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TC Electronic Flashback
Photo: TC Electronic
TC Electronic

TC Electronic Flashback

DelayDigital
Key facts
TypeCompact digital delay and looper pedal1
MakerTC Electronic1
CircuitDigital2
Delay timeUp to 7 seconds4
LooperUp to 40 seconds mono, 20 seconds stereo3
BypassTrue bypass, with analog dry through as the default setting1
Power9V DC, center negative, 100mA; a 9V battery is also supported21
ConnectionsStereo input and output, USB for TonePrint51

The TC Electronic Flashback is a compact digital delay and looper pedal from TC Electronic, the Danish effects maker. MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen described it as "a compact digital pedal that can run from a 9V battery or DC adaptor," and noted that it recalls TC's Nova Delay in the number of distinct effects it offers1. TC positions the pedal as "a modern twist on the know-how and legacy of TC Electronic's legendary 2290 Delay, featuring 7 seconds of delay and a cherry-picked selection of the very best delay sounds out there"2.

In practice, that means one knob-labeled box covers clean digital delay, tape-style echo, analog-flavored repeats, modulated delay, reverse delay and a looper, plus a TonePrint slot for artist-designed presets. Premier Guitar called the stereo-output-equipped Flashback "the most versatile" of TC's first TonePrint pedals3.

What the Flashback does

The Flashback Delay & Looper, announced in June 2011, "features 7 seconds of delay time and every delay type one could ever wish for," in the words of TC's launch announcement, with delay types running "from TC Electronic's legendary 2290 delay to old-school tape echo. In total, there are 9 different types to choose from"4. It doubles as a looper, handling up to a 40-second loop in mono or a 20-second loop in stereo3.

The pedal's default setting is analog dry through: the dry part of the signal is not converted and passes through unconverted at all times, so your core tone stays analog even when the delay is engaged1.

The delay modes, from 2290 to Reverse

The original Flashback's fourth knob is a rotary switch that calls up nine different delay effects plus the TonePrint setting and looper mode1. MusicRadar's 2011 review listed the settings as "pristinely clean 2290-type delay, warm tape emulation echos, a chorus+delay combination, a reverse delay and a looper"6. Pedal of the Day counted 11 delay modes on the compact pedal, "including 2290, Analog, Tape Echo, LoFi, Dynamic, Modulated, Ping Pong, Slap Back and Reverse," with the 2290 mode emulating the famed TC 2290 Delay5.

The mode list across the family:

VersionDelay modesNotes
Flashback9 on the pedal plus TonePrint and looper12290, tape, analog, modulated, reverse and more65
Flashback X416 delay types712 delay types plus 4 TonePrint presets78
Flashback Triple DelayTape, Tube, Space, Analog, Analog Mod, Reverse, Dynamic, 2290, 2290 Mod, Slap, LoFi, Ping Pong9Three delays at once
Flashback 28 delay optionsIncludes Tape, Modern, Reverse10
Flashback 2 X410 delay modes total11Updated with MASH technology11

The controls

The original Flashback keeps it simple with Delay Time, Feedback and Repeat controls plus the mode rotary switch5. The Flashback 2 carries the same idea with front-panel control: Delay, Feedback, Level, Mode and Subdivision knobs12. The Flashback 2 Mini trims this to Feedback, Delay and Level knobs13.

Tap tempo on the compact original is implemented by pressing the footswitch and rhythmically hitting the strings; the pedal mutes while you do it1. The X4 and Triple Delay instead give you a dedicated tap tempo footswitch: on the X4 you can "set delay times or sync with a drummer"7, and on the Triple Delay the tap tempo switch makes it easy to manually match the master delay tempo with your band or a click track14. MusicRadar's Mike Astley-Brown noted one Triple Delay quirk: "the tap tempo LED flashes in time only with the toggle-selected delay, not what's active"15.

TonePrint

TonePrint is the feature the Flashback introduced to TC's pedal line: the pedal has a USB connection that lets you import a new custom sound from a computer into a special onboard memory slot1. As of Premier Guitar's review there were 12 artist TonePrint presets from guitarists including Pete Thorn and Bumblefoot, plus five TC Electronic factory TonePrints available on the Flashback page3. Later versions extended the idea: the Flashback 2 Mini loads TonePrints via the guitar's pickup or USB16, and the Triple Delay carries 4 TonePrint slots for signature effects, downloaded through a mini USB jack on the rear panel17.

Power and connections

The original Flashback runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 100mA, and also accepts a 9V battery21. Battery access means removing the pedal's baseplate via a large chromed knurled screw that needs a coin or screwdriver to loosen1. Connections are stereo in and out, with USB for TonePrint51.

The Flashback 2 keeps the same power requirement, 9V at 100mA, with stereo in/out and USB sockets12. The Flashback 2 Mini is lighter on the power supply at 30mA from a 9V DC adaptor (not supplied)18. The X4 shipped with a 9V DC power supply included7, and the Triple Delay draws 300mA at 9V DC, center negative19.

The compact Flashback's 100mA draw is modest, but the Triple Delay's 300mA draw means it needs a dedicated outlet on a power supply rather than a shared daisy chain192.

