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TC Electronic Flashback 2
Photo: TC Electronic
TC Electronic

TC Electronic Flashback 2

DelayDigital
List price
$129
Key facts
TypeDigital delay pedal4
MakerTC Electronic1
ReleasedEarly July 20172
BypassTrue Bypass or Buffered Bypass, switchable, with Kill-Dry on/off1
Power9V, 100mA3
ConnectionsStereo in/out, USB3

The TC Electronic Flashback 2 is a compact digital delay pedal from TC Electronic, released in early July 2017 as the successor to the original Flashback12. TC describes it as packing the company's "entire delay legacy into a single compact and affordable stompbox," with eight delay types, three TonePrint slots, and the pressure-sensitive MASH footswitch as its headline feature1.

What sets it apart from most compact delays is that MASH switch: press it harder and it responds like an expression pedal built into the footswitch, letting you bend delay parameters with your foot in real time13.

What the Flashback 2 does

The pedal offers eight delay types, including Tape, Modern, Analog, Modulated and Reverse, plus the new Crystal mode15. TC redesigned the Analog and Tape algorithms from the ground up for this version, aiming to reproduce the sound and feel of the original units they model2. The delay engine also includes an algorithm modeled on the company's classic 2290 digital delay from the 1980s, a rack unit whose legacy runs through the whole Flashback line6.

The Crystal mode is the newest addition. It uses the same algorithm as TC's Sub 'N' Up octaver, shifting the pitch up an octave through each feedback loop, so each repeat climbs higher than the last. TC describes the result as "an other-worldly shimmer that simply has to be experienced to be believed"15.

The controls and the MASH footswitch

The top panel carries five knobs: Delay, Feedback, Level, Mode and Subdivision3. The Mode knob selects between the delay types and the TonePrint slots.

The MASH footswitch is the pedal's main selling point. It is a pressure-sensitive switch that acts as an expression control, responding to how hard you press it1. What it controls depends on the mode you are in:

  • In the 2290 mode, MASH raises the Feedback and input level, effectively freezing the last repetition as a hold effect1.
  • It can be set to control signal level, working like a volume pedal2.
  • It can control modulation depth on the delayed repeats2.
  • In Dynamic mode, it controls the ducking of the delay2.

On That Pedal Show, TC's Tore Lynggaard Mogensen demonstrated the switch with reverse delay and fuzz sounds, and the hosts walked away impressed. Mick called the idea of an expression pedal inside the footswitch itself genuinely clever78:

"they came out with these mash switches which is basically an expression pedal in the foot switch itself"8

That Pedal Show, on the Flashback 2 X48

That Pedal Show: Tore from TC Electronic on Hall of Fame 2, Flashback 2, Mimiq, Pipeline and more

One limitation: the pedal's audio tap tempo requires MASH to be disabled, so you choose between the expression feature and tapping tempo9.

Power and connections

The Flashback 2 runs on 9V at 100mA3. It is a two-in/two-out stereo delay, so you can run true stereo delay lines into two amps, and it has a USB port for TonePrint transfers36. The bypass is switchable between true bypass and buffered bypass, with a Kill-Dry on/off option for parallel rigs1.

The 100mA draw is modest but higher than many compact analog pedals. Plan a power supply accordingly if you run a large board.

TonePrint

TonePrint is TC's system for loading custom, artist-designed or self-edited effects into a pedal. The Flashback 2 has three dedicated TonePrint slots, up from a single slot on the original Flashback, so you can keep three custom sounds loaded and selectable at once110. You edit patches in the TonePrint app on desktop or mobile, then load them into the pedal over USB, or beam them from a phone directly into the guitar's pickups11.

History and versions

The Flashback 2 followed the release of the Hall of Fame 2 Reverb, continuing TC's blue TonePrint pedal line2. Gearnews characterized the update as more of a refinement of the old Flashback that makes it more versatile, with the new Crystal algorithm and the extra TonePrint slots as the main additions10.

The line has since grown to three formats:

VersionFormatKey differences
Flashback 2Compact8 delay types, 3 TonePrint slots, one MASH switch1
Flashback 2 X4Large, updated 20193 MASH footswitches, dedicated Tap Tempo, 40-second looper with undo, 10 delay types, 6 TonePrint slots1213
Flashback 2 MiniMini, late 2019Three knobs, MASH doubles as tap tempo, TonePrint editing111415

The X4, updated in 2019, carries the MASH technology over from the Flashback 2 and spreads it across three pressure-sensitive footswitches16. Its Looper mode gives 40 seconds of loop time, with the three delay switches and the Tap Tempo switch becoming Record, Play/Pause, Play Once and Undo/Redo13. The Mini arrived at the tail end of 2019, packing most of its capability beyond its three knobs through TonePrint1415.

