EC-1

Single Head Tape Echo

Experience the dreamy sound of a classic ‘60s tape echo complete with the harmonic richness of the accompanying tube preamp. Enjoy organic and ethereal modulation produced by countless subtle mechanical imperfections, and easily dial in anything from warm slapback to expansive echo feedback beds with a strikingly gorgeous stereo image. With beautifully-tuned low frequency response, lush tape saturation and sublime echo decay, EC-1 provides all the best of what a tube driven tape echo can deliver

Full-Featured Compact Stereo Tape Echo

EC-1 offers impressive power and flexibility in a small and elegant form factor: Selectable tube-modeled preamp voices. Artifact-free tap tempo. Discrete stereo operation for independent processing of the left and right stereo inputs. Straightforward controls and expression pedal capability. High-impedance, ultra-low noise discrete Class A JFET stereo input preamp for exceptional touch sensitivity, dynamics and feel. MIDI control of tempo, patch save/recall and more. Premium components, rugged construction and a USB jack for performing firmware updates or controlling the pedal from a computer.

Development of EC-1 started with the groundbreaking single moving head algorithm originally developed for our El Capistan pedal, which is renowned for its life like reproduction of vintage tape echo. From there, we were fortunate to acquire what turned out to be a very special  Echoplex EP-2, as the unit was in amazingly good condition and had been worked on by storied technician Cesar Diaz. We discovered that  purposeful and skillfully implemented modifications had been made to the unit, including tweaks to the tube preamp for a warmer sound closer in frequency response to an EP-3. The modifications seemed aimed at bringing the best aspects of the various vintage Echoplex models into a single unit, and the inspiring result significantly informed development of EC-1, imbuing it with a special character that is immediately nostalgic.

Preamp: Input Signal Enchancer

Featuring meticulous tube modeling techniques, EC-1 offers a choice of two authentically reproduced preamp circuits that lend a subtle vintage character to your input signal. One is based on the classic EP-2 tube preamp and features an enhanced high-end shelf perfect for brightening up darker humbuckers. The other preamp option (the default setting) produces a warm, balanced response based on the modded preamp circuit in the EP-2 unit that we studied during the  development of EC-1. This option adds a pleasing sense of heft, especially to single coils. Both preamp choices offer an optional boost of up to +6dB, or the preamp can be bypassed for an unprocessed dry signal if desired.

Our unique dTape technology was first developed for El Capistan, and we have expanded on it to reproduce all the inspiring nuances we encountered while studying a recently acquired tube Echoplex that was in uncommonly superb condition. Our dTape system allows precise replication of every aspect of every tape echo we’ve studied, and in EC-1 this includes the effect of the moving head, the tape condition, the bias setting, the mechanical effects of motors, capstan slippage and all the irregularities that add up to create the unmistakable, inspiring sound of vintage tape echo repeats.

Mechanics: The Beauty of Imperfection

For EC-1, fluctuations from motors and mechanical components were thoroughly studied to accurately capture their imperfections. At the lower end of the Mechanics control’s range only slower motor-related wow and flutter are present, but at around one o’clock these fluctuations are reduced in favor of faster disturbances from crinkle, splices, and capstan slippage which accurately replicate the sound of our golden 
EP-2 unit. This setting can create uniquely reverberant and three-dimensional echos that spread across the stereo spectrum. The slower fluctuations are mixed back in more 
prominently as you approach the maximum Mechanics setting, and the unique combination of multiple imperfections create truly gorgeous, organic stereo modulation effects unlike anything you’ve ever heard

Record Level: Satisfying Saturation

Whether you want the cleanest repeats, subtle fattening or even downright dirty echos,you can instantly dial in the desired amount of tape saturation with the flip of a switch. Providing pleasing tonal shifts from thinner to fatter, EC-1’s three-way Record Level toggle switch selects the gain of the signal fed into the virtual record head. Choose the low position for unity gain with optimized bias for the cleanest repeats, medium for a 6dB input signal boost with increased bias for slightly saturated repeats, or high for a 12dB input signal boost with further increased bias for heavily saturated repeats. This control also gives you a fast and easy way to match EC-1’s response to your input signal level to obtain the desired sound from any pickup type or pedalboard 
configuration.

