The Magic City Delay V2 is a compact delay pedal from Swindle Effects, built around what the maker calls "luscious, dark repeats; analog voicing." It carries onboard tap tempo with three tap divisions, tap in / tap out functionality for external switching, and soft touch, true-bypass switching, all in an enclosure measuring 4.7 x 2.6" x 1.5"1.
The V2 is an updated version of the original Magic City Delay, with the maker listing SMD circuit construction among the new updates, "for increased reliability and consistency"1. Swindle Effects lists the pedal as unavailable on its product page, so it is not currently offered new1.
Dark, analog-voiced repeats
The Magic City Delay's character is the reason it exists. Swindle Effects pitches it plainly: "Dark, lush repeats are the name of the game," with analog voicing shaping the sound of each echo1. In practice, analog-voiced repeats mean the echoes get progressively darker and softer as they decay, rather than staying as bright as the note you played, which is the behavior players associate with vintage analog delay units.
That character was already the pedal's identity when Pedal of the Day reviewed the original Magic City Delay in October 20162:
"This thing screams old school analog delay, with big, bold, luscious and dark repeats throughout"
The V2 keeps that voicing while updating the build. Where a bright, clean digital delay reproduces your signal exactly on each repeat, the Magic City Delay is aimed at the darker, more atmospheric end of the effect, the kind of repeat that sits behind your playing rather than on top of it132.
The controls
The control set is four knobs plus a division switch, which keeps the pedal simple to dial in1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Repeats | Sets the number of repeats, as on a typical delay pedal13 |
| Mix | Sets the level of the repeats in the signal13 |
| Time | Sets the delay time13 |
| Filter | Alters the overall tone of the repeats, and filters in or out the tape-like artifacts produced at longer delay times1 |
Pedal of the Day noted that Repeats, Mix and Time "all function just as they do on your average delay pedal," so the knob that sets this pedal apart is Filter2.
The Filter control is the unusual one. Swindle Effects describes it as a unique feature with two jobs: it changes the overall tone of the repeats, and it lets you filter in or out the tape-like artifacts that appear at longer delay times1. Those artifacts are the pitch wobble and degradation associated with tape echo, so at high Time settings the Filter knob becomes a choice between a cleaner repeat and one with more of that tape character. Pedal of the Day's reviewer described the same behavior in the original: the Filter knob "alters the overall tone of the repeats, as well as filter in or out the tape-like artifacts that are created at higher delay times"2.
Tap tempo and divisions
The V2 has onboard tap tempo on a soft switch, plus a 3-way Tap Division switch that toggles between Quarter, Dotted Eighth, or Eighth Note divisions1. Those three subdivisions cover the standard rhythmic delay patterns: straight quarter-note echoes, the dotted eighth pattern used widely in ambient and rock playing, and faster eighth-note repeats.
The pedal also has tap in / tap out functionality1. Tap in means you can connect an external tap switch and set the tempo from anywhere on your board, useful if the pedal sits somewhere hard to reach mid-song. Tap out lets the pedal share its tempo with other compatible gear.
The onboard tap tempo itself drew a direct response from Pedal of the Day in 2016: "the left one is an on-board Tap Tempo switch, which you really can't beat"2.
Power and switching
The Magic City Delay V2 runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug and draws 60mA1. That is the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies, so it fits isolated supplies and common daisy chains without an adapter. The maker lists no battery option.
Switching is soft touch and true bypass1, so the pedal drops out of your signal path entirely when off, and the footswitches themselves are the quiet soft-touch type rather than loud mechanical switches.
The Magic City Delay V2 is listed as unavailable by Swindle Effects, and the original Magic City Delay is listed the same way3. Players looking for one new will not find it currently offered.
Where it came from
The Magic City Delay V2 lists at US$175.001. It measures 4.7 x 2.6" x 1.5", a compact footprint for a delay pedal1.
The Magic City Delay V2 is currently unavailable, listed as sold out1. Players looking for one may need to watch for restocks or secondhand listings.
Questions
Is the Swindle Effects Magic City Delay V2 true bypass?
Yes. Swindle Effects specifies soft touch, true-bypass switching on the Magic City Delay V2, so when the pedal is off your dry signal passes through without buffering or processing. The soft touch footswitches also make the bypass and tap functions quieter underfoot than a standard mechanical switch.
What power supply does the Magic City Delay V2 need?
It runs on 9V DC with a center negative plug, drawing 60mA. That is standard for most isolated pedal power supplies and typical daisy chain supplies. Swindle Effects lists no battery option, so you need an external supply to run it.
What does the Filter knob do on the Magic City Delay V2?
The Filter control alters the overall tone of the repeats, and it also filters in or out the tape-like artifacts the pedal produces at longer delay times. That gives you a second tonal use beyond simple brightness, letting you either clean up the repeats or bring those artifacts forward.
What tap divisions does the Magic City Delay V2 offer?
A 3-way Tap Division switch toggles between Quarter, Dotted Eighth, and Eighth Note divisions. You tap your tempo on the onboard soft switch, then choose which subdivision the repeats follow, which covers the common rhythmic delay patterns players use.
Can I use an external tap switch with the Magic City Delay V2?
Yes. The V2 has tap in / tap out functionality, so you can connect an external tap switch to set the tempo from elsewhere on your board, or use the pedal's tap output to share tempo with other compatible gear.
Is the Magic City Delay V2 still available?
No. Swindle Effects lists the Magic City Delay V2 as unavailable on its product page, and the original Magic City Delay is listed the same way. The V2 carried a list price of US$175.00 while it was offered.
Sources (3)
- Magic City Delay, Swindle Effects, 2026
- Swindler Effects Magic City Delay (Functionalist Series), Pedal of the Day, 2016-10-26
- Magic City Delay, Swindle Effects, 2026
