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Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 2:38 pm
by Badstrat
I have repaired them for years and have owned several. The problem is that the heads have drifted out of alignment. (azimuth drifts due to wear and shock) The bolt that holds the head to bracket is supposed to lock them permanently in place, however, they get out of alignment in time. See the link below.

https://www.avpreserve.com/uncategorize ... ecordings/

Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 3:20 pm
by Planetguy
had one a while back.....fun (but noisy) thing to mess with. sold it maybe ten yrs ago for some good scratch.

Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 4:42 pm
by schmedidiah
Is that this?

http://youtu.be/QJzjHrJqOcw

Never had one.

Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 6:43 pm
by Badstrat
The problems with the original tape is that it is so long. You have to go all the way around to see if it is completely erased. I used to take a bad echoplex tape and cut a section about 1 inch longer than it takes to make one single loop. After you cut the tape over lay the two end pieces. Then make a cut at about the same angle as the forward slash on your keyboard. Then tape the back of the splice. This way you can tell immediately if your angle adjustment has worked as the bleed trough will have been erased.

When you have the tape made slightly loosen the playback head. Mark the angle so that you can put it back where it was if needed. Shut the regeneration all the way off. Put your playback head about 1/2 way so that you have time enough to see it your adjustment worked. Once the sound is on the tape you should be able to jockey the head around until you no longer hear anything but the good old tape hiss. If you can't get it out with the playback head (Both heads need to monitor the exact same path on the tape) then try the record head angle. You should be able to get it cleaned up with a little trial and error effort.

Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 10:39 pm
by MikeTalbot
Years ago a neighborhood player came over with a very new Echoplex. Cool so far - always like to look at new stuff.

Then he plugged in a proceeded to play "Imagine" all the way through. It cost me a pretty good breakfast, all over my shoes.

I use digital delay though.

cheers
Talbot

Re: Any Echoplex owners out there?

PostPosted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 1:58 pm
by schmedidiah
When I bought my Vox Night Train (which has no reverb) I also got an Electro Harmonix Cathedral reverb unit. I had been using a Boss Digital Delay 7 up to that point, but it broke soon after. The minute I started investigating the functions on the Cathedral, I realized what had been eluding me for two plus decades: reverb is delay, delay is reverb.
Anyway, the Cathedral is a beautiful American made beast with the most lush tones you can get for $220.
Yeah, I still don't know Jack squat about the Echoplex, other than it looks like it was designed by the chiropractor's association. :shock: