The 7 Best Tap Tempo Delay Pedals (2024)

There are many types of delay pedals on the market such as tape echo, analog delay, digital delay, and more that can be used for ambient, rhythmic, and many more types of sounds. Some delay pedals feature a “tap tempo” switch that allows you to choose your delay time by tapping the tempo yourself.

Tap tempo delay pedals are highly useful and easier for many musicians because deciding your own delay time and tapping it proves a much simpler and more effective process.

My top recommended tap tempo delay pedal is the EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2. It has great value while being extremely functional and durable.

My second recommended tap tempo delay pedal is the TC Electronic FLASHBACK 2, which is one of the best budget-friendly pedals on the market.

The 7 Best Tap Tempo Delay Pedals (2024)

1. EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2
Top Pick - Great value for money digital delay and reverb hybrid pedal.
2. TC Electronic FLASHBACK 2
Budget Pick - Great value delay pedal with amazing tones and versatility.
3. Eventide TimeFactor Twin Delay
Pro Pick - Professional, high-end delay pedal with many delay presets and controls.
4. Boss DD-200
Easy to use, versatile digital delay pedal from a reputable pedal manufacturer.
5. MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe M292
Popular delay pedal with a simplistic design and programmable presets.
6. Electro Harmonix CANYON
Compact, small footprint digital delay and looper pedal.
7. Wampler Faux Tape Echo V2
Great tape echo emulator, hybrid, true bypass delay pedal .

Let’s compare these in more detail.

1. EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2

Top Pick
Great value for money digital delay and reverb hybrid pedal.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

The EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2 is a big brother to the EarthQuaker’s best-selling guitar pedal Dispatch Master, which is also a reverb & delay pedal, but with fewer switches, and modes, and is also missing the tap tempo footswitch.

Pros

  • Great sounding reverb
  • A lot of controls and switches
  • Different delay modes

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Side-mounted expression input

The Avalanche Run V2 is a workhorse, and any guitarist who loves delay and reverb should have this one on their pedalboard at some point. The pedal itself is really well built, the knobs feel good when changing the settings, and there are a lot of settings that you can mess around with.

As far as the tap tempo function, the pedal is wide enough and durable enough to withstand tapping. The footswitch is placed conveniently so that you avoid accidental pressing of other functions.

Pedal StyleStereo Reverb & Delay with Tap Tempo
Inputs/Outputs2 x 1/4″ Inputs, 2 x 1/4″ Outputs, 1 x 1/4″ TRS (expression)
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply
Bonus FeatureReverse Delay, Swell

Apart from the delay that has three different modes (normal, reverse, and auto-swell), the reverb on this pedal has only two knobs to change settings. The tap tempo function on this pedal also works amazing, and the Avalanche Run V2 is definitely one of the best delay pedals out there.

2. TC Electronic FLASHBACK 2

Budget Pick
Great value delay pedal with amazing tones and versatility.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

The TC Electronic FLASHBACK 2 is one of the best budget delay pedals. This one doesn’t actually have a tap tempo footswitch built-in, but if you are using the mono in and out, you can connect a tap tempo footswitch and that will function as a tap tempo input.

Pros

  • Amazing value
  • Compact form-factor
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Only 40 seconds of looping time
  • Need to buy an extra footswitch to use the tap tempo functionality

Even though the pedal itself has only four knobs with parameters you can play around with, TC Electronics has developed an amazing new technology called TonePrint, which allows you to “beam” or play any tone prints to your pick-ups. They are presets that you can save into one of the three TonePrint slots on the pedal.

You can also use the USB connection on the pedal to use the free TonePrint Editor, which gives you a huge amount of flexibility to edit your sounds. On the TC Electronics FLASHBACK 2 pedal, you have 8 delay modes, and 3 TonePrint slots for presets that you can use, as well as a selector switch to select between quarter notes, eight notes, and dotted eight notes.

Pedal StyleDelay Pedal & Looper
Inputs/Outputs2 x 1/4″ Inputs, 2 x 1/4″ Outputs, 1 x Type Mini-B
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply
Bonus FeatureMASH Footswitch Technology, TonePrint App

One of the best new features on the FLASHBACK 2 is the new MASH footswitch technology, which allows you to push the pressure-sensitive footswitch that will actually act as an expression pedal. This does not lose any of the standard bypass functions, even though it’s using the same switch.

3. Eventide TimeFactor Twin Delay

Pro Pick
Professional, high-end delay pedal with many delay presets and controls.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

When it comes to the best delay pedals that ever existed, the Eventide TimeFactor Twin Delay is the number one delay for most guitarists. A professional delay pedal with studio-quality sounds, capable of producing two independent 3-second delays, and all of that built into a rugged cast metal construction.

