The CAST Engineering Casper is a compact digital delay pedal, part of the wider family of delay pedals. Premier Guitar's 2021 review described its echoes as "clean without sounding characterless," with clear, defined repeats and warm, not-too-sterile clean tones. The reviewer also found it "much more transparent and less noisy than analog Boss or Ibanez delays," and summed up the pedal's headroom and transparency as "exceptional."1
Controls and the hidden trimpot
The top panel is simple: three silver knobs control delay time, repeats, and effect level. When the pedal is switched on, the knobs are backlit and glow baby-blue, a look Premier Guitar's reviewer highlighted alongside the pedal's intuitive, manageable control range.1
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay time | Sets the length of the repeats, up to 700 ms1 |
| Repeats | Sets how many times the echo repeats1 |
| Effect level | Sets the level of the delayed signal1 |
| Attack (pre-delay) | Controllable pre-delay offering "slap back to chasm like delay"2 |
| Internal trimpot | Feedback sensitivity, set with a screwdriver under the backplate1 |
The most interesting control is one you cannot reach while playing. Under the backplate sits an internal feedback sensitivity trimpot that, in Premier Guitar's words, "shifts the personality between more or less digital." Full counterclockwise, the Casper becomes virtually oscillation resistant, a tidy, well-behaved digital delay. Turned clockwise, it feels twitchier and more like a vintage analog delay, with the touchy, hard-to-nail oscillation thresholds of an Ibanez AD9 or Boss DM-2.1
"The headroom and transparency, however, are exceptional."
How it compares
For a digital pedal, the Casper's 700 ms maximum is short. For comparison, the Maxon AD-9, an analog delay, manages only 300 mS at maximum, according to a Vintage Guitar Magazine review republished by Maxon.31 What the Casper gives up in delay length, it aims to make up in cleanliness: Premier Guitar found its repeats more defined and its noise floor lower than the analog Boss and Ibanez delays it recalled.1
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Questions
Does the CAST Engineering Casper Delay take a battery?
Yes. Removing the backplate gives access to a 9V battery compartment, and there is also a 9V jack on the crown of the enclosure, so the Casper can run from either an internal battery or an external 9V supply.
How long is the maximum delay time on the Casper?
The Casper's maximum delay time is 700 ms. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that this is short for a digital delay, though the pedal's headroom and transparency were described as exceptional.
What does the internal trimpot on the Casper do?
Under the backplate sits an internal feedback sensitivity trimpot. It shifts the pedal's personality between more or less digital: full counterclockwise makes it virtually oscillation resistant, while clockwise makes it feel twitchier and more like a vintage analog delay.
Why do the Casper's knobs glow?
The knobs are backlit. When the effect is switched on, they become surrounded by a baby-blue light, which Premier Guitar's reviewer counted among the pedal's appealing features.
How much does the Casper Delay cost in the US?
Premier Guitar listed a US street price of $199 in its March 2021 review of the pedal.
Sources (3)
- CAST Engineering Casper Delay Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-10-07
- Casper | DIY Guitar Effects Pedal Kits, Jed's Pedals (jedspeds.co.uk)
- Maxon AD-9 Review, Vintage Guitar Magazine (republished by Godlyke, Inc. on maxonfx.com), 2006-10
