Best Delay Plugins Of 2020
Delay effects are an integral part of mixing and the sound design process. Everybody loves a good delay, whether it’s a subtle short slapback, or a never-ending echo, there’s a delay for everyone. We are taking a look at some of the finest delay plugins out there.
1. Soundtoys – EchoBoy
If we had a cent every time we heard people swear by EchoBoy, we’d be millionaires right now. It’s just that good. This is one of those plugins that has a well-balanced ratio of price VS quality and let’s not forget a plethora of delay models inside it that will fit everybody’s taste. There’s over 30 of them actually. You can additionally mold your delay sound by tweaking the filter controls, delay type (not just the model, but the way delay creates the repeats). The only downside of it is the actual amount of controls that can be a bit cumbersome to beginners, but there’s a whole bunch of presets to get you started.
Echoboy is definitely one of the best premium Delay plugins available on the market, if not THEE best. It combines 30 echo styles which are modelled on iconic vintage gear and adds some extra features on top of them. You can create almost any delay sound you want with it thanks to all the editing options available. Soundtoys - EchoBoy. Starting us off, the EchoBoy by Soundtoys is a do-it-all workhorse designed to. Classic Delay is one of the people’s favorite more traditional free delay plugins since it offers excellent audio quality without introducing any noise. This plugin emulates three of the most commonly used delays / echo sounds types: Tape, Analog, and Digital.
We highly recommend this one. And the price is not that bad for the amount of features. $200 for an ultimate delay factory is a great deal.
2. UAD – Cooper Time Cube MK2
If you are a UAD user, this one is a treat. And if you’re not a UAD user then you need to become one because this delay unit is simply one-of-a-kind!
It is modelled by an actual hardware delay unit created by Duane H. Cooper and Bill Putnam. UAD have captured the essence of this rare piece of hardware and made it available to everyone. If you are searching for a rather unique and interesting delay, then look no further. The way this unit creates echoes and feedback is by utilizing a PLASTIC HOSE TUBE! Absolutely crazy, but then again it gives absolutely crazy delays. The regular price is $150, but it’s often on huge discounts.
3. Waves – H-Delay
As with EchoBoy, this plugin has a massive army of users who swear by it, and no wonder, because this is your bread and butter delay plugin. If you are searching for quick results with a great sound, look no further. If you are into ping-pong and subdivision delays, it’s second to none.
The Lo-Fi button is a great feature and it does exactly what it says. Chill out music producers will simply love this feature. The regular price is around $180, but more often than not it’s on great discounts at only $30.
4. D16 Group – Sigmund
Sigmund is not just another delay. It’s a rather peculiar plugin that consists of four discrete delay units, and each unit has its own independent set of parameters. When using this plugin, each delay line has complementary modules built in that are independent from the feedback loop. It also features a multi-mode filter, an overdrive module and an amplitude modulator for tremolo effects.
But that is not all. There is also LFO, envelope and peak modulator for modulating the parameters in order to create some really unique and moving delays. If you are savvy enough, you can utilize Sigmund as a chorus or flanger.
This delay is truly a sound designer’s dream and for $80, we see no reason why you shouldn’t own one.
Free Echo Vst Plugins
5. AudioThing – Outer Space
Here we have a faithful emulation plugin of one of the most iconic tape echo units, the Roland Space Echo. As the unit it was modelled on, Outer Space also features an echo section with three playback heads and a spring reverb tank.
The team at AudioThing has modelled three different tape frequency responses and saturations along with the imperfections of analog tape recording and playback. You can simulate a Doppler Effect and create some really eerie pitch shifts, which are a classic effect when it comes to this unit. For $70, this one is a bargain if you are on the lookout for a great tape echo unit.
6. Arturia – Eternity
Arturia are well-known for their amazing emulations of classic synths and they also have some of their unique hardware units to offer. Some time ago they took a shot at creating effect plugins of some classic units and recently they started developing some of their own original plugins. One of those is Eternity, an endlessly creative echo plugin.
It features two delay lines which can sync to tempo and use sub-divisions and it also features an integrated filter, a lo-fi bit-crushing effect, LFO, stereo width control, and some great delay modes. It’s a rather versatile unit that’s more than just a delay with its huge modulation potential.
It’s also a great sound texture machine because you can utilize the built-in filters that let you shape the feedback loop, so you can develop your performance into a really big ambient texture. This isn’t a modeled plugin, nor is it an emulation. It’s 100% original design and that’s always a great thing in our book. For $100 there’s a lot of great stuff in there.
