Add Delay Effect to Audio Online - Free

Add repeating echoes to your audio. Delay copies the signal and plays it back after a set time gap. The feedback control determines how many times the echo repeats before fading out. Unlike reverb, delay produces distinct, clearly audible repeats.

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4.7

1.6K Ratings on the App Store

Problems This Tool Solves

Echoes are building up and getting dangerously loud

Feedback is too high. Reduce to 40–50% or less. Each echo should be quieter than the previous one.

The echo tail gets cut off at the end of my file

The editor auto-extends the buffer, but very long tails may still clip. Add a few seconds of silence at the end before applying delay.

I do not know how to sync delay to the tempo of my song

Divide 60,000 by the BPM. At 120 BPM: 60,000 / 120 = 500 ms for a quarter note. Half (250 ms) for eighth notes.

Common Use Cases

Slapback echo (rockabilly vocal)

A single short echo at 80–120 ms with no feedback. The classic Elvis / Sun Records vocal sound.

Vocal doubling

A very short delay under 50 ms thickens a vocal without sounding like a separate echo.

Rhythmic delay

Set the delay time to match the tempo of a song. Quarter-note delay at 120 BPM = 500 ms. Creates a rhythmic bounce.

Canyon echo for voice

Longer delay (500–1000 ms) with medium feedback creates the classic outdoor echo effect.

Rhythmic guitar delay

Tempo-synced delay is a signature sound in rock and ambient music. Set the delay to match the song BPM and use moderate feedback for rhythmic repeats that lock to the beat.

How to Add Delay to Audio Online

Upload your audio file to the editor.
Open Delay in the Effects section. Set the delay time, feedback, and wet/dry mix.
Preview in real time. Adjust the time for tighter or wider echoes.
Click Apply. The file is extended to capture the full echo tail. Export when ready.

Delay vs Reverb - Distinct Echoes vs Ambient Wash

Delay

Produces clear, separate echo repeats at a defined time interval. You can count the echoes.

Best for: slapback, rhythmic echo, vocal doubling, creative repeats

Reverb

Produces thousands of blended reflections that merge into a smooth ambient wash. Individual echoes are not distinguishable.

Best for: adding room feel, vocal depth, atmosphere, slowed+reverb

Common Delay Styles

Style	Delay time	Feedback	Mix
Vocal doubling	20–50 ms	0%	30–50%
Slapback echo	80–120 ms	0–10%	30–40%
Short rhythmic	200–300 ms	20–40%	25–35%
Quarter-note at 120 BPM	500 ms	30–50%	20–30%
Canyon / outdoor echo	500–1000 ms	40–60%	25–35%

Quick Tips

For rhythmic delay, calculate the time from BPM: 60,000 ÷ BPM = quarter note in milliseconds.
Start with low feedback and increase. High feedback creates many repeats that can build up and get loud fast.
Slapback echo uses zero or very low feedback - just one repeat.
The file is automatically extended to capture the echo tail. No need to add silence manually.
Keep feedback below 70% unless you want a runaway echo effect. Very high feedback can get dangerously loud.

Common Misconceptions

Myth: Delay and reverb are interchangeable

Reality: Delay produces distinct, countable echoes. Reverb produces a smooth ambient wash. Delay adds rhythmic bounce, reverb adds space. Use both for different purposes.

Myth: High feedback is always dangerous

Reality: Feedback below 70% is safe and creates natural-sounding echo trails. Only above 80–90% do echoes sustain indefinitely and build up. Stay below 70% for normal use.

Common Problems and Fixes

Echoes are building up and getting louder

Feedback is too high. Reduce it to 40–50% or less. Each echo should be quieter than the one before it.

Delay sounds muddy or washy

You may want reverb instead of delay. Delay produces distinct repeats. If you want ambient space, try the Reverb tool.

Echo tail is cut off at the end of the file

The editor auto-extends the buffer, but very long tails may still clip. If needed, add a few seconds of silence at the end before applying delay.

Why Use This Add Delay Effect to Audio Online

Delay time from 10 ms to 5 seconds for any echo style
Feedback control for single echoes to long repeating tails
Wet/dry mix to blend the delay with the original signal
Output is automatically extended to capture the full tail
All processing runs locally in your browser

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between delay and echo?

They are the same thing. "Echo" is the casual term. "Delay" is the audio production term. Both describe a repeated copy of the sound played back after a time gap.

How do I sync delay to the tempo of a song?

Divide 60,000 by the BPM. At 120 BPM: 60,000 / 120 = 500 ms for a quarter note. Half that (250 ms) for eighth notes. Double (1000 ms) for half notes.

What does feedback do?

Feedback feeds a portion of each echo back into the delay line. At 0% you get a single echo. At 30–50% you get several fading repeats. Above 70% the echoes sustain for a long time.

Will the output file be longer?

Yes. The file is extended to include the delay tail. The extra length depends on your delay time and feedback amount.

What is the difference between delay, echo, and reverb?

Delay and echo are the same thing - distinct, countable repeats at a set interval. Reverb is thousands of tiny reflections blurred together into a smooth wash. If you can count the repeats, it is delay. If it sounds like a room or hall, it is reverb.

How do I create a vocal doubling effect?

Set the delay time to under 50 ms with 0% feedback and 30–50% mix. The echo is too short to hear as a separate repeat - instead it thickens the vocal, making it sound like two singers.

What is ping-pong delay?

Ping-pong delay alternates echoes between the left and right stereo channels, bouncing the sound back and forth across the stereo field. This tool applies delay to both channels equally. For a ping-pong effect, you would need a stereo-aware delay or DAW routing.