The five best delay pedals
Delay effects are among the most popular in the music world. They are also often used with guitars. In today's article, we'll explain exactly what delay effects are and introduce you to our five favourite delay pedals.
But what exactly is a delay?
Put simply, it's an audible echo added to the sound. This artificial echo can add atmosphere and depth to your sound. The name 'delay' refers to exactly what such a pedal does: it repeats the input signal at short intervals.
The three most common types of delay are acoustic, mechanical and electronic. An acoustic delay is simply an echo in the real world; for example, when you shout 'hello' in a canyon and the sound echoes back to you. This type of delay is, of course, irrelevant in practice for the guitar.
Originally, delay in music was mostly produced mechanically. Today, however, almost all delays are electronic because these devices are much more practical than the alternatives.
What types of delay pedal are there?
Delay effects for guitars can be divided into three main categories:
Digital Delay:Â With this type of delay, the echo is generated by a software algorithm. These pedals are essentially small computers. This type of electronic delay is the most popular today, and for good reason: software is simply much more flexible than hardware.
Digital delays also offer a clarity of sound that other types of delay cannot match. Latency, i.e. the time it takes for the sound to be generated, is also usually lower with digital delays.
Analogue delay:Â With analogue delays, the echo is generated by an analogue circuit, meaning they also belong to the category of electronic delays. Although digital delays are now the more 'modern' option, analogue delays are still frequently used. They are particularly valued for their warm, natural sound.
The main disadvantage is that they are less flexible than digital delays and produce a less clear sound, as the circuits often cause minor interference or noise.
Tape-Delay:Â Tape delay is the most common mechanical type of guitar delay. The sound is transferred to magnetic tape and then played back at different intervals. This type of delay is hardly used today.
We would not recommend it either, as these devices are unfortunately neither practical nor compact. However, electronic delays simulate the sound of tape devices.
Delay effects: Our top five
Below, we present our current top five delay effects. This does not mean that these are the best-sounding devices available. We also want to show you devices from different price ranges, not just those affordable for professionals.
Please note that delay effect pedals are generally more expensive than devices from other effect categories. Even cheaper delays often cost around £100. If you are setting up your first guitar rig on a limited budget, we would therefore recommend investing in a good distortion/overdrive and reverb first.
Boss DD-8
The Boss DD-8 is an affordable all-rounder that produces a good delay sound. It comes in white and features the classic Boss pedal design with a black tread and the Boss logo. This digital stereo delay offers eleven different delay modes, as well as simple looper functions.
It has knobs for level, feedback, time and mode, and at 440 grams it is both compact and very light. It is powered by a 9 V block battery or an additional power supply unit (available separately).
Considering its price of around £150, the DD-8 offers very decent sound quality and can be adjusted to suit a variety of needs. Overall, it's a good device for beginners.
MXR M169 Carbon Copy
With a price tag of around £140, the MXR M169 Carbon Copy sits in a similar price bracket to the Boss DD-8. The main difference is that the Carbon Copy is an analogue delay pedal. MXR has been around since the 1970s and remains one of the leading manufacturers of delay effects today. One of the most famous MXR users was Eddie Van Halen.
The M169 has three knobs for adjusting the mix, the number of echoes and the echo timing. In addition, a button activates a modulation mode that adds depth to the sound. The device is very compact and therefore fits on any pedalboard. It can be powered by a 9 V battery or a separate power supply (not included). True bypass is supported.
The analogue sound of the device is reminiscent of the '70s and '80s — no wonder, since it is a modern version of the popular MXR pedal from that time. If you want analogue delay and play pop or rock, you should definitely consider the Carbon Copy.
Dunlop Echoplex
With a price tag of around £220, the Echoplex from Dunlop is a digital delay more suited to advanced users. It has a metal housing with a stylish black control panel on top. This compact device has three controls for delay, sustain and volume. The delay time can be adjusted from 40 to 750 milliseconds using the control knob.
The Dunlop delay is powered by the included power supply. Unfortunately, it is not possible to operate it using batteries. However, the Echoplex offers true bypass and a switch that allows you to switch between mono and stereo.
A notable feature of the Echoplex is its ability to produce a successful blend of analogue and digital delay sounds. There is also an Age mode that allows you to produce a variety of delay sounds. While the Echoplex is not the cheapest delay pedal, we believe that its outstanding sound quality makes it well worth the money.
Electro Harmonix Grand Canyon
With a price tag of €250, the Grand Canyon is neither the cheapest nor the most compact digital delay from Electro Harmonix. However, this device offers an incredible variety of delay sounds. Its white housing features a striking Grand Canyon illustration and a multitude of controls that allow you to adjust the sound to your liking.
The device has twelve built-in delay types, including tape delay simulations, and can handle delay times of up to three seconds. The effect types are conveniently labelled directly on the housing. You can also customise the thirteen integrated presets and connect an external foot switch. And did we mention that the Grand Canyon is also a very useful looper?
In terms of customisability, the Grand Canyon leaves little to be desired. But what about the sound quality? We think so. We believe that you can't go wrong with an Electro-Harmonix Grand Canyon.
Universal Audio UAFX Starlight Echo Station
When a small stomp box costs £300, it had better offer a lot. That's certainly the case with the Starlight Echo Station from Universal Audio. As well as its stylish black and grey casing, the device features six rotary controls and three additional toggle switches that offer great flexibility.
However, the Echo Station has a lot more to offer than just a multitude of controls. You can save your settings as presets and connect the delay to a computer via USB-C to install firmware updates and download additional effects. The Echo Station has delay simulations from all three categories on board: tape, analogue, and digital. Among other things, it simulates the original Echoplex, which we presented above as its successor.
And the sound? As you would expect from Universal Audio, it is exceptional. If you are not familiar with the brand, it is primarily known for its professional studio technology and effects. The Starlight Echo Station is therefore ideal if you want the highest quality delay sound and are willing to pay for it.
Conclusion
As mentioned in our beginner's guide to effects pedals, we don't believe that a delay pedal should be the first addition to your pedalboard. Nevertheless, it's something that no guitarist should be without in the medium term because a good delay pedal can significantly enhance your sound. We hope we've given you a brief overview of delays that you can explore further.