OVERVIEW

Warm, organic modulation with a sweet musical voice.

The Echoplex EP-3 tape echo unit is famous for its deliciously warm, organic modulation and sweet musical voice—a key component to some of the most iconic guitar tones from the ’60s and ’70s. The original EP-3 units, however, are expensive, temperamental, and larger than a VCR.

That’s where the EP103 Echoplex Delay comes in. It’s the size of a Phase 90, and it delivers the EP-3’s legendary tones with a simple control interface and a hi-fi all-analog dry path. The Delay control sets the time between repeats—from 4 to 750ms—the Sustain control sets the number of repeats, and the Volume control sets the output level of your repeats. Where the sound of this pedal really shines, though, is in Age mode.

By default, your pedal performs as a perfectly-calibrated, factory-fresh tape echo machine would— bright and clear tape with subtle wow and flutter modulation. A quick push of the Volume knob lets you “age” the sound of your repeats, darkening the tone, upping the tape saturation (distortion), and increasing modulation and tape distress as you turn the knob clockwise. 

The Echoplex Delay also features tap tempo functionality, for up to 4 seconds of delay time, when you hook up an M199 MXR Tap Tempo Switch. The dry path is all analog with Constant Headroom Technology—providing a full 20 volts of headroom—and a choice of true relay or trails bypass. The EP103 can be set for 100% wet mode along with stereo input and output modes. No tape cartridges required.

FEATURES

• Vintage Echoplex EP-3 tape echo warmth and modulation used by greats such as Eddie Van Halen and David Gilmour

• Hi-fi analog and digital audio paths

• Age control varies delay tone from pristine to dark and dirty

• Delay control provides 40–750ms of delay time

• Tap jack provides up to 4 seconds of delay with M199 Tap Tempo Switch

• Studio-grade low noise floor

• Stereo In/Out capability when using TRS cables

• The delay signal has the same tonal circuitry as the Echoplex Preamp; note that this does not affect the analog signal that runs alongside the delay signal—if players want the full EP-3 experience, they should combine the EP103 with the EP101