2290 In A Stompbox

US TC Electronic re-invent their rackmount 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay as a pedal 27/10/23

TC Electronic tells us that their 2290 P DYNAMIC DIGITAL DELAY is a pedal reissue of the legendary 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay with 128 presets, 3 ootswitches, dedicated 'Learn' tap tempo with sub-divisions and feedback path FX insert.

A spokesperson said, "We recreated a classic vibe from the past to fit perfectly in a contemporary setting – without losing its soul and characteristic sonic profile."

Here's more details direct from the company...

Classic Digital Delay in a Contemporary Setting

The original TC 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay set new standards when introduced in the 80s, and while often mounted in studio racks, it was also to be found in countless guitar rigs.

A key component of many guitar sounds is a string of tasteful delay, which is just one of the things 2290 P provides. It is a time-based effect generator that - apart from delay - also offers chorus, flanger, tremolo, vibrato, phaser, panning, ducking and compression.

And that is the essence of 2290 P: it is a faithful recreation of the original 2290, equally suited for adding delay to lead guitar tones and rhythmic patterns that can be used to build up powerful and inspirational walls of guitarscapes with or without additional modulation. In other words, 2290 P allows you to really dive in and carefully program it to meet all of your sonic ideas.

It simply evokes a distinct classic vibe from the past in a contemporary setting.

The Best and The Rest

We carefully recreated the original 2290, but we also added modern features, improved bits and pieces and expanded selected effect parameter ranges particularly with the guitar-playing experience in mind. For example, the guitar-friendly Feedback Loop for inserting additional effects to the wet signal and the option to use sub-divisions to control the Modulation block.

We also added a new dimension to the Tap-Tempo options, as the LEARN footswitch includes control per Preset (A&B), per Board (A+B) or globally. And on the MIDI control side, 2290 P digs deep and is ready to integrate with MIDI-based setups seamlessly - for example it offers four different ways to control your delay time.

Last but not least, we give you full control via the 2290 P app, and you can connect an expression pedal to control any effects parameter. In fact, not just any one parameter but any three parameters simultaneously.

Covering More Than One Base

2290 was known for its characteristic dynamic delay, but it also offered a host of modulation effects and comprehensive panning possibilities in a stereo setup. We ported all of this to 2290 P.

A key point in both cases is that you can control the delayed notes independently from the original sound. You can add modulation to the delayed notes within 2290 P, and in case you have an external pedal or effects unit that you want to use, it can be inserted in the Feedback Loop and will also only affect the delayed notes

On the panning side, you get three options: Your entire signal - including the original sound - will be affected, only the delayed notes pan between the left and right channels, or only the original signal is affected.

Playing the Long Delay Game

2290 P is very memory intensive with up to 9.999 seconds of delay time. Obviously, the maximum delay time is important, but so is the degree of control you have over each of the repeated notes.

However, simply knowing that you will not "run out of time" is the first step towards getting creative with fine-tuning the repeats.

In short, 2290 P is a highly inspirational tool in your guitar effects arsenal: A pedal that will give you that creative edge you need to step up and stand out.

A Rhapsody of Ravishing Repeats

To meticulously control the repeated notes, you have three sections at your disposal: FEEDBACK, DELAY, and SUB.D.

FEEDBACK not only allows you to set the number of repeats, but also to give them a fundamental tonal shape, as you can use high and lowcut filters to tame the frequencies between 1-20kHz and 0-800Hz respectively. This only affects the repeated notes, leaving your original signal untouched.

For every feedback, the signal runs through the filter again making each repeat more and more filtered, making the fade out sound much more natural. Pair this with a slow and subtle delay modulation to mimic the sound of an analog delay.

DELAY controls the delay time, which is also indicated visually by the TIME LED. But you can also activate the onboard modulation engine to add some swirly magic. Finally, in the SUB.D section you can set your delay to be a sub-division of the time you enter or tap into 2290 P.

Revealing Retro Vibes

When you power up 2290 P for the first time, you may feel like you're programming a trip back to the future. It has that kind of retro vibe, staying completely true to the original.

But having evolved from a rack unit to a pedal that lives on the floor, which is a much riskier environment, we added a plate that snaps easily to the frame with magnets, protecting the buttons and the display as much as possible while on the stage.

Tap, Twist and Turn

Once you're on the stage, you have probably already programmed 2290 P, but we know how different venues and rooms can be so you may want to make some quick adjustments on the fly. We made sure you can do exactly that with the "Quick Dial" knob.

And with three footswitches, you can seamlessly punch 2290 P in and out, browse banks and tap the tempo.

The Power of Presets

You can create, store and recall up to 128 presets on 2290 P. And right out of the box the unit comes fully loaded with a library of 128 presets created by us, as well as by some of the most influential artists and producers. We even imported a list of presets from the original 2290 rack unit. We want to inspire, and once you have tweaked these presets to become your own, or created new ones from scratch, you can of course overwrite and reorganize as you see fit.

Via a dedicated 2290 P desktop app, you can import, export, rename, backup, restore, organize and share presets, as well as map MIDI Program Changes both ways.

Two Ways to Flow Your Signal

2290 P can be set to True Bypass, as well as Buffered Bypass depending on your pedalboard configuration, personal preference and overall needs.