Keeley Electronics introduce the Mag Echo Pedal, a compact pedal that simulates tube tape echo sounds.
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At the core of this pedal is a PT-2399 chip, which is paired with subtle modulation effect that replicates the “Wow and Flutter” of old tape echoes.
Known for the warmth and feel of its analog delay sound, the PT-2399 integrated circuit is a favorite among manufacturers and DIY pedal builders. So it wasn’t much of a surprise that it was chosen by Robert Keeley and his team for the Mag-Echo, especially since Tape echos are highly regarded as guitar friendly form of delay
To recreate the analog sound of tube tape echoes, modulation is applied to the resulting “Lo-Fi” echo. This modulation mimics the subtle pitch changes that occur when the tape is pulled across the heads. The company says that the modulation effect is similar to their other pedal, the Seafoam Chorus, but the effect is only subtly applied to the echo or repeats.
The pedal features a wealth of controls for shaping the sound, there are knobs that let you adjust the Time, Regen, Level, Depth and Rate. They say that by adjusting these controls, you can recreate vintage tones or create new and unique ones.
The first three knobs allow you to control the echo effect, first of which is the Delay knob that controls the length of repeats between 40ms and 600ms. This is the ideal range for classic delay sounds that can cover slap-back to medium length delay times. The Regen Knob lets you set the number of repeats. You can set it to a single slap back echo or turn it up for self-oscillating or regenerating echoes. The Level knob rounds up the controls for the echo effect, used for adjusting how loud you want to hear the echoes.
Two other knobs are provided for adjusting the modulation controls, the company calls them the “Wow and Flutter” Controls. First of which is the Depth knob, adjust it to deepen the chorusing and pitch shifting on your echoes. As you raise the control the Depth and Rate LED will start to glow giving you a visual indication as to the amount of modulation you are applying to the repeats.
Last but not the least is the Rate knob, which serves as the Flutter control. It is described as a way to “control how poorly your tape echo is performing”. You can turn it up to add pitch modulation on your echo.
Check out this impressive and expansive video demo, showcasing the different delay sounds that you can get from the Mag Echo pedal:
The company summarizes, “Whether you’re into Rockabilly slap-back echoes, experimental sounds, or just want a great classic rock sounding echo, the Magnetic Echo will sound great in your rig”.
The Keeley Mag Echo pedal is currently retailing for $189. Visit Robert Keeley for more information.
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