Love it, period. I'm getting one myself for my reissue ARP 2600. I hear a lot of hate due to the price, for being a bit steep. The thing is, you get a brand new Space Echo, built by people who know and understand the Space Echo better than the Roland Corporation itself. If you're lucky, you'll find an RE-201 that's 30 years old, if you're not, it'll be 45 years old. You don't want a tape device that old. In addition, with this unit you get the functionality of an RE-201 AND an RE-301 OR an RE-501 (all the head modes!!!) with the sound on sound and a chorus. The chorus might be DSP but that's one FX where I don't mind that (aliasing). And you get a clean DSP reverb if the spring reverb is a bit too funky for your purposes. All in one box. And the preamps sound pretty clean, a bit cleaner than the RE-201 perhaps (if youtube sound can be regarded as a reference). Add to that balanced XLR in/outs next to jacks, CV control (can't wait to sample & hold modulate this unit or have trigger/MIDI-locked echo taps) and switchable Chorus/Reverb to your FX path and I'm sold. It looks stunning and it improves on the front panel components where the Space Echoes were a let down (chrome jack inputs & SH style knobs) while keeping the white switches which can survive an atom bomb. Nice touch with the LED with active/overload peak lights behind the mode wheel. The definitive tape echo machine. If Kakehashi could see this (he developed the first Space Echo units, was to become the first CEO of Roland and oversaw the MIDI standard development with Dave Smith), he'd go ooohh shoot! I should have thought of this! One drawback: the power supply, although external which keeps the hum away, is pretty exotic. You don't want to lose it, otherwise you'll have to find another one or connect the unit to a lab power supply. I would have loved to see a single echo switch like on the RE-501. One last piece of advice, no matter what you hear or read, do NOT put standard or mastering 1/4" tape in these machines, in any type of tape echo whether Roland/Korg/Echoplex or this one. Correct tape loops ARE custom made for tape echoes and have special lubrication. Normal tape will run like sand paper over your heads. Needless to say these loops are very rare nowadays. And no matter how good your tape loop cuts are, some of the cellophane tape glue is going to bleed onto the tape heads over time. Yikes! Echo Fix has the right tape loops in stock as of 2020.
We are huge fans of Nils Frahm, he has a fascinating process for creating intricate musical ideas with amazing tones. We are honored to have Nils as a customer of our tape and parts for his Roland 501’s. He recently invited us to his performance at the Sydney Opera House… completely blown away.
Beautiful work!. I wish this was stereo so I could use it with Juno chorus, but the originals were mono as well I suppose. Maybe in a future model :P Also cool that Nils Frahm digs you guys All the best
Not that this doesn't sound amazing as it is, but I'm curious if you ever think you will make one of these for the SRE-555 Chorus Echo? Perhaps an LFO to the rate delay is would create a chorus effect?
Robert Syrett Not at this stage but the EF-X2 has some of the same features the SRE-555 has. We may offer a rack mount version in the future. Yes you can send a LFO to the CV speed input for that wow and flutter / chorus effect.
ECHO FIX, Can you make a very small Tape Echo EFX2 miniature version that will fit on a pedal board? It would be nice to have a repeat send/return jacks to put guitar effects only on the echo repeats. EVH would use a "pre echo" setting (not a slapback) it was a pre-echo to get that bounce to the notes. I'm not sure if the Tape Echo EFX2 has a Pre Echo options but add this into the 2.0 version.
Hi Steve, You can email us via our website www.echofix.com and we will get you more information on when units will be released again and the new pricing.
Seems like an amazing fx unit and I'd love to have or use one but the price is seriouslly off-putting. Even an original roland space echo is cheaper. What's up guys? come on.. is this what the anti-behringer movement looks like?
If all you care about is sound then a digital emulation really is sufficient for commercial purposes. If you just want a compact analog tape delay, then check out the T-Rex Replicator Junior. If you want a modern Roland space echo, it is actually important that it not be too small. The EF-X2 is a device designed to be used and repaired, so ergonomics have been taken into account for both these activities. Personally I wish it were exactly the same as the original! ;-)
Love it, period. I'm getting one myself for my reissue ARP 2600. I hear a lot of hate due to the price, for being a bit steep. The thing is, you get a brand new Space Echo, built by people who know and understand the Space Echo better than the Roland Corporation itself. If you're lucky, you'll find an RE-201 that's 30 years old, if you're not, it'll be 45 years old. You don't want a tape device that old. In addition, with this unit you get the functionality of an RE-201 AND an RE-301 OR an RE-501 (all the head modes!!!) with the sound on sound and a chorus. The chorus might be DSP but that's one FX where I don't mind that (aliasing). And you get a clean DSP reverb if the spring reverb is a bit too funky for your purposes. All in one box. And the preamps sound pretty clean, a bit cleaner than the RE-201 perhaps (if youtube sound can be regarded as a reference). Add to that balanced XLR in/outs next to jacks, CV control (can't wait to sample & hold modulate this unit or have trigger/MIDI-locked echo taps) and switchable Chorus/Reverb to your FX path and I'm sold. It looks stunning and it improves on the front panel components where the Space Echoes were a let down (chrome jack inputs & SH style knobs) while keeping the white switches which can survive an atom bomb. Nice touch with the LED with active/overload peak lights behind the mode wheel. The definitive tape echo machine. If Kakehashi could see this (he developed the first Space Echo units, was to become the first CEO of Roland and oversaw the MIDI standard development with Dave Smith), he'd go ooohh shoot! I should have thought of this! One drawback: the power supply, although external which keeps the hum away, is pretty exotic. You don't want to lose it, otherwise you'll have to find another one or connect the unit to a lab power supply. I would have loved to see a single echo switch like on the RE-501. One last piece of advice, no matter what you hear or read, do NOT put standard or mastering 1/4" tape in these machines, in any type of tape echo whether Roland/Korg/Echoplex or this one. Correct tape loops ARE custom made for tape echoes and have special lubrication. Normal tape will run like sand paper over your heads. Needless to say these loops are very rare nowadays. And no matter how good your tape loop cuts are, some of the cellophane tape glue is going to bleed onto the tape heads over time. Yikes! Echo Fix has the right tape loops in stock as of 2020.
