Can’t find the best delay pedal for synth? We are here to help you.
These days both standard and boutique pedals tend to be remarkably versatile, allowing you to pair them with synthesizers or keyboards besides guitars.
Though effects pedals were initially designed and crafted for use with guitars, they’ve evolved hugely over the years.
So you can use modern-day delay pedals (one type of time effects pedal) for exploring and tapping the sonic range of instruments. Today nearly every pro synth player/keyboardist uses a pedal (filter, gain, compressor, or modulation effects) for bespoke sound distortion.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at our list of the top five best delay pedals for synthesizers.
Best Delay Pedals for Synth (Comparison Table)
| Image | Model | Dimensions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boss RE-20 Delay Pedal (Top Pick) | 9.1 x 3.6 x 7.5 | Check Price |
 | EarthQuaker Devises Avalanche Run™ (Close Runner-Up) | 7 x 3 x 5 | Check Price |
 | TC Electronic FlashBack Delay Pedal | 5 x 1.5 x 3.5 | Check Price |
 | Boss DD-200 Delay Pedal | 5.6 x 4 x 2.5 | Check Price |
 | Source Audio SA260 Nemesis Pedal | 4.5 x 2 x 4.5 | Check Price |
1. Boss RE-20 Delay Pedal (Editor’s Choice)
The Roland RE-201 Space Echo, an incredibly versatile echo effects pedal, has been reissued by Boss in a new avatar-RE-20 Delay Pedal. Boss joined forces with Roland for remaking the original pedal’s every sound detail, including the nuances and shades. If you’ve already used the Roland RE-201 Space Echo for exploiting delay, echo, and reverb effects of your keyboard’s output, you’re perfectly placed to experiment with the Boss RE-20.
The RE-20 is as contemporary as it can get, yet its offering has an enduring appeal as the iconic RE-201 has inspired it. You expect your synth to reproduce that distinctive warm sultry drenched tape sound, and the RE-20 nails it with perfection. This delay/echo effects pedal not only features the very same knobs that RE-201 Space Echo had but also came with some cool add-on extras.
For a start, you’ll find ‘Reverb Only’ ‘Reverb Echo’ and ‘Repeat’ functions on the ‘Mode Selector knob. You can use the traditional controls of bass, treble, reverb volume, repeat rate, intensity, and echo volume for creating your unique notes. That refurbished and upgraded echo effects pedal has a clear edge over the original thanks to the intuitive ‘tap tempo.’
The ‘tap tempo’ feature allows you to maneuver the effects in real-time once, in a while, you fine-tune your instrument’s sound.
Pros
- Captures the original’s magnetic head sound diffusion and tape flutter effectively and consistently
- The delay time is longer compared to the RE-201 Space Echo
- Input 2 x ¼” jack for stereo or mono operation
Cons
- Powering up the pedal in a daisy chain could siphon out all tones from your signal
- No option for switching between different positions for engaging/disengaging the reverb
2. EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2 Pedal (Close Runner-Up)
EarthQuaker Devices created the Avalanche Run V2 Pedal specifically to upgrade its Dispatch Master while retaining its user-friendliness. The EarthQuaker Avalanche Run V2 Pedal allows you to fully explore your instrument’s soundscape with a luxuriant stereophonic reverb and a maximum delay of 2 seconds. In addition, the Avalanche Run V2 optimally exploits a proprietary and dynamic digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry for reproducing intuitive delay and reverb effects.
This simple, user-friendly delay pedal help recreate plenty of functional and harmonious sounds, making it the perfect launching pad for immersing in aural exploration. Every EarthQuaker pedal, including this V2 Pedal, has been handcrafted with meticulous care, ensuring that it almost always performs flawlessly. For example, the ‘time’ control lets you delay the echo signal from 0ms to 2000ms, while the ‘repeats’ knob lets you repeat the delay almost infinitely.
Another unique feature of the Avalanche V2 pedal is the ‘mix’ functionality. There are two different ‘mix’ controls- the first lets you adjust the volume for the delay signal while the other allows you to modulate the ‘reverb’ volume.
Pros
- All new bespoke stompbox featuring Flexi-Switch with silent latching relay and advanced reverb mode for enhanced stereophonic sound reproduction
- It can be operated in three distinct modes for personalized tone shaping: normal, reverse, and swell – the best pedal for reverse delay on our list, actually
- Separate controls for supervising voice, mix, repeats, and delay time
- Also operable in ‘true bypass’ or ‘buffered bypass’ mode
- Handcrafted with meticulous care in Ohio
Cons
- Inexperienced players may find using the bypass trail mode quite challenging
- Fairly expensive
3. TC Electronic FlashBack Delay Pedal
If you’re looking for a resourceful and adaptable time effects pedal to pair with your synth, then look no further. The FlashBack Delay Pedal by TC Electronics provides a delay interval of 6 seconds. This delay time gap offers you more than adequate leeway to use your imagination to the hilt for tone shaping.
With ten distinct modulations to select from, you’ve total flexibility to dial in the celebrated 2290 of TC Electronics to slap echo. Apart from all that, the Flashback features TonePrint that renders tone transferring your preferred delay settings a breeze. Additionally, this delay pedal also comes equipped with proprietary audio tapping technology for facilitating the setting of delay durations by strumming the strings.
The repeat, feedback, and delay time controls together with the spillover on/off switch guarantee dialing in of your favorite sounds.
