Two New Delay Plugins Worth Buying: Dedalus Delay and Cluster Delay

How many delay plugins do you have in your DAW folder? I sure have lots. Does this mean we should stop lusting for new ones? NO WAY, especially when there are new releases that are as inspiring, well-designed and very reasonably priced, as Dedalus Delay (by Aqusmatiq Audio) and Cluster Delay (by Minimal Audio). Let’s find out more about them and why they are worth our attention.

Dedalus Delay

Dedalus Delay is the first Aqusmatic Audio release, but the members of this Italian firm are experienced audio software developers (iOS musicians should be quite familiar them too).

In their words, Dedalus Delay is a real-time audio “delay mangler.” A network of delay lines is granulated and modulated, producing a labyrinth of echoes, which are further processed by filters, dynamic processors, and saturation modules.

Dedalus can create a wide variety of effects, from reverb-like ambiences to evolving resonations, from rhythmic pulsation to chaotic layering, from subtle chorusing to pure noise.

Here’s a video walkthrough of the presets, so you can have an idea of what this plugin does:

Why I Love Dedalus Delay

If you are a modulation wh*re as much as I am, Dedalus Delay is a dream come true. It contains 8 modulators that can be assigned to everything else on the screen. You can easily spend hours just modulating ad libitum.

While you can also use Dedalus Delay as a basic delay effect, it really shines on the experimental side – granular, noisy, unpredictable sounds and happy accidents are just a few clicks away. I would recommend it also as a great sampling source, for some extra sound madness. With Dedalus Delay you can make something cool even with the simplest sounds – I had some great fun just playing with Aalto‘s default preset (the overdrive was a nice bonus!), imagine what you can do with some more complex sounds or patterns!

Price:

~~£44.00~~ £17.00 inc vat intro price until 31st march 2023. A demo version is available.

Learn more and get Dedalus Delay here.

Cluster Delay

Minimal Audio defines Cluster Delay as a Tap Sequence Designer. Tap delays are certainly nothing new on the market (I became addicted long ago after trying Eventide UltraTap, available in both hardware and software forms), and Cluster Delay is a fantastic new entry in this segment.

Cluster Delay’s brilliant and foolproof interface allows you to ramp, space, and scatter up to 8 delay taps in time. On top of that there are 6 quality effects (Diffusion, Chorus, Wobble, Frequency Shifter, Phaser, Flanger) to spice up the delays, so it’s like having a multi-fx tool.

Cluster Delay also offers cool features such as macro control, integrated ducking, and an analog, grittier mode.

Check out this extensive walkthrough to learn more about Cluster Delay:

What I Love About Cluster Delay

The interface got me hooked within seconds. It’s sleek, fully resizable and super-intuitive (if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a handy tooltip mode). Not only is the interface extremely inviting, but the workflow couldn’t be smoother. If you like tools that make your job faster, this one will be your friend.

Cluster Delay can sound as modern and “digital” as it gets, but the Analog mode (try it with high feedback settings and low-pass filtering) and the fx section provide options for a broader sound palette.

In a nutshell, Cluster Delay sounds great, looks even better, and is versatile enough to attract a wide audience of producers and musicians.