yeah i dont doubt that upkeep will be an issue but i cant see it costing me that much… mechanical parts availability is pretty good because they were manufactured for so long and i can do repairs myself, especially if it’s the electronics
if i wanted a digital delay i wouldnt be thinking about getting a tape echo. that said though i was surprised at how much i liked the el capistan
Tape echo’s are awesome, I’m not trying to dissuade you although you asked us to in your post. 
I would love to have a Space Echo, just know what you are getting into and make sure you have an idea of the condition of machine before you buy it.
I don’t have a Space Echo, but I do have this old Univox tape echo:
how does that one hold up in terms of maintenance? maybe id be willing to settle for another but i love the spring verb on the 201 a little too much
Yeah, this one def does not have a spring reverb.
The biggest issue on this machine is obtaining a tape cartridge if it goes out.
Do the Space Echo’s use reels of tape or did they have a cartridge?
you just need a loop of tape (has to be the lubricated kind though apparently), doesnt even need a reel cause the tape just flops around inside the box
I’ve always wanted a tape echo too, the UAD DSP and EP-34 plugin is another option. You could probably get an original vintage Echoplex for the same kind of money, but once you have the UAD card it opens up a world of other UAD plugins.
Honestly people should check out Uhe Satin…the Space Echo and Kopy Kat presets are amaizng…
Yeah that plugin looks good, it wasn’t around last time I looked into tape delay plugins so cheers for the heads up, gonna give the demo a try
I feel like if you are going to own one tape plug in that isnt UAD or ilok or something like that U He is it. 
Real Space Echoes are AMAZING. The maintenance is an issue though. I take mine to my tech once a year for cleaning/new tape loops and it winds up costing like $150 each time. But it is in use almost every single day of the year other than that!
Plug ins are really nice, I also have the UAD Re-201 which is pretty good in a dense mix, but it doesn’t have the amazing random quality to it that a good tape echo has. Feed back on the real ones are pretty strange, especially when the heads get a little dirty. Sometimes it feels like there is a random modulation amount on the feedback.
Havent checked out Satin, looks pretty sweet
checking out that video of Satin, and its giving me the feeling that I have with all tape echo plugins I’ve tried. It doesn’t sound bad at all, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t really sound like a tape delay to me. Sounds more like a really really good/clean analog BBD delay. The sound doesn’t seem to eat itself in the same way, like its too clear sounding at medium and high feedback. Ive been using Audio Damage’s Dubstation BBD delay plugin for years and am a bit bored by it now. I had been toying with the idea of getting a really analog BBD delay to compliment the Space Echo, but maybe satin is the perfect upgrade for that type of sound still ITB
Wouldn’t want to convince anyone away from a tape echo!
I’m guessing from such a low price there is probably something wrong with it and you’ll have to get it repaired.
Before you make a final decision you should take a gander at the Korg Stage Echo series. They’re cheaper, sturdier, and longer lasting. The 500 is sick, some say cleaner, there’s a neat SOS feature, though it does not have its own reverb. The 300 does, but is harder to find.
Personally, If I was going the Roland route, I think I’d prefer the 301 to the 201 because of the added chorus with similar price.
The best of the Roland’s are the 501. It has the sound on sound option for the looooooong delays. If also has the chorus, but the chorus isn’t great IMO, not very lush and hard to balance with the other signals to get it sounding good. It also is the only one to have the balanced XLR input and output, which keeps the signal cleaner.
just bought myself a OTO Biscuit!! 
they’re making one last batch of 200, shipping in december. expensive as fuck tho…
now we are talking - - never mind how it sounds - - this is it bruhbruhs - - finna go all wildwest on tunes ! brapbrap/pootpoot
this fucking guy lol
Haha, I know that guy! He was a grad student while I was doing my under graduate work and taught my electronics class. He builds very unique things. Also just a fun dude to hang out with
Haha thats awesome small world!
well it seems I have purchased an el capistan
damn you tnucs and your space echo talk!
Enjoy! I absolutely love my Deco
a friend has been asking me about the Deco, what do you love about it? I told him not to buy it strictly for Saturation.
