Pairing delay pedals

[PeteeBee]

Many people on here seem to have multiple delay pedals on their boards. I'm about to enter this world and am looking for advice and opinions. My primary delay is an Echo Degrader, which I love dearly. I always keep it pretty murky and quirky. Now for the band I need another flavor. Something neater and simpler. I'm thinking something digital. Tap Tempo would be nice, and a basic looper although that isn't a game changer. Reverse would be nice as well.
Any suggestions? I'm leaning currently towards the flashback x4. I thought my normal flashback was pretty decent, and this will be used a lot less than my main delay, so I'd rather keep it cheapish. I haven't looked into the Nemesis or DD500, and people seem to love those.

How do you folks decide which delays to pair? I don't imagine I use them both at the same time much, so I'm thinking mostly just maximum ground coverage?

[sylnau]

I like to have a modulation in between two delay.
I also like digital into analog.

My fave setting is the reverse setting of the Empress Superdelay into Fairfield Circuitry Meet Maude.

[PeteeBee]

Digital into analog makes a lot of sense. The crisper repeats into the warmer type of thing. I'll need to add that empress to my list of pedals to watch demos of.

[Chankgeez]

I usually use an analog delay for short delays…


and a digital delay for even shorter delays. Weirdo.

Yeah, I like the clarity of digital before dirt/fuzz/distortion and analog after.

[Willem]

Digital + tap tempo + reverse + looper (+ easy to use + cheap + warp mode) = Boss DD-6

[tremolo3]

Delay sandwich with a Rat as the stuff is good stuff.

[lordgalvar]

I usually use an analog delay for short delays…


and a digital delay for even shorter delays. Weirdo.

Yeah, I like the clarity of digital before dirt/fuzz/distortion and analog after.

Same here. Any delay into something like biloma is fun.

Digital + tap tempo + reverse + looper (+ easy to use + cheap + warp mode) = Boss DD-6

Yup.

But:

I like the boss dsd-2. And the Aria and guyatone digital delays.

[PeteeBee]

My qualm with the dd6 is that I like a dedicated tap switch. That was my problem with the hardware dl8

[lordgalvar]

Dd-5 (I actually prefer that one, sound wise).

Dsd-2 can do some tap tempo (similar, not exactly the same and you need external cv stuff) but none of the other stuff.

[PeteeBee]

What about the dd20? Seems cool. Sound on sound, warp, reverse, 23 seconds, built in second stomp for the taps.
Flashback x4 still has a hold on my hard because of presets. I never had a use for them, now we have a song with reverse delay and a clean delay in the same song.

[lordgalvar]

I personally didn't like the dd-20. It felt washy and kind of the same in every mode. Best thing I did with it was use the broadcast to cycle presets the day I flipped it. 23 seconds is cool but I rarely use over 800ms. I preferred the reverse on the dd5 too (but I could've just been hating because I really didn't like the dd20).

Lots of people like it and Im no authority on delay. I kinda would just go for the dd500 if I was looking at the dd20 again.

[UglyCasanova]

NUX Time Core. No tap tempo, but it does everything else you want and it's dirt cheap.

[weebles]

fairly easy to find dd5, 6, and 7s that have been modded for on board tap tempo.

[spacelordmother]

SMMH ticks all your boxes. Love it.

[rustywire]

DMM + any other delay. Or another DMM
I didn't simply choose the DMM life, the DMM life chose me

For versatility I'd pair DMM with a DD-5 or SMMH. PS-3 also a great match