Which delay pedal

So it came as little surprise that one of Boss's first targets for its boutique Waza craft range was the DM With a glorious dark echo tone that works on record or live, and pairing excellently with other delays and drive pedals, the DM-2 is hours of fun, and can even be controlled via an expression pedal for added space-cadet madness.

Read the full Boss DM-2W review. With a decent range of presets that cover all the basics - analog delay, tape echo, a pristine digital mode and some more sound effect-type delays, the TC Flashback 2 is an impressive piece of kit for the money. In addition to the basic feature list, it has user presets assignable via TC's powerful Toneprint software, as well as a hardware expression pedal built in. That said, the expression, or mash functionality, can be a bit tricky to use in practice.

The sounds are solid, with a good range of user-tweakable options, and the delays themselves never stray into brittle territory, keeping a warm, organic timbre whatever the patch.

The Strymon Timeline was the first big-box delay to offer truly studio-grade tone, with a range of excellent patches and signal processing that could go toe-to-toe with studio rack delay units. The user interface is slick, with plenty of options accessible on the front panel, but it has to be said that firmware updates to some of its competitors have left it somewhat behind in power-user features that are accessible to the menu-diving obsessives on units such as the DD However, the bottom line is that if your main concern is the highest quality sounds possible, with the simplest interface, it's hard to argue against the Timeline.

With an array of patches covering everything from tape echo to shimmer and octave delays, the Electro-Harmonix Canyon is a solid choice if you want to cover a lot of ground.

The overall voicing feels less 'studio' and pristine than some of the other units on this list, but it's a lot of fun to use and works for its intended use - inspiring your creativity as a player. There's an additional tap-in, as well as buttons on the top panel, meaning it's easy to dial in precise tempos on the fly with an external tap source.

Read the full Electro-Harmonix Canyon review. On release, the DD even pipped the Strymon Timeline to the post in terms of raw audio quality - although it's debatable which has the better patches.

The Boss unit's are endlessly tweakable, both on the pedal itself or via software on a computer, but the real gamechanger for it was its post-release firmware updates. With these, it goes from a unit offering two switchable patches and a user-assignable switch to one capable of having either three switchable patches at once, or two serial, parallel or stereo parallel patches at once - a complete revelation in power.

What does this mean in practice? Well, put simply, it means that the DD can take the place of two pedals on your board; but it can also do shoegaze-heaven parallel delays panned left and right - ideal if you're running two amps, and for many other niche delay setups beside.

For the best tape-echo emulation on the market, Strymon may have bested themselves with the new Volante, but the smaller form factor and equally excellent sounds of the El Cap have us still recommending this over its bigger-box cousin.

With several different tape-head options to emulate classic tape-echo units, as well as controls for wow and flutter, and tape age, the El Cap can do everything from a very clean, forward-sounding tape echo for use in clean pop, to a much grimier, darker echo tone ideal for ambient and shoegaze. With its gorgeous built-in modulation, the MXR Carbon Copy is a superbly distinctive- sounding pedal. Although it shines when used for a variety of different uses, it's probably most at home in the shoegaze, dream pop and ambient genres, even cropping up on a lot of post-rock guitarists' pedalboards.

As you'd expect, it's a heavy-hitter on its own, but it also stacks well with other delays and creates gorgeous pad-like echoes when put after a drive. Although some of its delay patches are showing their age, as the original multi-function floor looper the DL4 still stacks up, allowing users to easily create and fire one-shot loops, stack loops, speed them up or manipulate them in other ways.

While other pedals here, like the DD and the Strymon Timeline, sport powerful loopers, the DL4 is still arguably unsurpassed in terms of sheer ease of use and intuitively accessible features for live performance. The only drawbacks are its large size and relative unreliability. However, if you're looking for a looper first, and a delay second, you'd be foolhardy not to at least consider the DL4. Learn how to channel your post-rock heroes. Analog delay pedals work by using a so-called Bucket Brigade chip, a capacitor array that gives them a distinctively dark sound that's increasingly lo-fi when you apply longer delay settings.

If you turn up the feedback, you'll find that these can be easily coerced into infinite feedback and auto-oscillation. Digital delays are generally more pristine in timbre.

Depending on who you ask, you might hear them described as brighter or even clinical. This means your signal gets converted from an electrical signal to binary code to be processed with a microprocessor and then converted back to analog going out.

Many modelling delays use digital technology to emulate analog gear in a smaller form factor. Analog effects tend to sound more organic than their digital counterparts, but digital effects have more accurate reproductions of your input. Feedback is how many times the signal is reproduced. Another thing to know of is that companies label their controls differently. Every delay unit has a setting for feedback and delay time, and many have settings for the volume of the repeats.

