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Tässäpä kaivoin esille tuolla ameriikan foorumeilla esiin tulleen Delay Shootoutin, eli "Pannaan kaikut järjestykseen!":
 
the Delay Shootout by Dave Boggs
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20) Dano PB&J. This is not a bad little delay for the bedroom guitarist, but it’s not really a good delay by any stretch for someone playing seriously. Not that it’s bad, it has a reasonable delay time, sounds okay, and it's fairly cheap.
 
19) Boss RV-3. This is a pretty poor reverb, but it’s delay’s aren’t too bad. Has a reasonable delay time, and sounds decent (reminiscent of a DD-3/5 in sounds). If you need a delay, and can pick it up for cheap, you’ll be doing okay.
 
18) Ibanez DE-7. This is a decent unit. It has the two modes, “digital” and “analog”. The analog is not bad, and provides some nice ambience. The digital side is not “too” digital sounding. If you need a decent sounding delay but you’re on a budget, this is a good prospect if you need some versatility. The ton-loc knobs are definitely a nice touch. There's not a lot of repeats available, but it sounds pretty good and it's cheap.
 
17) Danelectro Dan-Echo. I like this unit. It has a very warm-analog sound, it’s fairly versatile, and it can be bought cheap. I'd recommend this to someone looking for a versitile, analog sounding unit on a budget.
 
16) DOD FX-90. A good analog delay. It’s warm, sounds nice, and is pretty solid. It does color your tone a little, and I’d say that it does have it’s own sound. The delays are warm, but there’s also some decent clarity to the delays. A good cheap analog delay.
 
15) DOD FX-96. Another good analog delay. This is pretty versatile, and boasts about 600 ms of delay. It’s nice and warm, and fairly clean, and is very adjustable. Good tone, it doesn’t tend to color your sound as much as some analog delays. A pretty good analog delay for not too much money. Could be used in most applications with decent results.
 
14) Akai Headrush. This is a very adjustable pedal (almost to a fault). It has some very nice features, such as tap-tempo and looping, and a crazy delay time of up to nearly 24 seconds. One really excellent feature is the ability to run the delay to up to FOUR amps. This really makes some cool sounds, and gives the sound a very 3 dimensional quality. The high frequency roll-off knob is a nice touch to simulate analog delay. A good pedal, if you want versitility, good sound, and some attractive features, give this a look.
 
13) Hughes and Kettner Replex. This is a very unique pedal. If you’re looking for very warm and lush analog sounding delay, this is a good unit. In fact, for my taste it’s too warm. It definitely has its own sound, and it does definitely color your tone. This unit is not a model in versatility, and the reverb isn’t even worth mentioning. If you’re looking for this particular sound, you can’t go wrong, otherwise, I personally would not recommend it. I don't like the idea of a delay that seems more like a pre-amp.
 
12) Yamaha UD-Stomp. This is a pretty good sounding unit, but it’s a pain in butt to adjust. I think that Yamaha got the sounds right, but not the interface, and definitely not the price. It’s an oxymoron in versatility. Watch for this one to be dis-continued in the next year or two, then pick it up in some blow-out sale.
 
11) Line 6 DM Delay Modeler. This is an insanely versatile pedal. It has a lot of features I really think are good. It’s a pretty good sounding unit too. It can be a little sterile/bland if you’re used to the “real thing” though. If you need a ton of different sounds, and a lot of versatility, this is the delay to have.
 
10) Boss DD-5. This is a good delay if you like digital delay. It can be somewhat cold and harsh, but it’s very versatile. Some of the features are cool, but I personally wouldn’t use them too much. The added jack for tap-tempo is a great feature.
 
9) Boss DD-3. This to me is the better of the Boss digital line. It sounds digital, but tends to be less harsh and cold. It’s doesn't have all of the bells and whistles that you find the DD-5, but I find that appealing. A nice, simple, clean delay.
 
8) Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man. This is a good sounding analog delay. It’s very versatile, and it’s very adjustable- in fact, it takes a little bit of time to tweak it. It’s not my favorite analog delay, as I find the decay a little too ‘degraded’, in that each echo sounds like another blanket is being thrown over the amp. Also, this unit is noticeably noisy. But, it is a good sounding analog delay, and the sheer adjustability, versatility, and warmth make it a classic.
 
