Stompboxology Echo-Matic DIY Tape Delay

Stompboxes circuits published in magazines, books or on DIY electronics websites.
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Motter
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Post by Motter »

Here's something I've been working on lately.

The Echomatic is an old Stompboxology circuit which utilizes a quad opamp as two splitters and two mixers, allowing you to take advantage of a three-head tape deck for delay effects. In simpler terms, you can plug this into a three-head cassette player (or reel to reel) to make a tape echo.

It sounds pretty cool. It's not going to replace anybody's El Capistan, but it's useful for some warm slapback or lofi, modulated ambience. Because the tape heads are fixed, the only way to adjust the delay time is by changing the motor speed. At low speeds (for longer delays) the motor is a lot less stable so it adds quite a bit of chorusy warble, and of course you lose a lot of recording fidelity by running the motor that slowly.

Anyways, here's my little demo. Pardon the um's and ah's and the awful compression from my phone. I'll record some better demos later.



Here is the original article if you'd like to learn more, or build one yourself: http://imgur.com/a/NHRjW

All credit goes to Nicholas Boscorelli, who wrote the article
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Nicholas Boscorelli, The Stomp Box Cookbook, Project no. 32 Echo-Matic, page 152
Nicholas Boscorelli, The Stomp Box Cookbook, Project no. 32 Echo-Matic, page 152
Nicholas Boscorelli, The Stomp Box Cookbook, Project no. 32 Echo-Matic, page 153
Nicholas Boscorelli, The Stomp Box Cookbook, Project no. 32 Echo-Matic, page 153
mods.jpg

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Motter
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Post by Motter »

I recorded some better quality demos tonight. Hopefully these demonstrate some of the breadth of this effect. All were recorded with my Gretsch 6120 into my Silvertone 1484, no other effects. I recommend listening with headphones


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Post by Motter »

Here is the schematic as-built, including my mix mod and the low cut switch
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Post by Motter »

Anyone have any suggestions for what to do with my other switch, since the high-cut doesn't exactly do anything? I'm thinking I could increase the gain on the first opamp and switch in some clipping diodes, but open to suggestions.

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Post by soulsonic »

AH! I had started building one of these years back, but never got around to finishing it off. I've got the same Marantz deck that I had intended to use with it. Need to build it!
"Analog electronics in music is dead. Analog effects pedal design is a dead art." - Fran

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Post by Jim-Analog »

Greetings,

Cool project, congrats, it sounds good! That's a particularly nice cassette deck you have; I remember when they came out; fairly expensive and were used mostly for ENG & interviews. Good re-purpose of it. Keep up the good work!

Regards, Jim

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