Pros

  • Easy-to-use tap tempo
  • Easy controls and great build quality
  • Intuitive loop recorder

Cons

  • Pricey

The TimeFactor Twin Delay has 20 presets built-in and an unlimited amount of presets via MIDI. The pedal also has 10 stereo or mono delays, which are some of Eventide’s best. Even though the pedal itself can look a bit intimidating, once you start playing with it you realize that you have very simple controls and buttons for creating very complicated sounds.

The construction is sturdy enough to withstand constant tapping and the controls are conveniently placed. But, it is rather a bulky design and will take up quite a bit of space on your pedalboard.

Pedal StyleDual Delay $ Looper
Inputs/Outputs2 x 1/4″ Inputs, 2 x 1/4″ Outputs, 1/4″ Expression Pedal, 1/4″ Aux Switch, 5-pin MIDI In/Out/Through
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply
Bonus FeatureTwo independent 3-second delays

The Eventide TimeFactor Twin Delay can also be used as a looper pedal, which gives it the ability to change playback time, pitch shift, change octaves, use different quantizations, and much more. 

4. Boss DD-200

Versatile
Easy to use, versatile digital delay pedal from a reputable pedal manufacturer.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

The Boss DD-200 is the smaller brother to Boss’s flagship digital delay DD-500, which takes all of the best features of the DD-500 and packs it into a smaller and easier-to-use delay pedal.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • A lot of modes to choose from
  • A parameter knob to adjust any delay mode on the pedal

Cons

  • A bit pricey
  • Doesn’t come with a power supply

The DD-200 has 12 modes of delay and a simple 3-character LED display to help you dial in the settings on the pedal.

The Boss DD-200 also features a built-in looper that lets you record up to 60 seconds, as well as four memory slots that allow you to create, save, and play your own patches. Where this pedal shines is the I/O connections. Its stereo I/O supports full stereo signal paths and it can also be used for multi-amp setups.

Pedal StyleDigital Delay & Looper
Inputs/Outputs2 x 1/4″ Inputs, 2 x 1/4″ Outputs, midi 2 x 1/8″ (In, Out), 1 x 1/4″ (control 1/2, expression), 1 x Type Micro-B USB
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply / 3 x AA
Bonus FeatureFlexible multi-function switching

The micro USB jack that’s on the side of the pedal is also a great addition as it allows for future firmware updates and functionality, and Boss has recently updated the pedal adding more presets, which results in 127 presets available. 

5. MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe M292

Popular Choice
Popular delay pedal with a simplistic design and programmable presets.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

One of the most popular analog delays is the MXR’s Carbon Copy, and now it has gotten even better with the Deluxe version, which only adds more of that fantastic analog sound and a lot of functionality.

Pros

  • Amazing analog delay tone
  • Bright switch that lets you change the tone of the delay easily
  • Programmable presets

Cons

  • Missing MIDI inputs and outputs
  • The bulky design will take up space on the pedalboard

The upgraded version comes with a tap tempo, which the original Carbon Copy didn’t have, twice as much delay time, up to 1.2 seconds, and much more.

Tap division functionality comes with four subdivisions: dotted 8th, 8th, triplet, and 16th notes, and it has a bright easy-to-read display to let you know which setting you are currently in. Programmable presets let you bounce between pre-saved sounds and make quick changes.

Pedal StyleAnalog Delay & Modulation
Inputs/Outputs1 x 1/4″ Input, 1 x 1/4″ Output, 1 x 1/4″ Expression
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply / 1 x 9V Battery
Bonus FeatureBright Switch

The mod function on the MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe has two top-mounted dials to help you control the speed and width of the modulation. It is also built like a tank, so you can definitely expect to play this thing for a long time. It’s one of the most beloved pedals to analog delay enthusiasts.

6. Electro Harmonix CANYON

Compact
Compact, small footprint digital delay and looper pedal.
View Price at Thomann (Europe)View Price at Amazon

The Electro Harmonix CANYON is a small but very powerful digital delay pedal with 8 types of onboard delay effects. Also, it features an amazing, aesthetically pleasing design.

Pros

  • Jack for external tap tempo switch
  • 62 seconds loop time
  • Simple and easy to use

Cons

  • Mono pedal
  • Tap/Divide switch placement could be better

The magic of this pedal comes from the Tap/Divide button, which normally functions as a rhythmic subdivision selector, but when you hold it down for one second, it changes the functions of the control knobs so you can have huge editing parameters. For example, the feedback control becomes a modulation depth control when you are using the mod delay, giving you more modulation controls.

With its compact size and great sound, the CANYON is definitely one of the classics when it comes to delay pedals. It has many different delay types you can choose from, such as tape delay(with an option to change tape age), Deluxe Memory Man, reverse delay, and much more.

