Best delay ATM? EchoBoy or Valhalla Delay?

[sqigls]

...i can't warrant buying either Echoboy nor Valhalla delay right now, being broke and all.
oh, and...

Bucket-500
bx_delay2500
ColourCopy
Deleight
Diffuse
DubStation_15
Echobode
iZotope DDLY Dynamic Delay
LeMasqueDelay
Lexicon PSP42
MH Dirty Delay
Microfuse
Nebula
OuterSpace
Replika XT
Sigmund
SphereDelay
STA Delay
StealthDelay
Tube Delay
Unfiltered Audio Fault
Unfiltered Audio Sandman
Vandelay

[imrae]

I too have quite a few delays sitting around unused as 90% of the time I go to ReplikaXT (for utility) or Outer Space (for mojo).

Waves Doubler is really convenient for dialing precise stereo slapback effects.

I expected to use Sandman Pro more; while the diffusion is good it isn't as smooth as Surreal Machines Diffuse. And its quicker to dial in modulated glitchy things with Tantra.

Outer Space takes modulation well and is great for extended feedback soundscapes.

Both Valhalla Delay and Ubermod look tempting, but they would be minor upgrades rather than new capability.

[Turello]

UVI Relayer... A monster!

[alexishere]

Well, I've just bought echoboy to compliment relayer.

Having had relayer for about a year now, here are my findings.

----
Modulation & Diffusion sections - Really amazing sound.

The Color knob - Convolution reverbs are good, not the best but good enough to be used to wet the echoes, it's quick. Device tone section IRs are full of sharp resonances, I had to use them moderately with small % of mix. In regards to Special FX section, I really love 'Industrial', 'Metallic' on drums. Couldn't find much use for the rest.

Sound - I emulated quite a few of other tape plugins with relayer using Repeater, Echoboy and Valhalla and it gets scary close. it's definitely capable of analog.

Input Gate & Ducker - SOO USEFUL!

Factory Presets - They're mostly soundFX and not as solid as echoboy. If this was full of everyday utility presets, it'd have been good. Though I did make a bunch, selecting the right sound through presets is not as fast as skipping through modes while retaining settings like on echoboy.

Missing - pitch shifter and dual delay (You need to figure out the pattern in pan and gain with taps which is very tedious, for example, doing 1/8 for left and 1/16 for right)

CPU - LOW! not as much as echoboy, but quite low enough to use a bunch.

The thought of having total control of each tap was charming, but I realised it's not the fastest way. There's always that trade off between control - Workflow. Well, Workflow is more important to me!

All in all, Relayer is an incredible product. Hands down the best multitap delay on the market.

[nathanj]

Thanks for the suggestions. More Feedback Machine looks kind of interesting but i hate those busy interfaces. PSPs 608 isn’t great but at least is very clean and logical.

There’s something about the sound of we’ll programmed multitaps that I I just love.

[Faiky]

The best delay today has deutsche bahn (german railways).

[FapFilter]

Slightly off topic, but anyone have any opinions on multitap delays?

I remember using PSP's 608 like 10 years ago and loving it. I'm thinking I'll pick it up next sale. But are there any others that compare? Possibly in the m4l domain?

Need the individual control of taps.

Other than the already mentioned Relayer, there's also Late Replies from Blue Cat Audio, which is also great, but lacks internal modulators like LFOs, etc.

[GaryG]

Both Valhalla Delay and Ubermod look tempting, but they would be minor upgrades rather than new capability.

I exhaustively tested Delay and can't really say anything bad about it except it didn't bring enough new mojo for me. Sounds great (the diffusion is lovely) but I don't have good enough hearing to really appreciate the subtleties in it's modelling, things like PSP CMDelay, P&M Echoflex, Spaceship Delay etc sound fine to me.

*However*, I'd be lost without Ubermod, I use for everything, modulation, stunt delays, even it's reverb algos (TapeVerb, gorgeous).

[foosnark]

Slightly off topic, but anyone have any opinions on multitap delays?

I haven't used them in the software world, except for playing with Ubermod a little. I never felt the need for them honestly.

