The Providence DLY-4 Chrono Delay is a compact digital delay pedal from Japan-based Providence, announced by its US distributor Godlyke, Inc. on March 10, 20111. It is a feature-laden digital delay in what the announcement called "an extremely compact, user-friendly package," with tap tempo, two memorizable delay times, and a display that reads delay time in milliseconds or beats per minute1. Vintage Guitar described the design goal plainly:
"The result is a high-resolution delay effect. The Chrono Delay features a simple interface that allows fast, intuitive"2
The pedal's character comes from a hybrid approach: the delay itself is digital, but the delayed signal is converted back to analog and then shaped by analog Echo Hardness, Feedback, and Mix controls before blending with the direct signal1. The direct signal never enters the digital domain at all, staying analog from input to output through the Providence Vitalizer switching circuit to avoid signal degradation2.
Controls and how it works
The control panel holds five knobs and two toggle switches, plus two footswitches3:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TIME | Sets delay time from 1 to 2700 ms4 |
| MIX | Analog control blending the delay signal with the direct signal1 |
| FEED BACK | Analog control setting the number of repeats1 |
| ECHO HARDNESS | Analog control adjusting the delayed signal's mids and highs4 |
| BEAT SPLIT | Divides the beat for BPM-based delay settings3 |
| BPM / mSec toggle | Switches the display between beats per minute and milliseconds3 |
| A/B / TAP toggle | Selects either A/B preset mode or Tap tempo mode4 |
| ON/OFF footswitch | Engages and bypasses the effect3 |
| A/B / TAP footswitch | Recalls the two stored delay times, or sets delay by tapping3 |
The A/B preset memory allows two different delay time settings to be memorized and recalled via the footswitch as needed3. In Tap tempo mode, the delay time is precisely set according to the tempo tapped on the TAP switch3. A momentary (non-latching) footswitch, sold separately, can be connected to the EXT.TAP jack for remote tap operation; when one is used, the onboard A/B/TAP footswitch is dedicated to A/B preset switching1.
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the beats-per-minute display option "a major convenience" for syncing delays in time with the music4.
Echo Hardness
Echo Hardness is the control that sets the DLY-4 apart from a plain digital delay. Because the delayed signal is converted back to analog before it reaches this knob, the adjustment happens in the analog domain12. Premier Guitar's reviewer described what it does to the repeats:
"It's a little like being able to move between the qualities of a tape delay setting to a digital sound with the turn of" a knob, sharpening the repeats and making them more defined and almost percussive4
For a player, that means one knob takes the echoes from soft and dark, in the territory of a tape delay, to crisp and clear, in the territory of a modern digital delay4.
Sound and signal path
Both the Vitalizer, which prevents degradation of the direct signal, and the mixer that combines the direct signal with the delay signal are analog circuits3. Godlyke's announcement described the net result as "a high-resolution delay effect that has extraordinary depth" with a natural blend with the direct signal1.
Pedal of the Day's reviewer, writing in 2016, summed up the sound:
"it sounds about as analog as any digital delay we've ever encountered"5
Power and connections
The DLY-4 runs on a DC 12V supply through its own input jack, with standard 1/4-inch jacks for input, output, and EXT.TAP3.
Providence warns that using another company's power supply may void the warranty, so the pedal should be run on the maker's own 12V supply3.
The pedal lacks stereo output, as Premier Guitar's review notes, so players building a stereo rig will need to look elsewhere4.
The DLY-4 and the model it replaced
The DLY-4 replaced Providence's earlier delay, which the 2011 announcement called their "highly sought after Delay-80's model"1. By the time of Premier Guitar's 2021 review, the earlier pedal was remembered as the "cult-classic DLY-83," and the DLY-4 was the model that replaced it4.
Videos
Premier Guitar
Godlyke Inc.
Brett Kingman
Questions
How long is the delay time on the Providence DLY-4?
Delay time is adjustable from 1 to 2700 milliseconds, set with the Time knob or by tapping a tempo on the TAP footswitch. The display can show the time in milliseconds or in beats per minute, which makes it easy to sync repeats to a song's tempo.
Does the Providence Chrono Delay have tap tempo?
Yes. The delay time is precisely set according to the tempo tapped on the TAP switch. A momentary (non-latching) footswitch, sold separately, can also be plugged into the EXT.TAP jack for remote tap operation, freeing the onboard footswitch for A/B preset switching.
Does the DLY-4 have stereo outputs?
No. Premier Guitar's review notes that the pedal lacks stereo output. Its connectors are standard 1/4-inch jacks for input, output, and EXT.TAP, plus a DC 12V power input jack.
Does the DLY-4 have modulation?
The published material on the DLY-4 does not describe a modulation control. Its controls are MIX, ECHO HARDNESS, FEED BACK, TIME, and BEAT SPLIT, along with the BPM/mSec and A/B/TAP toggle switches and two footswitches.
How many delay presets does the DLY-4 store?
Two. The A/B preset memory lets you memorize two different delay time settings and recall them from the footswitch as needed, so you can toggle between two delay times mid-song.
What does the Echo Hardness control do?
Echo Hardness adjusts the mids and highs of the delayed signal, and it is an analog control that processes the delay after it is converted back from digital. Premier Guitar's reviewer found it can sharpen repeats until they are almost percussive, like moving from tape-delay softness to digital clarity with one knob.
Sources (5)
- Godlyke Releases Providence DLY-4 Chrono Delay, Premier Guitar, 2011-03-10
- Godlyke Providence DLY-4 Chrono Delay, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2011-03-10
- PROVIDENCE, Providence, 2026
- Providence Chrono Delay DLY-4 Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-10-18
- Providence Chrono Delay DLY-4, Pedal of the Day, 2016-11-28
