How to Choose the Pro-level Analog Delay Pedal That’s Right for You
We’re here to de-mystify modern analog delay pedals to help you find the pedal that checks all of your boxes. Many analog delay pedals offer similar features, but offer them in very different ways, and some pedals offer completely unique capabilities. Let’s consider what you need in a delay pedal, and look at some top performing analog delay pedals available right now.
Tap Tempo and How You Access It
Pretty much the only time I don’t want tap tempo on my delay pedal is if I’m using it for slapback echo: I’m not Eddie Van Halen, and I want to match my delay to the tempo of my music. Most modern delay pedals offer tap tempo, but there’s more to consider. Most players (myself included) prefer having a dedicated footswitch on the pedal for tap tempo. Some pedals make the on/off switch serve double-duty as a tap tempo switch (requiring a lighter touch with your foot), and some pedals simply don’t have it. If you only need to change tempo between songs, it might not be a big deal. But if you change delay tempo mid-song, a dedicated tap switch is a big benefit.
Tap Tempo Top Performers:
- EHX Memory Boy Deluxe, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, and DOD Rubberneck all have dedicated onboard footswitches for tap tempo
- DOD Drag analog delay supports tap tempo, but requires the optional FS3X 3-button footswitch to do so
- MXR M299 Carbon Copy Mini and BOSS DM-2W don’t offer tap tempo, and are better suited for slapback echo and other set-and-forget delay effects
Delay Length — How Much Do You Need?
Slapback echo only requires around 30-40ms of delay, and longer solo-enhancing echo trails are generally most useful under 200ms. In other words, most players never need more than 300ms of delay for standard delay effects. Most analog delay pedals I see on the market today max out around 600ms (a little over half a second of delay), but some analog pedals offer up to 1.5 seconds of delay. How much you actually need is up to you, but it’s important to remember that analog delay circuits degrade in fidelity as they repeat: that’s what gives analog delay its trademark “warm” character. Longer delay times sound much more lo-fi than delay times under 600ms. So unless you’re specifically looking for grainy, dark delay sounds, you’ll probably be sticking to delay values under 600ms.
Analog Delay Pedal Time Ranges:
- MXR Carbon Copy Mini, BOSS DM-2W, and EHX Deluxe Memory Boy offer delay times of 800ms and under
- DOD Drag offers up to 750ms of delay, or up to 1.5 seconds in Rubberneck mode
- DOD Rubberneck and MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe offer delays up to 1.5 seconds and 1.2 seconds respectively
Delay Tone, Character and Flexibility
As I mentioned above, analog delay is characterized by its warm repeats that become darker and grainier as they decay: but that’s not always what you want. Pedals deal with this in different ways: the MXR M229 Carbon Copy Mini and M292 Carbon Copy Deluxe incorporate a Bright switch to distinctly alter the delay tone, while the DOD Rubberneck features a variable tone control. The BOSS DM-2W stays true to its analog roots with no tone control or brightening. And the EHX Deluxe Memory Boy does offer filtering for the delays, but it’s a hidden feature that you’ll need to read the manual to learn how to access.
Analog Delay Pedals for Dark, Bright, or Flexible Tone:
- BOSS DM-2W and EHX Deluxe Memory Body feature no tone control, retaining full analog warmth and dark decay
- MXR Carbon Copy Mini and MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe feature a Bright switch to offset the characteristic analog darkness
- DOD Rubberneck features a variable tone filter with gain control for added flexibility
- DOD Drag features a variable tone filter but no added gain control
Modulation and Control — How Deep Do You Want to Go?
Subtle modulation enhances your analog delay with shimmering chorus or vibrato. Pedals like the MXR Carbon Copy Mini and Carbon Copy Deluxe make it simple to add some texture just by hitting the Mod button. The EHX Deluxe Memory Boy has a dedicated knob for modulation: turn it one direction for a square wave, and the other direction for a saw wave, with a separate knob to control modulation rate. On the other end of the spectrum, the DOD Rubberneck and DOD Drag are designed for realtime performance modulation. The DOD Rubberneck features a momentary footswitch for realtime time-warping, and the DOD Drag expands on the Rubberneck with 3 additional time-warping modes to explore (use the optional FS3X footswitch to get the most out of Drag’s performance capabilities).
Modulation and Control Capabilities:
- BOSS DM-2W has no onboard modulation capabilities, just straightforward analog delay effects
- MXR Carbon Copy Mini has a Mod switch, the Carbon Copy Deluxe has the switch plus Speed and Width controls
- EHX Deluxe Memory Boy has a dedicated modulation knob with 2 waveforms and a rate control
- DOD Rubberneck has a momentary switch for realtime Rubberneck time-warping, plus dedicated Rate and Depth modulation controls
- DOD Drag offers maximum realtime modulation flexibility, with a momentary switch for realtime time-warping, 4 time-warp effect modes, and the optional FS3X footswitch for expanded control capabilities
Performance, Usability and Form Factor
When your priority is saving pedalboard space, the MXR Carbon Copy Mini is the natural choice. For the standard single-pedal size like the BOSS DM-2W and the DOD Drag, you often get access to more controls, but in a relatively cramped interface. The DOD Drag minimizes this frustration with the ability to add the FS3X footswitch, but that requires a separate purchase and requires you to add something else to your pedalboard. When space isn’t as much of a priority, double-size pedals like the MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, EHX Deluxe Memory Boy and DOD Rubberneck give you a comprehensive set of dedicated controls to fine-tune your guitar tones. You’ll always need to balance pedalboard space with usability and convenience, but I think an analog delay pedal is the type of pedal that deserves as much pedalboard space as you need to give it.
Analog Delay Pedal Usability and Form Factor:
- Mini-size pedals like MXR Carbon Copy Mini are ideal for small pedalboards
- Single-size pedals like BOSS DM-2W and DOD Drag offer more control, but may require additional footswitches or expression pedals to access full functionality
- Double-size pedals like EHX Deluxe Memory Boy, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, and DOD Rubberneck take up more pedalboard space but offer comprehensive controls and easily-accessible interfaces
| Feature | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap Tempo | Onboard | Onboard | Onboard |
| Max. Delay Time | 1.5 sec. | 1.2 sec. | 700ms |
| Modulation Capability | "Rate/Depth controls" | Speed/Width controls | Depth/Waveform and Rate controls |
| Form Factor | Double | Double | Double |
| Feature |  DOD Drag Analogue Delay Pedal | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap Tempo | No | Onboard | Requires FS3X footswitch (sold separately) |
| Max. Delay Time | 600ms | 3 sec. | 750ms (1.5 seconds w/Rubberneck effect) |
| Modulation Capability | Mod switch | Depth/Speed controls | 4 waveforms / 3 intensity ranges |
| Form Factor | Mini | Double | "Standard" |
Related Video
Your Effects Pedal Order Matters — Learn Everything You Need to Know in This Video!
- Introduction
- Tap Tempo and How You Access It
- Tap Tempo Top Performers:
- Delay Length — How Much Do You Need?
- Analog Delay Pedal Time Ranges:
- Delay Tone, Character and Flexibility
- Analog Delay Pedals for Dark, Bright, or Flexible Tone:
- Modulation and Control — How Deep Do You Want to Go?
- Modulation and Control Capabilities:
- Performance, Usability and Form Factor
- Analog Delay Pedal Usability and Form Factor:
- Related Video
