The Benson Amps PT2399 Delay is a delay pedal built around the PT2399 echo chip, a digital processor known for emulating the character of bucket brigade delay circuits. Benson Amps describes it as an analog-voiced delay with LFO flutter and tap-tempo, and it carries a Time control spanning 30 ms to 1250 ms, well past the chip's original design range12.
From teaser to release
Benson Amps showed the pedal to the public in June 2022 as one of two prototype delay pedals, the other being a sibling built on the classic bucket brigade V3205 chip. At that point the company said the pedals were still about 10 months out from release, with prototypes sounding good. The prototypes were dual-footswitch stomp boxes in a white chassis, though Benson said the final version would be compact and probably not white, with possible fun runs of the big box ones1.
The pedal sits in the Benson range alongside the Benson Amps V3205 delay, its bucket brigade sibling from the same teaser, and later Benson delay designs such as the Benson Amps Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo and the Benson Amps Florist.
Controls and footswitches
Both of the pedals Benson teased in 2022 feature knobs for mix, feedback, depth, rate and an LFO, plus a bypass footswitch and a Hold footswitch1. Guitar Pedal X's review lists the Time control as covering 30 ms to 1250 ms2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time, 30 ms to 1250 ms2 |
| Mix / Intensity | Blend of delayed and dry signal2 |
| Feedback | Repeats of the delayed signal1 |
| Depth and Rate | LFO modulation depth and speed1 |
| Hold footswitch | Second switch alongside bypass1 |
The PT2399 chip
The PT2399 is a digital echo processor chip that Guitar.com calls fairly standard in many digital delays, and it tends to degrade signals at longer delay times3. It is long loved for its analog style of delay delivery, a character featured on the Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay and myriad lo-fi delays4. Guitar.com describes it as a digital processor known for its ability to emulate bucket brigade delay-based circuits with its analog character, but also able to be pushed into jittery, digital sounds1.
The chip's original design limits matter for understanding what Benson did with it. GuitarPCB's documentation states that the PT2399 delay chip was designed to deliver a maximum of 340 ms of delay time5, and Guitar.com notes that PT2399 chips generally offer between 30 ms and 340 ms of delay1. GuitarPCB also notes that the chip provides smooth delay effects with a maximum delay time of approximately 600 milliseconds, with possible subtle artifacts at maximum that vary with each chip's tolerance6. The Benson pedal's 1250 ms maximum2 runs the chip well beyond either figure. The chip remains a staple of the DIY pedal world: GuitarPCB sells it as an IC for delay projects7.
The Benson pedal's delay range extends far past the PT2399's designed maximum of 340 ms5. Longer delay times on chips of this type can degrade the signal, as Guitar.com notes for the chip generally3.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed the pedal in December 2023, listing it at £279 GBP. His verdict was mixed in an interesting way: he found it sounds amazing, but noted that its mono output does not provide the immersive soundstage that he favors, while calling it amazing on mono rigs2.
"Sounds amazing - while its mono output doesn't provide the immersive soundstage that I favour. Amazing on mono rigs"
The pedal is a mono delay, so players running stereo rigs should weigh that against the chip's analog-style voice24. For readers comparing PT2399-based delays, Guitar Pedal X has also covered other takes on the chip, such as the Anasounds Dystopia Experimental PT2399 Delay, another mono PT2399 design2. For the wider field, see the site's Delay Pedals page.
Videos
R.J. Ronquillo
ambienttrash
Questions
What delay time range does the Benson Amps PT2399 Delay cover?
Guitar Pedal X lists the Benson Amps PT2399 Delay's Time control as covering 30 ms to 1250 ms. That is well beyond what the PT2399 chip was originally designed for: GuitarPCB's documentation puts the chip's designed maximum at 340 ms, and Guitar.com notes that PT2399 chips generally offer between 30 ms and 340 ms of delay. The Benson pedal pushes the chip past its usual range.
Does the Benson PT2399 Delay have tap tempo?
Yes. Guitar Pedal X describes the Benson Amps PT2399 Delay as an analog-voiced PT2399 delay with LFO flutter and tap-tempo. Guitar.com's report on the prototypes also describes it as a dual-footswitch design, with a bypass footswitch and a separate Hold footswitch.
Is the Benson PT2399 Delay mono or stereo?
It is a mono delay. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, noted that the mono output does not give the immersive soundstage he favors, while finding it amazing on mono rigs. Players with stereo setups should keep that in mind.
What does the Hold footswitch do on the Benson delay?
Guitar.com's report on the prototypes says that next to a bypass footswitch, the pedal features a Hold footswitch. It is a second switch alongside bypass on the dual-footswitch enclosure.
Why is the PT2399 chip used in delay pedals?
The PT2399 is a digital echo processor chip that is fairly standard in many digital delays, as Guitar.com puts it. It is long loved for its analog style of delay delivery, appearing on designs like the Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay, and it emulates the character of bucket brigade delay circuits. It is also inexpensive and widely available, which is why DIY suppliers like GuitarPCB sell it for pedal projects.
Sources (7)
- Benson Amps teases two new delay pedals, Guitar.com, 2022-06-17
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-20
- Stacks FX’s first delay pedal harnesses the power of light, Guitar.com, 2018-05-09
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-09-10
- BD_DLay-v2.pdf, GuitarPCB.com, 2018-06
- NostalgiTone-Space-Modulator, GuitarPCB, 2024-09
- IC PT2399 Best Chip for Space Modulator, GuitarPCB
