a qualified tech.
The RK2000 is only just now officially released! While in fact there have been 2 Custom Shop PGH editions available for a while in Glow White or Black editions - with or without those handy 2-switch Remote Footswitches. Those are priced at $369 solo and $420 with the remote - courtesy of the Keeley Custom Shop. Those custom shop editions have a small colourful PGH fish icon on them too - which some will really like
The now launched Standard Edition RK2000 is seemingly a sort of dark bronze-brown colourway - which looks really elegant too. Same pricing - $369 / €419 / £369. Looks like when you buy the Remote Switch at the same time it costs around $51 as part of a package - while if you buy it later on its own, judging from the Octa-Psi one - it’s $79 and equivalent.
In any case what we have here is Keeley’s take on the 1983 Ibanez / Maxon DM2000 16Bit Digital Delay - which acquired the moniker ’Dub Siren’ for its popularised use within Dub and Reggae Music Formats and its quirky capabilities. The RK2000 take is referred to as a Freeze-Hold Delay / Ambient Loop Delay. Where the core delay benefits form a unique 16Bit architecture and some really versatile Tape-style modulation - along with that Freeze-Hold function effect. That combination is an essential component in Dub-style riddim generation - all Dub involves a very heavy atmospheric delay component.
Various musical luminaries are advocates of the DM2000 - with Trey Anastasio being the most likely poster child for that legendary effect. There’s a genuine cottage industry of various independent outfits making their own take on the DM2000 / Dub Siren - both in original Rack format, as well as in various pedal / stompbox formats - with different degrees of feature sets onboard.
RK2000 Controls - Blend / Wet-Mix, Feedback / Repeats, HPF | FILTER | LPF, Modulation Depth, Input Level, Time : 1ms / 50ms / 300ms / 750ms / 1023ms | Subdivisions : Quarter / Eighth / Dotted Eighth / Triplets / Sixteenth, Modulation Rate, Ø / SUB Push Button, MOD Push Button, Left Delay / Tap Footswitch, PRESET : 1 2 3 4 [5], Right Hold / Clear Footswitch.
Ports - Left Input Mono / Right Input Stereo, Remote, 9-18V DC [-] 150mA, Left Output Mono, Right Output Stereo, EXP/MIDI.
I'm a huge fan of Dub Music - and have hitherto used my various Boss Space Echo devices / Strymon Volante for that task - while I will surely get in this RK2000 Funk Siren at some stage too - the attraction is irresistible, I of course got one of those Teenage Engineeering Riddim & Tings Synth-Sampler in the runup to Christmas - and this one definitely goes on my list too, while I'm not sure of its priority yet. I'm still waiting on my Mentha Works Monk Echo to land - which will be some time in June - so this RK2000 Funk Siren will likely come a couple or so months after that. There is much to like here.
I've still to decide on which variant to go for - I quite like all 3 to-date. But knowing Keeley - we will surely have a Purple one and other colourways at some stage too! I will tackle that choice at the time. So pricing at $369 / €419 / £369 seems fairly reasonable, and presumably $420 / £420 an equivalent with matching colourway optional Remote Switch - which gives you more control over the feature set.
I really like the promise of this one!
Key Features
- Freeze-Hold Delay Pedal
- Pedal-sized recreation of the legendary DM2000 rack unit delay
- Selectable modulation capable of everything from subtle warble to tape reel slams
- Controls for Blend, Feedback, Filter, Depth, Input, Rate and Time
- Built-in Tap Tempo Delay Switch and dedicated Hold Switch
- Store and recall presets with the dedicated Preset switch
- Selectable stereo delay modes: Normal and Ping-Pong
- Selectable True or Buffered Bypass
- Expression control input and MIDI compatible with 72 presets available
- Stereo outputs with Wet + Dry or Wet-only operation
- Top-mounted jacks and soft touch relay switching
- Made in Oklahoma, USA
- Powered by a regular 9V DC PSU (centre -, 2,1 mm, ~150 mA current draw)
- MAP / RRP : $369 / €419 / $369
Demos
