Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

[millsart]

I'll be the first to admit I'm not one to typically be impressed by anything digital and especially not modelers, they've got their place and I'll admit can do some decent stuff but all the line6, vox, roland COSM stuff etc I've tried has always left me a bit flat.

I picked up a Boss DD-20 delay recently and was pretty impressed with how well thought out it was and the cool sounds. Made me intrested in some of their other twin pedals which lead me to the RE-20 Space Echo.

Well I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later (I thought it would be later honestly) but a modeler finally blew me away.

Save for the not in the least bit missed noise, reliability issues and dealing with tape carts, this thing is a Space Echo RE-201. I've played them quite a bit and know their sound well and this little pedal honest to god feels/sounds just like the real deal.

It wasn't so much the tone that got me even though its really nice, but how it actually responds like the real thing.

Tweak the delay rate knob while your playing and you'll get those cool pitch variations and psuedo chorus effects as the tape heads change their spacing and take a while to "catch up". They really captured all the cool mechanical quirks to a tee.

Saturation, pitch warbles, wow and flutter, you name it, this is the most unpredictable digital pedal you'll find and thats what I love about it.

If you think a deluxe memory man is a fun time then this thing blows that away in crazy modulation madness. You can hook a CV pedal up to it to control repeat rate, intensity (aka feedback) and echo volume in real time and its not the least bit glitchy nor any stairstep noise like a DL4. The DL4 multitap isnt in the same leauge nor even the same sport as this pedal.


This isn't a do it all delay, its more of a special purpose effect honestly (thought it can be used as a sweet slapback ala Brian Setzer) and it does have tap tempo but if you ask me, this pedal is meant for crazy spaced out delays.

Kicking in some fuzz and playing a long delay solo while tweaking the intensity in and out of feedback with the control pedal will take you to the Dark Side of the Moon and then some LOL


If you love the tone and playing dynamics of s tape echo you've got to check this thing out, it was certainly put a smile on your face.

This has got to be the most hi tech lo fi device around

 

[saladin]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Gas

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Really amazing how "stiff" and steril my other delays sound in comparison.

The DL4 and DD20 have analog and tape modes that give a pretty convincing voicing but they are still way to perfect in their timing and repeats.

The Space Echo actually has some fluxuations in time as the "tape" passes between the various "heads" and that just gives it this certain organic musical quality that I'm really loving.

Heck, I went from not wanting anything that isnt analog on my board to loving this thing in about 15 minutes from bringing it home.

I'm going to have to check out the RT-20 Leslie sim now as well, Boss seems to be on a roll

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

the RE-20 was very, very pretty sounding.... I loved its tone on clean...

If it wasn't for the fact that I play metal and use distortion a lot more (so I need a more digital style delay) I would have one right now...

 

[ErikH]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Sounds interesting. I've been looking at new delays and echos lately. What I'd really like to see is a good modelling representation of the Echoplex. As said, the tape cartridges and maintenance on those things is a PITA. A modelled version would be cool, IMO.

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

also, the RE-20 didn't like to sit in an amps' effects loop (line level)... which is understandable, but was a deal breaker for me cause I don't use stomp box distortion, but the amps preamp.

you COULD just throw it into the loop-- but there were some volume/tone suck issues, especially when it was engaged.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

I think the RE-20 has the option to go from instrument to line level like the DD-20 if I'm not mistaken ? Its certainly a nice feature to have on the DD-20 that gives it alot more versatility.

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

not really, unless you mean the input knob; The Input knob does have control over the overall volume of the pedal. You can adjust it so that it doesn't clip the pedal, but I don't believe you can adjust the output properly.

Like I said, you can set it up in the loop, but there is definitely some level mismatching and tone loss. Thats not a problem on clean, but on distortion it comes very apparent.

the DD-20 had a setting to switch between instrument (-10) and line Level (+4); the RE-20 only has that input knob.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Thats weird then that the DD-20 would have that option but the RE-20 woulnd't (especially since the RE-20 cost $30 more) I didn't crack open the manual yet so I just assumed.

