10 Killer Delay Pedal Reviews – Add Some Depth to Your Tone in 2024

User Manual

Warranty Information

TC Electronic makes a wide variety of different effects pedals. You can pretty much find something in their catalog for every effect and any style of player (you’ll see their name again before this list is finished).

The Flashback is a stompbox specifically designed for professional guitarists to use on-stage. With included loop effects as well as 16 modes of delay, it’s maybe the ideal blend of comprehensive effects with easy usability.

The X4 in this pedals name refers to the fact that this is basically four pedals in one. It also has four foot switches, four control knobs, and four slots for TonePrint presets, which you can send to the pedal from any laptop or smartphone.

Basically you can think of this as four times the pedal, and the loop function isn’t a throwaway, either. You’ll get up to 40 seconds of loop, on an engine that’s completely independent of the delay effect.

It’s true—this is a lot of pedal.

Its versatility makes it well worth it, though, and despite all the different options it offers it’s easy to dial in the perfect sound every time.

Features:

• Dimensions: 2.2” X 9.3” X 5.7”
• Delay types: Ping Pong, Lofi, Slap, 2290, 2290 with Mod, Dynamic, Reverse, Analog, Analog with Mod, Space, Tube, Tape
• Controls: Delay Time, Delay Level, Feedback, looper Level
• Power: 9V DC (included)
• TonePrints give you emulations of famous guitar effects
• Independent engines for the delay and loop effects
• Tap tempo feature

User Manual

A lot of digital delay pedals sound fantastic, but they can’t quite emulate the sound of an analog effect. If you want this old-school sound from a modern pedal, you have to check out the Carbon Copy from MXR.

The sound that comes out of it is as rich as what you’ll get from a vintage pedal, and its modern circuitry makes it both more reliable and more versatile.

The Carbon Copy uses a clean, classic three-knob stompbox design. There are two trim pots inside the pedal for tweaking the rate and width of the effect, giving you more ways to customize the sound without cluttering the interface.

The only disadvantage of this approach is that it’s harder to make on the fly adjustments, but if you typically take a more “set it and forget it” approach to your effects it’s an excellent compromise.

Generally speaking, though, it’s easy to use this pedal.

And to make it do what you want.

The knobs are smooth-turning and give you a nice even, gradual change, making it easy to hone in on your ideal sound. And it’s that sound that really caught our attention with the MXR M169. It has a fat saturation and quick distortion that in many ways make it the ideal analog effects pedal (especially in its price point).

Features:

• Dimensions: 4.75” X 2.75” X 1.25”
• Control Knobs: Delay, Mix, Regeneration
• Internal Pots: Width and rate control
• Delay: 600ms
• All-analog signal path for full, warm tone
• Clean, simple interface

User Manual

Joyo has made their name as a company by putting out affordable clones of classic and popular effects. This dual-channel delay pedal isn’t the cheapest option on the list, but it’s definitely on the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Considering the features and functions that come included, it’s definitely in keeping with Joyo’s reputation for value.

The two-channel design of this pedal is definitely the feature that makes it stand out the most. It’s especially helpful that each of the channels has its own independent settings options, letting you fine-tune your sound to a greater degree than most effect pedals allow.

There are also overall controls for changing the mode, as well as the standard options for adjusting the mix and feedback.

While there’s a lot to love about the Joyo D-SEED, our favorite feature is the tap tempo mode.

This lets you choose the amount of delay and extends the potential delay time to 6,000ms, a degree of control that many delay pedals don’t give you.

The only complaint we have about this pedal is that it’s not the easiest to use.

The settings can be tricky to dial in, especially when you’re first learning how to use it. Setting the tap tempo mode also isn’t especially intuitive, and it’s not the best option if you want to change your settings quickly.

Nevertheless...

It’s the most comprehensive delay pedal you’ll find in the price point, and that makes it well worth your consideration if your budget is a factor in your decision.

Features:

• Dimensions: 4.1” X 1.8” X 4”
• Delay modes: Copy, Analog, Reverse, Modulation
• Delay: 17-1,000ms (up to 6,000ms in Tap Tempo mode)
• Controls: Mix, Mode, Time, Feedback
• Tap tempo function
• Independent settings for both channels

User Manual

Boss has a reputation for top-quality effects pedals. With the DD-7, they take the best features of their previous pedals, bring them together, and make improvements, with more modes and controls to really hone in on your ideal effect sound.

Keeping it all together is a casing designed in the classic Boss style, both rugged and compact—one of the reasons Boss pedals are so appealing to gigging musicians.

Let’s start with the controls.

