Finding The Perfect Delay Pedal
A good-sounding delay pedal is an essential addition to any pedalboard. The effect is synonymous with creativity and experimentation in the guitar world, allowing you to imprint your tone with slight reflections to otherworldly echoes and everything in between. But what are the best delay pedals?
The market is flooded with options. That's why in this buying guide, we will demystify the effect and showcase the 10 best delay pedals in 2024, as well as give you a few tips and tricks on how to use the delay effect to revolutionize your tone. Let's get started!
In a hurry? Check out our quick guide with the 10 best delay pedals in 2024 at the end of the article.
What Are Delay Pedals and How Do They Work?
Delay pedals simulate the echo effect. They capture your audio signal and play it back after a set time, creating anything from subtle ambiance to full-blown ethereal soundscapes.
Being one of the most popular guitar effects, the delay has been used time and again on countless famous records. It is an effect that is highly customizable, with units usually offering many parameters to tailor your sound.
These are the most common parameters and controls found on delay pedals:
As there are many options on the market, you might find delay pedals with added functionalities, such as modulation and even reverse playback functionalities. The possibilities are truly endless
Types of Delay Pedals
There are many different types of delay pedals, each with their intricacies. To help with making the best possible choice, here is a breakdown of each of the main delay types:
10 Best Delay Pedals in 2024
Death By Audio Echo Dream 2
Main Features
- Delay times of up to 1 second
- Built-in modulator
- Built-in fuzz
The Death By Audio Echo Dream 2 is described as an advanced echo modulation unit. Despite the many knobs on the pedal, it's quite simple to understand how this pedal works: apart from the traditional delay section, it has an added fuzz and modulator for extra possibilities.
The modulator function is, in fact, the flagship function of this pedal: it allows you to dial in some pretty creative effects, such as subtle chorusing and full-blown lofi madness. There's a toggle switch on the right side of the pedal that lets you select between a smoother modulator waveform and a sharp, square-shaped wave.
This is an excellent pedal not only for experimental-focused guitarists but also for tone purists, as it's extremely versatile.
Humanoid FX Shadows
Main Features
- Tape-based bandwidth
- Delay times of up to 700 ms
- Internal trim pot to set the upper limit of repeats.
- True bypass
The Shadows, by Humanoid FX, is a purist delay. It's as minimalist as it gets, featuring the three basic parameters to tailor the effect: mix, delay, and repeat. It also has an internal trimpot which lets you bump the number of repeats, allowing for a more experimental experience.
Humanoid FX places a lot of emphasis on how good this unit sounds with both clean and distorted tones, which is a great selling point since it's hard to come across a delay pedal that excels in both situations.
Finally, the Shadows delay has a bandwidth that's similar to classic tape echo units, allowing a bit of analog warmth and an organic edge into your tone without much coloration.
Cusack Music Tap-a-Delay Deluxe
Main Features
- Tape-inspired delay
- Delay times of up to 750 ms
- Float switch function
- Brake mode
The Tap-a-Delay, by Cusack Music, is a complete echo powerhouse. It's inspired by tape delays so that you can expect an analog, warm sound, with organic imperfections. There are some unique features on this effects unit as well, such as the float switch and the brake mode.
The float switch is an interesting feature: it controls the feedback loop of the effect and lets you create anything from floating ambient sounds to crazier feedback oscillations. The brake effect is more purist: it emulates slow-down and speed-up effects found on vintage tape machines.
Last but not least, the Tap-a-Delay has eight types of modulation, making it one of the most versatile units on our list. We recommend this pedal to intermediate and experienced players looking for a complete delay solution.
Haunted Labs Shadow Winds
Main Features
- Three distinct delay programs
- Built-in modulation
- True bypass
Despite its simple appearance, the Haunted Labs Shadow Winds delay can get really moody, really fast. While there are only three parameters, this pedal gets more experimental as you crank up each knob.
While the Time and Replicate knobs respectively control the delay rate and feedback, the Invoke function introduces several modulation stages to the effect's reflections, rapidly transforming your guitar's tone into a chaotic soundscape.
There's also a middle switch that lets you alternate between the three distinctive delay programs in this pedal, imprinting extra effects such as alternating up/down 3rds, tremolo, and vibrato into your tone. Listen to the demo below to hear it in action.
Mojo Hand FX Octaverse
Main Features
- Reserve octave delay
- Selectable high and low octave
- True bypass
The Octaverse, by Mojo Hand FX, is an out-of-the-box pedal, as it's a reserve octave delay. It sounds quite unique since there are very few units with the same proposal: to create pitch-shifted experimental soundscapes and textures.
With the middle push button, you can select whether you want the effect an octave down or an octave up from what you're playing. This allows for some pretty creative tones when you blend them with the usual mix, rate, and feedback parameters. If you crank the feedback knob up, you can even achieve a near-infinite amount of repeats.
While the Octaverse pedal can be a treat for experimental-oriented players, it's not a very versatile pedal. We definitely recommend this unit if you're into styles such as ambient and lofi music, though.
Demedash Effects T-120 Videotape Echo
Main Features
- Tape-inspired delay
- Built-in modulation section
- No DSP used
With a very appealing design, the Demedash Effects T-120 Videotape Echo is, according to the brand, a delay pedal inspired by the Roland Tape Echo and worn-out wedding videos from the 90s. We love this description since it perfectly encapsulates the vibe of this effects unit.