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Looking for a way to add some depth and movement to your tracks without spending a load of cash? Or do you want to incorporate some dubby effects without investing in a costly and temperamental tape delay device? Delay plug-ins could be the solution.
These delay plug-ins deliver all the benefits of hardware delay units with the convenience of software. Best of all, they’re totally free!
Find more great gear here:
Intro: About Delay Plugins
Delays are devices that add repeats or echoes to any sound that is routed through them. In the hardware realm, delays come in various types, from tape-equipped mechanisms to analog bucket brigade devices, to DSP units.
In the software world, there are delay plugins that aim to replicate the sound and functionalities of classic hardware devices. There are also more fully-featured units that incorporate modulation, and various other features that go well beyond what typical delays have to offer.
Even with the advent of DSP units and advanced-algorithm delay plug-ins, many musicians and producers continued to prefer hardware delays for their immediacy and warmer sound. But many current delay plug-ins now come close to replicating the warmth and idiosyncratic sounds of hardware devices. Even free plug-ins now compare favorably to the most revered hardware delay devices.
Best Free Delay VST/AU Plugins
The List
Plugin Roundup
Voxengo’s Tempo Delay is a stereo delay plugin intended for a wide variety of production applications.
As the name implies, it is a tempo-based delay that enables the setting of delay times in musical values according to the specified BPM. It also has a tremolo and a filter section.
Like the delay values, these can be adjusted independently for the left and right channels.
The Tempo Delay packs on a wealth of features that would be impressive even in a “for pay” plug-in. This could easily handle the majority of your delay needs.
Lagrange by Ursa DSP is a stereo delay that ups the ante by incorporating elements of granular synthesis. By capturing grains from different parts of the delay buffer, this plug-in can crank out some truly wild and wonderful sounds.
Lagrange is fully capable of producing more typical delay effects of course. But a simple twist of the delay knob or the feedback control results in everything from resonant, metallic clangs to evolving alien soundscapes.
Even if you already have a delay plug-in that you’re happy with, the Lagrange is a worthy addition to your arsenal.
Valhalla’s Freq Echo is another delay plug-in that can handle more vanilla echoes and repeats like a champ. But where it really shines is in its ability to spit out anything from swirling flanging and phasing to some of the most psychedelic textures you have ever heard.
Despite its simple and utilitarian interface, Freq Echo is capable of an exciting assortment of sounds. It even does a great job at cranking out warm and enigmatic dub echoes!
Kjaerhus Audio Classic Delay is a bit more of a “typical” delay plug-in than the ones mentioned thus far, but it is certainly no less capable. Three modes are provided–Tape, Analog, and Digital–and each does a great job of approximating their associated modes without introducing any additional noise.
There is a “quality” control that allows you to introduce varying amounts of “imperfection”, adding to the realism of the sound.
Although the Audio Classic Delay doesn’t quite get into the freaky territory as readily as other more esoteric delay plug-ins, it can do some fairly outrageous effects care of the reversible feedback. A good, solid delay that should make a nice companion to your other quirkier plug-ins.
The WatKat is a clone of the Wem Watkins “Custom” Copicat that is billed as a “Tribute to Charlie Watkins”. Like the original hardware unit that inspired its design, the plug-in is noisy, unpredictable, and wonderfully lo-fi.
/dubstep-wobble-bass-vst-free.html. How closely it actually replicates the sound of the Copicat is up for contention. But one thing is for sure: the Watkat does add a lot of character to your tracks.
Cockos’ ReaDelay is part of the ReaPlugs FX suite that will be familiar to users of the company’s celebrated Reaper DAW.
ReaDelay is a multi-tap delay that can have individual delays of as long as 10 seconds, with practically no tap count limit.
Tap lengths can be set to time values or quarter notes. The option to choose one or the other is always good to have in a delay, and it is an especially nice touch in a free plug-in.
++audio’s Rubbadub excels at thick and dirty dub delay, but it can handle various other task as well.
The good range of modulation options make it capable of producing cool flanger effects, and there is even a variable filter for more creative options. Unfortunately, it is not available for download at this moment, and we don’t know when it will be.
Top Pick
Best Free Vst Delay
All these delays are actually pretty good, and you really can’t go wrong with any one of them. Some are better suited to certain applications than others of course, as in the case of Valhalla’s Freq Echo’s capability to product modulated delays. But they can all handle a broad range of delay tasks, from standard echoes and slapback to flanging and chorusing, to more outlandish effects.
Space Echo Vst
That being said, one plug-in stands out in particular: Voxengo’s Tempo Delay. With its array of features, its modulation options, and great sound, this is one of the best free delay vst plugins that can stand up proudly against the best paid offerings on the market.