H-Delay Hybrid Delay

Name: H-Delay Hybrid Delay
Price: 29.99 USD
Author: Waves

by Waves · Delay · Hybrid analog / digital

vst3s Score 8.5/10 · rated #5 of 10 delays

Up to 3,500 ms of delay with analog character modes, LoFi, modulation, filtering and ping-pong. It is especially good at the pitch-shifting echoes of vintage units.

It is a quick, cheap go-to for vocal slapback.

Best for: Vocals, Guitars, Drums. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Pop, Rock & Indie, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: vocals, digital classic, vintage, flanger, phaser, ping-pong, tempo-synced, analog-sounding, classic, digital delay, lo-fi, slapback, hardware emulation, simple, 80s, drums, extreme, mixing, pitch-shifting, subscription, tape, warm.

What it does

H-Delay is Waves' hybrid delay, pitched as "the complete toolbox for classic delay effects." It combines classic digital delay units with elements of analog designs, covering everything from old-school PCM42-style filtering, flanging and phasing to slapback, ping-pong and tempo-synced echoes with modulation.

Delay time: up to 3,500 ms, synced to the host tempo or set with tap tempo.
Analog: four analog colour settings that add saturation and warmth to the repeats.
LoFi: lowers the sample rate to mimic early digital delays.
Filters and modulation: low- and high-pass filters on the repeats, and an LFO for pitch modulation, flanging and phasing.
Ping-pong: a stereo ping-pong mode for bouncing repeats between left and right.

It's included in Waves' Essential and Ultimate subscription plans.

Source: Waves product page

When to use it

H-Delay is the rated delay for speed: one screen, a few controls, and a good sound fast. EchoBoy and ValhallaDelay offer far more styles, and Timeless 3 far more modulation, but they take longer to dial in. Compared with Galaxy Tape Echo, it's cleaner and more flexible, with long delay times and modulation effects rather than one tape unit's character.

Best for: quick vocal slaps and throws, tempo-synced delays in a mix, filtered and lo-fi echoes, and flanging or phasing effects from the modulation.
Genres: pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, EDM and live sound.
Look elsewhere if: you want authentic tape character or complex multi-tap rhythms; EchoBoy or Galaxy Tape Echo suit that better.
Tip: combine LoFi with the filters for a darker, early-digital echo that stays out of the way of the vocal.

What producers say

A long-standing workhorse praised for immediacy and sound quality; reviewers note it trades depth for simplicity.

MusicRadar / Computer Music (2009) rated it 8/10, a "fine-sounding delay" with a simple interface, smooth parameter changes, an extreme LFO range and a tape-like pitch effect when you change the time.
Attack Magazine (2015) recommended it for users who want "immediacy and superb sound quality" rather than the parameter-heavy tweaking of EchoBoy.
Gripe: Computer Music noted rounded tempo values and that the variable pitch effect can't be bypassed.

Where to buy

Sweetwater: $29.99 (regular $39.99)
Best Service: $36.67
Plugin Boutique: $39.99 (regular $149)
PluginFox: $39.99
AudioDeluxe: $39.99 (regular $149)
Waves: see store (Price changes with Waves' weekly sales)

Tutorials and reviews

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