The ShadowMusic Web Community

The Guys on this website, have proberly, just like myself, owned most of the Echo machines available, and quite a few, not available anymore.

What you have to decide is : are you looking for sound, or easy to use, or maybe both.

Among other Things I have the catalinbread echorec, and what it delivers is a very good, dynamic and clear guitar sound.
But you have to dial your way through it, but if you take advice from this site, you will soon now that using the program 9-10-11-12 will make you happy.
Or if that is to much maybe 9-10 or 10-12 depending on the sound you want.

All the programmed echoes are good, as most programmes come from the same competent source, or from other very skilled peoble.
As modern effect processors are of great quality, you will end up with a good result.

If you play in a band, or any live performance, you will proberly find youself ending with floorbased preprogrammed stuff, likely to be in a board/pedaltrain with other handy effects.

That is my own situation.
Right now I have the magicstomp, the catalinbread, and even and ESE echomatic IV ( not my own)
I used to have Boss - Amtech age one - Amtech age pro - Atlantis 1 limited - Alesis Q2.

But for live Work, I have a board.
That is TC tuner - Boss EQ - T Rex Compressor -T Rex Boost and overdrive - and a zoom g3 with halls Echo.
The Echo unit used to be a magicstomp, but it broke Down, an even though I have a new one, I kept the zoom because sound is good,and the unit is deadquiet. and it is very easy to sort the echoes or even edit them.

Anyway find what suit you best, and spend the Money getting the right gear.
The Guys on this site, would proberly all be wealthy, had they bought the right gear from the start, and so would I.

regards
Niels

Gentlemen,
I was ready to head in the Catalinbread direction when I read about the 'Baby Blue'.
Has anyone compared these pedals?
As always, your comments will be much appreciated.
Cheers,
JB

John, the Baby Blue is made by Stanley FX (who make the Blue Nebula). It's similar in operation to the Catalinbread. If you don't want to make small changes to each of the controls, then the BN is much easier to navigate. If it's down to cost, then the Baby Blue offers more echo unit's within it's programing than the CE which is designed solely on the Binson Echorec.

Just to put the crap in the fan, I got my Hall and Collins out today and it puts them all to the sword except the ESE Echomatic. It's strange how after not using it for a few months, you hear it again and go WOW ! It isn't £599 for nothing.

Thanks for the replies and the advice lads.

I had an idea it wouldn't be long before the H&C got a mention, and reading through some of the input about it on the other well known site, also talking to Steve B about it, that's probable the one I'll go for (all donations gladly accepted), just got to get the funds together yet again, I've been there, done that, and got the T shirt with the Zoom, Yamaha, Alesis, Age one pro (which I wished I'd kept), so I know how expensive it gets.

Thanks again, Bob.

Hi,

A long time I read all contributions for amplifiers, pick-ups, echo devices, etc.
What surprises me again and again is why many of us think that achieving the desired sound is only to do with VOX, Fenders and the like.
As an attachment I have included a recording of Perfidia I made recently.
I know, it's certainly not perfect, but I hope it gives an impression of how it could be.
I'm curious about your comment.

Kind regards,
Emiel

https://app.box.com/files/0/f/0/1/f_77225228049

Some thoughts on the machines mentioned above.

Interestingly, the Catalinbread, Baby Blue, Blue Nebula and the H&C all use the same DSP chip - that's the part that emulates the echo machine's head timings, levels and frequency responses.

The Blue Nebula comes with three Binson emulations in its second effects bank (along with 'warm' delay, phaser, flanger, deep chorus and one called 'Guitar Abbey Rev'). These are in addition to the Echomatic I and II, Vox Long Tom and Roland RE301 emulations in the first effects bank. The Binson emulations provide 16 possible head combinations, some of course that the original Binson didn't do.

The Catalinbread has 12 combinations, again covering some impossible on the real Binson. I find it quite tricky to select the one I want on the Catalinbread as they are selected by turning a pot, rather than a 12-way switch, so you need to be careful to set it where you want - not easy when it's on the floor at your feet!

The BB and the BN share the same low-noise 4-FET preamp designed to emulate the valve preamps in the Meazzi machines.

The H&C has a FET preamp aimed at achieving a similar outcome. I haven't had the chance to listen to one 'live' or play it myself.

I'm not sure of the design used in the Catalinbread preamp but it seems also to be a low-noise design.

Phil.

Here's a review of the Catalinbread Echorec (and others): https://www.thomann.de/de/prod_review_4 ... 74115.html

Another review (in German) criticizes the selector switch not locking and the noise level at bright settings. Positiv mentioned are the dense and warm sound, the signal quality and "atmospheric presets". Additionally it has internal trim potis for preamp and modulation.

Greets Wolfgang