Common Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo | Assessment

MSRP: (UK) £175 / (US) $199

Sam Bell takes a better take a look at Common Audio’s Orion Tape Echo. This meticulously crafted impact unit recreates the nice and cozy, lush delays of traditional tape echo machines. That includes genuine tape modulation and adjustable delay occasions, it brings a wealthy, analogue heat to your tone. The Orion Tape Echo boasts a rugged, road-ready design with intuitive controls for simple tweaking on the fly. Whether or not you are wanting so as to add refined depth or expansive, atmospheric delays, this pedal delivers with precision and character. Good for studio recordings or reside performances, the Common Audio Orion Tape Echo is your gateway to timeless, echo-drenched soundscapes.

Common Audio is well-known for his or her high-quality results for DAW and {hardware}. The Orion sequence brings these high-quality results to the stage with their sequence of compact pedals. On this evaluation, I am going to try the UAFX Tape Echo. This can be a ’70s tape echo delay impact pedal with tons of persona, and it is not going to completely break the financial institution. Let’s dive in.

The UAFX Tape Echo permits customers to get an genuine tape echo sound of their sign chain. Again within the ’70s, studios would create delay/echo results by feeding alerts into tape machines, which might create the echo impact. Due to using tape, the repeats can be modulated barely, and relying on the age, situation, and recording stage of the tape, these repeats would have all types of pure inconsistencies that sound musical!

The pedal is pretty easy, however there are many refined variations we are able to dial in because of its attention-grabbing controls. The Delay management modifications the velocity of the repeats as much as 700 ms. The Combine permits us to steadily carry within the delay impact as a moist/dry management, so on full settings, you may solely hear the delayed impact.

Beneath these two essential controls, there is a Tape Swap. This enables us to decide on between Mint, Worn, and Outdated tapes. A Mint tape can be a brand-new ’70s tape, Worn means it might have been recorded over a number of occasions, and Outdated means it’s previous and worn, maybe topic to environmental injury. Utilizing the Wonk and Rec Stage controls, we are able to change how excessive the tape’s artifacts are on the repeats. Wonk modifications the depth and randomness of the Wow and Flutter, which in layman’s phrases may very well be seen as modulation. This modifications the pitch and EQ of the repeats, including a heat, nearly ‘report’-like sound. The Rec Stage provides a little bit of pure distortion to the repeats, so if the extent into our digital tape deck was too sizzling, it might result in some grit on the delayed repeats. Lastly, now we have the Suggestions management, which permits us to decide on how a lot the delay repeats after a word is struck. Turning this up will allow it to repeat without end, which may result in some attention-grabbing textures when mixed with artistic use of the Delay and Combine controls.

On the again of the pedal, now we have two switches. The Bypass swap for Trails means if the pedal is turned off throughout its use, the paths will proceed for no matter was being performed proper up-to-the-minute it was switched off. Alternatively, you’ll be able to have it so it cuts off the delay the second you turn the pedal off. There’s additionally a Preamp swap, which is supposed to emulate the preamp of a ’70s tape deck. This provides a special attribute to the general delay sound.

The pedal is properly constructed, seems to be fashionable, and is powered by 9-volt DC energy. Customers may also plug the pedal into their computer systems for firmware updates from Common Audio. It is actually top-notch. The sounds are nice for ambient swells on chords, single-note melodies, and way more. To have the ability to get an genuine ’70s tape echo sound in your pedalboard with a small footprint is great! It is not too complicated; it does what it says on the tin and does it extremely properly. It really works finest with cleaner sounds, in my private opinion, particularly as that is meant to be emulating a extra classic impact. Nevertheless, it is a device for use nonetheless you want. It is a actually good thing that UA is doing with this Orion sequence of pedals, and I feel they’re lighting a fireplace beneath different firms making high-end merchandise for a lot increased prices. The Orion sequence makes these high quality results out there to extra guitarists, and that is an excellent factor.

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