The Strymon El Capistan V2 isn’t just a delay pedal. It’s a portal to the dusty, warbly world of magnetic tape. With its expanded stereo field, refined DSP and midi, the V2 takes everything that made the original great and elevates it to near-mythic status. But it’s what's beneath the surface that always made it a legendary pedal. The crinkle mode is the crown jewel of this machine. Once activated, this secondary function breathes life into your repeats with subtle (or aggressive) tape artifacts. It’s the secret sauce that adds organic imperfection, making every repeat feel alive, like a looping memory fading in and out of clarity. My only gripe is that this was not made a primary function, like the spring reverb.
The pedal also have one of the best Sound on Sound modes I have heard. It turns the El Capistan V2 into an ambient powerhouse and a true tape mangler. Layer after layer of looping textures smear together into a dreamy haze, as the virtual tape drifts, degrades, and evolves in real-time. Want shimmering ambience? Melting textures? Ghostly decay? It’s all here. For ambient artists, sound designers, and nostalgic dreamers alike, it’s not just a pedal. It’s a time machine with a warped tape inside.
A modern classic. An ambient essential. A love letter to tape.
