Tape echo introduced the possibility of creating controlled echoes in the recording studio, capturing the natural effect by recording the signal in a continuous loop and retrieving it with a timed delay through dedicated tape heads. Musical placement of these heads and variations in tape speed enabled flexible delay times and repeating echoes, all while preserving the distinctive tonal character imparted by magnetic tape, forming the basis of classic delay effects. Universal Audio has thoroughly modelled this sound in the UAFX Orion Tape Echo, achieving an authentic digital representation and presenting it in a compact pedal designed for both guitarists and bassists.
This monophonic pedal is crafted with guitarists and bassists in mind, while still accommodating line-level signals, offering a flexible platform for shaping richly textured delay effects. Its controls allow detailed adjustments: The effect level determines how prominently the delay sits in the mix, the virtual recording level introduces a natural saturation, the delay time spans from 80 to 700ms, and the feedback intensity defines how the echoes build and recede. A further parameter simulates subtle drive irregularities and interacts with a three-way switch for band quality, influencing the frequency response and clarity of the virtual tape path, which adds an appealing sense of movement to the repeats. In addition, a switch enables the modelled preamp to colour the dry signal if desired, and offers a choice between true bypass and a buffered mode that preserves the fading echoes even after the pedal is switched off, ensuring a smooth and seamless decay.
The Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo offers a clear and uncomplicated way to achieve delay effects with a powerful character, placing its emphasis firmly on an authentic sound quality that captures the distinctive charm of analogue tape echo. This classic sonic signature can be brought to the stage in a practical, completely maintenance-free form, with fluid and immediate access to the controls for real-time shaping of the effect. Its unmistakable tone makes it an excellent partner for neutral, modern delay units, enriching them with retro-styled echoes that carry warmth, saturation and a touch of grit, adding depth and individuality to the overall sound.
Few manufacturers can draw upon a wealth of audio engineering experience comparable to that of Universal Audio. The company's founding father Bill Putnam, along with his friend Les Paul, have an admirable reputation as trend-setting music producers and developers of legendary analogue studio technology. Putnam recorded Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Sarah Vaughan, and was Duke Ellington's favourite sound engineer. He developed the famous 1176 Peak Limiter and distributed the Teletronix LA-2A level amplifier. This earned him a posthumous "Technical Grammy Award" in 2000. In 1999, Putnam's sons, Bill Putnam Jr. and James Putnam, re-founded Universal Audio, transferring their father's analogue vision and craftsmanship to the digital music world. Their product range includes audio interfaces, dedicated DSP farms, and a variety of plug-ins, as well as analogue hardware devices.
The creative use of tape recordings has a long history - tape loops were already being used in avant-garde music as early as 1948. Delay effects themselves have long been an integral part of music production. The tape echo plays a special role due to its specific sound characteristics, which result from continuous superimposition in the feedback path with degradation in the frequency response, revitalising impurities caused by tape material and drive, and a distinctive preamplifier. The Dub genre would be almost inconceivable without the appropriate equipment, and this also applies in full to the pedal emulation in the form of the Orion Tape Echo – from slapbacks and rhythmic enrichments of the player's own licks to striking feedback effects. Finally, the virtual preamp also delivers a good dose of character that can be used even without the delay effect.
Modelling – made by Universal Audio
Universal Audio stands at the forefront of modelling studio technology, effects devices, and tube amplifiers, meticulously capturing the essence of even the rarest originals. Every component of the original circuits is measured precisely, including specific values and characteristic curves, ensuring an accurate digital representation. This detailed approach creates a virtual model that faithfully reproduces the sound of the original, including the subtle variations introduced by its controls and switches. Depending on the device being modelled, additional defining elements and accessories are also incorporated, preserving the full character and functionality of the original equipment.