The 10 best delay pedals: add echo and expansiveness to your guitar and synths

There’s a reason so many of the multitude of delay pedals out there make it onto most guitarists’ pedalboards or are plugged into many hardware synthesisers. The best delay pedals can add so much to one’s sound, whether it be a very subtle extra dimension, big, vintage echoes, or infinite expansiveness. Headliner is on duty to look at all the types of delay pedals, including the classic tape echoes that date back to the ‘50s, to the latest digital units being released today.

There are the classic analogue delay pedals that give that vintage and characteristic warmth, or if you are of the digital persuasion, some of which can add swathes of endless ambience. So if all this sounds good, don’t delay! Let’s get cracking with the 10 best delay pedals in the world, commencing with the most affordable and working upwards from there.

Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay

• Pro: Incredible value; authentic bucket-brigade circuit for classic slapback.

• Con: Plastic chassis is less durable than metal rivals.

Warm and characteristic analogue delay for less than £/$30? That’s a tricky one to argue with. Designed to rival real tape delay units, Behringer have once again created a guitar pedal that rivals drastically pricier rivals. The vintage BBDs give you up to 300ms of delay, and its advanced noise reduction circuitry means the signal is remarkably clean for an analogue unit. The repeat rate, echo, and intensity controls make for some fantastic sound shaping potential.

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TC Electronic Echobrain

• Pro: Heavy-duty metal housing; simple three-knob interface is very user-friendly.

• Con: No tap-tempo or advanced modulation controls.

If you’re stuck on whether to go analogue vs digital delay for your pedal, and fear going for the former means forking out more money, the Echobrain from TC Electronic is our second bit of proof that you can go analogue for an absolute steal. The Echobrain’s sounds are vibrant and organic, and the sound potential for such a budget pedal is excellent — if you want more than basic, subtle thickening, you can achieve lo-fi and psychedelic sounds, rapid echoes, and infinite delays also.

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TC Electronic Flashback 2

• Pro: Pressure-sensitive MASH switch; TonePrint technology allows for endless customisation.

• Con: The rubberised knobs can sometimes feel a bit loose over time.

TC Electronic get one more claim to the best delay pedal throne with Flashback 2, thanks to some very innovative features. It includes the super-impressive MASH technology, which effectively turns the footswitch into an expression pedal that responds to how hard you press it. Its accompanying TonePrint app lets you go crazy with custom presets from your smartphone, directly controlling the pedal. This alone makes the sonic possibilities pretty infinite. It doubles up as a looper pedal and has eight distinct delay types. All in all, a brilliant option for both the studio and stage.

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MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

• Pro: Rich, organic character; mod switch adds a beautiful choral shimmer to the repeats.

• Con: The internal trim pots for modulation are a bit fiddly to adjust.

MXR’s Carbon Copy is based on the company’s ‘70s delay pedal MXR Analog Delay. It comes in a fetching green design and three control knobs, both honouring the original design. First up, it delivers that richer, warmer analogue delay you might be seeking, rather than the clearer and higher definition heard in a digital delay. It packs in 600ms of delay, and those three knobs allow you to mix and control repeats and time. There’s also the option of modulation, so you can get weird and whacky. It’s one of the most popular delay pedals out there, and for good reason.

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Electro-Harmonix Canyon

• Pro: Massive variety with 11 different modes; includes a built-in 62-second looper.

• Con: The secondary knob functions can be difficult to memorise without the manual.

The first digital unit to enter the best delay pedals conversation is Canyon from Electro-Harmonix, and this one does indeed deliver Grand Canyon-esque echoes. The company’s delay pedals have been used by such notable bands as U2 and The Cure, and it’s unsurprising when they are so feature-heavy. The Canyon has a whopping 11 delay types, a pitch-shifting octave mode (usually only found in much pricer pedals), and a 62-second looper. It’s one of the most compact pedals on this list and comes at an affordable price, the tradeoff being no stereo output. But it offers such a variety of effects and features for the price point that it’s hard to get too hung up on that.

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Strymon Olivera

• Pro: Masterfully emulates the rare ‘oil-can’ delay sound; high-quality stereo I/O.

• Con: Shorter maximum delay times compared to most digital units.

Strymon are very well-known and beloved in the reverb world thanks to units such as the BigSky, and the Olivera puts the company in direct delay competition also. It’s one of the most impressive digital emulation pedals out there. It was designed to capture the murky, dark, and slightly wobbling magic of 1950s oil-can delay technology. Unlike standard delays, it focuses on a specific type of lo-fi character where the repeats are saturated and intentionally unpredictable. Despite its vintage inspiration, the pedal is built for modern rigs with full stereo inputs and outputs, as well as MIDI integration for managing up to 300 presets. A brilliant option for anyone looking to give their guitar or synths some big atmospheres, tone, and to create some unconventional delay effects.

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Universal Audio Starlight Echo Station

• Pro: Studio-grade hardware and algorithms; remarkably accurate tape echo emulations.

• Con: No MIDI support, which may be a deal-breaker for some complex rigs.

Plugin maestros Universal Audio are relative newcomers to the guitar pedal game, but that’s absolutely no reason to count them out of the best delay pedal contest. The Strarlight Echo Station brings you intergalactic delay potential, taking inspiration from the Memory Man Deluxe and the Echoplex. You can expect some fantastic, vintage delay tones from this thing. This pedal uses analogue dry-through, meaning the signal from your guitar or synth remains analogue, and then has the power of digital adding the effects on top. It’s essentially one of UAD’s high-powered plugins in a pedal, with loads of modulation, tone colour options, and enough modes to keep you busy for years.

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Boss RE-202 Space Echo

• Pro: Perfect emulation of the multi-head RE-201; features the iconic twist and warp effects.

• Con: Quite a large footprint; may be overkill for those who only need simple echoes.

Keeping things in outer space, the original Roland Space Echo from the ‘70s is a true legend of the delay and echo world, and has really come back into vogue recently. However, getting your hands on one of the original units will set you back way over a grand. Thankfully, there are some great emulators out there, especially this one from Boss. The tape emulation is so impressive, bringing all the warm, wobbly, unpredictable goodness akin to the original Space Echo. Best of all, the saturation, flutter, and other effects are much easier to control on this modern reinvention.

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Strymon TimeLine

• Pro: 12 delay machines covering every sound imaginable; 200 presets for easy recall.

• Con: The high price and large size make it a serious commitment for any player.

The last word, and the most expensive word we should add, goes to Strymon in this best delay pedal compendium. If you want to add some endlessly creative delay to your life’s timeline, then we can assure you this particular pedal is used by world-touring musicians and studio engineers for very good reason. It features twelve distinct delay machines, ranging from high-fidelity digital echoes to complex ice and pattern modes for advanced sound design. The MIDI features and 200 preset slots mean you can call upon your favourite settings on stage without any drama. Dropping over £/$400 on a guitar pedal may sound crazy to some, but this truly is one of the best-sounding delay pedals out there.

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Analogue vs digital delay pedals: which is best for you?

Sorry if this frustrates you, but there’s ultimately no correct answer regarding whether an analogue vs digital delay pedal will suit you best. It’s ultimately a preference thing — some would argue that a lot of digital delay pedals merely seek to emulate analogue pedals, which is true in many, but not all cases. Some swear that true analogue sounds warmer and more characteristic than digital, while others will say they can’t tell the difference. If you’re after pure convenience, digital delay is often a bit easier to control and predict. Often, though, the joy of using an analogue pedal is simply messing around with the settings and coming up with barmy sounds that no one could plan. Simply watch videos of the pedals above and decide what sounds best to you. The choice is yours!