So is there any consensus regarding Delaylab vs X4?

[Dolf]

Because I've really been looking at the x4. Got to sit down and play it and I'm very impressed by the feature set and the sound quality.

Now trusted friends are telling me I should look at the delaylab instead because it has an even larger array of features. But how do the sounds stack up?

Has anyone done a back-to-back comparison?

[JrB]

Relevant to my interests

[turnstylepoet]

I am trying to decide between these two delays as well. I have not seen any YouTube videos comparing the two either.

[riff ie]

 

Originally Posted by JrB

Relevant to my interests

 

x2

[dZjupp]

not sure on sounds but the vox is freaking ENORMOUS

[macadood]

i'd personally get a delaylab, but have not played either of them. just the flashback. it was ok but a bit underwhelming imo. 4 of them in a row would be super underwhelming

[riff ie]

 

Originally Posted by macadood

i'd personally get a delaylab, but have not played either of them. just the flashback. it was ok but a bit underwhelming imo. 4 of them in a row would be super underwhelming

 

i had = pleasure w/transition...'d

[IRG]

The X4 sounded better to my ears than the regular FB, at least on the analog mode for sure. Although it could be a case of selective memory, I didn't have both to compare. I thought the X4 sounded really good, and the looper was a lot of fun too. Biggest drawback of the X4 is that you can't really tweak the modes very much, if that matters to you. Not sure on the Delaylab. Also, I'm not sure I trust the switches on the X4. I want to, and I've had 7 other TCE pedals that never had an issue, but the X4 I demo'd crapped out on me after a while. Early model, perhaps.

[macadood]

 

Originally Posted by riff ie

i had = pleasure w/transition...'d

 

i would = pain w/out transition...'d

[captions87]

 

Originally Posted by dZjupp

not sure on sounds but the vox is freaking ENORMOUS

 

see, it's really not though. It's only like a 1/4" to 1/2" longer and wider than the DL4. I don't have any experience at all the with x4, but I have been using the Delaylab for a few months and I'm still finding cool features and sounds. The fact that it has 3 looping modes, each with their own delay that you can apply to the loop, also add the feature of being able to switch through the looping modes as your looping/overdubbing. I've only saved 3 user presets so far, but I'm still learning a lot of what this thing can do.

[crohny]

I have a delaylab. I am beyond thrilled with it. it doesn't have universal tap tempo BUT if you tap the tempo into the preset delay setting it'll remember that tempo the entire time the pedal is on until you turn it off. Only way it'll rememeber it after you turn it off is by re saving the preset with that delay time. So the whole universal tap tempo not being there is a bummer if you don't figure out how to get around it. Highly recommend it.

[IRG]

The Delaylab can't be used in looper mode, while any of the other delays work at the same time, can it? One plus of the X4. But if the Vox can do that, that would be very cool.

[turnstylepoet]

 

Originally Posted by IRG

The Delaylab can't be used in looper mode, while any of the other delays work at the same time, can it? One plus of the X4. But if the Vox can do that, that would be very cool.

 

I believe you can use one of three preset delays while in looper mode. I don't know this for sure but I believe I saw that in a demo.

[captions87]

 

Originally Posted by turnstylepoet

I believe you can use one of three preset delays while in looper mode. I don't know this for sure but I believe I saw that in a demo.

 

That's exactly right. There's actually three looper modes, a digital, analog, and ambient. digital is a simple digital delay, analog has an analog mode delay to which you can add modulation. And in the ambient mode, you can mix in an octave up "shimmer" type delay. Also, important to remember in ambient mode, is that when you overdub, the most recent overdub is usually about 15% louder than what's already recorded, so that the "lead" is always in front of the loop, if that makes sense.

[turnstylepoet]

I spent an hour today with the Flashback x4 and the Delaylab. I played the pedals through a Tele into an Egnater Rebel 30. The pedals were powered by a Pedal Power Plus using a 9v 300MA outlet. I ran the pedals completely separate (power, patch cables, etc...) so I could hear each pedal on its own and hear what it did, if anything, to my dry signal. I did this because I have heard some people complain about the Delaylabs noise level and bypass.

