Topic: Tape Delays (Read 8179 times)

meverylame · « **on:** November 18, 2010, 02:40:55 PM »

What are you guys using for this? I've got a studer a80 1/2" at 15 that I've been using in lieu of anything else, but I kinda feel like its WAY over kill for this task and I'd rather take care of it for the more important duties.
A friend of mine had told me about a popular atlanta guy(not THE popular Atlanta guy) running a 1/4" machine using a tape loop with the erase head disconnected so that the machine never erased properly. The result being whatever you sent to the machine was still clearly the main delay, but it had this weird smear down by the noise floor of everything that had run through it through out the project.

Matt Allen · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2010, 03:46:57 PM »

Hey Jason!

A good friend of mine loves the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo. 1/4 in and out, but it works and sounds great! You can find one for about 700ish used.

Maybe you can find an old Mono machine.

breathe · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2010, 05:02:31 PM »

Wow! Thanks for this post, Matt! I didn't know ANYONE was making a new tape echo machine. Certainly seen a lot of digital emulations out there.

While I'm on my soapbox, how does the Fulltone compare to popular vintage tape echoes, namely the Roland Space Echo (which I had been considering until just now)? Also, an artist I'm going to work with in a few months has informed me he would REALLY like an Echoplex for the mix. What's the deal? What can I expect from different tape delays (never used a real one)? The one bonus of the Roland is that I think the built-in spring reverb sounds awesome.

Nicholas

'

Matt Allen wrote on Thu, 18 November 2010 12:46

Hey Jason!

A good friend of mine loves the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo. 1/4 in and out, but it works and sounds great! You can find one for about 700ish used.

Maybe you can find an old Mono machine.

mjgreeneaudio · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2010, 06:59:16 PM »

I am using my refurbished Echoplex EP3. Works and sounds great. The Fulltone is a fantastic box also. I would buy one in a heartbeat if I didn't already have my EP3.

Michael Greene

OOF! · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2010, 10:28:46 PM »

i use the EP3 and the fulltone a lot. the fulltone is much more reliable and quiet. the echoplex is better suited for guitar rig duties, in my opinion.
i had a cool Dynachord echo-mini for a while and it was great for short delays. cleaner than the echoplex and more steady. The delays sit perfectly in the mix.
Now i mostly use a 1/4 Revox PR99 which works beautifully.
long live tape!
David

Bubba#$%Kron · « **Reply #5 on:** November 18, 2010, 11:49:53 PM »

I used to have a solid state Echoplex, I never really liked it. The space echo basically sounds like a spring reverb with tape characteristics, unless your doing reggae or something very phycadellic- its pretty much un-usable in the modern world IMO IMO. I gave up on tape delay, that studer thing sounds cool. The best ever is a (japanese) boss dm-3 used as a real piece of rack gear. I seriously stopped giving a shit when I got the EMT 140, what more do you want?? Do any real echo chambers still exist???

Fletcher · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2010, 08:15:00 AM »

breathe wrote on Thu, 18 November 2010 17:02

Wow! Thanks for this post, Matt! I didn't know ANYONE was making a new tape echo machine.

The "Coconut" is another - while the Fulltone is good, the "Coconut" is one of the best I've ever used. You can probably get a price and some information by emailing Kevin Walker of Unity Audio in the UK -- sales@unityaudio.co.uk

Peace.

Tidewater · « **Reply #7 on:** November 20, 2010, 05:25:57 PM »

For not much more you can get an original EP1 and then you have separate controls for all the things you'd like them for. They really aren't much more than the Fulltone used even.

breathe · « **Reply #8 on:** November 20, 2010, 09:52:39 PM »

A band that came out of the town of my alma matter, Santa Cruz, CA, based their entire sound around a guy fucking with an Echoplex being fed by the band's vox and gtrs. They ended up moving to SF and becoming enormously successful. I wasn't a fan of their music (and especially their leader's personality) so in a way I probably don't want to have an Echoplex shitting all over any mix I do. My associations with that sound (at least heavily used) make me want to vomit.

Is there any famous example of an Echoplex in a recording of a band whose identity wasn't a cliched drugs and booze heartless interpretation of psychedelic blues?

Nicholas

leonardo valvassori · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2010, 11:18:44 PM »

We have a mint EP 1 with a Fulltone tape cartridge (the orig worked fine but was very noisy) and it sounds fantastic. We also have a couple of space echos but I have a thing for the echoplex.

I love tape delays.

The Fulltones have a more robust build quality and would be my choice for touring.
You can check out Buddy Miller with Robert Plant's Band of Joy on utube and see him beat the Fullltone up good.

Tape delays do need to be maintained and loved just like their multi track big brothers.

Fenris Wulf · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2010, 03:48:52 AM »

breathe wrote on Sun, 21 November 2010 02:52

Is there any famous example of an Echoplex in a recording of a band whose identity wasn't a cliched drugs and booze heartless interpretation of psychedelic blues?

Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" album.

Ian Bryn · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2010, 06:09:04 PM »

I have an old echoplex... not sure what model.. it was my dads... it still works, but might need to be run through by a tech and cleaned up a bit... It sounds kinda dirty... Possibly that is the idea though.... I honestly dont use it that often.... i should take it out more...

seedyunderbelly.com · « **Reply #12 on:** December 02, 2010, 12:47:09 PM »

Anyone know how the coconuts compare to the space echos? Thx!

Podgorny · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2010, 01:54:37 AM »

In case anyone here is interested...

http://cgi.ebay.com/BINSON-ECHOREC-PE-603-STEREO-MINT-space- delay-echo-/190474988292

Ryan Slowey · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2010, 09:44:59 AM »

Another vote for the Fulltone. So good.

bob ebeling · « **Reply #15 on:** December 04, 2010, 11:37:35 AM »

RULE! (oh, was there a discuassion going on here?)

New Orleans Steve · « **Reply #16 on:** December 04, 2010, 05:06:41 PM »

I have 2 Rolands, a 501 and a 555. Love 'em.

I've said it before.....There is not a single mix, I can't make a little better with a little tape delay. All genres. I use it for Dixieland and Psychedelic Rock.

Also, I have an - Audio Instrument Corporation - Tape Delay. It is 50s Psy Fi.

If anyone has or has info on the Audio Instrument Corporation unit, PM or post.

jeremy glover · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2010, 05:42:03 PM »

EP4 and wantkins copycat here ..
love 'em both but really want an RE201.
did someone say king tubby???

itsapleasure · « **Reply #18 on:** December 14, 2010, 09:07:50 AM »

RE 150 here... sits on my Rhodes. I absolutely love it for tracking.. so much less work downstream.

Jim Williams · « **Reply #19 on:** December 14, 2010, 11:10:45 AM »

I use to have a tube Echoplex, but it was worth so much money I sold it.

I loaded it with Scotch 1/4" tape pulled out of one of their 8 track cartridges. It was a back coated lubed tape with better printing than that crappo tape Echoplex used to use. A bias reset and it worked very well, if you like wow and flutter.

I now use Lexicon MPX110's as they have an echo patch. They cut bandwidth to 6k hz on the first repeat and each successive delay gets a reduced bandwidth just like tape does.

The only thing missing is the wow and flutter.

compasspnt · « **Reply #20 on:** December 14, 2010, 01:22:23 PM »

Jim Williams wrote on Tue, 14 December 2010 11:10

The only thing missing is the wow and flutter.

Well jeez, why even bother then?

Could you maybe add some in for me, an upgrade mod perhaps?

R/E/P Community

Author Topic: Tape Delays (Read 8179 times)