I had an Intellijel Rainmaker for a while. It's probably the most sophisticated delay in Eurorack -- a 16-tap delay with adjustable levels, panning, granular pitch shfiting, and filter per step plus various groove options and feedback options, plus a 64-tap comb delay (more macro control, less individual control) either before or after it. I mostly felt like the 16-tap delay was too much mucking around for not enough reward, and used it mostly just to add additional flavor to resonant comb delay stuff. And then I sold it.

[perpetual3]

Slightly off topic, but anyone have any opinions on multitap delays?

I remember using PSP's 608 like 10 years ago and loving it. I'm thinking I'll pick it up next sale. But are there any others that compare? Possibly in the m4l domain?

Need the individual control of taps.

I love 608, even if it’s a bit convoluted. It’s my go to multi tap.

I’ve recently been looking at Eventide Ultratap.

The issue for me is that, whatever Valhalla is doing, Valhalla delay has a sonic quality that I find superior to nearly every other delay I own. For example, the feedback is extremely “playable”, especially with the new ducking modes. I’ve started using delay to recreate some of the pumping and breathing effects that I used to use compression for without actually using a compressor anymore. Maybe I’m late to the party on that one, though.

For me, the feedback on other delay plugins, including 608, gets unruly very quickly.

One thing I’m still looking for is a delay where the diffusion morphs from the source sound into a cloud of soft, pleasant noise. Valhalla’s in my opinion can turn into a metallic sheen fairly quickly. Not always a bad thing, but it’s something I’m still looking for in a delay.

[BERFAB]

I really like Rob Papen's delay plug. Sounds good, and he's included some pretty unique presets.
Also iZotope's delay is fun to use as well.

As far as multitaps go, I like the Waves plug.

Cubase also has some very good delay and multitaps included. I usually go to them when I need some no frills FX. (I find that if I go to the 3rd party plugs, I wind up burning up time playing around with all the features and presets.)

[nathanj]

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate your thoughts. I’d previously missed alexisphere’s comment because we posted close to the same time.

I’m gonna check out Relayer.

Edit. K, checked out Relayer. It does look really cool and offers so great unique features but it’s still very grid oriented. I guess what I’m looking for, and didn’t explain before, if the ability to pull and push notes off the beat.

It was reading about the new multitap in the new Cubase that reminded me how much I use to love programming Waves’ Supertap and PSP’s 608.

I’ll check out Blue Cats’ Late Replies but I’m feeling 608 is still the one for me which is kind of nuts since it’s over 12 years old!

Anyways, apologise again for derailing the thread.

Nathan

[fairlyclose]

Slightly off topic, but anyone have any opinions on multitap delays?

I remember using PSP's 608 like 10 years ago and loving it. I'm thinking I'll pick it up next sale. But are there any others that compare? Possibly in the m4l domain?

Need the individual control of taps.

Other than the already mentioned Relayer, there's also Late Replies from Blue Cat Audio, which is also great, but lacks internal modulators like LFOs, etc.

Late Replies has a modulation section - the tremolo is an amplitude LFO and there is a sweep filter , chorus etc all of which apply modulation. They can be placed at at lots of points in the audio path - pre-fx, on each of up to 8 taps, in either or both of the 2 feedback loops and post fx.
Comes with about 30 built in fx or you can use any vst. As I posted earlier - Late Replies with Octavox in the feedback loop is a beautiful thing
But it is not a simple delay and has a bit of a learning curve. Worth it in my view

[FapFilter]

True, but how do you modulate filter cut-offs, tab positions, distortion/chorus/reverb/pitch parameters, etc. from within the plugin?

PSP 608 has an LFO and an envelope follower. Ok, they can only be used for filter cut off modulation, but still.

I just think this is one of the few areas where LR could still be improved, even though this might actually prove to be a bit more difficult, especially with 3rd party effects.
There could also be global HP/LP filter knobs on the main GUI, otherwise it's literally perfect.
Having said that, i don't use it all that much and reach for regular single or dual tab delays most of the time unless i want to make rhythms or melodies from single stabs.

@nathanj: i used to think the same regarding the 608 before i tried Late Replies. not that it's bad now in all of a sudden, it's just that the latter is just way more advanced

[elassi]

The best delay today has deutsche bahn (german railways).