Pedal StyleDelay & Looper
Inputs/Outputs1 x 1/4″ Instrument), 1 x 1/4″ Tap In, 1 x 1/4″ Output
Power Supply9V DC Power Supply
Bonus FeatureTap/Divide Button

The pedal also has a true bypass, great repeat rate, and masterfully done digital signal processing. The Electro Harmonix CANYON is definitely a great-value guitar pedal, worthy of its name.

7. Wampler Faux Tape Echo V2

Hybrid
Great tape echo emulator, hybrid, true bypass delay pedal.
View Price at Amazon

The Wampler Faux Tape Echo V2 is an iconic delay pedal and the only one on the list that doesn’t have a bunch of delay types and modes to choose from and for a good reason. The Tape Echo V2 has a completely true bypass, and the pedal doesn’t change the tone of your guitar at all, unlike most delay pedals.

Pros

  • Hybrid of digital and analog delay
  • Analog warmth
  • True Bypass

Cons

  • A bit pricey
  • Not quite as versatile as other delay pedals

The beauty of this guitar pedal comes with its hybrid design of digital and analog. This means that the pedal is completely built on a pure analog dry path, with the digital delay being layered on top to get note clarity and longer delay times.

Analog delay line chips don’t usually bring clarity, and that’s why the Tape Echo V2 has a digital “delay line”, while everything else runs on an analog circuit.

Pedal StyleTape Echo
Inputs/Outputs1 x 1/4″, Input, 1 x 1/4″ Output
Power Supply9V-18V DC Power Supply / 9V Battery
Bonus FeatureSub-divisions Switch

The Wampler Faux Tape Echo V2 is definitely one of a kind, and if you want to combine analog with digital, or can’t figure out which one is the best for you, you get the best of both worlds with the Tape Echo V2.

What is a Tap Tempo Delay Pedal?

The tap tempo function on any delay pedal does exactly what the name suggests. Tap tempo delay pedals let you quickly adjust the tempo of the delay and that can be very beneficial in a variety of situations. 

Guitarists who play a lot of live performances can really benefit from having a tap tempo function on their delay pedals, as that allows them to quickly change the tempo without spending much time between songs (or sometimes during a song) to mess with the delay time setting on the pedal itself.

What is the difference between Digital and Analog Delay Pedals?

There are many differences between digital and analog delay pedals, and it all comes down to the tone and the sounds you can produce with each. A lot of guitarists like the warm sound of analog delay pedals, while others enjoy the clarity you get if you are using a digital delay pedal.

Analog delay pedals use a bucket brigade device (BDD), which makes the analog signal go through a series of capacitors, and each cycle is broken up more than the one before, giving it that “warm sound” that comes with analog delay pedals. They also have a lot shorter delay times, usually around 1sec, and sometimes even less.

Digital delay pedals, on the other hand, convert the signal twice. Once from analog to digital, and then later from digital to analog again, and that’s mainly the reason why people think that digital delays can change your guitar tone during the conversion. Other benefits of digital delay pedals are longer delay times, delays that are not degrading with each repeat, and a lot more parameters and settings to adjust the tone. 

Does True Bypass play a significant role in Tap Tempo Delay Pedals?

True bypass plays a significant role in any type of guitar pedal, not just tap tempo delay pedals, as it allows you to have the cleanest signal throughout your pedal boards. True bypass simply means that the on/off switch is never in contact with the input of the pedal effect circuitry. 

Getting as many pedals with true bypass in your pedalboard means that you will have the cleanest signal, and none of the pedals will mess with the tone of the guitar. If your guitar pedal doesn’t have true bypass, there are ways that you can modify it so you can get the cleanest signal.

What to look for in a Tap Tempo Delay Pedal when buying?

The delay pedals mentioned in this article have a lot of different features and parameters you can tweak, making you question what exactly to look for in a tap tempo delay pedal.

The most important thing to look for is the durability, playability, and build quality of the pedal. If the pedal has the right settings you need but it’s not very durable and built well, you might want to look for something else.

That being said, a lot of the tap tempo delay pedals have additional features that you might not need, such as reverb and looper. And if you already have existing reverb pedals or loopers, you don’t want to pay extra for those features in a delay pedal, which you will never use.

Conclusion

There are a lot of good tap tempo delay pedals on the market, and it’s really important to get the right one. Moreover, they have a lot of versatility, unlike other effect pedals, and tap tempo delays are found in pedalboards of almost any session or live performance guitarists, regarding of the genre he/she is playing.

My top pick is the EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run V2, a great value-for-money pedal with exceptional functionality and durability.

My budget pick is the TC Electronic FLASHBACK 2, a budget-friendly and highly reliable delay pedal.

Emil Pachkovski

Emil Pachkovski

Emil Pachkovski is a drummer and filmmaker. He is an audiovisual artist that loves to create and explore the abstract art of music and visuals.

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