Note: Battery operation is not supported
Delay and Reverb go together with electric guitar like bread goes with butter, and the Tone City Heavenly Lake is a double pedal that gives players both of these effects in one package. The delay has an analogue sound quality modelled on that of a tape delay, but with a minimal noise floor thanks to its modern design; the reverb, in turn, employs a digital emulation of a spring reverb tank, similar to those found in high-quality guitar amplifiers, while adding a higher level of flexibility so that even psychedelic sounds can be created. Guitarists can thus give their sound both breadth and depth with this pedal – but without having to spend a fortune in the process.
Tone City has laid out the Heavenly Lake's controls without any hidden functions, so it's all the easier for players to dial in exactly the sound they're looking for: The Reverb side comprises just three controls – Tone, Decay, and Wet. Rolling back the Wet and Tone controls produces the warm vintage character of an analogue-sounding spring reverb effect, while those looking for more drastic textures can unleash a veritable wash of reverb tails by turning these controls all the way up. The Echo side of the pedal, on the other hand, generates repeats of up to 1200ms – a delay length rarely found in tape delay units – and in addition to the main controls for the delay sound, there's also a Modulation button that adds a warm-sounding chorus effect. Together, the two sides of this pedal make a formidable combination that is sure to satisfy the reverb and delay demands of most players.
Genuinely polished, expressive delays and reverbs are generally among the pricier pedals, since their electrical components and digital programming make them very costly to manufacture. In keeping with its philosophy that a great sound doesn't have to break the bank, however, Tone City has left no stone unturned in their efforts to give guitarists more output for less outlay. As such, the Heavenly Lake packs plenty of great sounds into a no-frills package. This of course means that the pedal's feature set is more basic than some comparable models, but anyone looking for a pedal that will cover all the nuts and bolts of time-based effects and put the most essential sounds at their fingertips won't be disappointed here.
Tone City is a guitar effects manufacturer that is based in China and specialises in manufacturing pedals that are compact and affordable but do not make any compromises in terms of sound or build quality. The company quickly gained a good reputation, particularly among guitarists looking for the sound of boutique gear in a space-saving format. Tone City creates modern interpretations of classic circuits, which are served up in intuitive, user-friendly pedals with a sturdy metal construction. The company’s pedals are renowned for their organic tonal characteristics and impressive dynamics, and they are ideal for pedalboard-based setups thanks to their sophisticated circuit board layouts and true-bypass switching. With an ever-expanding product range that includes everything from overdrives and modulation effects through to delays, Tone City offers musicians a viable alternative to expensive boutique pedals.
Delay and reverb pedals are almost universally placed at the end of a musician's effects chain in order to keep their sound clean and under control. Those who get their gain from the amplifier would best served with the Tone City Heavenly Lake placed in the amp's effects loop, since overdrive and distortion tend to heavily compress reverb and delay sounds, which is generally not desired. The Heavenly Lake does not support battery operation, so an external power supply will be needed – the good news is that it will work with any regular 9V pedalboard power supply as long as it can provide the required 90mA. Together, the Heavenly Lake's features (one tasty extra is the true-bypass switching) and wallet-friendly price tag make it an affordable delay and reverb combination that ticks all of the most important boxes.