However, most controls are self-explanatory. There is a slight volume and high-end frequency loss once your signal path your cord and pedals reaches a certain length due to capacitance.

With delay pedals, the main tradeoff is that when you disengage a true bypass delay pedal, the repeats get cut off. Most modern delays, particularly digital delays offer a buffered bypass where your signal passes through the circuitry and gets conditioned to push the signal further without any high-frequency loss.

This also enables the use of delay trails that persist even when the unit is turned off. The trade-off for buffered bypass is how your signal will interact with the amplifier. Many people experience a change in the responsiveness of the tone with buffered bypass. The main benefit of stereo output is that you can run two outputs with your effect to send it through two amplifiers. The trade-off here is that using a stereo setup is more expensive. Reverb on the other hand, is a different implementation of delay.

Reverb is characterized as a random and blended repetition of a sound that is produced quickly after the sound is made. This use is commonly heard from the 60s and 70s. Jimmy Page used it to create psychedelic effects especially while using a violin bow on guitar.

Settings for these usually involve having the delay signal low in the mix since overdrive distortion accentuates all the sounds from the repeats. Amplifiers during this time also started to implement effects loops that go in between the preamp of the amplifier and the power amplifier. Rackmount effects also came to be popular during the 80s and 90s. This results in a clearer, hi-fi sounding ambience commonly heard on 80s rock music and beyond.

The first edition was published in and the current edition was published on October 28, We looked at all the delay pedals excluding multi-effects available from major online American retailers and put the 63 most promising on our short-list for detailed examination - you can see them in the Music Gear Database. We then gathered feedback about each one from owners, experts and users via online retailers, forums, YouTube, blogs and major publications, and processed those data with the Gearank Algorithm to produce rating scores out of for each pedal - over 21, sources were processed.

Finally, we selected the highest rated analog and digital pedals to recommend above. This edition lets you better pin point the delay pedals that fit your preference by dividing the main sections into single switch and multi-switch. For more information about our methods see How Gearank Works.

Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide's production - click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds. Drawing from his experience in performing and recording, he teaches guitar and bass and mentors young artists to be better musicians. And when he is not busy playing or tinkering with musical gear, he puts on his entrepreneurial hat, which helps fund his passion for collecting guitars, mecha figures and Gunpla kits.

Raphael Pulgar : Supplemental writing. Mason Hoberg : Supplemental writing. Jason Horton : Research, Editing and Illustrating. The videos have been embedded in accordance with YouTube's Terms of Service.

The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.

Publication of our October Edition resulted in the following delays coming off the recommended list above:. Our November updated resulted in the following pedals coming off the recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of them:.

As a result of the September update to this guide the following pedals came off our recommended list above, but you can still read our analysis of them:. Today we removed the following delay pedals from our recommended list above, due to having been discontinued, but you can still read our analysis of them:. Skip to main content. Eventide MicroPitch. DOD Rubberneck. Donner Yellow Fall. Boss DD Keeley 30ms Automatic Double Tracker. Strymon DIG. Strymon Volante.

Strymon TimeLine Multidimensional. Disclosure We recommend all products independently of 3rd parties including advertisers. Cons Some users noted the repeats are too dark. Overall The MXR M Carbon Copy isn't an emulation of anything that came before it but brings to mind the best qualities of vintage units in a compact and gig-ready pedal.

Cons Like other vintage-inspired analog delays, the DM-2W has a dark voice to begin with. Overall If you want a piece of the legendary DM-2 pie, the DM-2W is a great alternative to the constantly rising price of original units in the used market. The Best Analog Delay Pedals - Multiswitch The extra switches afforded by these bigger delay pedals allow for more control over the effect, without having to bend over and tweak knobs or push buttons.

Eventide MicroPitch Delay Pedal. Finally, you can adjust the parameters of the pedal via software through its USB port. Cons There aren't any noteworthy complaints about the unit itself, but there are a few who wish for a more intuitive control set. Overall The Eventide MicroPitch Delay is a high fidelity versatile delay effect that's well worth investing in.

This achieves a distinct delay effect that can be used to emphasize certain guitar parts. Cons Because of its wider profile, this pedal takes a bit more room than the usual space allotted for delay.

Budget Analog Delay Pedal. Cons While this pedal has mostly analog components, some users say that it does utilize digital sampling, essentially making this an analog digital hybrid delay pedal.

