The classic ’80s delay effect has been reborn in pedal form.
TC Electronic’s 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay is a classic ’80s rackmount effects processor that went far beyond the standard delay units of the time. Thanks in large part to its powerful modulation section, it could be thought of more as a delay‑based multi‑effects system, with which it was possible to dial in chorus, flange, automatic double‑tracking, panning, tremolo, ducking, gating, and even pitched delays (more on this later), in addition to the typical echo effects that you’d normally expect on a digital delay. The 2290 is still sought after today, and a few years ago TC created a plug‑in version (with an optional hardware controller). More recently, they decided to recreate the whole thing in pedal format and the result is the 2290 P, reviewed here.
Overview
Housed in a rugged enclosure, the 2290 P offers up to 9.999 seconds of delay time and boasts the sort of retro‑futuristic aesthetics that suggest it might have been plucked straight from the cockpit of a certain DeLorean. Besides the three footswitches (more on those below), the user controls take the form of many buttons and a single scroll wheel, with settings indicated on a few ’80s‑style numeric displays. A sleek top cover is designed to prevent accidental parameter changes while tap‑dancing around your pedalboard on stage, and it’s a thoughtful inclusion — when fitted over the top, you can still see the displays (though darkened), and the buttons are shielded to leave you with access to just the footswitches and encoder.
On the back, there’s a power inlet for the supplied centre‑negative 9V DC supply (if using a pedalboard supply, you’ll need 250mA available). There are also MIDI in and out/thru five‑pin DIN sockets, and a USB‑C port — the 2290 P can connect to a Mac/Windows machine running a software librarian, which is mainly for preset organisation but also to configure MIDI settings, and it’s the only way to map the quarter‑inch TRS expression pedal jack. There are four TS jacks for the analogue in and out. These can function as stereo in and out or, in a mono configuration, as a main in and out with an effect send/return for the feedback loop — you set the mode using a toggle switch between the two jack pairs.
The analogue I/O can be configured either as conventional stereo in and out pairs, or as mono in/out with an effects send and return in the delay feedback path.
Features include 128 presets in 64 banks (selected with the A and B footswitches) and, in tribute to the original, the pedal’s first 20 presets are recreations of those found in the rack unit. There are three footswitches, labelled A, B and Learn. The first two switch between different patches, while Learn is another nod to the original rack unit — that was released before ‘tap tempo’ had become the ubiquitous term! This is capable of controlling tap tempo for presets individually, both A and B at the same time, or as a global tempo control. There are many rhythmic sub‑divisions programmable via the Learn switch.
Missing Manual?
It’s a shame that the manual provided is virtually non‑existent. All you get is a one‑page quick start guide that labels each button’s function (as opposed to explaining how the functions work in any depth) plus a video tutorial online, and there are some settings that these fail to mention. The user would really benefit from an in‑depth walkthrough of how each section of parameters interacts with the others and affects the overall sound. Fortunately, the manual for the original 2290 can be found at the https://tc2290.com site, which might best be described as a tribute page to the original unit, but it also provides some patch ideas, electronics history lessons... and occasional dad jokes! Because the control panels are nearly identical it’s almost directly translatable to the new pedal. When learning how to program sounds on the pedal version, then, I referred to that original manual, which was very well written, and provides a clear walkthrough — almost as if the developer were in the room, talking you through every section, and how the parameters interact with other sections of the unit.
Getting Stuck In
Precision programming is this pedal’s speciality, with a wide array of parameters available that can easily be recalled in the preset banks. And after diving deep into programming the 2290 P, it became clear to me just how much the 2290 has inspired ideas in the modern, boutique pedal world. It’s capable of effects ranging from beautiful, pristine modulated delays, to wildly random panning and — a pleasant surprise when I began to dig deeper into the modulation section — envelope‑controlled pitch modulated delays. The precision of programming sounds on this delay feels more like a modern plug‑in than a vintage device, which just goes to show how advanced the original unit was, and its ability to manipulate the stereo field is otherworldly, putting it in a different category to the average delay pedal.
