Robert Keeley Magnetic Tape Echo - 40-600ms of Delay with Modulation

Keeley Magnetic Echo – The Mag-Echo pedal simulates tube tape echo sounds by using the PT-2399 and a little bit of modulation. Tape echos have long been regarded as a warm and very guitar friendly form of delay. The Mag-Echo achieves similar results by using a touch of Lo-Fi delay, a filtered echo response, and some modulation. Modulation, or “Wow and Flutter” in the tape world is a slight pitch shift or wavering that occurs as the tape is pulled across the heads. The modulation we use is similar to what we use in our Seafoam Chorus, a slight wavering of pitch on the trails of the repeats. With a simple set of controls for the delay – Time, Regen, and Level and with the “Wow and Flutter” controls – Depth and Rate you can create some very vintage or rather unique tones.

ECHO CONTROLS

Delay Time – This Time control roughly sets the length between your repeats between 40ms and 600ms. This range is well suited for classic, vintage delay sounds that are great for slap-back or medium length delay times.

Regen – This control sets the number of repeats. You can set this for a single slap back echo or turn it up for a runaway, self-oscillating or self-regenerating echoes. (Now go back and twist the Time control for some crazy sounds!)

Delay Level – The Level control is your mix, how loud you want to hear the echoes.

WOW AND FLUTTER CONTROLS

Depth – Turn this control to achieve deeper and deeper 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.

Rate – This is your Flutter control. It’s another way to control how poorly your tape echo is performing! Not that any tape deck was every in this bad of condition, but it sure sounds good to have a little pitch modulation on your echo! Using these controls gives you a nice way to create unique and very musical delays.

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.

Keeley Electronics started to develop and produce this delay way back in 2005. But as things happened, we worked on other projects, always keeping an eye on the growing delay and echo market. We have decided to release two delays in 2014. One will be the Magnetic Echo with its tube-tape sounds, both warm and vintage, and the other will be a high end digital delay based on the FV-1 from Spin Semiconductor.