Repeats: Everything Is Under Control

EC-1 is designed to allow high levels of repeats that are truly lush but that don’t spiral into uncontrollable feedback. That wide sweet spot on the edge of runaway feedback can create intriguing sound beds under your lead or rhythm playing. Of 
course if you want to crank the Repeats control to maximum and play with the unique pitch effects that only a sliding record head tape echo can produce, those effects are all precisely replicated in sound and response.

The frequency characteristics of tape echo repeats are determined in part by the bandwidth of the actual tape stock, so older tapes will have a lower bandwidth with a warmer top end. EC-1 allows you to faithfully reproduce these characteristics by turning up the Tape Age knob for warmer repeats, or turning it toward minimum for the full-bandwidth sound of fresh tape.

Tap Tempo

Tapping in tempos with EC-1 works in a seamless way that would be impossible with a real tape echo. Confidently tap your tempos with no pitch shifting, no clicks, ramps or mutes. All the unique sliding head tape echo pitch shifting effects are always available when setting tempo with the Time knob, but when tapping tempo EC-1 changes to new values smoothly and keeps you in the groove. Once a tempo has been tapped in, you can use the Time knob to set the Tap Division for triplet, eighth, dotted eighth, or quarter note resolution

MIDI

 EC-1 features full MIDI implementation and 300 presets, allowing you to control it remotely by sending MIDI commands from your controller or DAW via the EXP/MIDI jack or USB-C connection. Remotely bypass or engage the pedal, automate Speed or other knob adjustments in your DAW or recall unique presets for each song on your setlist — the possibilities with MIDI are limitless.

 True/Buffered Bypass

 EC-1 lets you choose between electromechanical relay-switched true bypass for a 100% untouched and unprocessed signal when the pedal is not engaged (which is the default), or our premium buffered bypass, which preserves your signal’s integrity by preventing the high frequency roll-off that can happen due to longer cable runs.

 JFET Input

Uncompromised dynamics and feel. Exceptional touch sensitivity and responsiveness. EC-1 feels just as good as it sounds, thanks to a high-impedance, ultra-low noise and discrete Class A JFET preamp input.

REC LEVEL: The 3-way toggle switch selects the analog gain of the signal fed into the virtual “record head,” allowing you to optionally push the echo machine harder for more saturation on the repeats:

low: (left position) unity gain with optimized bias for the cleanest repeats
med: (middle position) 6dB input signal boost, with increased bias for slightly saturated repeats
high: (right position) 12dB input signal boost with further increased bias for heavily saturated repeats

TIME: Controls the delay time (the virtual equivalent of sliding the record head closer to or farther away from the playback head), from 50 ms to 1 second. All the intricacies of a sliding record head tape echo are faithfully reproduced so that adjusting the control while repeats are happening can produce interesting, authentic audio effects

TAPE AGE: Controls the bandwidth of the tape, just as it would change over time in a physical tape
delay machine As regular tapes wear out, their bandwidth becomes limited The TAPE
AGE control recreates this wear effect Set to minimum for a fresh, full-bandwidth tape As the knob is turned clockwise, higher frequencies are reduced.

REPEATS: Varies the number of delay repeats from one to runaway, saturated oscillation* Set to 3 o’clock for sustained, infinite repeats without runaway

MIX: Controls the balance of dry and wet signals from 100% dry at minimum to 100% wet at maximum The mix occurs entirely in analog 50/50 mix is at the 3 o’clock position.

MECHANICS: Controls the amount of mechanically-related speed fluctuations and media irregularities, including friction, creases, splices, and contaminants Set to minimum for a fresh, clean recording medium Set to maximum for a recording medium that is in need of service.

FOOTSWITCH:  Engages and bypasses effect. A red LED indicates the effect is engaged. Also used to enter Tap Mode to manually tap in delay times. 

I/O Mode Selcetor: Selects between mono and stereo routing. 

mono: (left position) use with a mono input signal, such as a guitar.Output is mono. Defaults to True Bypass. 

mono → stereo: (middle position) use with a mono input signal. Output is stereo. Bypass mode is Buffered Bypass.

stereo: (right position) use with a stereo input signal. Output is stereo. Bypass mode is Buffered Bypass.