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Tape Delays

DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
edited January 2014 in Strut Central
My Space Echo sh*t the bed. I know there's tons of relatively cheap off-brand tape delays out there. Can someone recommend some i should look into purchasing?

  Comments

  • BeatsoupBeatsoup 511 Posts
    Delay said:
    My Space Echo sh*t the bed. I know there's tons of relatively cheap off-brand tape delays out there. Can someone recommend some i should look into purchasing?

    Damn that sucks, I have a space echo and use it pretty sparingly/ clean it often cause I'm afraid it will break. I can't speak on it too much but I used a fulltone tube tape and it sounded great and felt well made. Can buy tapes and get it repaired ect. They are pretty pricey though.

    Korg stage echo
    Echoplex
    Watkins Copicat

    other options
  • speakmumblesspeakmumbles 447 Posts
    don't know of any cheap delays that actually use a tape loop.

    Fulltone is the only one i know of that is still made, but there might be others that use tape that i am not aware of.unless you wanna go vintage.of course you can always get a digital pedal that recreates the delay/echo sound or go for an analog pedal that uses bucket brigade chips.

    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MF104M?device=c&network=g&matchtype;=&gclid=CMLD7vefnLwCFRAS7AodPUQAaQ

    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MFoogerDelay?device=c&network=g&matchtype;=&gclid=CNOjlfafnLwCFZNj7Aodvw0AaQ

    just depends on what features you want.
  • kalakala 3,361 Posts
    oi!
    tape is romantic and all that bollocks

    i have a 201 a 301 and a watkins copycat,pining for an og echoplex

    but really and truly no one but you and your gear slut buddies really knows or gives a shit.

    if i had to buy ONE all over again to replace the lot i would get a strymon because they fucking kill and in a mix you will never ever be able to tell the difference,they will last forever and never need tape,capistans,alignment etc

    http://www.strymon.net/timeline/
    http://www.strymon.net/products/elcapistan/
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    The echoplex sounds great but they are fragile as stated with other tape machines. Unless you can find one dirt cheap or a minty one that you are never going to move I wouldn't buy one. The one I had went crazy as soon as I tried to take it anywhere and I was being careful.
  • dayday 9,612 Posts
    speakmumbles said:
    don't know of any cheap delays that actually use a tape loop.

    Fulltone is the only one i know of that is still made, but there might be others that use tape that i am not aware of.unless you wanna go vintage.of course you can always get a digital pedal that recreates the delay/echo sound or go for an analog pedal that uses bucket brigade chips.

    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MF104M?device=c&network=g&matchtype;=&gclid=CMLD7vefnLwCFRAS7AodPUQAaQ

    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MFoogerDelay?device=c&network=g&matchtype;=&gclid=CNOjlfafnLwCFZNj7Aodvw0AaQ

    just depends on what features you want.

    Do either of these self oscillate?
  • dayday 9,612 Posts
    kala said:
    no one but you and your gear slut buddies really knows or gives a shit.

    this is also very true.
  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    strymon sounds incredible
    love what those guys are doing

    when I was looking for delays I looked at these guys also

    http://www.redwitchpedals.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Itemid=18

    http://www.empresseffects.com/tapedelay.html
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    ...
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    wow. that strymon el capistan sounds great.
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    The Vox Delaylab does 90% of what the Strymon does for less than half the price. I tried them both and they are both great but I couldn't justify spending the extra $ for the Timeline when the Delaylab sounds so good. There are loads of good demos on youtube...

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    I know a lot of people who love these:



    I doubt anyone listening to your work would be able to tell it's not a tape machine.
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    asstro said:
    The Vox Delaylab does 90% of what the Strymon does for less than half the price. I tried them both and they are both great but I couldn't justify spending the extra $ for the Timeline when the Delaylab sounds so good. There are loads of good demos on youtube...

    i mean i havent done a demo in person, but even from that video it seems like the Strymon circuitry is stooling all over that Vox. I ordered one, and i'll do some A/B with the space echo recordings i have. If it sounds too thin, i'll just send it back. I will not miss the headaches of tape.
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    I know a lot of people who love these:



    I doubt anyone listening to your work would be able to tell it's not a tape machine.

    oh i've done A/B comparison with that thing and there's no competition. The reverb can't hold a candle
  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    Delay said:

    i mean i havent done a demo in person, but even from that video it seems like the Strymon circuitry is stooling all over that Vox. I ordered one, and i'll do some A/B with the space echo recordings i have. If it sounds too thin, i'll just send it back. I will not miss the headaches of tape.

    It may be that for studio use with vocals and whatnot the Timeline is noticeably better, it does have way more stuff to tweak and it does sound amazing. I'm just using it for guitar and I found the sonic difference minimal and the options to be overkill for someone playing loud rock music. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts.
  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts
    Hughes & Kettner: Replex

  • HawkeyeHawkeye 896 Posts
    I got this one. Cost round about 100 Euros on Ebay Germany.



    Peace
    Hawkeye
  • speakmumblesspeakmumbles 447 Posts
    sorry for the late reply. i have the 104z and it does self oscillate when the feedback is beyond 7 or so, not sure about the smaller one.


  • Bon VivantBon Vivant The Eye of the Storm 2,018 Posts
    Miss my RE-201. :cry:
  • soupsoup 69 Posts
    I had an El Capistan for a minute but ended up sending it back since it couldn't do the heavy, murky reverb thing which is what I missed most from when I had a tape delay. It sounded like a good plugin without having to bother with a computer which isn't a bad thing but I'd take something with actual character like an analog delay or something PT2399 based over a strymon any day. I do miss having a tape delay though.
  • Otis_FunkmeyerOtis_Funkmeyer 1,321 Posts
    Check out the Catalinbread Belle Epoch echoplex sim pedal. Not a space echo, but very cool and gets great reviews.
  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    soup said:
    I had an El Capistan for a minute but ended up sending it back since it couldn't do the heavy, murky reverb thing which is what I missed most from when I had a tape delay. It sounded like a good plugin without having to bother with a computer which isn't a bad thing but I'd take something with actual character like an analog delay or something PT2399 based over a strymon any day. I do miss having a tape delay though.
    from what i gather after a lot of research, the big difference between the pedals and the tape unit is the reverb. I'm going to try that Capistan in conjunction with my marlboro qsb ().
    hopefully that will produce something i'm happy with.
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