the Echoplex delivers clean,
clear, yet warm repeats,
with just a hint of wobble. It
sounds fantastic for ambient
clean chording, slapback,
and everything in between.
If you’ve ever played
through an actual tape echo,
you know that one in good
health sounds much closer
to a digital delay than any
analog device. The Echoplex
has that sound—not quite
pristine, but almost there.
Age mode, however, is a
different story.
If you like your delay down
and dirty, the Echoplex is
a real treat. Pressing the
Volume knob accesses
Age mode. With the knob
pushed in, the Age LED
indicator blinks red and you
can select the amount of
Age you want. When you
push the knob again, the
Volume knob returns to its
normal function, and the
LED stays a solid red to
let you know you’re in age
mode. With the knob fully
counterclockwise, there is
a subtle, but noticeable,
darkening of the tone,
with a few more warps and
wiggles than normal mode.
As you turn it up, the tape
machine gets sick as a dog,
and your repeats become
a gritty, dark, warbly
soup—a delicious one, at
that. Although there’s only
a single knob to control it,
there is a lot of variation
available. My only concern
is that when a significant
amount of Age is added,
the volume of the pedal
increases, which may be a
nuisance if you want to keep
your levels the same during
a live performance.
WHAT WE LIKE
Great variety of tape echo
tones in a compact package.
Simple operation. Built to
last. Tons of delay time with
accompanying tap tempo
switch.
CONCERNS
Volume knob will need to be
adjusted depending on the
amount of Age dialed in.
Dunlop has knocked it out
of the park—this pedal is
phenomenal. It is easily my
favorite tape echo on the
market. If you’re looking for
an authentic-sounding tape
delay that is easy to use, this
is a gift from the tone gods.
Just go buy one, but you’ll
have to get in line behind me.
ToneReport.com
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