Valhalla FutureVerb vs Delay; if you had to choose just one

[DCrown]

Valhalla Delay has been on my wish list for quite a while. Now that FutureVerb is here, I ask the community which one of [only] these two would you recommend purely for versatility? I already own NI Raum and ReplikaXT

I prefer delays over reverbs generally, a reverb not used properly can destroy a mix (make it sound wishy washy) and Valhalla delay is one of the greatest plugins, I would even say it's their masterpiece

[Dirk Diggler]

You might consider the totally free Supermassive.
Also check out the other freebies like Freq Echo and Space modulator while you're at it. They cover a lot of ground with a bit of tweaking.

Also remember you can chain delays pre and or post whatever verb you're using.

[pummel]

I have supermassive and their free modulation plug; and use them occasionally. While I don't need Delay or FutureVerb, I do want to support this unique company with a purchase. I appreciate everyone's input, and from that, it seems: Delay ~= ReplicaXT (though different) whereas FutureVerb >> Raum. So I'm now leaning toward FutureVerb.

Off topic, but I see that Tone2's flagship Icarus is on sale for $100; don't recall it ever being that low.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Just spend some time demoing both Delay and FutureVerb on your own music. There's no substitute for your own ears and taste.

[Korg Supporter]

I would get Futureverb first. It sounds incredible and ethereal. I own both Replika XT and Valhalla Delay. I think they cover different grounds. Replika XT has filters, bitcrushing, ring modulation, and some other quirks, while ValDelay has a quad mode, various analog-style modes, and even works as a versatile standalone phaser!

[Korg Supporter]

I have supermassive and their free modulation plug; and use them occasionally. While I don't need Delay or FutureVerb, I do want to support this unique company with a purchase. I appreciate everyone's input, and from that, it seems: Delay ~= ReplicaXT (though different) whereas FutureVerb >> Raum. So I'm now leaning toward FutureVerb.

Off topic, but I see that Tone2's flagship Icarus is on sale for $100; don't recall it ever being that low.

Unfortunately, I bought Icarus 2 second-hand and upgraded at full price. But even at that, Icarus is damn awesome. I hate that it has only 16 mod slots, the fx modulation gets clicky, and modulating a sine oscillator's amplitude with a saw wave gets clicky. Otherwise, its sound has traits from 90s Ensoniq and Novation synths, and its wavetable editor and resynthesis work great!

[Nerantzis]

Valhalla Delay is the more versatile of the two. It can go from clean to really experimental, while FutureVerb has more of a fixed vibe. Since you already have Raum and ReplikaXT, Valhalla Delay fills more gaps.