MeldaProduction MDelay free delay plug-in: features and spec-based rating

MeldaProduction’s MDelay is a free delay with three modes: tape, modern and ping-pong. Its two taps can be adjusted separately, and it includes saturation (a faint distortion, as if passed through analog gear) and filters.

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 MDelay 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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Image: from the MeldaProduction official website (product image)

Summary

Among the 10 delay plug-ins, MDelay 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 try both tape-style and clear delays, for free.

Main features of MDelay

Two taps and three modes

MDelay has two taps that can be adjusted separately, each with its own volume, left-right position, time and shuffle. Besides ordinary repeats, the modes include Serial, in which the second tap repeats the output of the first, and ping-pong, which returns the sound alternately left and right. In Serial the repeats are denser.

Two behaviors: Tape and Modern

In Tape, changing the delay length also shifts the pitch, as if the speed of the tape had changed. Modern is a digital behavior in which the pitch does not change when you change the length. You can choose how it sounds when you automate the delay length.

Filters and saturation

It has filters that set the upper and lower limits of the band passed through the repeats, and saturation that adds distortion to the repeats. If you set the filter to act on every repeat, the echo gets gradually duller, like tape. It is included in the free MFreeFXBundle.

Where it is useful

• Adding ping-pong repeats to a vocal with a free delay
• Using the filter to cut the highs and make unobtrusive repeats
• Offsetting the times of the two taps to make rhythmic repeats

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.

You can switch between tape-style and clear modern modes, and add saturation.

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.

There are two taps and a ping-pong mode.

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).

It has filters and saturation.

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.

MDelay screens and images

Image: from the MeldaProduction official website (product image)

MDelay system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows / Mac (both 64-bit)
Plug-in formats	VST, VST3, AU, AAX
Free version	Free (included in MFreeFXBundle)
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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Read next

• REPLIKA: features and rating (rank A)
• Timeless 3: features and rating (rank S)
• EchoBoy: features and rating (rank S)
• UltraTap: features and rating (rank B)

For free options

Pages about free products in this category:

• Free delay plug-ins compared
• Valhalla FreqEcho
• Free plug-ins for music production