The Time Shadows II is a collaborative delay pedal from Death By Audio and EarthQuaker Devices, designed by Oliver Ackermann and Jamie Stillman, that both makers call a Subharmonic Multi-Delay Resonator12. In plain terms, it is a multi-effects unit with three very distinct delay algorithms, each contributed by one of the two companies, that combine delay with filters, fuzz, phasing, shimmer, swell and subharmonics34.
The pedal began as a limited edition in 2020, sold out immediately, and returned in June 2024 as the Time Shadows II, a full production version with a new third mode, six presets and assignable expression control516. It lists at $1993.
Where it came from
EarthQuaker Devices and Death By Audio first teamed up in 2020 for the original Time Shadows, a limited exclusive that sold out immediately, with many units later fetching high prices on Reverb97. The original had two modes, one designed by each company, selected by a center toggle switch10.
In June 2024 the collaboration returned as the Time Shadows II, in non-limited form, adding a third delay mode, user-assignable expression control and six preset slots97. Guitar World reported the new features at launch: "New features include a third delay mode (comprising a dual delay where each repeat simultaneously shifts up and down with each regeneration), user-assignable expression control"9. Guitar.com's demo described the result as "a wild journey into sonic chaos"11.
Three modes: EQD, !¡ and DBA
A three-position toggle selects the mode: EQD, DBA, or the "!¡" setting in the middle position1. The !¡ mode is the new addition that was not on the limited-edition original, created by EQD's Jamie Stillman3.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| EQD | Piles dirt on the incoming signal, adds sub-octave shimmer, delayed just before hitting the filters4 |
| !¡ | A pitch-warped delay; Guitar World's reviewer says it recalls the simultaneous pitch shift up and down of the old MXR Model 129 Pitch Transposer35 |
| DBA | A multi-delay filter remorphinator, from icy shimmers to cosmic space caves of bouncing repeats18 |
Premier Guitar's review broke the modes down further: the EQD side "piles dirt on the incoming signal, adds sub-octave shimmer, and is delayed just before hitting the filters," while the DBA mode "really hones in on the pedal's delay characteristics, creating crisp repeats and clean sounds with a little less midrange in the filtering, but lending the ability to cut through a mix at volume"4. The II mode, by contrast, is comparatively clean, and the filter control becomes a mix dial for the delayed signal4. Guitar World's buying guide characterized EQD mode as turning the pedal into a subharmonic pitch shifter adding flange and ambience, and DBA mode as a multi-delay filter modulation spanning shimmers to cavernous delays5.
The controls and presets
The front panel keeps things simple: Time, Span and Filter knobs, plus the mode toggle and a fourth rotary knob for presets38.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Controls the delay time1 |
| Span | One of the three main sound controls, also assignable to expression2 |
| Filter | Shapes the filtering; in II mode it acts as a mix dial for the delayed signal4 |
| Mode toggle | Selects EQD, !¡ or DBA1 |
| Preset knob | Fourth knob/rotary switch accessing the six preset slots3 |
The six preset slots save and recall complete settings, and the pedal can switch between preset mode and live mode, which follows your current knob settings13. Gearnews noted that in preset mode "you have six preset places with the fourth potentiometer, where you can retrieve completely different settings"7.
Any TRS expression pedal plugged into the side-mounted jack can control Time, Span or Filter, with the assignment user-selectable and independently settable per preset23.
The pedal runs on a 9V DC supply, center negative, drawing 75 mA38. That current draw is low enough for most isolated power supplies and daisy chains.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's Chris Gill concluded that "Musicians with open minds seeking complex, adventurous new sounds to explore will find plenty of inspiration from the gloriously wild and weird effects lurking with Time Shadows II"3.
Premier Guitar compared it to Red Panda's Particle 2 granular delay and pitch-shifter, but found the Time Shadows easier to get sounds out of, noting it "supports crafting a wide variety of cool, surprising sounds fast. And that's fun," where the Particle 2 has a larger learning curve4.
Guitar.com's Cillian Breathnach, reviewing the reissue, wrote that there are no real alternatives that sound like it, listing comparable experimental delays such as the Chase Bliss Habit and Thermae, Meris Polymoon, the EQD Rainbow Machine and Red Panda's Raster, Tensor and Particle, and noting "all of these options are a good bit pricier than the Time Shadows"10. He also found it "able to kick out sounds you'd normally need a gigantic ambient pedalboard for"10.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Death By Audio
The Pedal Zone
Questions
What is the difference between Time Shadows and Time Shadows II?
The original Time Shadows was a limited run of 1000 units released in 2020 and sold out immediately. Time Shadows II is the full production reissue, adding a third mode called !¡, six preset slots, user-assignable expression control, and a fourth knob for saving and recalling presets.
How many presets does Time Shadows II have?
Six. A fourth knob, a rotary switch, accesses the six user-programmable preset slots, and the pedal can switch between preset mode and live mode, which uses your current knob settings.
What can an expression pedal control on Time Shadows II?
Any TRS expression pedal plugged into the side-mounted jack can control Time, Span or Filter. The assignment is user-selectable, and the desired function can be set independently for each preset.
How much power does Time Shadows II need?
It runs on a regular 9V DC power supply, center negative with a 2.1mm plug, drawing about 75 mA. That is modest by modern pedal standards and easy on most isolated supplies.
Is the original Time Shadows still available?
The original 2020 limited run sold out immediately, and used units fetched high prices on Reverb afterward. The Time Shadows II reissue returned in non-limited form in June 2024, so the current version is widely available.
Sources (11)
- TIME SHADOWS II, Death By Audio
- Time Shadows Subharmonic Multi-Delay Resonator, EarthQuaker Devices
- Death By Audio/EarthQuaker Devices Time Shadows II review, Guitar World, 2024-08-13
- EarthQuaker/Death By Audio Time Shadows II Review, Premier Guitar, 2024-10-02
- Best pitch shifter pedals: top picks from Digitech, Eventide and more, Guitar World, 2022-01-13
- EarthQuaker + Death By Audio Time Shadows II, Delicious Audio, 2024-06-18
- EarthQuaker Devices Time Shadows II, gearnews.com, 2024-06-07
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-06
- “An insane synth buzz bazooka sound on the EarthQuaker side and a remorphinator of cosmic waves on the Death By Audio side”: EQD and Death By Audio revive their cult collaboration pedal, Time Shadows, Guitar World, 2024-06-06
- Earthquaker Devices x Death By Audio Time Shadows review, Guitar.com, 2024-06-10
- 60 Seconds S1E29: Death By Audio x Earthquaker Devices Time Shadows II, Guitar.com, 2024-06-07