I guess theres always the option to run the delay post mic though that can be sort of a PITA but certainly does sound the best

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

exactly, I was thinking of picking up another RE-20 and using it only for recording. Or use some sort of Midi switcher, and only use it for Clean tones...or insane Solo/lead stuff

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Make sure to pick up a cheap control pedal like the EV-5 with it, makes the pedal about 10 times as cool. You can control the delay time and its doesn't get all glitched digital sounding like the DL4 and gives those cool pitch effects/chorus sounds as well as intensity and echo level. The level is really cool to bring the effect in and out on the fly.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

I've been looking at these, having always wanted a space echo. I enjoy my quirkier delays, so this sounds just the ticket. My Deluxe Memory man is great, but I wish it got weirder.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

I've been looking at these, having always wanted a space echo. I enjoy my quirkier delays, so this sounds just the ticket. My Deluxe Memory man is great, but I wish it got weirder.

This is actually somewhat similar tonewise to the DMM but with up to 6 seconds of delay time, tap tempo, multi taps, reverbs and some crazy pitch modulation effects.

Plus as I said before, you can hook up a controller pedal.

Used in a more normal delay fashion it works/sounds just as good for the slapback style stuff


I'm pretty sure I'm going to be selling my DMM

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Thanks for the heads up on those. I always see them, but never try them out.
The Leslie version and Space Echo sound interesting. Maybe this year, I'll bump off the Line 6's and try out some Roland/Boss and Moog.

Ultimately, I want a Tube Tape Echo by Fulltone, but at that price, size, tape etc.....not gonna happen.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Weird cause I have the CE-20 chorus and it has an output adjust for line level. I put it in the series loop of my Mark IV and it sounded fantastic.

also, the RE-20 didn't like to sit in an amps' effects loop (line level)... which is understandable, but was a deal breaker for me cause I don't use stomp box distortion, but the amps preamp.

you COULD just throw it into the loop-- but there were some volume/tone suck issues, especially when it was engaged.

 

[millsart]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

Yeah it seems that most all of the twin series pedals have this option, cept the RE-20, though the RE-20 does have an input level knob that you've got to set even when the pedal is bypassed and looking at the specs, it can operate from -20db to +4db so I guess thats basically allowing you to do the same thing ?

Perhaps just in keeping with the RE-201 style front panel and knobs they wanted to have the input level knob like the real thing is my only guess.

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

I should probably rephase it a bit-- it sounds fine in the loop with clean and crunch stuff, and you can get the levels fairly close with the Input knob.


but with distortion (for rhythm playing; with leads it wouldn't matter), there is a definite tone loss-- perhaps that has more to do with the nature of Tape delay rather than the RE-20 itself, but I definitely noticed degraded tone especially when the effect was engaged.


I never noticed such a thing with the DD-20

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

All of this talk has me interested...I might check one out this weekend. Boss has been landing on their feet more often than not on their newest stuff so maybe they hit a home run with this one. I'll tell you this...It woudl have to be amazing to even come close to knocking me off using my Echoplex.

I know a lot of guys complain about the up keep of a tape echo unit but it's well worth it to me!

Nothing sounds as good as tape to me...I went head to head wiht a Line 6 delay modeler and my EP-3 and the L6 was nice and easy to use, had a lot more delay time than the Plex, had tap tempo and offered about a million other delay sounds but to me the Plex had the tone hands down.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

That is not good.... Except for the Loop Station I have never really noticed any problems with Boss pedals when they are dis-engaged. Before I switched to rack effects, I used to run 5 Boss pedals in my series loop, and never had any issues with tone loss. With my Mark IV you know right away without any doubts if your tone is being sucked.

I should probably rephase it a bit-- it sounds fine in the loop with clean and crunch stuff, and you can get the levels fairly close with the Input knob.


but with distortion (for rhythm playing; with leads it wouldn't matter), there is a definite tone loss-- perhaps that has more to do with the nature of Tape delay rather than the RE-20 itself, but I definitely noticed degraded tone especially when the effect was engaged.


I never noticed such a thing with the DD-20

 

[TheAbomb12]

Re: Boss RE-20 Space Echo...best modeler ever

fwiw, I play metalcore and I'm very picky about my distortion. VERY VERY picky.


Some of you might not even care, or notice!