The TC Electronic Nova Repeater is a delay pedal from TC Electronic, announced in April 2009 and shipping immediately at a list price of $195 USD1. It offers six delay types, a dedicated tap-tempo switch, audio tapping, and mono-in, stereo-out operation, all in a knob-driven format without presets1. TC Electronic advertised it as "No frills, with a sound that kills"2.
The pedal carries what TC Electronic described as the same sound quality that made the Nova Delay the first choice of delay pedal for artists including Paul Gilbert, Doug Aldrich, Nils Lofgren and Allen Hinds1. Where the Nova Delay stores presets, the Nova Repeater trades that for a simpler interface: five knobs, a Type button and a tap-tempo switch.
Six delay types and a dual-delay mode
The Nova Repeater features six delay types: Studio, Analog, Tape, Dynamic, Reverse and Ping-Pong1. A Type button on the pedal chooses between them2. Pedal of the Day's reviewer grouped them as studio, analog, tape, dynamic, reverse and ping pong delays, covering everything from clean digital repeats to darker, clipped analog-style repeats3.
The Dynamic type is worth a note for players who have not met it before. Dynamic mode adjusts the delay level to your playing: it takes the level down while you are playing and recovers it when you stop, so you get a clean, uncluttered sound under your notes and a full trailing delay when you pause4.
The pedal also features six delay subdivisions, starting with a dual delay that TC Electronic said was requested by numerous users1. In the dual delay stereo modes, the left output carries a quarter-note delay while the right output carries a dotted-eighth, an eighth-triplet or an eighth-note delay4. Pedal of the Day described the same layout: a quarter delay out of the left side with a choice of dotted-eighth, eighth or eighth-triplet on the right3.
The controls
The face of the pedal is built around five knobs and two buttons. MusicPlayers.com's reviewer called the knobs self-explanatory2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Sets the delay time2 |
| Feedback | Sets how long the delay trails on3 |
| Tone | Controls the tone of the repeats2 |
| Mod | Controls the modulation effects and turns them on and off2 |
| FX Level | Sets the delay level in the mix2 |
| Type button | Chooses between the delay types2 |
The Mod knob is the multi-function one. Turning it clockwise gives more chorus on the repeats; turning it counter-clockwise adds increasing vibrato2. So the pedal does chorus and vibrato, but as modulation applied to the delay rather than as standalone effects.
Delay time ranges from 20 to 1200 ms3. MusicRadar's reviewer noted that 1200 ms is the maximum you can dial in via the knobs5. For setting time by feel, the pedal has a dedicated tap-tempo switch at the bottom3, and it supports audio tapping as well, letting you set the tempo by playing1. The Range control gives enough information to read the tempo within a few milliseconds, so you can get close to the right time before fine-tuning4.
Inputs, outputs and stereo
The Nova Repeater is mono in and stereo out1. It has a choice of two inputs, matched for instrument or line level signals12, which means it can sit at the front of a pedalboard or in an effects loop without a level mismatch.
The stereo output is where the dual delay modes live: quarter notes on one side, a subdivided delay on the other43.
A Killdry switch on the pedal kills the dry sound and puts out only the wet signal. TC Electronic positioned this for use in a parallel FX loop or with a mixer where phase problems appear, since the pedal stops adding its own copy of the dry signal1.
The pedal also carries a properly designed transparent buffer, which DIY Fever's reviewer found as clean as true bypass, providing a low-impedance signal that can drive longer cable runs and reduce noise4.
From the Nova Delay to the Nova Repeater
The Nova Repeater is a member of TC Electronic's Nova family, descended from the ND-1 Nova Delay. The Nova Delay offers six delay modes of its own: Delay Line, Dynamic, Reverse, Ping Pong, Pan and Slapback, with a Delay knob that sets delay time up to 2290 ms6. It also features presets, which the Nova Repeater does not2.
That is the practical difference between the two. MusicPlayers.com's reviewer put it directly: if you want stored settings, the Nova Delay is the pedal to look at, while the Nova Repeater keeps the sound and drops the preset storage2. The Nova Repeater's 1200 ms maximum delay time is also shorter than the Nova Delay's 2290 ms36.
What reviewers said
Reviews across the pedal's life have been positive about the sound. Pedal of the Day's 2015 review was blunt: "the delay sound out of this is amazing"3. DIY Fever's reviewer came to it looking for "uncompromising sound quality with a reasonably simple interface" and found the pedal fit that bill4.
On value, DIY Fever's reviewer wrote:
"At $125 it's a steal! That's even less than a DD-7 which doesn't come with tap tempo or power adapter by default"4
DIY Fever, 20264
The same reviewer added that at full price the pedal is a bit expensive and close to the Nova Delay in value, so the used or discounted price is where it shines4.
MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen summed up the pedal as:
"A comprehensive yet practical source of delay for the gigging guitarist."
Trevor Curwen, MusicRadar5
At launch, Premier Guitar's press coverage reported that the pedal promises a modern yet classy sound with its new features1.
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Questions
Does the TC Electronic Nova Repeater have tap tempo?
Yes. It has a dedicated tap-tempo switch, and it also supports audio tapping, which lets you set the tempo by playing rather than tapping. The Range control gives enough information to read the tempo within a few milliseconds, so you can dial in a delay time close to what you need before fine-tuning.
How long can the Nova Repeater delay time go?
Delay time ranges from 20 to 1200 ms. The Delay knob sets the time directly, and MusicRadar's reviewer noted that 1200 ms is the maximum you can dial in via the knobs. Tap tempo and the subdivision options give you other ways to reach the time you want.
Is the Nova Repeater mono or stereo?
It is mono in and stereo out. The stereo output pairs a quarter-note delay on the left side with a choice of dotted-eighth, eighth-triplet or eighth-note delay on the right, which is how the dual delay modes are laid out.
What does the Killdry switch do on the Nova Repeater?
The Killdry switch kills the dry sound and sends only the wet signal from the pedal. That lets you use it in a parallel effects loop or with a mixer where phase problems would otherwise appear, since the pedal is not adding its own copy of the dry signal to the chain.
Can the Nova Repeater do vibrato or chorus?
Yes, as modulation on the delays rather than standalone effects. The Mod knob controls the modulation effects and turns them on and off: turning it clockwise gives more chorus, while turning it counter-clockwise adds increasing vibrato to the repeats.
Sources (6)
- TC Electronic announces Nova Repeater delay, Premier Guitar, 2009-04-06
- TC Electronic RPT-1 Nova Repeater guitar effects pedal, MusicPlayers.com, 2009-12-09
- TC Electronic RPT-1 Nova Repeater Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2015-01-19
- TC Nova Repeater review, DIY Fever, 2026-10-26
- TC Electronic Nova Repeater review, MusicRadar, 2026
- TC Electronic Nova Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2016-01-02
