The EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue is a limited-run delay pedal with modulation, built by EarthQuaker Devices in Akron, Ohio. EarthQuaker calls it "The Original Delay Modulation Machine" and describes it as an analog-voiced digital delay that "sits perfectly in the background with an evolved ambiance"1. It is the newest incarnation of the Disaster Transport, a pedal that dates back to 2007, and it was limited to 3,500 units worldwide23.
Where the original Disaster Transport was bright, the Legacy Reissue leans warm and dark. Delicious Audio's write-up noted it was "voiced to sound like an analog delay pedal, not sparkling bright like the original, but warmer and darker"4. The delay line was redesigned to reduce the noise floor and improve delay quality, and it is now filtered to sound more like an analog delay than previous versions1.
The controls
The pedal carries five knobs, Speed, Intensity, Mix, Repeats, and Time, plus two mini switches and two footswitches, Modulate and Activate4. The Modulate footswitch uses Flexi-Switch Technology and turns the modulation on and off1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time from around 30ms at zero to 600ms at max, with modulation off; actual time varies by settings and unit1 |
| Repeats | Controls the intensity of delay feedback, from no repeats at zero to self-oscillation at max1 |
| Mix | Sets the volume level for the delay signal1 |
| Intensity | Controls how much the LFO modulates the delay time1 |
| Mod Mode switch | Two-position toggle that chooses the modulation style: Bend or Stretch1 |
| Mod Speed switch | Selects the modulation rate: Slow, Medium, or Fast1 |
| Modulate footswitch | Flexi-Switch footswitch that turns the modulation on and off1 |
| Activate footswitch | Engages and bypasses the delay4 |
The Repeats control is worth a note for players who like ambient washes: at maximum it reaches self-oscillation, so the pedal will generate its own feedback loops1.
Bend and Stretch modulation modes
The Mod Mode toggle chooses between two modulation styles. EarthQuaker describes the difference plainly1:
"The Bend setting offers a subtler vibe closer to a traditional chorus sound, while the new Stretch option gives you loads of pitch-stretching modulation"1
The Mod Speed switch offers three rates, each with its own character1:
- Slow: "excruciatingly slow," producing bizarrely animated gradual climbs and steep drop offs
- Medium: the most traditional rate, similar to the classic Memory Man circuit
- Fast: ranges from rapid chorus to intense vibrato
The modulation itself is more aggressive than most modulated delays. Delicious Audio explained that the Disaster Transport uses a Ramp wave for the modulation, which they found "much more intense than most modulated delays"4. Gearnews summed up the 2023 reissue's appeal for modulation fans: "Perfect for lovers of delays and with some great modulation possibilities available to users, this could be a lot of fun"3.
History and versions
The Disaster Transport line goes back to 2007, when the original version appeared2. EarthQuaker's founder Jamie Stillman, "the OG of EQD," couldn't resist tinkering with the design for the reissue and improved the whole thing beyond the original1. The reissue arrived in 2023 as a limited run of 3,500 units, priced at $219 USD23, in a newly designed enclosure with a sparkly finish4.
The Legacy Reissue sits in a family of Disaster Transport variants:
| Version | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Disaster Transport (2007) | The original modulated delay | Discontinued, now rare25 |
| Disaster Transport SR | Dual delay with reverb and modulation: one darker 600ms modulated delay and one slightly brighter 300ms delay with reverb | No longer in production6 |
| Disaster Transport Jr | Analog-voiced digital delay with 625ms delay time, all-analog dry signal path, true bypass | Discontinued7 |
| Disaster Transport Reissue | 2023 limited run of 3,500 units, redesigned delay line | Limited edition3 |
| Parra Disaster Transport | Limited edition of 500 units with enclosure art from Parra, same features as the Legacy Reissue, sold as a Reverb exclusive | Limited edition28 |
The Parra version, limited to 500 units, carries the same feature set as the Legacy Reissue but with Parra's artwork on the enclosure and an altered form factor, sold exclusively through the EarthQuaker Devices Reverb store28.
The PT2399 chip and delay time variation
The pedal is built around the PT2399, an older and unusual delay IC. EarthQuaker Devices notes that this chip "can have variable tolerances," and as a result some units may produce longer delay times than others1. In practice, that means two Legacy Reissues can sound slightly different at the same Time setting, with the maximum delay time varying from unit to unit. The nominal range is around 30ms at zero to 600ms at max with modulation off, but the actual time varies by settings and by the individual unit1.
Power and switching
The pedal takes a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, and EarthQuaker warns not to run it at higher voltages1.
Because the switching is relay-based, the pedal requires power to pass signal. With no power connected, your signal will not get through, so this is not a pedal that can sit unpowered in a chain.
The relay-based true bypass switching allows simultaneous momentary and latching operation: a quick tap gives momentary effects, while holding the switch locks it in latching mode1. All EarthQuaker devices carry a limited lifetime warranty; as the company puts it, "If it breaks, we will fix it"1.
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Questions
Is the Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue true bypass?
Yes. It uses relay-based true bypass switching with Flexi-Switch Technology, which allows both momentary and latching operation from the same footswitch. Because the switching is relay-based, the pedal requires power to pass signal, so it cannot work as a passive bypass box without a power supply.
Does the Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue need power to pass signal?
Yes. The relay-based true bypass switching means the pedal must be powered for signal to pass. It runs on a standard 9 volt DC power supply with a 2.1mm negative center barrel, and EarthQuaker Devices warns against running it at higher voltages.
What chip is in the Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue?
It uses the PT2399, an older and unusual delay IC with variable tolerances. Because of those tolerances, some units produce longer delay times than others, so two otherwise identical pedals can behave slightly differently.
Why do some Disaster Transport units have longer delay times?
The PT2399 chip at the heart of the pedal has variable tolerances from unit to unit. EarthQuaker Devices notes that as a result, some units may produce longer delay times than others, so the maximum delay time is not identical across the run.
How is the Legacy Reissue different from the original Disaster Transport?
The delay line was redesigned to reduce the noise floor and improve delay quality, and it is now filtered to sound more like an analog delay than previous versions, which were brighter. It also adds a Stretch modulation mode alongside the original Bend-style chorus sound, in a newly designed sparkly enclosure.
Sources (8)
- Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue, EarthQuaker Devices
- EarthQuaker Devices resurrects the OG Disaster Transport, with the cult classic 'Delay Modulation Machine' newly improved with expanded features, MusicRadar, 2023-06-02
- EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport Reissue: It's back!, gearnews.com, 2023-06-01
- EarthQuaker Devices Disaster Transport Legacy Reissue, Delicious Audio, 2024-01-15
- Whitney Petty, Stompbox Book (stompboxbook.com), 2019-08-02
- Disaster Transport SR Advanced Modulated Delay & Reverb Machine, EarthQuaker Devices
- Guitar FX Layouts: Earthquaker Disaster Transport Jr, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2017-12-30
- EarthQuaker Devices revives its flagship Disaster Transport delay pedal with wild new graphics in limited run, Guitar World, 2023-05-17
