Dunlop EP-103 Echoplex Delay
Authentic Echoplex tones without the hassle.
£219 at amazon.co.uk | £239 at thomann.de
Tape delay was the first type of delay widely used on electric guitar recordings. While using tapes to record and playback a signal continuously is very impractical, it does have one advantage over a bucket brigade delay. The repeats are brighter and clearer, unlike the darker/warmer character of a bucket brigade.
The Echoplex EP-3 is the most famous tape delay unit ever sold. It was produced from 1970 until 1991 and has been used on recordings by Jimmy Page, Brian May, Dave Gilmour and many more. The Echoplex brand was initially owned by Maestro, then Gibson. Finally, the Echoplex name was purchased by Dunlop in 2019. They now make the Echoplex Preamp and Delay – digital reproductions of the original EP-3 units.
Features
The EP-103 Echoplex Delay follows the tried and true control formula – sustain (feedback), volume and delay. The EP-103 will sound like a brand-new Echoplex unit with fresh tape. The repeats will be very clear, distorting slightly with each pass. At maximum feedback the effect will sound almost like a fuzz. If you keep it below 12 o’clock, it will sound very clear, with just a touch of chorus added to the wet signal (simulating the malleable nature of a rolling reel of tape).
The Volume control doubles as a button. Pressing it engages the ageing mode. You can tell that the Echoplex is simulating tape ageing when the red LED is on. To configure this, press and hold the Volume button for 2 seconds (the red light will start flashing). Set the volume to 0 and it will sound the same as the default mode. Turn the volume knob clockwise to add more chorus and distortion to the wet signal. Maxing it out will lead to a beautiful distorted pitch-shifting mess. Your preferred age setting will be stored, and you can toggle between the two modes by pressing the volume knob.
Many musicians prefer the squishy lo-fi sound of an old tape delay, but even if you own a vintage EP-3, you cannot easily flip between a recently serviced unit with a fresh tape cartridge and one that barely records anything legible. Furthermore, if you find a sweet spot for your aging tape, you cannot stop it from wearing down further. With the EP-103 - you can do all of it without the headache of worrying about tapes and maintenance.
You can also connect a tap tempo footswitch to set the delay time.
One important feature missing from this unit is the preamp. The Echoplex EP-3 was famous not only for its delay sounds but also for the warm preamp that would boost your dry signal. On the EP-103 replica, the dry signal remains completely untouched, routed directly to the output, while the wet signal does get the warm EP-3 preamp treatment. Unfortunately, if you want the full Echoplex experience, you need to spend another £140 on the EP-102 Echoplex Preamp. That is a bit of a bummer, especially given the already high price of the delay pedal.
Sound
It sounds authentic, and it sounds great, especially if you want to add a bit of a vintage vibe to your tone. Very few tape delay pedals get it right. Unlike a bucket brigade circuit, the bright tape delay tone will cut through any mix. Meanwhile, the Echoplex preamp will make the wet signal sound very full.
The Echoplex Delay sounds much more authentic than the “tape” settings on most digital delays, such as the Boss DD8 or the TC Electronic Flashback. Other tape delay units, such as the El Capistan by Strymon and RE-2 by Boss do offer incredible flexibility when it comes to simulating various tape delay sounds, but they lack the simplicity of the Echoplex.
Build Quality
The Echoplex Delay is made to a very high standard in the MXR factory in California. If used in a live environment, the textured enclosure and top plate will likely show signs of wear very quickly, but the pedal will certainly withstand regular gigging. That said, I think the EP-103 is more of a studio tool, since a standard digital delay will get you a good enough tape delay sound with lots of additional features.
Bottom Line
The value of the Echoplex Delay depends on your reference point. Compared to a Boss DD-500 or a Strymon El Capistan, it delivers much less flexibility for not much less money. Compared to other simple delay pedals, the Echoplex Delay is extortionately expensive. However, if you want the exact sound of a vintage and very expensive EP-3 without the hassle, there is nothing better than the Dunlop EP-103. It’s just a shame that to get the full Echoplex experience you need to also buy the £140 preamp pedal.