Arturia Delay TAPE-201 delay plug-in: features and spec-based rating

Arturia’s Delay TAPE-201 is a delay that recreates a tape echo of the 1970s. Its three tape heads and a spring reverb can be combined in 12 ways, and it has three delay modes (left-right, ping-pong and mid/side), an input EQ and an LFO with 16 destinations.

A delay delays a sound and repeats it, like an echo. You use it to add width and rhythm to vocals and guitars.

In this article we compare Delay TAPE-201 with 10 delay plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.

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Summary

Among the 10 delay plug-ins, Delay TAPE-201 is rank A. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and A is second from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 4.0.

Strengths

• Tone character (4 points): you can choose the tone of the repeats, from warm tape style to clear sound.
• Rhythm and width (4 points): you can make repeats that bounce left and right or have complex rhythms.
• Easy to blend (4 points): you can shape the repeats with filters and so on so they do not get in the way of a vocal.

Who it suits: people who want to add an echo with the wobble and warmth of tape to vocals and guitars.

Main features of Delay TAPE-201

Twelve combinations of heads and reverb

It recreates a classic tape echo of the 1970s, and a single knob (a vintage knob) combines the three tape heads and the spring reverb in 12 ways. You can quickly choose echo only, reverb only, or a mix of both.

Adjust the quirks of the tape

You can adjust the quirks of the real unit, such as tape wobble (flutter), motor inertia and background noise. You can lean toward a clean echo or an aged one.

Three delay modes

You can choose among separate left and right, ping-pong and mid/side. The repeat intervals of the left and right can be set separately, and they can also be matched to the tempo of your DAW.

Input EQ and LFO

The input side has low-pass, high-pass and peak EQs, so you can narrow the band of the sound sent to the echo. The LFO can be assigned to 16 destinations.

Where it is useful

• Adding a tape-style echo to the end of a vocal phrase
• Using a ping-pong echo to give a guitar left-right width
• Making a space with movement by wobbling the reverb amount with the LFO

Rating by criterion

Tone character: 4 / 5

We check whether you can choose the tone of the repeats, such as the warmth of tape and analog gear.

Based on the sound of a tape echo, you can choose settings such as combining it with a spring reverb, wobble, motor inertia and noise.

Rhythm and width: 4 / 5

We check whether you can make rhythm and width, such as repeats that bounce left and right or repeat several times at different intervals.

The three heads can be combined in 12 ways, and there are three modes (left-right, ping-pong and mid/side) and tempo sync.

Easy to blend: 4 / 5

We check whether you can adjust the repeats so they do not get in the way of the vocal (for example, making them quieter while singing).

You can blend the sound with the input low-pass, high-pass and peak EQs, the saturation of tape, and an LFO with 16 destinations.

How we score (Delay plug-ins)

Criterion	Basis	5 pt	4 pt	3 pt	2 pt	1 pt
Tone character	Warmth that blends with a vocal, and the choice of coloration	Choose from the styles of many vintage units	Tape-style sound plus other coloration to choose from	Either tape-style or vintage-style	Clear digital sound only	—
Rhythm and width	Ping-pong, multiple taps, tempo sync and so on	Multi-tap rhythm editing and ping-pong, or more	Multiple taps and ping-pong	Either ping-pong or tempo sync	—	Not mentioned on the official page
Easy to blend	Controls that keep it from getting in the way of a vocal	Ducking and a filter for the delayed sound	Two or more controls, such as a filter and saturation	One control	—	Not mentioned on the official page

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: adding depth and lingering tails to a vocal. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Tone character" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.

Delay TAPE-201 system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows 10 or later (64-bit; ARM is not supported) / Mac (macOS 10.13 or later, Intel and Apple silicon)
Plug-in formats	VST, AU, AAX, NKS (64-bit), standalone app
Trial	Not listed on the retailer’s product page
OBS (streaming)	Not confirmed

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on October 17, 2026.

Compared with other delay plug-ins

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