7) Digitech Digi-delay. A great digital delay. The tap-tempo can be a bit annoying to use, but this is really a good sounding unit, and it’s very versatile and well built. It’s like an upgraded version of the DD-5 (what the DD-6 should be).
 
Okay, here is the point where things get very tight, in that these units are all great. This is a very subjective part of my shoot-out. The “numbering” system here is somewhat pointless, because each unit is distinct, so I’ll just list my personal favorites in count-down fashion.
 
6) Boss DM-3 This is a great delay. Very nice, rich, and warm delays. Nice self-oscillation. The echos are warm mellow, yet clear(for an analog unit). This unit has a very nice sound quality. Does have it’s own sound, and there is some coloration in the echos- but they’re good colorations. Limited delay time at around 400 ms.
 
5) Ibanez AD-9. This unit is a very warm sounding, rich delay, but is also rather clear. Another good one for self-oscillation. This one tends to not color your tone as much as a DM-2 or 3. Limited at 300 ms. Very nice sounding. Highly recommended.
 
4) Boss DM-2. The heralded analog delay. This is an excellent delay. Very Very warm, rich, fuzzy. Great earthy sounds. From the first echo, there is definitely tonal coloration. The echos sound very little like the original signal. It sounds as if immediately after the original signal, someone threw a quilt over the amp and left it. In other words, the echos don’t gradually lose their high end- it happens immediately, and then stays constant. Each echo sounds almost the same after the original signal. But this is a good thing. This pedal has a load of character. Great for creating texture and soundscapes. Pretty good self-oscillation. Not too versatile, and limited to 300 ms. Really a great sounding delay, if you’re looking for subtle, warm analog sound.
 
3) Arion SAD-1 This pedal REALLY suprises me. This is a very warm, rich sounding analog delay. I actually like this unit better than the DM-2. The delays are very clean sounding, but yet are warm and rich. The fact that it has about 450 ms of delay time, and is stereo doesn’t hurt either. The plastic enclosure does hurt though. It seems fairly durable, but for such a great sounding delay, the plastic is disappointing. This unit sounds like a cross between the AD-9, and the DM-3. As a matter of fact, I bought a second SAD-1 to be sure it wasn't a fluke, and sure enough, the same story. This is a REAL sleaper. Not suprising, from the same company that made the SCH-1, which is an excellent chorus. Self oscillates very nicely. Plus for 40.00, you just can’t go wrong. Highly recommended.
 
2). Ibanez EM5 This is another surprise. This unit sounds soooo good. It is very warm, rich, and well defined. The echos degrade just beautifully. Another surprise…. It’s digital! I have to say that this unit comes the closest to sounding like a tape echo of all of them. The echos are clear, yet warm, sweet, and very nice sounding. 800 ms of delay time makes it even sweeter. The only fault I have with this unit is the fact that it will not self-oscillate. The case is plastic, but it’s very heavy plastic, and the jacks and knobs are well made. This unit is very natural sounding, not overly warm/analog, and definitely not digital sounding. This unit sounds like a cross between the MD-3, SAD-1, and the DM-2. The roll-off is smooth and gradual. Very quiet. I cannot believe that this unit is not more popular. Very highly recommended, especially at 50-60.00.
 
1) Guyatone MD-3 This is my favorite all time delay in stomp box format. This unit PERFECTLY reproduces the signal, for very clean, beautiful delays. There is absolutely NO coloration, and this unit is the ultimate in quiet. Concerning self-oscillation, this unit is the best, most controllable. This unit really reacts like an analog unit. An outstanding 2.8 seconds of delay time. The unit is very well built, very small, and the controls and jacks are very solid. I really can’t say enough good about this pedal- as far as I’m concerned, this is THE digital delay. If you have great tone already, and you want a great delay, buy this unit.
 
The best: Roland Space Echo 201. This is THE delay. The best, period. Just a beautiful sound. A common mis-conception is that a tape echo attenuates the high-end dramatically, a lot like an analog delay. I don’t agree. I think that the space echo sounds absolutely natural. It reproduces the signal very well, and yet it adds a character and warmth that is hard to describe. It really doesn’t alter the tone, it just.. I don’t know, clarifies and enhances it. Kind of like what a SHO does to signal (sort of). I guess I’d have to say that it sounds like the perfect blend of digital and analog (I know, that’s really a poor analogy). But, the downside is that it’s hard to move, can be tempermental and un-reliable, and it’s hard to dial in. Plus, it’s not easy to change settings on the fly until you know the unit pretty well.