• The Pulsar Echorec is a software emulation of the iconic echo/delay unit of the same name produced by the Italian brand Binson in the 1960s. The sound of this magnetic disk delay differs from the tape delays used at the time, and has largely contributed to the audio signature of many 70s bands: Pink Floyd, The Shadows, Jimmy Page etc.
• Delay Studio is a plugin that invites creativity and experimentation. 3 fully configurable independent delay bands (Low/Mid/Hi) with complete and accurate control over the frequency width of each band (Frequency Range 0hz to 20,000hz). Each band is split in to left and right channels with independent delay time and feedback.
• We make digital reverb and analog-inspired delay plugins for musicians, engineers and other audio artists. We're obsessed with creating powerful tools with simple interfaces. Our goal is to inspire you.

Looking for a way to add some depth and movement to your tracks without spending a load of cash? Or do you want to incorporate some dubby effects without investing in a costly and temperamental tape delay device? Delay plug-ins could be the solution.

These delay plug-ins deliver all the benefits of hardware delay units with the convenience of software. Best of all, they’re totally free!

That being said, one plug-in stands out in particular: Voxengo’s Tempo Delay. With its array of features, its modulation options, and great sound, this is one of the best free delay vst plugins that can stand up proudly against the best paid offerings on the market. Retro Delay is a flexible all-round delay effect in VST format. It has the character and sound of a vintage delay unit but features many modern options. Besides delays, it can produce a wide range of modulation, chorus, flanger and phaser effects. RetroDelay is for Windows only. As a mainstream delay unit, the Cooper Time Cube is a fantastic bang for the buck. Although it keeps the utilitarian sound of revered hose-based mechanical delay hardware, CTC comes with enhancements expected of a contemporary VST tool.

Find more great gear here:

Intro: About Delay Plugins

Delays are devices that add repeats or echoes to any sound that is routed through them. In the hardware realm, delays come in various types, from tape-equipped mechanisms to analog bucket brigade devices, to DSP units.

In the software world, there are delay plugins that aim to replicate the sound and functionalities of classic hardware devices. There are also more fully-featured units that incorporate modulation, and various other features that go well beyond what typical delays have to offer.

Even with the advent of DSP units and advanced-algorithm delay plug-ins, many musicians and producers continued to prefer hardware delays for their immediacy and warmer sound. But many current delay plug-ins now come close to replicating the warmth and idiosyncratic sounds of hardware devices. Even free plug-ins now compare favorably to the most revered hardware delay devices.

Best Free Delay VST/AU Plugins

The List

Plugin Roundup

Voxengo’s Tempo Delay is a stereo delay plugin intended for a wide variety of production applications.

As the name implies, it is a tempo-based delay that enables the setting of delay times in musical values according to the specified BPM. It also has a tremolo and a filter section.

Like the delay values, these can be adjusted independently for the left and right channels.

The Tempo Delay packs on a wealth of features that would be impressive even in a “for pay” plug-in. This could easily handle the majority of your delay needs.

Lagrange by Ursa DSP is a stereo delay that ups the ante by incorporating elements of granular synthesis. By capturing grains from different parts of the delay buffer, this plug-in can crank out some truly wild and wonderful sounds.

Lagrange is fully capable of producing more typical delay effects of course. But a simple twist of the delay knob or the feedback control results in everything from resonant, metallic clangs to evolving alien soundscapes.

Even if you already have a delay plug-in that you’re happy with, the Lagrange is a worthy addition to your arsenal.

Vst Plugin Sound Delay (vst)

Valhalla’s Freq Echo is another delay plug-in that can handle more vanilla echoes and repeats like a champ. But where it really shines is in its ability to spit out anything from swirling flanging and phasing to some of the most psychedelic textures you have ever heard.

Despite its simple and utilitarian interface, Freq Echo is capable of an exciting assortment of sounds. It even does a great job at cranking out warm and enigmatic dub echoes!

Kjaerhus Audio Classic Delay is a bit more of a “typical” delay plug-in than the ones mentioned thus far, but it is certainly no less capable. Three modes are provided–Tape, Analog, and Digital–and each does a great job of approximating their associated modes without introducing any additional noise.

There is a “quality” control that allows you to introduce varying amounts of “imperfection”, adding to the realism of the sound.

Although the Audio Classic Delay doesn’t quite get into the freaky territory as readily as other more esoteric delay plug-ins, it can do some fairly outrageous effects care of the reversible feedback. A good, solid delay that should make a nice companion to your other quirkier plug-ins.

The WatKat is a clone of the Wem Watkins “Custom” Copicat that is billed as a “Tribute to Charlie Watkins”. Like the original hardware unit that inspired its design, the plug-in is noisy, unpredictable, and wonderfully lo-fi.

