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dave robinson wrote:I have just returned from giving the Vox Delay Lab a try down at Richtone Music in Sheffield.
It works for some Shads numbers and sounds good with the wow & flutter built in to some of the patches. Good Apache / ManOf Mystery / Frightened City echoes are easily achievable as well as a reasonable Wonderful Land / Savage etc and you can set and store them in banks. When I say a 'reasonable' Wonderful land echo it's because there are only three virtual heads, a bit like a Space echo or Copicat, but it does a good job. It will do all the Pink Floyd noises without a hitch and all the surf sounds. All in all a good, sturdy piece of kit in a tidy sized box - unlike the Tonelab that I currently use. Would I recommend it - yes if space is a concern, but I will be sticking to my Tonelabs.

dave robinson wrote:Like I said, I could do a job with it all day and doubt anyone would notice if it wasn't spot on. By the way, Hank wouldn't have had the old/new tape problem, his echo machine was a drum type until he went onto the Roland much later.

Martyn wrote:

dave robinson wrote:Like I said, I could do a job with it all day and doubt anyone would notice if it wasn't spot on. By the way, Hank wouldn't have had the old/new tape problem, his echo machine was a drum type until he went onto the Roland much later.

Ah - I'd forgotten that.

I've ordered one on a trial basis (distance selling regulations etc) and will report back with any views I have after playing around with it, if that's OK.

Regards,
Martyn

Martyn wrote:Well it duly arrived and I spent hours experimenting with its various echoes, some of which were quite different to those we normally associate with Shads tunes. I became fascinated with reverse delays as it reminded me of a few Beatles songs that incorporated these effects.

However when it came to replicating specific Shads echoes, it and I struggled a bit. There are many echoes and variations of said echoes that can be set up and saved, some with quite an authentic vintage texture but somehow none quite sounded as I'd hoped. I could create 'nearly' versions of specific echoes similar to my M/stomp and I guess I might get away with a number of these at a push but I'd always know it wasn't quite right.

I liked the ability to alter the tone of progressing repeats, which would emulate tape wear I suppose and a certain amount of wow & flutter could be simulated to a degree but after much experimentation and fiddling I decided it just wasn't for me and it's going back to the store shortly.

I was going to post some samples in the sound files section but decided none would really sound close enough to the echoes we seek so I'll leave it un-auditioned. Shame, as I was hoping it might make a good alternative to the current crop of units out there but even though it had several echoes that were interesting in themselves - particularly some stereo ones that were entirely suitable for non-shads specific tunes, I figured it would always fall short of the sounds I'd like, which would rankle and annoy after a while and £198 would be wasted really.

The search continues . . .

Which is precisely what I thought could happen, some will understand it and make it work for them and others won't. I suggest that folks who don't have the patience or understanding would be better sticking to the EFTP options - There's no fast-track with units such as the Meazzi, ESE, Tonelab, Delay Lab , they all need talent and input from the user and sadly most folks fall short in this area. That's why Charlie Hall's stuff is invaluable to some.