From analogue emulations to the most techy digital options, we run through ten of our favourite delay plugins.
At first glance, delays might seem like some of the most straightforward effects on the market. After all, how complicated can they really be? You want an echo, just dial in a delay time and a feedback setting, right? Oh, maybe some filters? While we’re at it, why not add some modulation options? A couple of LFOs and envelope generators should do it. How about a tape emulation mode, or some distortion effects too?
Before you know it, you’ve got a couple of dozen parameters on your hands and you’re making the choice between precise digital delays and painstaking emulations of vintage analogue units. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single plugin that covers all those bases. Each delay plugin has its own approach and its own strengths and weaknesses. Here we present ten of our favourites.
As always in Ten Of The Best, our selections are presented in ascending order of price.
09.00 AM
I always loved Nomad Factory’s “Echoes”. Just a beautiful sounding bit of kit. Fxpansion’s “Bloom” is equally lovely, just ridiculously complex with it.
Love it that there’s a shout out for “Ratshack Reverb” too. I put that on so many of my tracks, I think I need an intervention….
09.48 AM
I was just about to question the lack of UAD Space Echo, then I noticed they’ve discontinued it. Anyone know what’s happened there? Looks like Roland have withdrawn the licences for Roland emulations or something? I’m guessing they’re going to release plugins of their own…
06.07 PM
Also missing Valhalla Ubermod, more than just delay. I didn’t know about the UVI one, seems great.
02.14 AM
Echoboy is incredible, definitely one of my desert island plugins. I lot of the time I don’t even use it as a delay, turning the echo time to 0ms and tweaking the saturation settings to get awesome lo-fi tape warmth and wobble. Echoboy is more than a plugin, its an instrument.
11.52 PM
Wow you’re right Spicer, good thing I finally just purchased it a couple weeks ago when it was on sale.
11.59 PM
Hey Spicer there is an emulation of the space echo in NI Guitar Rig that has a great vibe.
Gotta say the Waves J37 is my all time fave tape delay in the box.
02.07 PM
The PSP 42 isn’t actually endorsed by Lexicon. There is a post on a well known forum where one of their engineers said he relayed that he didn’t think it sounded that close. But the next thing he knew PSP was marketing it as such.
12.44 PM
REPLIKA
REPLIKA
REPLIKA
or however you spell the damn thing
04.35 AM
This seems ridiculous to split up an article into 11 pages. Does anyone actually like clicking through to the next page 10 times?
10.54 AM
more page vieuw but less readers