Comparing the pedals solely on sound quality the clear winner to my ears was the Flashback x4. In addition to the delay settings sounding fantastic, my dry signal sounded noticeably better through the TC than through the Vox. I was not crazy about the way the Vox affected my signal and did not like the amount of hiss it produced at all times (on or off). The Vox has a much larger feature set and can be tweaked to no end. The Flashback did not allow for deep editing and was limited to delay time, feedback and delay level. But even with the lack of controls over things such as modulation, the Flashback sounded worlds better to me. Granted, I did not have the Delaylab manual in front of me and I know the Delaylab has a bit of a learning curve, but I could not get it to sound as lush as the Flashback. The Space setting on the Flashback sounds amazing as do the two analog settings and the 2290 settings. I had a hard time finding a bad sounding setting on the Flashback. The Vox has more sounds on tap and some really interesting options available. If you need to be able to tweak your settings in depth then the Vox may be more to your thing. But based on sound quality alone, I far prefer the Flashback.

I am in the market for a delay and the three pedals on my short list are the Flashback x4, the Delaylab and the Supa Puss. Guitar Center did not have the Supa Puss in stock but I have narrowed my search down to the TC and the WH and I am leaning heavily toward the TC. I hope this was helpful.

[turnstylepoet]

I spent an hour today with the Flashback x4 and the Delaylab. I played the pedals through a Tele into an Egnater Rebel 30. The pedals were powered by a Pedal Power Plus using a 9v 300MA outlet. I ran the pedals completely separate (power, patch cables, etc...) so I could hear each pedal on its own and hear what it did, if anything, to my dry signal. I did this because I have heard some people complain about the Delaylabs noise level and bypass.

Comparing the pedals solely on sound quality the clear winner to my ears was the Flashback x4. In addition to the delay settings sounding fantastic, my dry signal sounded noticeably better through the TC than through the Vox. I was not crazy about the way the Vox affected my signal and did not like the amount of hiss it produced at all times (on or off). The Vox has a much larger feature set and can be tweaked to no end. The Flashback did not allow for deep editing and was limited to delay time, feedback and delay level. But even with the lack of controls over things such as modulation, the Flashback sounded worlds better to me. Granted, I did not have the Delaylab manual in front of me and I know the Delaylab has a bit of a learning curve, but I could not get it to sound as lush as the Flashback. The Space setting on the Flashback sounds amazing as do the two analog settings and the 2290 settings. I had a hard time finding a bad sounding setting on the Flashback. The Vox has more sounds on tap and some really interesting options available. If you need to be able to tweak your settings in depth then the Vox may be more to your thing. But based on sound quality alone, I far prefer the Flashback.

I am in the market for a delay and the three pedals on my short list are the Flashback x4, the Delaylab and the Supa Puss. Guitar Center did not have the Supa Puss in stock but I have narrowed my search down to the TC and the WH and I am leaning heavily toward the TC. I hope this was helpful.

[Dolf]

Originally Posted by turnstylepoet

I spent an hour today with the Flashback x4 and the Delaylab. I played the pedals through a Tele into an Egnater Rebel 30. The pedals were powered by a Pedal Power Plus using a 9v 300MA outlet. I ran the pedals completely separate (power, patch cables, etc...) so I could hear each pedal on its own and hear what it did, if anything, to my dry signal. I did this because I have heard some people complain about the Delaylabs noise level and bypass.

Comparing the pedals solely on sound quality the clear winner to my ears was the Flashback x4. In addition to the delay settings sounding fantastic, my dry signal sounded noticeably better through the TC than through the Vox. I was not crazy about the way the Vox affected my signal and did not like the amount of hiss it produced at all times (on or off). The Vox has a much larger feature set and can be tweaked to no end. The Flashback did not allow for deep editing and was limited to delay time, feedback and delay level. But even with the lack of controls over things such as modulation, the Flashback sounded worlds better to me. Granted, I did not have the Delaylab manual in front of me and I know the Delaylab has a bit of a learning curve, but I could not get it to sound as lush as the Flashback. The Space setting on the Flashback sounds amazing as do the two analog settings and the 2290 settings. I had a hard time finding a bad sounding setting on the Flashback. The Vox has more sounds on tap and some really interesting options available. If you need to be able to tweak your settings in depth then the Vox may be more to your thing. But based on sound quality alone, I far prefer the Flashback.

I am in the market for a delay and the three pedals on my short list are the Flashback x4, the Delaylab and the Supa Puss. Guitar Center did not have the Supa Puss in stock but I have narrowed my search down to the TC and the WH and I am leaning heavily toward the TC. I hope this was helpful.

It was, thanks!