Decades on from its invention, tape delay has recently become the subject of some serious innovation: T-Rex's Replicator utilises proprietary tape cassette cartridges, and now Hamburg-based Clouds Hill Effects has unveiled Echo, the world's first floppy disk delay.
Operating via a 3.5" diskette, the Echo delay pedal is totally analogue; according to Clouds Hill, it works like this: "the signal is written on the disc by a magnetizing record head and replayed/erased by two reproduction heads and one erase head of a cassette player."
The system offers echoes ranging from 6ms up to 1.6 seconds, while its 12V Digital Drive System Tapedeck can run in four different modes, controllable via a standard expression pedal or control voltage signal: acceleration; brake; tape machine age simulation for extra wow and flutter; and random tape machine error simulation.
Footswitches for true bypass, mute and motor activate the pedal, stop repeats, and adjust speed respectively, while controls include gain, main volume, blend, feedback, speed and the ability to turn heads A and B on or off.
Bosnian Rainbows producer Johann Scheerer, of Hamburg recording studio Clouds Hill Recordings, is behind the device, and At The Drive-In's Omar Rodriguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala have already lavished praise on the unit.
Impressive stuff - but it'll cost you: the Echo Floppy Disc Delay is available to preorder now from Clouds Hill for €1,999. A 15V power supply is included.
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