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The RP-Delay is a stunning plug-in with capabilities that are difficult to match.

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Rob Papen is renowned as a skilled purveyor of floor-shaking, spine-tingling synths. Electro, trance, dubstep, fidget, DnB, pop - you name it, his synths are the go-to for many a top producer.

But a little while ago he dropped a processing bomb on us with RP-Verb, a crafty take on a studio staple - we loved it. It's taken him a while to get around to this next one, but what do you expect from a delay?

With RP-Delay, you get two delay 'sets', which can be run in sequence, in parallel, or with your choice of cross-feed. Within each of these sets are three independent delay units (arranged in series), complete with the usual assortment of lengths, pans and levels.

Distorted reality

"Without a doubt, one of the best delays we've used."

It doesn't stop there, as you can set filters and distortion for each. As well as convenient 6dB/oct high-pass and low-pass knobs, there's a multimode filter (including a vowel mode), and the distortion is also well equipped, with a few types to select from, a limiter, and the option to place the distortion in the delay feedback loop.

Each delay unit can be set to different delay times for the left and right channels. There's a tape delay mode - engage this and you can changed the delay time without any abrupt clicks, just as you would by changing the speed of the tape in a tape-delay unit. It's a live performer's dream, and ideal for automating.

Naturally, all of these delays can be set in milliseconds or synced to your project tempo. Managing six delay units could be confusing, but it's all simplified by nine configuration modes.

These give you certain delay units in preset routings, so, for example, Mono mode gives you a single delay unit to play with; Stereo offers independent left and right delays; Dual Stereo enables both delay sets, but only the first delay unit of each; while Serial Multi enables all six delay units, routed in series.

There are more modes, but all you need to know is that RP-Delay is as simple or as complex as you need it to be.

Here's the best bit, though: an unassuming little button labelled Rev on each delay set, which enables its Reverser module. This records a chunk of the incoming signal (up to four seconds, or half a bar in sync mode) and then plays it backwards.

Placed on a channel, this can add a great sucking effect, pad out a riff, add syncopated percussion-style touches to the part of your choice or simply make a less intrusive version of regular delay. And on your master bus, it becomes an almighty mix-mangling monster, preserving the original signal (if you want) while bringing reversed delays in and out.

Whether synced to the project tempo or set manually in milliseconds, it's one of the most obviously useful and consistently jaw-dropping features we've played with in a long time, and the standout feature of RP-Delay.

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