History and versions

The Flashback family grew quickly after the 2011 original:

  • Flashback Delay & Looper (2011): the original compact digital delay and looper4.
  • Flashback Mini Delay (2014): a miniaturized version with feedback, delay and effect level controls2021.
  • Flashback X4 (2012): TC's "update to the ever-popular Flashback delay and looper," with 16 delay types, three presets, a dedicated tap tempo, a 40-second looper with undo, and TonePrint slots7. Premier Guitar noted TC "heeded the clamor from its sizable online community of users and created a more expansive Flashback"8. Compared to its predecessor it added modes including Tube, Space and analog modulation on the 229022.
  • Flashback Triple Delay (2014): a new top-of-the-line model running three delays at once, TonePrint-enabled14239.
  • Flashback 2 (and 2 Mini): the second generation, housing the same effects with front-panel control18, switchable true or buffered bypass182416, and the 2 Mini adding TonePrint via pickup or USB16.
  • Flashback 2 X4 (2019): an updated version of the Flashback X4 with MASH technology, new presets, a 40-second looper, and 10 delay modes; the tap tempo switch doubles as a looper control in Looper mode252411.

Guitar World described the lineup at the time as spanning "from the diminutive Flashback Mini to the flagship Flashback X4," with the Triple Delay added as the new top-of-the-line model14.

What reviewers said

MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen called the original "a contender for the most versatile compact stompbox delay available"1. MusicRadar's earlier review found "the quality and diversity of sounds is outstanding"6. Pedal of the Day found the Flashback 2 "packs a LOT into this machine, opening up new worlds of sonic discovery"24. Of the Flashback 2 Mini, Guitar.com's Richard Purvis gave 9/10, writing "Just when you thought TC's mini-delay couldn't get any more clever…"16, and MusicRadar's take on the original Mini was simply that it "sounds superb"26.

On That Pedal Show, the hosts demoed the Flashback 2 X4, praising its analog dry through and the MASH switch idea27:

"I saw that and I thought man you guys are brilliant"
Mick, That Pedal Show27
That Pedal Show demos the TC Electronic Flashback 2 X4

Videos

TC Electronic Flashback Delay
ProGuitarShopDemos
TC Electronic Flashback Delay
TC Electronic
tc electronic Flashback Delay & Looper Pedal
N Stuff Music

Questions

Does the TC Electronic Flashback take a battery?

Yes. The original Flashback runs from a 9V battery or a DC adaptor. Battery access requires removing the pedal's baseplate via a large chromed knurled screw, which needs a coin or screwdriver to loosen. Later compact versions such as the Flashback 2 Mini draw only 30mA but run from a 9V DC adaptor only.

Is the Flashback true bypass?

Yes. The original Flashback uses true bypass switching, and its default setting is analog dry through, where the dry part of the signal is not converted and passes through unconverted at all times. The Flashback 2 makes it switchable between true bypass and buffered bypass.

How long is the looper on the Flashback?

Up to 40 seconds in mono or 20 seconds in stereo on the original Flashback Delay and Looper. The Flashback X4 also offers 40 seconds of looping time with almost limitless layers, and its four footswitches handle pause, playback, playback once and undo.

How do you set tap tempo on the TC Flashback?

On the original compact Flashback, tap tempo is implemented by pressing the footswitch and rhythmically hitting the strings; the pedal mutes while you do it. The X4 and Triple Delay add a dedicated tap tempo footswitch for setting delay time directly.

Is the Flashback stereo?

Yes. The original Flashback has stereo input and output, with the looper handling up to 40 seconds in mono or 20 seconds in stereo. The Flashback 2 is a two-in/two-out stereo delay and looper pedal with stereo in/out and USB.

Sources (27)
  1. TC Electronic Flashback review, MusicRadar, 2011-03-02
  2. FLASHBACK DELAY by TC Electronic, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
  3. TC Electronic TonePrint Pedal Reviews: Delay & Effects, Premier Guitar, 2011-03-15
  4. TC Electronic Introduces TonePrint Effect Pedals, Guitar World, 2011-06-22
  5. TC Electronic Flashback Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2014-06-01
  6. TC Electronic Flashback Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb Toneprint pedals, MusicRadar, 2011-12-20
  7. TC Electronic launches Flashback X4, MusicRadar, 2012-09-21
  8. TC Electronic Flashback X4 Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-02-04
  9. TC Electronic Flashback Triple Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2015-08-23
  10. FLASHBACK 2 DELAY, TC Electronic
  11. TC Electronic Flashback 2 X4 Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2020-02-11
  12. Best delay pedals: add extra dimension to your tone, MusicRadar, 2022-05-17
  13. Best budget delay pedals: echo and slapback for not much greenback, Guitar World, 2024-03-27
  14. Review: TC Electronic Flashback Triple Delay Pedal, Guitar World, 2015-02-03
  15. TC Electronic Flashback Triple Delay review, MusicRadar, 2015-03-04
  16. Review: TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini & Hall of Fame 2 Mini, Guitar.com, 2020-02-11
  17. TC Electronic announces Flashback Triple Delay, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-10-16
  18. TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini & Hall Of Fame 2 Mini review, Guitar World, 2020-05-08
  19. FLASHBACK TRIPLE DELAY by TC Electronic, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
  20. Review: TC Electronic Mini Pedals, Guitar World, 2015-02-03
  21. Pedal News: TC Electronics' Mini Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2014-06-02
  22. TC Electronic Flashback x4 Delay, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2015-07-05
  23. FLASHBACK TRIPLE DELAY, TC Electronic
  24. TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay & Looper, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2024-10-19
  25. TC Electronic Expands Flashback 2 x4 Delay with MASH Technology, New Presets, Guitar World, 2019-07-26
  26. TC Electronic Flashback Mini Delay review, MusicRadar, 2014-07-30
  27. Boss MD-200, Stone Deaf PDF-1X, GCP Comfortably Plum, TC Flashback II x4, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2019-11-05

Players who use the Flashback

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Steve Lukather19 pedalsJoe Perry7 pedals

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