Overall The Donner Yellow Fall is a great buy for those with limited pedalboard space and budget. The Best Digital Delay Pedals - Single Switch Digital delay pedals are the best choice for anyone looking for accuracy and tweakability. Features Controls: E. Cons Some users wish for more controls to better tweak the different delay modes, but this is more of a physical limitation given the size of the pedal. Overall With Boss reputation for quality and durability, you can enjoy the DD-8's versatile delay modes for a long time.

Having a very good sounding slapback delay sound also helped it secure a spot in this guide. Cons Some users feel that control is a bit limited, while others are irked at how hard it is to access the internal DIP switches. Overall If you're into fat double tracked guitar sounds, then this is for you. Cons It was hard for us to find any negative reviews but as with all Strymon effects, price may be steep for some. Overall The Strymon DIG is one of the highest-rated delays on our list and for good reason; its pristine and high fidelity repeats, various features, and depth of controls are wrapped up neatly in a pedal that's as simple or complex as you want it to be.

Cons There is a moderately steep learning curve to maximize the use of all its features. Overall If you fantasize over modding vintage tape echo units to achieve spaced out sounds, the Stryon Volante is a great launching pad into the cosmos of spacey experimental sounds.

This is the top of the line digital delay offered by Strymon. Cons Users note that the TimeLine has a steep learning curve. The DD is the closest a digital pedal has come to replicating the warmth of an analog delay pedal. The lack of an inbuilt expression pedal also seems like an oversight.

Apart from these minor quirks for which you can find workarounds, there is very little to complain about regarding the Boss DD While being a revered name among guitarists, Seymour Duncan is known mostly for their pickups.

They, however, have produced a few great pedals and the Vapor Trail is one of them. The great thing about this pedal is that it manages to achieve with perfection what many of its peers fail to achieve - produce an authentic vintage delay sound.

Another cool feature is the ability to mix the wet and dry signal precisely by using an external expression pedal. By analog delay standards the price is quite affordable though which means that you can use it as a specialty pedal. Despite using an analog BBD chip, it is noise-free which usually happens to be the biggest problem traditionally associated with an analog circuit.

Another huge plus is the flashing light synced with the delay time - very useful when jamming with other musicians. While this pedal might not be for everyone, those looking for a smooth vintage sound will absolutely love the Vapor Trail.

To top it all off, the color scheme and paint job is beautiful. Analog delay pedals are mostly pretty simple. By providing you loads of features and a very precise control over the depth and rate of delay, the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Boy bucks that trend.

An external expression pedal can enhance this control even further, and we definitely recommend one. It is a completely analog pedal and allows you to get a warm, somewhat dark and deep delay that can vary from subtle to mesmerizing. The tap tempo and subdivision selection is a game changer, and its inclusion is unheard of at this price point.

Rarely does a pedal get the name, looks and the features just right but when it happens, it is magical as is the case with the EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2. This is one of the most feature-rich pedal that offers both reverb and delay effects in the same enclosure. The reverb alone makes this a truly awesome pedal but add the delay capabilities and this is a great option if you want to build a minimalist pedal board. Though the means of achieving the effect can get a bit complicated at times, the actual function of a delay pedal is pretty simple.

However, this effect also has a few other interesting uses. For example, when set to more subtle settings delay can work wonders in filling out your lead tone for solos. This technique is actually commonly used in almost every genre, though it seems to be most common in country.

Also, a delay pedal opens up a lot of interesting uses when used as a way to enhance rhythm guitar work. For example, when using Jimi Hendrix -esque barre chords F-Major shape with the thumb wrapped around the neck to hit the bass note on the 6th string you can have a sound almost similar to a bass player and rhythm guitar player working in close conjunction. That technique offers up a lot of flexibility in what your rhythm section can accomplish, as it gives the bass guitarist more room to emphasize certain intervals in the song.

While the things that apply to shopping for other pedals apply here as well build quality, size, features, cost , perhaps the biggest consideration is akin to one of the greatest debates in audio of all time; analog vs. Analog vs. Digital Delay is controlled by a computer chip, i. Digital adds no coloration to the sound. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on the guitarist; sometimes we want a pure unadulterated sound, and sometimes we want some dirt and artifacts.

Objectively, the benefits of digital delays are much longer delay times, and more versatility, i. Analog Delays have more character, but are less perfect. If you think of the delay time as a clock, every repeat of the sound reuses the previous repeat, thus potentially introducing coloration and imperfections.

Also, delay times are going to be shorter. It comes down to personal taste, and your existing rig. Still not satisfied? We go into more depth on this topic in this article and video. Versatility: An analog delay pedal tends to be simpler, i. Digital delay pedals have the advantage of offering more features - looping, reverse, tap tempo to name a few. A looper allows you to record anything for a specificed amount of time, which will just be repeated looped over and over.