How closely it actually replicates the sound of the Copicat is up for contention. Free synth vst plugins depeche mode. But one thing is for sure: the Watkat does add a lot of character to your tracks.

Cockos’ ReaDelay is part of the ReaPlugs FX suite that will be familiar to users of the company’s celebrated Reaper DAW.

ReaDelay is a multi-tap delay that can have individual delays of as long as 10 seconds, with practically no tap count limit.

Tap lengths can be set to time values or quarter notes. The option to choose one or the other is always good to have in a delay, and it is an especially nice touch in a free plug-in.

++audio’s Rubbadub excels at thick and dirty dub delay, but it can handle various other task as well.

The good range of modulation options make it capable of producing cool flanger effects, and there is even a variable filter for more creative options. Unfortunately, it is not available for download at this moment, and we don’t know when it will be.

Top Pick

All these delays are actually pretty good, and you really can’t go wrong with any one of them. Some are better suited to certain applications than others of course, as in the case of Valhalla’s Freq Echo’s capability to product modulated delays. But they can all handle a broad range of delay tasks, from standard echoes and slapback to flanging and chorusing, to more outlandish effects.

That being said, one plug-in stands out in particular: Voxengo’s Tempo Delay. With its array of features, its modulation options, and great sound, this is one of the best free delay vst plugins that can stand up proudly against the best paid offerings on the market.

$39.00

DEMO (14.5mb ZIP file. Fully functional, works for 20 minutes at a time, and can not save.)
MANUAL (340kb PDF file)

FORMATS

Delay Plugin Free

VST64-bit VST3 64-bit AAX 64-bit
Windows 8.1 or newer and a 64-bit DAW.

VST64-bit VST3 64-bit AAX 64-bit AudioUnit 64-bit
10.11 El Capitan or newer and a 64-bit DAW.

AUv3 64-bit IAA & Standalone 64-bit
iOS 11 or newer and a separate purchase in the iOS App Store.

VST 64-bit VST3 64-bit
Ubuntu 18 or later.

THE ORIGINAL DUB DELAY PLUGIN

Audio Damage’s painstakingly modeled bucket-brigade delay has been the go-to plugin for that sound for over a decade, used in thousands of commercial productions, and with good reason. Dubstation’s intuitive topology brings the mojo of yesteryears hardware delays to your DAW.

Dubstation 2 takes our most popular product and adds a whole raft of new features. With the addition of LFO and saturation controls, Dubstation 2 now fully emulates a vintage bucket-brigade delay, and the new dual mode for separate control over the left and right delay times and ping-pong make it a Swiss Army knife for delay effects.

HIGHLIGHTS

AUDIO EXAMPLES

FEATURES

• Delay
  Two tempo-synced or free-running delay lines with feedbackl
• Multiple Delay Modes
  Dubstation 2 can be used as a single mono or stereo delay effect, in dual mode with separate controls for the left and right channels' delay times and in ping-pong mode.
• Classic Delay Algorithm
  Dubstation 2 features Audio Damage's renowned model of bucket-brigade delay circuits, a faithful digital recreation of vintage hardware.
• Time Controls
  The user can switch between two delay time ranges, encompassing 4 to 2000 milliseconds. Frequency-response characteristics vary with delay time - a fundamental aspect of the sonic personality of analog bucket-brigade delay circuits.
• Low-Frequency Oscillator
  Delay time can be periodically altered with an LFO, producing changes in both the time between delayed signals and their apparent pitch.
• Filters
  Low-cut and high-cut filters with user-controlled cutoff frequencies in the delay path offer a wide range of timbres
• Saturation
  Analogue-style saturation with an amount control allowing for distortion from the subtle to the extreme.
• Feedback
  User-controllable feedback ranging from almost none to full feedback of the delayed signal back into the delay lines' inputs.
• Loop Mode
  Causes Dubstation to endlessly play the audio currently in its delay line without alteration. Filter and saturation effects are applied to the output signal in Loop Mode.
• Reverse Mode
  The Reverse switch makes Dubstation reverse the current contents of its delay memory and the direction in which it records.
  
• Mix control
  Blend of the processed and the dry input signal.
  
• Gain Staging Contols
  Input and output gain controls ranging from -80dB to +3dB.
• Cross-Platform Preset Format
  Dubstation 2 utilizes an XML-based preset manager. Work between multiple systems without troubles, make a preset on your desktop machine and paste it to the iOS version with Handoff, easily share your creations with your friends, or make a preset bundle to sell.
• Fully Resizable Hi-Dpi/Retina GUI
  Dubstation 2's vector-based GUI is resolution-agnostic, and displays the same on every system and resolution. Easily resize the UI (per instance) to match your visual needs, from postage stamp to poster-sized.

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