The Seymour Duncan Andromeda Dynamic Delay is a digital delay pedal built around the idea that your hands should shape the effect. Its Dynamic Expression technology lets you control certain effect parameters with your picking strength, so the delay responds to how hard or soft you play rather than only to where you set the knobs1. Seymour Duncan announced the pedal in 2017, and it is part of a delay line that also includes the Vapor Trail and the later Dark Sun.
Dynamic Expression: a delay that listens to your picking
The Andromeda's defining feature is Dynamic Expression. Seymour Duncan describes it as technology that lets you control certain effect parameters with your picking strength, the same approach the company used on the Catalina Dynamic Chorus1. Gearnews, covering the pedal at NAMM 2017, noted that Seymour Duncan refers to the Andromeda as a dynamic delay with a lot of emphasis on it being a performance tool4.
Seymour Duncan explained the design intent behind the pedal's voicing: "So we provided both analog and digital delay palettes with a lot of tone-shaping functionality that can easily tweaked and shaped to taste"1.
Delay modes and controls
The Andromeda offers four delay types, each in two flavors:
| Delay type | Digital version | Analog-simulated version |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Yes | Yes |
| Ping pong | Yes | Yes |
| Reverse | Yes | Yes |
| Reverse pong | Yes | Yes |
The pedal lets you choose between digital and analog-simulated versions of each type, so a player can pick the cleaner character of digital repeats or the darker, softer character associated with analog delays1.
For tempo and recall, the pedal covers the bases a working player needs41:
- A Tap Tempo footswitch for syncing repeats to the song1
- A Tap Value control for quick tempo adjustments1
- Preset storage for easy recall of your settings1
- MIDI control for integration with a larger rig1
Stereo operation
The Andromeda has stereo inputs and stereo outputs1. That matters most for the ping pong and reverse pong modes, where echoes travel across two channels, and for any player running a stereo pedalboard or two amps.
What reviewers said
Coverage of the pedal was generally positive about its feature set, with one practical reservation. Gearnews' Jef, writing from NAMM 2017, looked closely at the panel layout4:
"It looks very busy and the pedal is also quite dark with green text, so I would probably find it a bit awkward to use on a dark stage."4
Delicious Audio later placed the pedal in the context of Seymour Duncan's Dynamic Expression line, writing that "Seymour Duncan brought a new dimension to delay in 2017 with the Andromeda delay"2. Delicious Audio also pointed players to a demo video of the Andromeda by Pro Guitar Shop5, and Pedal of the Day featured the pedal as the Andromeda Dynamic Digital Delay3.
Where it sits in Seymour Duncan's line
Seymour Duncan brought the Andromeda to players in 2017 as a new take on delay2. The company's delay range later grew to include the Vapor Trail Deluxe and the Dark Sun delay and reverb pedal. Against those later pedals, the Andromeda stands out as a digital design that can store presets for easy recall1, a feature players weighing the two approaches will want to keep in mind.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
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Questions
What is Dynamic Expression on the Andromeda?
Dynamic Expression is Seymour Duncan's technology that lets you control certain effect parameters with your picking strength. Play softer or harder and the Andromeda responds by changing how the delay behaves, turning the pedal into a performance tool rather than a set-and-forget effect. Seymour Duncan first used the same approach on the Catalina Dynamic Chorus before bringing it to the Andromeda.
Does the Andromeda have stereo inputs and outputs?
Yes. According to Seymour Duncan's press release, the Andromeda has stereo inputs and stereo outputs, which suits players running a stereo rig or using the pedal's ping pong and reverse pong delay types, where echoes move between two channels.
Can the Seymour Duncan Andromeda be controlled with MIDI?
Yes. The Andromeda can be controlled via MIDI, so it can be synced to a larger pedalboard or rig setup alongside its onboard tap-tempo footswitch and Tap Value control.
Does the Andromeda have tap tempo?
Yes. The Andromeda has a Tap Tempo footswitch, and a Tap Value control lets you quickly sync your echo repeats to the song. Gearnews also noted a tap-tempo function for instant tempo syncing on the fly.
Where is the Andromeda Dynamic Delay made?
The Andromeda Dynamic Delay is made in the USA, according to Seymour Duncan's 2017 press release.
How much does the Andromeda Dynamic Delay cost?
The Andromeda carried a list price of $399 when Seymour Duncan announced it in May 2017.
Sources (5)
- Seymour Duncan Releases the Andromeda Dynamic Delay, Premier Guitar, 2017-05-10
- Inside Seymour Duncan’s "Dynamic Expression" Pedals; The Silver Lake Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2018-04-09
- Seymour Duncan Andromeda Dynamic Digital Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2017-12-31
- NAMM 2017: Seymour Duncan Andromeda delay, gearnews.com, 2017-01-20
- Seymour Duncan Andromeda Dynamic Delay, Delicious Audio, 2017-05-02
