The Rocktron Celestial Delay is a delay stomp box from Rocktron's Boutique Series, a line of pedals built in a rugged metal chassis with retro custom design laser etched artwork1. Rocktron describes it as providing over 1 second of delay time in a classic analog design that mimics the retro analog tape delays of yesteryear without their hiss and noise1.
For a player, that means a delay that behaves like an old tape or analog unit: repeats that get progressively lower in fidelity as times and feedback increase, rather than the identical digital copies a modern digital delay produces. Delicious Audio's reviewer, Ron Guensche, found the sound quality excellent, with shorter delays and low feedback coming across as very clean and natural sounding, and repeats degrading as delay times and feedback settings went up2. He also found it a little noisy compared to digital delays, though much quieter than some older analog delays2.
What it does
The Celestial Delay covers approximately 30ms to a little over a second of delay time2. Rocktron highlights its smooth time shifting and regeneration, so you can dial in everything from a tight slapback at the short end to long, decaying repeats at the top of the range1.
The pedal is mono and does not allow a 100% wet signal2. The VOLUME knob regulates the output of the delay line while the dry signal passes through the circuit at unity, so your original signal is always present alongside the repeats2. That rules it out for the fully wet, ambient washes some players build with stereo delay setups, but it suits standard in-line delay duty fine.
The controls
The front panel is built around three knobs and two switches, plus a footswitch that controls the on/off status, indicated by an LED12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TIME | Together with the MULTIPLIER and DELAY LENGTH switches, sets the time of the delay line2 |
| REGENERATE | Controls the level of the delay output fed back into the input of the delay line, governing the number of repeats2 |
| VOLUME | Selects the amount of delay mixed with the original signal source; regulates the delay line's output while dry signal passes at unity12 |
| MULTIPLIER switch | Works with TIME and DELAY LENGTH to set the delay time2 |
| DELAY LENGTH switch | Selects between slow and fast delay ranges2 |
| Footswitch | Controls on/off status, indicated by the LED1 |
One quirk to know about: Delicious Audio's reviewer found that switching Delay Length from slow to fast with signal present sometimes produced a fairly substantial crunching noise2. If you flip that switch mid-phrase, expect an audible artifact; changing it between phrases or with the pedal bypassed avoids it.
Power
The Celestial Delay runs on a 9V alkaline battery, or on the Rocktron DC OnTap Universal Power Adaptor, which is sold separately1. Current consumption is 15mA1, low enough that a battery lasts a long time at casual playing rates, and light on a shared pedalboard power supply's budget.
Where it sits in your chain
Rocktron's guidance is that delay pedals usually sound better placed after distortion1. If you run a distortion pedal, put the Celestial Delay after it; if your distortion comes from the amplifier itself, place the pedal in the amplifier's effects loop instead1.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio reviewed the pedal in March 2012 and summed it up favorably at its price point:
"Streeting at about $120, it does what it says it will, and it does it quite nicely."
The same review confirmed the true bypass switching and the mono, never-fully-wet signal path, and characterized the noise floor as a fair trade for the analog character: a little noisy next to digital delays, but much quieter than some older analog delays2.
Players comparing digital options from the same maker can also look at the Rocktron Reaction Digital Delay or the earlier Rocktron Cyborg Digital Destiny, or browse the wider delay pedals category.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Rocktron Celestial Delay true bypass?
Yes. Delicious Audio's review identifies it as a true bypass effect pedal, so with the footswitch off your dry signal passes straight through without the circuit loading it down.
Is the Rocktron Celestial Delay analog or digital?
Rocktron describes it as a classic analog design that mimics retro analog tape delays without their hiss and noise. Delicious Audio found it a little noisier than digital delays, but much quieter than some older analog delays.
Can the Celestial Delay run fully wet?
No. The pedal is mono and does not allow a 100% wet signal. The VOLUME knob regulates the delay line's output while the dry signal passes through the circuit at unity, so you always keep some dry signal.
Is the Rocktron Celestial Delay stereo?
No. Delicious Audio's review notes the pedal is mono, with a single input and output, so it cannot be used in a stereo delay setup.
Why does the Celestial Delay make a crunching noise when I flip the Delay Length switch?
It is a known behavior of the circuit. Delicious Audio's reviewer found that switching Delay Length from slow to fast with signal present sometimes produced a fairly substantial crunching noise, so it is best to change the switch between phrases or with the pedal off.
Where should the Celestial Delay go in my signal chain?
Rocktron says delay pedals usually sound better placed after distortion. If you use a distortion pedal, put the Celestial Delay after it; if you get your distortion from the amplifier, place the pedal in the amp's effects loop instead.
Sources (2)
- Celestial Delay Boutique Series Stomp Box, Rocktron, 2024-09-24
- Pedal Review: Rocktron Celestial Delay, Delicious Audio, 2012-03-12