The ducking delay is one of the effects the 2290 was most famous for, and this is achieved here when the WAVE parameter is set to TRIG. In this setting, the volume of the delay is lowered when an input signal is detected and then, when the input level drops, the volume of the delay rises back up to its ‘natural’ level. This makes the effect more present in gaps between notes/phrases and prevents the instrument signal from being muddied up by a delay signal — a very useful feature. The Reverse switch on the front panel — which I should make clear doesn’t access a ‘reverse delay’ effect such as you might find on, say, a Boss DD‑8 — reverses the effect of the dynamic control, so that it changes from ducking to gating: the effect achieved is now the opposite of what I just described, with the delay effect now only present when the input is detected. You can use the Speed knob to change the rate at which the delay fades in (ducking setting) or cuts out (gating setting with reverse switch on).
Long echo textures, ducking to create a bed of sound underneath your playing, or panning delays with high feedback settings are easily discoverable.
When it comes to creating beautiful ambient soundscapes, this unit surpasses most others in its field. Long echo textures, ducking to create a bed of sound underneath your playing, or panning delays with high feedback settings are easily discoverable. Some sounds I discovered in this pedal that were pleasantly surprising were the input‑triggered pitch‑modulation effects. In a similar sense to the ducking delay, precise programming of the delay modulation can lead to the delay’s pitch changing intervals when playing stops or starts. Musical intervals can be programmed by ear with the depth setting, or random and sine modulation can be used for subtle or more abstract pitch effects.
The feedback loop when using this pedal as a mono device can be really interesting, but I much preferred using this pedal as a stereo device. Panning effects can be achieved on either the delay or the direct signal, or both or neither, as you prefer. Especially when working with it while wearing headphones, the ability to create such rich stereo effects really made this pedal stand out for me, and a lot of that character is lost in a mono setup.
When diving into the depths of the parameters, it’s very easy to stumble upon happy accidents, especially once you’ve connected the pedal to the software. Unfortunately, except for mapping the expression pedal, the parameters cannot be directly controlled from the software. But once I began experimenting with the expression‑pedal mappings — three parameters can be assigned to the expression pedal in any one patch — the effects were transported into new sonic territories. It transforms into a textural looper when set to a long delay with feedback and hints of panning and modulation, and there’s a workaround that lets you use this pedal as a sound‑on‑sound looper: set the expression pedal toe‑down position to maximum feedback, have a long delay setting of 6‑8 seconds, and bypass the pedal to prevent new signal from entering the loop. Luckily, with its different bypass modes, the default bypass allows the trails to continue, and when the same switch is activated again you can add more to the loop.
The Bottom (Delay) Line
Overall, then, while I wish there were a proper manual, and some might wish that the original’s Sample section (see box) had been included here, the 2290 P is a powerful and impressive pedal. It would be a great choice for any musician looking for a creative device to expand their sonic palette, whether live or in the studio, as well as a guitar player looking for a solid, top‑notch delay pedal. There are cheaper delay pedals out there, of course, but this goes far beyond an ordinary delay, and it’s great value for the asking price. A true classic recreated for the next generation to experience for themselves.
The Sample Section?
The original rackmount version of the 2290.
This pedal version of the 2290 lacks the original rack unit’s Sample section. That was a big part of what made the original 2290 delay a unique creative device: with 32 seconds of delay (with extra memory option) available, it was an obvious choice for many musicians who were experimenting with looping at that time. It was used by trumpeter/composer Mark Isham as his main looping device in the late ’80s, and a pair of 2290s lay at the heart of Robert Fripp’s soundscape looping setup in the early ’90s, replacing his Revox tape machines. Fripp even stated in a 1993 SOS interview (free to read on the Muzines site: www.muzines.co.uk/articles/inside-frippertronics/10807) that David Sylvian managed to program his 2290 to 64 seconds, something that the TC distributor had deemed not possible! Had TC chosen to recreate this facility in their 2290 P, re‑pitched, envelope‑triggered samples, panning loop textures and more could have been available, and this pedal could easily have rivalled the top creative delay/looping pedals of the last few years. Not every user will need it, but I see it as a missed opportunity — as well as testament to just how far ahead of its time the original 2290 was.
Summary
It could use a proper manual but — with top‑notch sound quality, versatile routing, precision programmability, easy preset recall, and many unique sounds — this is a powerful and creative delay pedal for a competitive price.
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