The 7 Best Delay Pedals for Synths and Hardware Users (Hands-On Review)

September 18, 2025

Delay pedals are some of the most powerful tools you can add to a synth or hardware setup. The right delay can turn a simple riff into a lush, evolving soundscape, or add subtle movement that brings a track to life. But with so many options out there, which ones actually work best for synths, drum machines, and electronic music production?

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the 7 best delay pedals for synths and hardware users. Each one has been tested hands-on with hardware, from gritty analog delays to deep digital and modular-style effects. Whether you’re looking for warm tape-style echoes, stereo ambience, or experimental pitch-shifting textures, this list will help you find the perfect delay pedal in the context of electronic music.

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1. Chase Bliss Thermae

Type: Mono Analog delay with digital controls

- The delay lines themselves are analog bucket brigade (BBD) chips, which give it that warm, organic character.

- The digital side handles modulation, pitch-shifting, presets, MIDI, and advanced control.

Unique feature: Pitch-shifting delay lines

Chase Bliss calls it “analog heart, digital brain.” Thermae combines analog warmth with digital pitch manipulation, giving you intervals like fourths, fifths, and octaves layered into your delay trails.

With two pitch shifters, a resonant low-pass filter, and even a quirky glide function, Thermae is a compact but experimental delay that can add harmonic depth or atonal textures.

👉 Best for: Experimental producers looking for pitch-shifted, character-rich delays in a compact form.

2. Boss DM-101 Delay Machine

Type: Digitally controlled analog delay (stereo)
Unique feature: 12 algorithms in one pedal

The DM-101 takes Boss’s long history of analog delay designs and wraps them into a modern, versatile unit. With 12 modes inspired by classic Boss pedals, stereo operation, MIDI tempo sync, and rock-solid build quality, it’s like having a collection of Boss delays in one box.

👉 Best for: Producers who want classic analog tones with the flexibility of awesome presets and MIDI sync.

3. Source Audio Nemesis

Type: Digital multi-algorithm delay (stereo)
Unique feature: 24 delay engines in a simple interface

The Nemesis offers a huge range of digital delay flavors — from clean studio echoes to rhythmic patterns and pitch-shifted textures. Despite its depth, it’s extremely intuitive, with dedicated knobs for mix, feedback, tone, and modulation.

It’s also highly MIDI-friendly, making tempo sync with synths easy.

👉 Best for: Hardware users who want a wide palette of digital delays without deep menu diving.

4. Empress Echosystem

Type: Dual-engine digital delay (stereo)
Unique feature: Run two delays at once

The Echosystem lets you layer and blend two different delay algorithms in parallel, series, or split left/right. This opens up endless possibilities for ambient textures, rhythmic interplay, or simply stacking complementary delays.

It also includes delay + reverb presets and CV control for modular integration.

👉 Best for: Ambient and experimental producers who want layered delay textures.

5. Red Panda Particle

Type: Granular & pitch-shifting delay (stereo, digital)
Unique feature: Granular delay

The Particle is designed for glitchy, unpredictable textures. It slices incoming audio into grains and replays them in randomized or pitch-shifted patterns. You can choose between delay-based or pitch-based modes, with plenty of modulation to push sounds into glitchy chaos.

👉 Best for: Sound designers who want granular and glitch textures beyond traditional delays.

6. Meris LVX

Type: Modular digital delay workstation (stereo)
Unique feature: Modular patching within a pedal

The LVX takes delay to the extreme, letting you design signal chains using modules like pitch, filters, modulation, and dynamics. Its assignable surface knobs make it hands-on, while deep editing lets you build entirely new delay engines.

It’s MIDI and CV ready, making it one of the most future-proof pedals for electronic musicians.

👉 Best for: Producers who want deep sound design potential and a pedal that goes far beyond delay.

7. Strymon Deco V2

Type: Tape delay & saturation (stereo, digital)
Unique feature: Tape-style delay + saturation in one

The Deco is all about vibe. On one side you get warm tape-style delay, slapback, chorus, and flanger. On the other, lush tape saturation adds richness to any synth or drum machine.

It may not be as versatile as the bigger multi-engine pedals, but it delivers character in spades.

👉 Best for: Adding warm tape character and vintage-inspired delays to synths.

Interested in purchasing some of the gear mentioned in this video? Support this platform while you're at it by using the affiliate links below:

USA (Sweetwater):

►Pedaltrain Metro 24: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Qyoam6

►Voodoolab Pedal Power 3: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/MmkWNM

►Boss DM-101: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/g1jmZ2

►Source Audio Nemesis: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/0ZWgLE

►Empress Echosystem: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/m5AL6a

►Red Panda Particle: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/rQ0BXD

►Meris LVX: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/anL4eY

►Strymon Deco V2: https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Kj1rRy