Boonar Tube Deluxe LTD

Multi Head Drum Echo

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The Boonar Tube Deluxe is a studio-grade echo machine professionally developed to replicate the iconic Binson Echorec 2 model T7E, famous for its magical four-tap tube magnetic echo, originally manufactured in Italy during the 1960s. Building upon the legacy of its predecessor, the original Boonar™, this deluxe version represents a leap forward in vintage echo emulation technology.

We completely updated a DSP virtual magnetic drum concept and enhanced it with a dual-triode vacuum tube in the signal path and an EM81 Magic Eye tube level indicator, all powered by high plate voltage. Incorporating digital management over each analog parameter of the unit, the Boonar Tube Deluxe now offers effortless adjustment via intuitive onboard controls and a graphical user interface screen. With the addition of presets, an external tap tempo input, remote switching and expression pedal compatibility, along with full MIDI integration, customization is a breeze. Furthermore, we added a balanced and transformer-isolated DI wet output for the seamless integration with studio mixing desks and external recording equipment.

Boonar Tube Deluxe is handmade with premium components that ensure professional sound quality and long-lasting durability. It is aimed primarily at pro touring musicians and studios, and it works equally well with all instruments, including vocals. This device will be a limited run due to scarce NOS parts and will be available in batches.

Immerse yourself in the authentic original Binson Echorec tone and experience the nostalgic echoes of yesteryears, all without the hassle of mechanical maintenance.

Input Control: controls the vacuum tube preamp gain of the signal fed into the record head. This control enables the Boonar Tube Deluxe to accept all kinds of instruments with various signal levels on the input. When the Input Control is turned all the way up, it sends saturated signals to the record head. This produces a beautiful tube overdrive on the delay, which is distinctive to the original Binson Echorec.

Bass/Treble: controls the tone of the delay signals. At lower settings, higher frequencies are cut, while at higher settings, high frequencies are passed from the playback heads. This effect is subtle, as in the original Binson Echorec.

Echo Volume: controls the overall volume level of the delay signal sent to the mono output. This control is in correlation with Input Control setting.

Length of Swell: sets the amount of regeneration/number of repeats for the playback heads that have their feedback engaged. At minimum settings, only a single repeat (slap back delay) of each playback head is produced when feedback is engaged. As the Length of Swell control is turned up, the number of repeats increases and eventually leading to self-oscillation. At the threshold of self-oscillation, Boonar Tube Deluxe produces those distinct, luscious swells that bubble, creating a complex, multi-dimensional wall of
sound.

Drum Age: adds the sweet aging characteristics specific to the original Binson Echorec. When the device is new, the repeats are bright and metallic-sounding, and they repeat pretty accurately since the magnetic drum was quite an improvement over magnetic tape. However, with aging, there is degradation in the tone due to wear or poor head alignment, and a very unique modulation is introduced in the delay signal path. This modulation is mostly caused by worn mechanical parts that start to irregularly drive the
memory disc/drum. With the Drum Age control set to zero (fully clockwise), there are minimum aging effects present in the delay signal. Increasing it to noon will add a subtle amount of modulation, producing a pleasant 3D effect, while maximum setting will introduce noticeable aging characteristics of the playback heads and memory system.

Drum Speed: sets the rotational speed of the virtual magnetic drum which is directly proportional to the delay time of the machine. Unlike Binson Echorec 2 with fixed drum speed and delay time of around 300ms max on the 4th playback head, Boonar Tube Deluxe provides delay times from 12ms on the 1st playback head up to 950ms on the 4th playback head. Fully clockwise setting corresponds to the fastest drum speed hence shortest delay times. Each notch of the dial changes delay time for 10ms. Pressing the control dial
and rotating it changes the delay time for 1ms.

Playback heads: Original Binson Echorec had a 12-position rotational switch that enabled selection of different playback heads and combinations for single and multi-tap delay. We wanted to overcome that limitation and added a separate playback heads switches for a maximum of 16 possible head combinations.

Back: To further expand the capabilities of the pedal, we took the design from later studio rack model - Binson Echorec P.E.603-T and added separate feedback switching system. Each button engages or disengages feedback of the corresponding playback head signal back to the record head.

Level Indicator: The Level Indicator is an actual “Magic-Eye” vacuum tube (cathode-ray indicator) as in the front panel of the original Binson Echorec and it displays the level of the input signal.

Tap Tempo LED: When Clicker switcher is connected to the pedal and “tap tempo switch” selected in Global settings menu, the TAP LED light will flash in tempo with the global delay time.

Swell/Repeats: switches between standard Repeats mode - a multiple repetitions depending on the Length of Swell control potentiometer and a Swell mode which puts a part of signal from all four playback heads into the output mixer to produce those reverb-like, “cathedral tone” effects.

On/Off switching system: The Boonar Tube Deluxe pedal utilizes both relay True Bypass and tube Buffer bypass mode, which can be selected from the main menu. The Tube Buffer bypass mode keeps Boonar Tube Deluxe preamp and output buffer engaged, preserving the juicy Binson Echorec 2 tube tone even when the pedal is bypassed. Additionally, trails can be turned on or off in Buffer mode.

Input: Boonar Tube Deluxe accepts mono audio signal into vacuum tube preamp circuit. Depending on the “Preamp Mode” setting, it is high or low impedance input.

Output: Boonar Tube Deluxe provides vacuum tube buffered, low impedance mono audio output in the same fashion as original Binson Echorec unit does.

Wet Out: Besides mono output Boonar Tube Deluxe provides additional wet output. This output is balanced and transformer isolated, eliminating ground loops and hum and is suitable for connecting to mixing desks and recording devices. When Wet Out is used, regular mono Output automatically cuts the wet signal from the mix and becomes dry output.

External In: Remote jack serves double duty as either an expression pedal input or remote footswitch input. There are four modes of operation to choose from in Global Settings menu: “Expression pedal”, “Tap Tempo switch”, “Repeats/Swell switch“ and “Bypass Switch“ mode.

MIDI Input: It is full featured 5-pin DIN MIDI input and provides support for receiving MIDI PC messages to save and recall up to 127 presets, MIDI CC messages to control the individual parameters of Boonar Tube Deluxe including all knobs, switches and buttons and MIDI Clock to sync the delay time with an external MIDI Clock source.

USB Port: USB mini-B connector is used for any future firmware updates.