Earthquaker Time Shadows V2 Delay

From the 2020 Limited Edition to the Time Shadows II: an Update Designed for Modern Playing

The Time Shadows II is the direct evolution of the Time Shadows released in 2020 as a limited edition, with an even more "performance-friendly" approach: 3 modes (instead of just toggling between two worlds), an assignable expression input, and especially 6 preset slots to switch between soundscapes without taking your instrument out of your hands.

On the left, you enter the EarthQuaker Devices aesthetic (Jamie Stillman); on the right, Death By Audio (Oliver Ackermann); and in the center, a hybrid !¡ terrain where the delay twists pitch with each repeat. Three very different personalities, designed to chain naturally on the same pedalboard.

Who It's For and In Which Contexts the Time Shadows II Makes a Difference

This pedal is aimed at guitarists (and bassists) who want to break out of traditional delay: ambient, post-rock, shoegaze, noise, psychedelic, electro-instrumental, but also alternative rock when you're looking for a "signature" effect on a riff or break.

In studio, it excels at creating beds, drones, transitions, or turning a simple take into a cinematic layer. In live settings, the presets and momentary mode allow you to use the Time Shadows II as a full-fledged instrument: quick appearances, tension build-ups, then immediate return to your base tone.

If you like pedals that respond to your playing, note that the EQD mode includes an envelope component: attack intensity and input level influence the filter's behavior, making the pedal very lively (and expressive) depending on your dynamics.

Controls, Presets, Expression: A Simple Interface, Huge Results

The Time Shadows II is built on intentionally straightforward ergonomics: Time sets the delay time, Span controls the repeat intensity, and Filter is the "surprise knob" that changes radically depending on the mode.

The 3-position mode selector gives access to: EQD (pitch-morphed fuzz delay filter with polyphonic sub-octave and resonant low-pass filter controlled by envelope), !¡ (dual delay whose repeats rise and fall in pitch with each regeneration), and DBA (multi-delay regenerating filter, from shimmer to repeats bouncing in "cosmic caves").

The Preset section offers 6 slots: you can save the settings of the three controls, the mode position, and even the expression input assignment. Two practical behaviors: Live Mode (knobs take precedence) and Preset Mode (preset overrides, knobs ignored), with switching designed to be used during playing.

Finally, the expression input (TRS) is assignable to Time, Span, or Filter (factory-mapped to Span). You can also control the pedal via Control Voltage in the 0 to 3.3 V range, ideal if you use hybrid setups with synths and controllers.

The Sound

The Time Shadows II does not aim for transparency: it targets transformation. The EQD mode is dense and menacing, with digital saturation, a sub-octave foundation, and a resonant filter that can feel like a grainy synth grafted onto your instrument.

The DBA mode highlights filtered textures and repeats that sculpt space: perfect for shimmering pads, metallic atmospheres, or controlled oscillations when pushing repeats.

In the center, the !¡ mode adds a very "motion" dimension: repeats move in pitch both up and down, creating almost choral tails, sometimes unstable, always inspiring for intros, interludes, and extraordinary leads.

On stages and pedalboards, the pedal has been spotted with Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), a good sign of its potential to fit into a rock rig while maintaining a true experimental personality.

Technical specifications

Effects	Delay, Octaver / Harmony, Multi-effects, Fuzz	Type	sector
Technology	Digital	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Purple
EQ	Filter

3 modes	EQD, !¡, DBA	Input	6.35mm mono jack
2 operation modes	Live and Preset	Output	6.35mm mono jack
Controls	Time, Span, Filter, Preset	Expression input	6.35mm stereo jack (TRS), assignable (Time, Span, or Filter)
True bypass (relay) with Flexi-Switch	latch and momentary	TRS expression wiring	Tip = Wiper, Ring = +3.3V, Sleeve = Ground