You’ll have the option of adjusting the level, feedback, and delay time, along with a knob for choosing the mode. The potential delay time is longer than what we found with most pedals, up to 6.4 seconds when you turn it up to max.

But here’s where it gets good:

Boss gives you two modes in this pedal, each of which has its own distinctive tone. The Analog Delay has the warm, classic tone of the old school Boss DM-2 effect, while the Modulation Delay gives you a more modern, chorus-like effect.

There is also a “Hold” mode that lets you store up to 40 seconds of music to use as a loop.

The Boss DD-7 was designed for the gigging musician from top to bottom. The sound quality of the effect is one result of this, but it’s also designed to integrate easily into a professional set-up.

There’s a jack for an expression pedal or footswitch, if you want to control the effects hands-free, and the stereo input and output give you more sweep, pan, and signal options.

Overall, this is a versatile delay effect for any level of player.

Features:

• Dimensions: 3” X 5” X 2.5”
• Modes: Modulation Delay and Analog Delay
• Delay time: up to 6.4 seconds
• Power: PSA-series AC adapter or 9V battery (up to 6 hours continuous use with alkaline battery)
• Two modes and three effects shaping controls

User Manual

If you ask professional studio guitarists to recommend their favorite delay pedal, a good many of them will answer the Eventide TimeFactor without hesitation.

And with good reason.

The features and sound quality are tough to beat, with ten different effects and the option of stereo or dual-mono operation. With all the options on this pedal, the inclusion of a loop effect, as well, is just the icing on the cake.

Now here’s the thing:

If you’re looking for compact or cheap, you won’t find it here.

This is a hefty effect pedal in every sense of the word. Not only does it include multiple modes of both loop and delay effects, it also has ten knobs, three footswitches, and an option for adding an external footswitch for additional controls. Once you have your settings dialed in, you can save them easily into one of the 100 preset slots.

Every detail on this pedal is designed for professional musicians.

One handy feature you won’t find on many pedals is the inclusion of both guitar- and line-level inputs and outputs. It also has tap tempo and MIDI clock syncing—two of the features that make it just as appealing in the studio as it is on stage.

Are you ready for the truth?

It’s not an exaggeration to say the TimeFactor is the last delay pedal you’ll ever need.

Not only is the casing die-cast and built to last, but the software comes with endless free upgrades so it will never become obsolete.

If you’re looking for a simple effect, this is probably more pedal than you want. For the professional who’s looking for the ultimate in delay technology, though, the TimeFactor will give it to you for a lifetime.

Features:

• Dimensions: 13” X 7.5” X 4”
• Effects: Digital Delay, Band Delay, Vintage DDL, Filter Pong, Tape Echo, MultiTap Delay, Modulated Delay, Reverse Delay, Ducked Delay, Looper
• Controls: Mix, Delay Mix, Delay Time, Feedback, Xnob, Depth, Speed, Filter
• Power: 9V DC adapter
• 100 preset slots
• 12-second looper

Analog delay pedals are often more expensive than their digital equivalents. If you want that distinctive analog delay sound, though, there’s just no alternative.

No doubt about it…

The Delay Lay Lay by Deadbeat Sound is one of the most affordable ways to add an analog delay sound to your arsenal.

Unlike other options on the list, the Delay Lay Lay doesn’t boast a plethora of modes and styles.

The effect can be best described as a tape delay, giving your lines a lush echo. You can adjust the length of the delay between 140 and 360ms. The controls are smooth and sensitive and let you make some very minor adjustments.

Since it can go into infinite repeats, you can drive it to the over-saturation point that lets you build up a powerful feedback loop.

When it comes to the versatility of the Delay Lay Lay, that’s a bit of a tricky question. It only offers one effect, but that effect is done exceptionally well and you get a lot of control over the intricacies of the delay’s timing and intensity.

The best advice here is to give the pedal a listen and let your ears make the decision.

Features:

• Dimensions: 7” X 4.6” X 4.6”
• Control knobs: Mix, Time, Rate
• Delay: 140-360ms
• Power: 9V DC adapter (included)
• Self-oscillation capabilities

User Manual

Warranty Information

TC Electronic designed this pedal from their 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay, taking that advanced effect technology and putting it into a convenient stompbox.

It’s on the larger side (and in the middle of the price range), but if you’re looking for the most innovative option the Nova Delay should definitely be on your short list.

The programmable presets are the main thing people love about this pedal. You’ll get nine different slots for saving your settings.

Switching between them is simple, too.

This is ideal if you want the choice of changing delay styles within a set, saving you a lot of time over manually adjusting each of the dials.

