Soundtoys EchoBoy delay plug-in: features and spec-based rating

Soundtoys’ EchoBoy is a delay with 30 echo styles, including the Echoplex, Space Echo, Memory Man and DM-2. It has Dual, Ping-Pong and Rhythm Echo modes, and adjustments for saturation (a faint distortion, as if passed through analog gear), tape wobble and diffusion.

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 EchoBoy 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, EchoBoy is rank S. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and S is the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 4.8.

Strengths

• Tone character (5 points): you can choose the tone of the repeats, from warm tape style to clear sound.
• Rhythm and width (5 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 a delay with the coloration of vintage gear on vocals and guitars.

Main features of EchoBoy

30 echo styles

EchoBoy has 30 styles based on old classics such as the Echoplex, Space Echo, Memory Man and DM-2. The Studio Tape style, based on an Ampex tape recorder, is introduced as a way to warm up a vocal. Just by choosing a style you get repeats with the different texture of each unit.

Groove, Feel and Accent add looseness

To tempo-synced repeats you can add a rushing or dragging shift, shuffle and swing. The manufacturer says EchoBoy is the only delay whose groove can be adjusted this finely. You can make repeats that do not sound too mechanical, to suit the feel of the song.

Four modes and Rhythm Echo

There are four modes: Single, Dual, Ping-Pong and Rhythm Echo. In Rhythm Echo you can freely set the timing of up to 16 repeats, as if a tape echo had 16 playback heads. Shape also sets how the volume of the repeats changes.

Shape the texture in the Style Editor

Opening the Style Editor lets you adjust the amount and type of saturation (distortion), tape wobble and smearing (diffusion). Low Cut and High Cut can also trim the lows and highs of the repeats. You can make and save your own texture.

Video: “Soundtoys EchoBoy Rhythm Mode: Warp” (official soundtoys YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube

Where it is useful

• Adding warm, unobtrusive repeats to a vocal with Studio Tape
• Spreading the repeats of a guitar left and right with Ping-Pong
• Using Groove to match the repeats to the feel of a swung song

Rating by criterion

Tone character: 5 / 5

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

You can choose from 30 echo styles, such as the Echoplex and Space Echo.

Rhythm and width: 5 / 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.

Rhythm Echo mode lets you make tap rhythms, and there are also Dual and Ping-Pong modes.

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 adjust Low Cut and High Cut for the delayed sound, and saturation, tape wobble and diffusion.

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.

EchoBoy screens and images

EchoBoy system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows 10 or later / Mac (macOS 10.15 or later). Windows on ARM is not supported
Plug-in formats	VST2, VST3, AU, AAX
Other	An internet connection is needed for activation
Trial	30-day trial available
OBS (streaming)	Works as it is (VST2 is listed)

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.

Compared with other delay plug-ins

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