The LunaStone Dynamic Delay is a delay pedal from Danish maker LunaStone, introduced at NAMM in January 2019 as the company's first non-analog pedal12. Its delay algorithm is digital at its core, but the signal runs through an analog mix circuit, which the maker says preserves dynamics and adds warmth and softness to the repeats31. The pedal's signature feature is the Dynamic Delay function: a one-button-controlled compressor on the delay side that ducks the repeats while you play hard and lets them rise when you play softly or stop3.
The pedal was designed by founder Steen Grøntved with Morten Lave, and takes its inspiration from the TC Electronic 2290, the rack delay unit that changed the game of delay in the 1980s31.
A digital delay with an analog mix circuit
LunaStone's pitch for the pedal is "Digital Delay, with an Analog Vibe!"3. The delay algorithm itself is digital, but Grøntved explains the reasoning behind the hybrid design:
"Because the delay algorithm may be digital at its core, but it has to live inside an analog circuit."
The result is a pedal built around an analog mix circuit, which Guitar World reported was chosen to preserve dynamics and gain warmth and softness1. For a player, that means the dry signal and the wet repeats are blended in the analog domain rather than being converted and summed digitally, which is where the "analog vibe" in the name comes from.
The pedal was first shown publicly at Summer NAMM 2018, where Premier Guitar published an exclusive first demo of what it called the Danish pedalmaker's "first foray into digital delay"2. It returned as a finished product at NAMM 20194.
The controls
The Dynamic Delay has two footswitches: On/Off, and a dedicated Tap Tempo3. The knobs are laid out diagonally, which the maker says lets you gently adjust the Repeat and Mix parameters on the fly with your foot while playing3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TIME knob | Turn to adjust delay time; press to switch buffer mode3 |
| Repeat knob | Sets feedback, adjustable on the fly with your foot3 |
| Mix knob | Sets the wet/dry balance, adjustable on the fly with your foot3 |
| Dynamic button | Engages the ducking compressor on the delay side3 |
| On/Off footswitch | Engages and bypasses the pedal, soft switching with relay3 |
| Tap Tempo footswitch | Sets delay time in time with the music3 |
The standout control is the Dynamic Delay function. As Grøntved describes it:
"It's a one-button-controlled compressor on the delay side, so when you play very actively, the delay level is kept down, and when you play softer or stop, the tail of the delay rises to the surface."3
Delicious Audio's video coverage from NAMM 2019 characterized it the same way: "the dynamic function is easily controlled with a single knob. It is essentially a compressor that interacts with playing [dynamics]"5. JHS Pedals' write-up calls it a ducking control, "basically a compression circuit" that lets the delay fall back in the mix when you play harder and get louder when you play less6.
Bypass modes and trails
The pedal offers two buffer modes, and which one you choose determines what happens to the repeats when you switch the pedal off34:
- Buffered Bypass mode: the delay tail is allowed to continue and fade away gradually and naturally34.
- True Bypass mode: the delay cuts off as soon as you disengage the pedal34.
You switch between the two by pressing the TIME knob, which otherwise adjusts the delay time3. Switching itself is soft, using a relay3.
Power
The Dynamic Delay runs on a standard 9V DC center-negative adapter, which is not included, and draws 110mA3. That current draw is high enough that a typical daisy chain shared with several other pedals may come up short; a dedicated 9V output is the safe bet.
No battery option is given, and at 110mA the pedal needs a proper 9V DC power supply rather than a shared low-current daisy chain3.
Inspired by the TC-2290
LunaStone is direct about where the circuit comes from. Grøntved writes:
"You may remember how the TC-2290 changed the game of delay back in the 80's. It was meant for recording studios, but was [embraced by guitarists]3."
The 2290 name has since returned as a pedal: TC Electronic's TC 2290P Dynamic Digital Delay, which Guitar World's reviewer found "delivers the same pristine, lush delay and modulation effects as the coveted original rack unit"7. The modern TC pedal goes well beyond the LunaStone in features, with 128 presets, full MIDI integration, USB-C for firmware updates, an effects loop, and up to 9.999 seconds of delay time78. The LunaStone, by contrast, keeps the focus on one sound and one control idea: 2.5 seconds of delay, an analog mix, and a single ducking knob.
Videos
Premier Guitar
LunaStone Guitar Pedals
Marty's Metal Room
Questions
Is the LunaStone Dynamic Delay true bypass?
It can be. The pedal offers two buffer modes: True Bypass mode, which cuts the delay tail instantly when you disengage it, and Buffered Bypass mode, which lets the tail continue and fade away naturally. You switch between them by pressing the TIME knob.
Do the delay trails continue after switching off the LunaStone Dynamic Delay?
It depends on the buffer mode. In Buffered Bypass mode the delay tails continue and fade away gradually and more naturally. In True Bypass mode the delay cuts off as soon as you disengage the pedal.
What is the maximum delay time on the LunaStone Dynamic Delay?
The maximum delay time is 2.5 seconds. There is also a dedicated Tap Tempo footswitch, so you can set the delay time in time with the music rather than dialing it in by ear.
How do you switch buffer modes on the LunaStone Dynamic Delay?
The TIME knob does double duty. Turn it to adjust the delay time, and press it to switch between Buffered Bypass mode and True Bypass mode. Switching is soft, using a relay.
How much does the LunaStone Dynamic Delay cost?
At launch in January 2019 the recommended retail price was USD 249 (EUR 249 in Europe). It was LunaStone's first non-analog pedal, introduced at NAMM 2019.
Sources (8)
- LunaStone Unveils New Dynamic Delay Pedal, Guitar World, 2019-01-30
- SNAMM '18, Premier Guitar, 2018-07-18
- Dynamic Delay, LunaStone
- NAMM 2019: Lunastone debuts Dynamic Delay, its first digital pedal, gearnews.com, 2019-01-23
- Our Video Of The Lunastone Dynamic Delay, Delicious Audio, 2019-01-30
- HAVE YOU HEARD OF LUNASTONE?, JHS Pedals
- TC Electronic TC 2290P Dynamic Digital Delay review, Guitar World, 2024-09-05
- TC Electronic unveils 2290 P Dynamic Digital Delay pedal, Guitar World, 2023-10-26
