Strymon EC-1 dTape Echo Effect Pedal Overview:

Experience the dreamy sound of a classic ‘60s tape echo complete with the harmonic richness of the accompanying tube preamp.

Enjoy organic and ethereal modulation produced by countless subtle mechanical imperfections, and easily dial in anything from warm slapback to expansive echo feedback beds with a strikingly gorgeous stereo image.

With beautifully-tuned low frequency response, lush tape saturation and sublime echo decay, EC-1 provides all the best of what a tube driven tape echo can deliver.

Tape, Tubes, and the Best of the Best

Development of EC-1 started with the groundbreaking single moving head algorithm originally developed for our El Capistan pedal, which is renowned for its lifelike reproduction of vintage tape echo.

From there, we were fortunate to acquire what turned out to be a very special Echoplex EP-2, as the unit was in amazingly good condition and had been worked on by storied technician Cesar Diaz. We discovered that several purposeful and skillfully-implemented modifications had been made to the unit, including tweaks to the tube preamp for a warmer sound closer in frequency response to an EP-3. The modifications seemed aimed at bringing the best aspects of the various vintage Echoplex models into a single unit, and the inspiring result significantly informed development of EC-1, imbuing it with a special character that is immediately nostalgic.

Full-Featured Compact Stereo Tape Echo

EC-1 offers impressive power and flexibility in a small and elegant form factor.

Selectable tube-modeled preamp voices. Artifact-free tap tempo. Discrete stereo operation for independent processing of the left and right stereo inputs. Straightforward controls and expression pedal capability. High-impedance, ultra-low noise discrete Class A JFET stereo input preamp for exceptional touch sensitivity, dynamics and feel. MIDI control of tempo, patch save/recall and more. Premium components, rugged construction and a USB jack for performing firmware updates or controlling the pedal from a computer.

Features:

MIDI: 

Limitless Possibilities.

EC-1 features full MIDI implementation and 300 presets, allowing you to control it remotely by sending MIDI commands from your controller or DAW via the EXP/MIDI jack or USB-C connection.

Remotely bypass or engage the pedal, automate Speed or other knob adjustments in your DAW or recall unique presets for each song on your setlist — the possibilities with MIDI are limitless.

True/Buffered Bypass:

Choose Your Bypass Mode.

EC-1 lets you choose between electromechanical relay-switched true bypass for a 100% untouched and unprocessed signal when the pedal is not engaged (which is the default), or our premium buffered bypass, which preserves your signal’s integrity by preventing the high frequency roll-off that can happen due to longer cable runs.

JFET Input

Analog Touch.

Uncompromised dynamics and feel. Exceptional touch sensitivity and responsiveness. EC-1 feels just as good as it sounds, thanks to a high-impedance, ultra-low noise and discrete Class A JFET preamp input.

Stereo

Moving In Stereo.

EC-1 features full stereo in and out capabilities, processing incoming stereo signals independently so that you can place it anywhere in your stereo effects chain.

It can also receive mono input and still produce stereo output if you’d like to use it as the stereo origin point of your signal path.

EC-1’s single TRS input and TRS output allows for stereo operation while maintaining a compact form factor.

A dedicated rear panel Input switch allows you to determine the audio routing, selecting between Mono In → Mono Out, Mono In → Stereo Out, or Stereo In → Stereo Out (stereo in and out requires a TRS cable for each jack).

ARM Processor

Power To The Pedal.

An evolution in technology led by mobile phones and laptop computers now allows our pedals to perform more simultaneous processes than ever before, and with significantly less power draw.

That means more processing power for every sonic nuance, and less power consumption on your pedal board.

Tap Tempo

March To Your Own Beat.

Tapping in tempos with EC-1 works in a seamless way that would be impossible with a real tape echo. 

Confidently tap your tempos with no pitch shifting, no clicks, ramps or mutes. All the unique sliding head tape echo pitch-shifting effects are always available when setting tempo with the Time knob, but when tapping tempo EC-1 changes to new values smoothly and keeps you in the groove.

Once a tempo has been tapped in, you can use the Time knob to set the Tap Division for triplet, eighth, dotted eighth, or quarter note resolution.