Revox tape machine as a tape delay, how good?

[dbbubba]

I don't think most Revox decks will have the VSP option, so you'll be stuck with the delay of 7.5 IPS and 3.75 IPS.
There is nothing wrong with those delay times and they have been used for years without VSO (speed control.)

I do know that King Tubby used an Echoplex because I have that famous pic of him mixing and he has an Echoplex right there on top of that old Soundcraft console.

Echoplexes and Space Echoes will allow you to get delay times that are faster, slower and in-between what you'll get on the Revox.

If you could find a better deck with VSO you'd be set.

[Led]

Revox B77 has varispeed. I have one and use it sometimes for 'cleaner' delays. It doesn't have as much charcter as a tape echo. I have a 501 and a Copicat and prefer them both for that sort of thing. The Revox is also good for samples/synth things with shrill top end, it smooths it out in a good way. If you can get one cheap they are good for running things off to a recording back into the DAW.

[tombak]

Yeah as the other said you'd be better off with a proper tape delay unit, space echo, echo plex etc.

A tape machine with vari speed can be used and does sound nice and it fun to manipulate since you can actually grab the tape if you want but all the jamaican guys were using the box units as they were much more versatile. Tape machine delay will get you much more of a 50's sort of sci fi sound than dub-reggae.

Also check into a Effectron II, Mad Professor and Scientist were using those in the 80's and got great sounds. 12 bit explosions.

[Led]

Something the revox is good for is as a predelay for reverb.

[Bitsmith]

oh - i guess this was three years ago- but for the record the PR99 is FINE. They have varispeed AND tape echo function (at least the model II does - which is what I have). Sort of like a hi-fi space echo.

[audioexmachina]

Originally Posted by Bitsmith

oh - i guess this was three years ago- but for the record the PR99 is FINE. They have varispeed AND tape echo function (at least the model II does - which is what I have). Sort of like a hi-fi space echo.

PR99 MKIII HS here, it's fine as well as an analog delay with varispeed.

BTW: you don't even need a varispeed model if the deck is placed into a DAW's send/return. Just add a buffer pluging (digital delay 100% wet with 0% feedback) in the same fx chain as the deck and you have 100% tape-delay tone with a wide range of delay durations. The buffer, being in the feedback loop, decouples delay length from tape speed.