Maybe, but still is too expensive...
Nils Frahm inspiration for that demo, perfect ✨
Pure Beauty... !!!
Excellent tribute to classic tape echos and prodigious work !
This looks like a great unit, Shane. And what a lovely demonstration of it.
Instant Nils Frahm...
We are huge fans of Nils Frahm, he has a fascinating process for creating intricate musical ideas with amazing tones. We are honored to have Nils as a customer of our tape and parts for his Roland 501’s. He recently invited us to his performance at the Sydney Opera House… completely blown away.
As much as I like the tonal quality I feel like these kind of sounds really need to be in wide stereo
buy 2 and CV link them
Hey! The new EF-X3 has individual head outputs, allowing you to pan each head externally for wide stereo 🙂
Beautiful work!.
I wish this was stereo so I could use it with Juno chorus, but the originals were mono as well I suppose.
Maybe in a future model :P
Also cool that Nils Frahm digs you guys
All the best
epic! finally we are getting decent audio products!
kept waiting for you to touch the eq. :( which has such a great affect on the delay.
Congrats!! This looks amazing, most importantly it sounds great.
Oh baby.
Not that this doesn't sound amazing as it is, but I'm curious if you ever think you will make one of these for the SRE-555 Chorus Echo? Perhaps an LFO to the rate delay is would create a chorus effect?
Robert Syrett Not at this stage but the EF-X2 has some of the same features the SRE-555 has. We may offer a rack mount version in the future. Yes you can send a LFO to the CV speed input for that wow and flutter / chorus effect.
ECHO FIX, Can you make a very small Tape Echo EFX2 miniature version that will fit on a pedal board? It would be nice to have a repeat send/return jacks to put guitar effects only on the echo repeats. EVH would use a "pre echo" setting (not a slapback) it was a pre-echo to get that bounce to the notes. I'm not sure if the Tape Echo EFX2 has a Pre Echo options but add this into the 2.0 version.
We can neither confirm or deny that we're currently working on a small version tape echo that could fit a pedalboard... 🤠
I wish someone would use the treble control. Every review seems so bright and digital. I want to hear the dull analogue vibe...
how can you sync the delay time? CV, MIDI, USB?
by ear I believe
looks like there are a couple of CV options on the front panel and one is for speed control
Absolutely amazing unit, would love one but now they are 2600 euro which is just too much, shame
Sound amazing, oto bim is very close however.
Well looks like I’ve found my birthday prezzie
Pre-order seems to be done? Any idea when they might be on sale again, and what the approximate price point is?
Hi Steve, You can email us via our website www.echofix.com and we will get you more information on when units will be released again and the new pricing.
LOVE IT!!!!
will you guys demo the chorus mod as well? Would love to hear how it sounds! As is this unit sounds lovely btw 🙌
Hey Andy, Thanks !!
Here is a short demo of the chorus :) th-cam.com/video/I4tX1MLJpF/w-d-xo.html
Seems like an amazing fx unit and I'd love to have or use one but the price is seriouslly off-putting. Even an original roland space echo is cheaper. What's up guys? come on.. is this what the anti-behringer movement looks like?
Why isn't stereo? for that price..
How would you make it stereo?
What is a Tape Echo?
Yes.
Yes
Cool but too expensive,and now plugins are so fantastic but...yeah its a cool stuff.
Nils Frahm? : )
40 years later you can't shrink it down to 1U half rack?
Would be way too tiny... Maybe a full 3U would be possible.
@@HenritheHorse yeah 3U rackable version would be ideal. Controls up the front, tape out the back.
But really, any format is fine if it sounds good.
If all you care about is sound then a digital emulation really is sufficient for commercial purposes. If you just want a compact analog tape delay, then check out the T-Rex Replicator Junior. If you want a modern Roland space echo, it is actually important that it not be too small. The EF-X2 is a device designed to be used and repaired, so ergonomics have been taken into account for both these activities. Personally I wish it were exactly the same as the original! ;-)
Take my money you bastards :)