For instance you can record a rhythm riff, loop it and then play lead over it. If you want to seriously get into looping, we recommend a dedicated looper pedal we have a guide to choosing the best looper pedal here. Build Quality and Size: How important delay is to your style and sound will dictate if you need to pay close attention to build quality and size of the pedal. Regarding size, the more feature-laden a delay pedal is, the larger it will be thus taking up more space on your pedalboard , and typically more expensive.

One of the pedals we recommend actually comes in three different size variations. Cost: Price can often be the deciding factor, so we made sure to select pedals in different price ranges. To bring you the best delay pedals out there, we keep current and extensively research new products. We periodically review and revise this list as new pedals are released.

We ran these delays through our tube amps, solid-states, and even headphone amplifiers. In terms of electric guitars, we used a variety of single-coil and humbucker pickups, as well as solid body, semi-hollow, and hollow body guitars.

For this particular test, we had an Orange Crush 30 watt combo amp which has a nice clean channel that takes pedals very well , and a Fender Hot Rod DeVille 60 watt combo amp. We tested with many guitars, but with delay the choice of guitar matters a little less. The Mirror Image Delay is interesting. It's not the most traditional delay pedal, in that there's simply not a whole lot of delay on tap.

Instead, the Mirror Image seems to focus more on layering other effects on top of the delay. Honestly that's the biggest detractor in our eyes; to have a fraction of the delay available in other pedals you need to set the LEVEL i.

That said, the Mirror Image can be fun. Unfortunately Fender's Mirror Image Delay sits somewhere in No Man's Land with a delay that's lacking and other effects that you'd be better off buying individual pedals for, or a multi-fx unit.

Ever wonder what your favorite artists have on their pedalboards? Well, we crunched the numbers on Equipboard to reveal some fun facts about the most used delay pedals. He likes rock of all types, from classic to punk to metal.

Michael co-founded Equipboard to satisfy his curiosity around what gear his guitar heroes use. Read more. Giulio co-founded Equipboard with his friend Michael. He plays the piano, guitar, drums, and had a brief stint signed to a label as an electronic music producer.

Hey, Thanks for this article. Really this Goods are very informative and helpful for me. Loved this guide, super helpful, thank you! I can imagine that the delay pedal is just as great. Knocking it for the price? Yeah, I know Strymon is steep, but their pedals are worth the money you put into them. I love the combo of the digital with Analog I actually like my DMM as well as your "best of the best" pick.

It's got the chorus and vibrato modulation with a couple more bells and whistles than the MXR Carbon Copy.. Regardless, thanks for the article. Great read but having a Line6 M9 which really is a DL4 plus. I find the Flashback more a value and more versatile if not better sounding. I should own a Flashback 4 which is even with the DL4 in price and options. For flexibility I am using the Flashback and Flashback mini.

With the TonePrint software I can deep edit my delays to sound like I want to hear them. Sure this can be done on the DL4 but the TonePrint software is so much easier. The DL4 has a darker tone impact on the overall tone compared to the Flashback which also seems to be more articulate than the DL4. Thanks for the article as it was fun to read. I share links from Equipboard to my students all the time, and the one I can say everyone likes the most including myself! Thanks for helping the guitar community around the globe!

Add Your Gear Setup. No product can be perfect and as good as the DD-7 is, there are still some things it can do better: Drains batteries quite quickly, but this can be mitigated by going with a power supply.

Operation is a little less intuitive than a similar digital pedal like the TC Flashback. Difficult to change settings on the fly without using an expression pedal that has to be bought separately. Eventide Rose » Incredibly versatile delay with beautiful modulated sounds.

The Eventide Rose build quality is excellent and it looks great. Overall, a very impressive delay pedal. Empress Effects Echosystem » Astounding versatility from 12 algorithms which you can tweak parameters on all day long.

Donner Yellow Fall Delay » A simple, no-frills delay with a shockingly low price. Line 6 DL4 » Pristine digital delay, 15 vintage delays and echoes, 14 second looper, and options for days. Eventide TimeFactor Twin » Dual independent delays that can be customized in millions of ways. Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai » 8 presets and a 30 second looper make this a good option from a great manufacturer.

You know, give me a frank with all the Hazarai. Strymon TimeLine » presets and a 30 second looper that can run pre or post delay make this the gold standard of delays. Looper: Yes, 30 seconds with the ability to run pre or post delay. Seymour Duncan Vapor Trail » Great analog delay that is true bypass and has terrific tones.