Roland Space Echos

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:23 pm

Ok, I'm getting cold feet on the Vintage space echos... I may have to just forget they exist since I'm not maintenance freak. Maybe that Hiwatt on ebay is the way to go.

OriginalJambo · Post by **OriginalJambo** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:50 pm

Why don't you try a WEM Copicat? Cheap and relatively easy to maintain - as you can see the tape loop is on the outside.

Very basic controls - swell, (echo volume), sustain (feedback/repeats) and three delay times (slapback - medium - longest). It's not very clean (it is a tape echo!), it can self-oscillate and it's certainly with a good dose of character.

You can find 'em for around $200 here with relative ease, although if you are patient you could probably snag one for around half of that. No idea if they are as common is the US but they were definitely sold state side under the Guild brand name. Oh and there are valve (tube), solid-state and even varispeed models so quite a selection to suit anybody tastes!

Anyway just another alternative to consider, mind.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:53 pm

I'd love a copycat, but in the USA those go for alot of $$$.

OriginalJambo · Post by **OriginalJambo** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 11:57 pm

JSRockit wrote:I'd love a copycat, but in the USA those go for alot of $$$.

Damn man, didn't realise that. Suppose there are advantages to living in "rip-off Britain" for the occasional quirky bit of gear. No often though.

xpander · Post by **xpander** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:34 am

JSRockit wrote:Ok, I'm getting cold feet on the Vintage space echos...

they're not a big deal, i certainly don't worry about my 201 crapping out, it seems very well made & reliable.

Post by **aeon** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:31 am

xpander wrote:
JSRockit wrote:Ok, I'm getting cold feet on the Vintage space echos...
they're not a big deal, i certainly don't worry about my 201 crapping out, it seems very well made & reliable.

Agreed, my 201 is solid, as is my 555 and 501.

cheers,
Ian

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:28 pm

xpander wrote:
JSRockit wrote:Ok, I'm getting cold feet on the Vintage space echos...
they're not a big deal, i certainly don't worry about my 201 crapping out, it seems very well made & reliable.

Yeah, I know...but I really am the type that just expects everything to work for years with zero maintenance...and I just have to be honest with myself.

otto · Post by **otto** » Fri May 02, 2008 1:38 am

seamonkey wrote:I still think you'd be better off with the Hiwatt tape echo, then you don't have to worry about a Roland breaking down. Plus new tapes are easily available at $20 bucks a shot.
I know they're on backorder but musicians friend says 23 days for shipment.

I've seen em on the web for $554.oo.

Anyone here tried the Hiwatt Custom Tape Echo? I'm intrigued but haven't found a lot of opinions. Is it a good sounding tape echo?

OMNI26 · Post by **OMNI26** » Fri May 02, 2008 2:11 pm

When working correctly, Roland Space Echo's are incredible units.

I have an RE-150, which was one of the later models, and it's supposed to be one of the "cleanest" sounding Space Echo's due to the more modern electronics inside. It does sound great, but I honestly don't use it much because I am afraid of burning out the motor. There are NO replacement motors for these anymore.

Also, I have an RE-201 (the "classic" Space Echo) with, you guessed it, a burned out motor. I bought it that way cheap (luckily!), before I really knew how hard it was to find a replacement motor (not so lucky!). I am sure that I can still get my money back, probably more, by just selling it for parts. I just need to get around to that.

I agree with the statement that you should pay the extra price and get a nice, clean example of a Space Echo. They are usually all over eBay, but prices are skyrocketing.....I think a 201 just sold for over $1,000 recently, which until recently was unheard of. They are not rare.

memedesigner · Post by **memedesigner** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:22 am

I just got a Rhodes Mark I and yesterday plugged that in the Space Echo 201, and there's an instant love between the two.

Space Echo is one of those vintage pieces that fails graciously and in a way that adds to the vibe: pinch rollers losing their elasticity and getting a bit elliptical? No problem, that just adds some nice flutter to the sound. Tape getting worn and stretching? No problem, just mellows out the sound. Overloading the input? Yes, please.

otto · Post by **otto** » Wed May 07, 2008 2:32 am

I got to admit I've really had a tape echo bug for a while now. Unfortunately the prices on ebay seem pretty crazy for a space echo. I'm interested in the Hiwatt CTE but reviews seem to be very sparse and I have yet to find a sound demo online. What to do...

Post by **Stab Frenzy** » Wed May 07, 2008 3:14 am

otto wrote:I got to admit I've really had a tape echo bug for a while now. Unfortunately the prices on ebay seem pretty crazy for a space echo. I'm interested in the Hiwatt CTE but reviews seem to be very sparse and I have yet to find a sound demo online. What to do...

I was in exactly the same position, and after putting a friend's RE-301 and RE-20 next to one another in the studio I decided to get an RE-20. The sound is so close you can't really tell the difference in a mix, then only thing it doesn't do is sound on sound.

otto · Post by **otto** » Wed May 07, 2008 4:30 am

Stab Frenzy wrote:
otto wrote:I got to admit I've really had a tape echo bug for a while now. Unfortunately the prices on ebay seem pretty crazy for a space echo. I'm interested in the Hiwatt CTE but reviews seem to be very sparse and I have yet to find a sound demo online. What to do...
I was in exactly the same position, and after putting a friend's RE-301 and RE-20 next to one another in the studio I decided to get an RE-20. The sound is so close you can't really tell the difference in a mix, then only thing it doesn't do is sound on sound.

I wish I could do a side by side. the RE-20 reviews are all over the place. Some say they do great emulations and some say they just don't have the "magic" of tape... I might take your advice though and sepnd the extra cash elsewhere... Than again...

drummy · Post by **drummy** » Wed May 07, 2008 5:47 am

I've heard the Chandler Stereo Digital Echo sounds REAL close to a tape echo, and it's a digital delay (from the very few demos I heard, I don't disagree). I am thinking of getting one in place of an RE-201, since I too do not want to go through all the maintenance to keep it working. However, I'm thinking of getting a Boss DM-300 and just sticking with that.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:00 am

I think I'm going to completely chicken out and go with the RE-20.