Strymon Engineering, the Los Angeles-based company renowned for its high-quality products in the guitar, plugin, and Eurorack markets, has introduced a new single-head tape echo pedal called the EC-1. This new pedal is designed in a compact format and brings authentic tape echo behavior, ideal for any guitarist’s setup.
Built around the award-winning dTape algorithm, which contributed to the success of Strymon’s El Capistan pedal, the EC-1 took an unexpected turn in its development after Strymon acquired a meticulously modified tube Echoplex® EP-2. This true stereo pedal includes two models of the EP-2’s tube preamp, offering variable gain, as well as a three-position Record Level switch for additional gain control. The pedal also features glitchless tap tempo, allowing users to adjust tempos without causing tape artifacts. The Tape Age and Mechanics controls give users the ability to modify various parameters to achieve authentic tape behavior at any setting.
Additional features of the EC-1 include TRS stereo Ins and Outs, full MIDI implementation, TRS MIDI, a rear-panel audio routing switch, USB-C connectivity, and the ability to store up to 300 presets. As a true stereo pedal, the EC-1 processes left and right inputs independently, making it versatile for placement anywhere in the signal chain.
Gregg Stock, Strymon CEO and analog circuit expert, shared insight into the development process: “We began this project by exploring the preamps of tube echo units, which led me to purchase an original Echoplex® EP-2. It arrived in pristine condition and sounded amazing, and we later discovered it had been heavily modified by the legendary guitar tech Cesar Diaz. His modifications resulted in a unique unit with the best attributes of both tube and solid-state Echoplexes, and we spent a lot of time figuring out how to replicate its behavior.”
Pete Celi, Strymon co-founder and DSP expert, added, “The Echoplex was so clean and mechanically stable that other subtleties became more noticeable, particularly the capstan-induced variations that enhance the repeat spectrum. With the Mechanics control set around 1 p.m., it offers a hyper-authentic representation of the golden EP-2 unit, adding a high-speed flutter that gives the echoes more dimension.”
The EC-1 is available now for $279 USD directly from Strymon and through dealers worldwide.
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