Pros
- 11 distinct types of delay effect and also doubles up as a looper
- TonePrint for ready access to custom-built pedal fine-tunings
- Stereo in and out makes your rig more versatile
- Super compact pedal: Takes up minimal space on your pedalboard
- Analog-dry-through for optimal tonal precision
Cons
- The switches being electronic relays are vulnerable to malfunction
- The delay time of the tape or analog models is not in sync with the pitch, so you may not be able to create the ‘chirping’ sound
4. Boss DD-200 Delay Pedal
Boss brings in a completely overhauled and upgraded generation of pedals via the 200 Series, offering across-the-board versatility and superior sonics. The DD-200 Delay Pedal packs in the features and sounds of Boss’s flagship and bestselling DD-500 in a compact enclosure. Featuring multi-functional switches and ready-to-use controls, the DD-200 delay pedal is straightforward to use and handle.
On the other hand, the memories integrated into the main circuitry of the pedal come in handy for instantly recollecting stored setups. In addition, twelve distinct onboard modes, including but not limited to analog, ducking, and shimmer, furnish a mindboggling range of delay coloration from vintage tape to contemporary digital. So you can experiment with a comprehensive gamut of notes from rudimentary echoes to warm, thick, and rich atmospheric tones.
You can also make good use of a grab-and-go looper along with an adjustable carryover mechanism for transitioning flawlessly between memories. The DD-200 Delay Pedal, like all other 200 Series pedals, offers top-quality sound typified by 32-bit internal processing, 32-bit AD/DA, and 96 kHz sampling rate. Also, MIDI, expression pedal, and external switches go a long way in providing you extra control.
Pros
- Choose from coarse analog delays, ultra-clean digital delays, and inch-perfect with 12 distinct modes
- Intuitive interface harboring dedicated controls with crucial delay parameters facilitate direct practical access
- The PARAM knob intuitively adapts to the tailored parameter for the selected type for comprehensive control without delving into the menu
Cons
- Dialing-in the pattern delay is somewhat tricky compared to the DD-500
- Fine-tuning the parameters is a tad harder vis-à-vis its big brother
5. Source Audio SA260 Nemesis Delay Pedal
Source Audio technicians carried out thorough research, experimenting, and engineering to create the SA260 Nemesis Delay Pedal. The Nemesis is a user-friendly and powerful delay pedal bringing exclusive tone, style, and versatility to the table or rather the pedalboard.
With 24 different effects mechanisms from vintage sound to analog delays to filter modulating, the Nemesis redefines delay time effects deal-in the entire gamut of delay effects, beginning with a sweeping compilation of exquisitely developed vintage delay tones.
Also, make the most of handy features like 128 presets, hold function, absolute MIDI control, and tap tempo and deep editing function through the Neuro Mobile App. Finally, capture your idiosyncratic and personal color, warmth, and flutter through the pedal’s slapback delays, noise tape, and tape.
The analog delay engine accomplishes the resounding crests with precision and high and low-frequency decadence typical of standard BBD pedals. In addition, the onboard digital delay crafts immaculate HD repeats with or without filtering effects for a traditional rack-mount tone.
Pros
- Stereo in and out jacks: Devise stereo phase inversion, staged stereophonic back-and-forth delays
- 128 presets that can be cached through onboard controls or retrievable with MIDI
- 56-bit signal path coupled with a 24-bit delay line facilitates digital interface to deliver flawless delays
Cons
- Internet connectivity and software app options/complications rendering the pedal quite challenging to use in gigs/concerts
Do Guitar Pedals Work with Synth?
All keyboardists worth their salt often wonder if using guitar effects pedals can enable them to highlight the full sonic range of their synthesizer/keyboard. As a synthesizer player or keyboardist, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn (in case you’re unaware) that guitar pedals can open up a world of sonic opportunities. For a start, an effects pedal can enable you to craft an unmistakable and signature tone.
Additionally, most effects pedals are designed as a stompbox allowing you to place them close to your feet for convenient operation by your feet. The convenience of using a stompbox pedal is that you can fully use your hands for playing a keyboard (or guitar, for that matter). Therefore when you integrate guitar effects pedals in your synthesizer’s signal chain, you can look forward to crafting your inimitable sounds.
A guitar effects pedal can take an ordinary dry signal from your instrument and process it in unprecedented ways. Furthermore, since both synthesizers and stompboxes make use of ¼” jacks, both are perfectly compatible, thereby enabling you to highlight the built-in effects (like chorus, delay, and reverb) of your keyboard.
What Does Delay Do on a Synth?
Using a premium stompbox-style delay pedal can hugely boost the output signal quality of a synthesizer or keyboard. Best modern-day delay pedals come reinforced with a wide range of audio effects engines offering an astounding variety of delay effects. Some of the delay effects include tape, multi-tap, sequenced filter, analog, digital, oilcan, slapback, and so on.
You can use these delay effects for spot-on distorting, flanging, chorusing, trembling, pitch shifting, reversing or bit-crushing, and much more. In addition, the tweaks for modulation allow you to create your own unmistakable and signature delays keeping you amused for many hours.
Conclusion: The Best Delay Pedal for Synth
All the delay “FX” (or effects) pedal models reviewed above will let you bring out the best from your synth/keyboard. Use these high-quality delay pedals to craft your exclusive chorus, and pepper your tracks with enchanting delays and reverbs. These delay effects pedals not only work well with high-end synthesizers but also with cheaper ones that have very few inbuilt FX functions.
Overall, we would vote for the Boss RE-20 as the best delay pedal for synthesizer.