What reviewers said

MusicRadar reviewed the Flashback 2 as "a versatile delay pedal elevated by that MASH feature," while noting that MASH "is not as precise as a traditional rocker-type" expression pedal4. A MusicRadar buying guide listed easy-to-knock pedal knobs among its drawbacks3.

Pedal of the Day, reviewing the pedal in 2024, found that "for such a small enclosure, TC has really packed a LOT into this machine," calling it a feature-dense delay and looper5. A 2026 MusicRadar roundup highlighted it as "affordable, stereo, and packed with modes," also editable via the TonePrint app17.

On the Mini version, Guitar.com scored it 9/10, opening with "Just when you thought TC's mini-delay couldn't get any more clever…", and Delicious Audio praised its flexibility for its size thanks to the TonePrint app, though that reviewer's cons included a dim view of the company's current ownership1815.

Videos

TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay and Looper Pedal Demo
Sweetwater
Flashback 2 Delay - Official Product Video
TC Electronic
Flashback 2 Tap Tempo Update | How to turn on Tap Tempo mode
TC Electronic

Questions

Is the Flashback 2 true bypass?

Yes, and it is switchable. The pedal has a True Bypass or Buffered Bypass switch plus a Kill-Dry on/off option, so you can run it either way depending on your pedalboard. TC Electronic ships it with buffered bypass available for players who prefer to keep a buffer in the chain.

How do you use TonePrint on the Flashback 2?

The pedal has three dedicated TonePrint slots, up from one on the original Flashback. You edit your own patches in the TonePrint app on desktop or mobile, then load them into the pedal over USB, or beam them from a phone straight into the guitar's pickups. The three slots let you keep three custom sounds ready at once.

Does the Flashback 2 have tap tempo?

The standard Flashback 2 offers audio tap tempo, but MASH has to be disabled to use it. There is no dedicated tap tempo footswitch on the compact pedal. The larger Flashback 2 X4 adds a dedicated Tap Tempo footswitch, which doubles as an Undo/Redo control in Looper mode.

What is the Crystal mode on the Flashback 2?

Crystal is a shimmer-style delay that shifts the pitch up an octave through each feedback loop, using the same algorithm as TC Electronic's Sub 'N' Up octaver. The maker describes the result as an other-worldly shimmer. Each repeat climbs an octave, so the effect builds into a rising, bell-like trail.

What is the difference between the Flashback 2 and the Flashback 2 X4?

The X4 is the larger format. It carries the MASH technology over from the Flashback 2 but spreads it across three pressure-sensitive footswitches, adds a dedicated Tap Tempo switch, a 40-second looper with undo, 10 delay types instead of 8, and six TonePrint slots instead of three. The compact Flashback 2 is smaller and cheaper.

Sources (18)
  1. FLASHBACK 2 DELAY, TC Electronic
  2. TC Electronic Unveils the Flashback 2 Delay, Premier Guitar, 2017-06-20
  3. Best delay pedals: add extra dimension to your tone, MusicRadar, 2022-05-17
  4. TC Electronic Flashback 2 review, MusicRadar, 2018-04-11
  5. TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay & Looper, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2024-10-19
  6. The Best Budget Effects Pedals for Electronic Music Production, gearnews.com, 2025-07-02
  7. That Pedal Show, Tore From TC Electronic: Hall Of Fame 2, Flashback 2, Mimiq, Pipeline and more!, That Pedal Show
  8. Boss MD-200, Stone Deaf PDF-1X, GCP Comfortably Plum, TC Flashback II x4, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2019-11-05
  9. TC Electronic releases Flashback 2 Delay pedal with MASH footswitch and Crystal Delay, MusicRadar, 2017-06-20
  10. TC Electronics Flashback 2 delay pedal: Now with more mash, gearnews.com, 2017-06-21
  11. TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini & Hall Of Fame 2 Mini review, Guitar World, 2020-05-08
  12. TC Electronic Flashback 2 X4 Delay, Delicious Audio, 2019-07-26
  13. TC Electronic Flashback 2 X4 Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2020-02-11
  14. TC Electronic goes big on features with the new Flashback 2 Mini Delay and Hall of Fame 2 Mini Reverb, Guitar World, 2019-12-12
  15. New Pedals: TC Electronic Flashback Mini 2, Delicious Audio, 2020-01-07
  16. TC Electronic brings its MASH footswitch tech to the Flashback 2 X4 Delay pedal, MusicRadar, 2019-07-26
  17. Beetronics Pollinator Hazee Delay, MusicRadar, 2026-04-05
  18. Review: TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini & Hall of Fame 2 Mini, Guitar.com, 2020-02-11

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