In terms of the settings themselves, there are six delay types and three modulation styles, along with the five basic control knobs, all of which can be used in tandem to create truly unique sounds.

The processor this pedal is based off of is used for studio effects and mixing, and the Nova pedal maintains this quality standard.

This is partially thanks to the true stereo inputs and outputs. The delay will sound full and dynamic as a result, however you have it set. TC Electronics has really thought through every detail of this pedal that will impact your sound.

The spillover feature, for example, gives you a more natural decay when you change from one mode to another, letting you tweak your settings without interrupting your groove. For a pedal that delivers on both sound quality and ease of use, the Nova Delay is an excellent way to go.

Features:

• Dimensions: 4.9” X 4.9” X 2.2”
• Delay types: Delay Line, Dynamic, Reverse, Ping Pong, Pan, Slapback
• Modulation types: Light, medium, heavy
• Controls: Delay, Feedback, Color, Mod level, Mix level
• Delay: Up to 2,290ms
• Programmable presets

Here’s a nifty little option from Donner that scores high marks for value.

It’s one of the top delay pedals you can get at such a great price. The design also makes excellent use of very little space, cramming seven modes of operation into a mini-sized pedal that’ll fit into any setup.

Most pedals in this price range are relatively limited in their sound and setting options, and that’s where the Donner Echo Square really stood out to us.

Each of the seven delay modes is distinctive, and gives you some less common options, like Mod and Lofi, that are hard to find. Once you’ve picked the mode you want to play it, you can further tweak it using the mix, time, and feedback knobs.

The only disadvantage we found with the controls was that the knobs don’t lock into place, making it a bit more difficult to find your desired settings again if you change them.

There are other small things that you’ll notice you’re missing compared to more expensive delay pedals. The only power option is AC, for example, whereas many larger pedals also give you the option of running on battery.

These small quibbles aside, however, this is a powerful pedal to add to your arsenal—especially considering the price.

Features:

• Dimensions: 3.9” X 2.4” X 2.4”
• Delay modes: Digital, Analog, Tape, Mod, Sweep, Lofi, Reverse
• Control knobs: Mix, Time, Feedback
• Power: 9V Adapter (not included)
• Seven different modes of delay, including some harder to find choices
• Durable aluminum casing

User Manual

If the main thing you’re after is value, multi-effects pedals are the way to go.

They’ll give you a whole host of different effect sounds in one box—in the case of the Zoom MS-70CDR, 86 effect options for s modest cost.

There’s a definite convenience advantage, too.

How’s that?

Get the right multi-effects pedal, and it could be the only one you need.

This one even includes emulations of specific pedals, making it really feel like dozens of pedals captured in one casing.

There is a trade-off, of course.

You won’t get as many options for customizing the sound of each individual effect. There’s a basic 3-knob interface (what the knobs do depends on which effect you’re using) but this won’t be enough if you’re a player who likes to really fine-tune their effects.

To our ears, this difference was most obvious when comparing the emulations to the pedals they’re based on. The Zoom MultiStomp sounds similar, but it’s often feels like a flattened version of the original.

Still, a solid multi-effects pedal like this Zoom can be a great thing to have around for those times you want a lot of effect options but don’t have room for a ton of pedals.

They’re a super-smart purchase for a beginner, too, since you’ll be able to play around with a lot of new sounds without investing a ton of money.

Features:

• Dimensions: 2.3” X 3” X 5.1”
• Delay Effects: 26
• Total Effects: 86
• Delay Time: up to 4 seconds
• 26 delay effects in total, including both mono and stereo options
• Includes emulations of 8 well-known delay pedals

User Manual

You might be surprised to see something called the Loop Station on a list about delay pedals, but these two effects are similar in nature and you’ll often see them linked together.

The Boss RC-1 wasn’t our favorite option for delay on the list, but it’s a good one to consider if you like experimenting with long delays and other pedals just aren’t cutting it.

The Boss RC-1 is designed with guitarists and bassists in mind. It has a clean, vibrant interface that’s easy to read at a glance, and you can control all the functions easily using only the built-in pedal.

This intuitive design was probably our favorite thing about the pedal overall—it doesn’t take long to get used to it and it’s very natural once you do.

If you’re looking for a more traditional delay effect…

This might not be the pedal for you.

The long recording memory and simple controls do give it significant versatility, however, and its loop functions are definitely impressive if that’s something you’re interested in, as well.

Features:

• Dimensions: 2.9” X 5.1” X 2.4”
• Controls: Level
• Loop Recording: up to 12 minutes
• Power: 9V alkaline battery or AC adapter (not included)
• Up to 12 minutes of recording time