Best Free Orchestral Plugins & Sample Libraries 2020 When you are a student or a hobbyist who aspires to become a working composer one day, you really struggle when starting out with your orchestral sample collection. Most of the time your budget if not limited is non-existing. That’s when you…
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.
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.
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.
