madbeanpedals::forum

General => Open Discussion => Topic started by: lincolnic on May 31, 2013, 08:51:33 PM

Title: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: lincolnic on May 31, 2013, 08:51:33 PM
I'm giving this its own thread, so as not to further derail the Belton-based reverbs conversation.

I found the pedal I was talking about - it's the Echo-Matic. I'm not sure what book this actually comes from, but check all of this out:

(http://web.archive.org/web/20120418024426/http://moosapotamus.net/IDEAS/Echo-Matic_a.gif)

(http://web.archive.org/web/20120418024426/http://moosapotamus.net/IDEAS/Echo-Matic_b.gif)
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: drezdn on May 31, 2013, 10:40:11 PM
I could swear that I've seen someone post a working build of this project. I thought it was on the BYOC forum, but can't find it.

Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: stecykmi on May 31, 2013, 11:16:30 PM
man maybe i should keep my eyes open for an old tape deck...
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: midwayfair on June 01, 2013, 12:06:39 AM
Quote from: drezdn on May 31, 2013, 10:40:11 PM
I could swear that I've seen someone post a working build of this project. I thought it was on the BYOC forum, but can't find it.



DIYSB, but the pics are gone.

Moosapotamus might have built it too. He used to have that on his site.
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: lincolnic on June 01, 2013, 02:51:46 AM
Quote from: midwayfair on June 01, 2013, 12:06:39 AM
Moosapotamus might have built it too. He used to have that on his site.

Yeah, those pictures are actually linked from an archive.org copy of his site - the site itself seems to have vanished into the ether.
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: lincolnic on June 01, 2013, 02:58:06 AM
I just realized - if you guys downloaded Brian's "Electronics Library", this project is actually in the "stompboxcookbook" folder. I knew I had this on my hard drive somewhere!
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: artstomp on June 01, 2013, 03:16:21 AM
..its from The Stompbox Cookbook, 2nd Edition, by Boscorelli
Title: Re:
Post by: ch1naski on June 01, 2013, 05:52:56 AM
I have that book.....

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Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: spaceboss on June 01, 2013, 04:29:48 PM


Here's a you-tube demo I found. So great!
Title: Re: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: jtn191 on June 01, 2013, 05:41:11 PM
There's a guy on Flickr who did something similar with two walkmans
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: jimilee on June 02, 2013, 12:59:43 AM
Good luck putting that thing on your pedal board! Multiplex sounds just like that, Nice work!
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: GhostofJohnToad on June 02, 2013, 02:37:14 AM
watching that video made me wonder about one of his last statements about tape speed.  How well would this concept work with say an old tascam 4-track and its variable speeds?
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: lincolnic on June 02, 2013, 06:51:32 AM
Quote from: GhostofJohnToad on June 02, 2013, 02:37:14 AM
watching that video made me wonder about one of his last statements about tape speed.  How well would this concept work with say an old tascam 4-track and its variable speeds?

It'd be fine. Actual tape machines have variable speed controls as well. The slower the speed, the more delay time you get out of it, since it's increasing the amount of time it takes for a location on the tape to travel between the record and playback heads.
Title: Re: Echo-Matic: how to turn a cassette deck into a delay
Post by: culturejam on June 02, 2013, 03:06:30 PM
I'll repeat (har-har) my suggestion of using an 8-track player/recorder. One benefit would be that the tape flips itself when you get to the end. Also, the tape in an 8-track is twice as wide as that of a casette. So in theory, it should offer better fidelity.

Here's some background:
http://www.8trackheaven.com/archive/work.html

http://www.estecho.com/gear/tape_delay_media.php

Title: Re:
Post by: ch1naski on June 02, 2013, 03:40:39 PM
I used to have a couple of reel to reel machines, I had them set up like a Fripp machine....two stools, a machine on each, and the distance between them dictated the echo time. 

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