With this powerful yet simple delay pedal, you can achieve some vintage tones and lofi greatness using the modulation parameters. It's mainly meant to emulate a tape machine, but you can get some pretty experimental tones when messing with the Depth/Glide and Speed/Randomize knobs.
Despite its lofi appeal, this delay pedal is very versatile and perfect for any playing style or music genre, as the tape delay effect is a certified classic.
OBNE BL-44
Main Features
- Real-time reverse delay
- Clock and speed controls
- Expression jack
- True bypass
Yet another highly experimental delay pedal on our list, the OBNE BL-44 is a real-time reverse delay, meaning it constantly listens to your audio signal and instantly generates backward reflections, evoking ethereal and abstract soundscapes.
Apart from the usual mix and volume knobs, there are two parameters to further control the effect: clock and speed. With the clock knob, you can affect both the time and quality of the delay, while the speed control lets you mess with the playback speed ratio, creating pitch-shifted-like and unison tones.
While this pedal has many experimentation possibilities, there is one particular scenario where the OBNE BL-44 performs really well: creating guitar drones and pad-like textures. If you're into ambient music, this delay pedal is worth a try.
EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio Time Shadows
Main Features
- Three Delay Modes
- Six preset slots
- Expression jack
- True bypass
The Time Shadows is a joint effort by EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio, two extremely innovative companies. It's a very creative unit with three distinctive delay modes, six preset slots, and a few extra tricks up its sleeve.
Among the three delay modes, you'll find an envelope-controlled sub-octave filter delay (EQD), a dual delay that shifts up and down with each regeneration (!¡), and a multi-delay regenerating filter (DBA). Each of these programs has its own unique vibe, making the Time Shadows extremely versatile.
The parameters can be adjusted via the three knobs: time, span, and filter, and you can save up to six presets to the unit. We highly recommend you watch the demo video below to check how the Time Shadows sounds.
Maneco Labs 16 Seconds Delay Reissue
Main Features
- Digital delay based on the classic EHX looping delay
- Delay times of up to 16 seconds
- Infinite function
The 16 Second Digital Delay, by Maneco Labs, is inspired by the classic EHX looping delay from 1983. The original vintage unit is rare to come across nowadays, so this reissue is the best option if you want that classic tone with extra reliability.
You probably won't come across that much delay time in any other pedal, so having those 16 seconds allows for a great deal of experimentation and tone possibilities. Apart from that, the unit also allows you to modulate the reflections and add effects such as pitch-shifting and reverse playback.
Last but not least, there's an infinite footswitch that does what it says. Despite the high price, this pedal is quite versatile and a gem for experienced players who want to get more experimentative with their tone.
EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master V3
Main Features
- Hi-fi digital delay and reverb
- Four independent parameters
- Flexi-switch technology
- True bypass
The EarthQuaker Devices Dispatch Master is a delay/reverb combo in a single pedal. It's extremely minimalist and easy to use, excellent if you're a beginner or looking for a compact and versatile unit for your pedalboard.
The delay effect sounds superb with clean tones, allowing for up to 1500 ms of delay time and the usual parameters of mix, time, and repeats. If you'd like to get experimental with it, you can crank up the repeats knob to achieve infinite reflections.
What's good about the Dispatch Master is that it also has a built-in reverb, and you can either use it on its own or paired with the delay function. As we said, it's an amazing pedal for those with versatility in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between Analog and Digital Delay Pedals?
Analog delay pedals utilize bucket-brigade devices (BBD) to create warmer, vintage-inspired tones. Typically offering shorter delay times, analog units are revered for their classic sound and versatility.
Digital delay pedals, on the other hand, employ digital signal processing (DSP) to produce cleaner reflections, allowing for longer delay times and more creative and experimental possibilities.
What Is The Tap Tempo Function on Delay Pedals?
The tap tempo function lets you adjust the delay time on the fly by tapping the footswitch to the tempo of the song. This feature is extremely useful for live concerts, as the player can easily match the pedal's rate to the BPM of each song.
What Is The Best Position for a Delay Pedal on a Pedalboard?
The best position for a delay pedal is typically at the end of the signal chain, right after modulation and before reverb. This ensures a cleaner tone. However, it's common practice for players to put the delay in unusual positions to achieve creative and innovative effects.
How Do I Use A Delay Pedal On an Amplifier Effects Loop?
Using a delay pedal in an amplifier effects loop can enhance the clarity and quality of your delayed signals, as the effect will be unaffected by the amplifier's preamp gain. To do so, you must connect a cable from your pedal's input jack to your amp's send, and another from your pedal's output jack to your amp's return.
Conclusion
These are the 10 best delay pedals in 2024. Finding the perfect addition to your setup is definitely not a one-size-fits-all situation, as each effects unit has its unique vibe and extra functions (such as modulation). For that reason, make sure to research extensively before making a call.
Below is a list of every delay pedal covered in our article. Thank you for reading this far!
|
Pedal |
Price |
|
$280.00 |
|
|
$170.00 |
|
|
$229.00 |
|
|
$179.00 |
|
|
$159.00 |
|
|
$225.00 |
|
|
$179.00 |
|
|
$199.00 |
|
|
$575.00 |
|
|
$199.00 |
You can check these and many other pedals in our store!
Bonus: Use the code IASN10 at checkout for an extra 10% discount!