Echo Fix EFX-3: A Guide To Tape-Based Creative Sound Design

In years past, tape echoes were often employed by musicians, producers, and engineers who wanted to add space, ambiance, or rhythmic flavor to their tracks and instruments. Although they were later replaced by the cleaner and more accurate digital delays, the humble tape echo enjoyed continued use, as the character of the repeats and tonality of the machines had many musicians and engineers consider the tape echo as almost an instrument in and of itself.

Today, even though there are many pedals, plugins, and rack units that emulate the sound of a tape echo almost to a tee, many still swear by the real deal for their mixes to add depth, color, and character. Up until a few years ago, one could only rely on local classifieds or brokers to acquire a used real deal tape echo unit, until now.

Echo Fix has gone far beyond the original tape echo formula; not only paying homage to the classic functionality of tape echoes past, but also by adding features that for the first time in history are available on a true analog tape echo—namely the inclusion of individual outputs corresponding to each of the multiple playback heads. This is a true first in tape echo history, and the possibilities for this functionality are truly endless.

In today’s article, we are going to explore how to use the Echo Fix EF-X3 as the focal point for creating new and exciting sounds, with the help of some awesome gear courtesy of the Vintage King Los Angeles Showroom. But first, let's take a closer look at the setup we used to capture these samples.

EX-FX3 Setup

Those familiar with Space Echo topology will find the EF-X3’s control layout familiar, with a few additional functions. In addition to the classic EQ, feedback, motor speed, and gain controls, there are a few new additions. An analog chorus lets you switch in and out of the circuit (similar to the RE-501 and SRE-555). The motor stop and echo circuit bypass allow you to use the famous Space Echo preamps without adding unnecessary wear to the heads. Plus, feedback and motor speed are now fully controllable via CV/Expression. Finally, the addition of a Sound on Sound switch adds in a fourth delay head into the circuit, increasing the delay time exponentially.

If you would like to replicate some of the sounds below on your own EF-X3, you will need an interface capable of recording four inputs simultaneously (we used the Audient iD44 to accomplish this task), to record the individual head outputs, and an expression pedal to control feedback and speed.

PART I: DRUMS

Mono Swing: In this example, we started with a pre-recorded drum loop that was begging for a bit of swing. We sent the loop into the EF-X3 and manually tuned the speed knob until the repeats slightly dragged behind the main beat, creating an interesting rhythmic pattern. Have a listen:

VintageKingAudio · Drums Mono

Stereo Slapback: Here, we took the same loop from before, adjusted the delay time to be more of a slapback type sound, then took the individual outputs of the tape heads (found on the back of the EF-X3), and panned them hard left, hard right, center, and slightly right. The resulting sound creates a massive stereo image, with all the warmth and character that only a real tape echo can provide.

VintageKingAudio · Drums Stereo Slapback

ADT: ADT stands for Automatic Double Tracking and is an old trick dating all the way back to when the Beatles were at Abbey Road in 1966. Invented by engineer Ken Townsend, essentially it works by running two tape decks; one deck running at normal speed and the other with the tape speed varied slightly to create a wide stereo effect when panning. Many modern recreations of this effect can have mono compatibility issues, and while it sounds huge in stereo when collapsing to mono there tends to be phase cancellation and other issues since many of them work on a time-based form factor. We’re going to recreate this classic studio effect with the EF-X3 and even go beyond the original Townsend technique, while also keeping the signal mono-compatible.

We started off with a drum loop, and we set the speed of the motor to the fastest setting. Since the EF-X3 is designed to be a delay, very fast ADT-style 10-25 ms delay times are not really possible in the stock configuration. However, once you bring it into the DAW, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to recreate this sound for yourself:

Start off by connecting your source to the input of the EF-X3, and connect individual head outputs 2-4 to your interface, while connecting the main output (either the XLR on the back or the TRS jack on the front) to a separate input on your interface. Set the “Echo Volume” all the way to left, so all you have coming out of the main output is a dry signal, as well as three wet signals out of the individual head outputs (which are not affected by the “Echo Volume” control).
Next, you set the motor speed on the EF-X3 to the fastest setting. You will need to “align” your machine with the DAW, and this can be done in one of two ways:
1. Record your source through the EF-X3 on four tracks in your DAW. The first track should be your dry signal, and the other three tracks should be your head output wet signals. Manually align the transients in the DAW to the dry signal.
2. Record a pulse or click through the EF-X3, and record the four tracks as before. However, with each track, calculate the distance in samples or milliseconds between the transients of the dry signal and wet signals, and apply track delay or latency compensation as needed to each individual track, until all the outputs are aligned.
Apply EQ and compression to taste on the dry track, and then pan the wet tracks to wherever you’d like, we did hard left, hard right, and slightly off-center.
To mitigate phase issues and get a little bit closer to the sound of classic ADT, add some sort of pitch modulation to each of the three wet tracks. Since they are time aligned, when collapsing to mono you will get phase issues, however, if there is continuous slight variation in pitch on each wet track, it will remain mono-compatible. Set each instance of pitch modulation slightly differently for a wider stereo effect.

Here is the drum track recorded straight out of the EF-X3, with no post-processing:

VintageKingAudio · Drums ADT Untreated

And with the above-mentioned technique applied:

VintageKingAudio · Drums ADT Treated

PART II: GUITARS

Frippertronics-inspired Stereo Swells: While this technique is not exactly an orthodox Frippertronics method, we were inspired by the swells of sound he creates with his guitar through the use of his signature dual tape machine setup. To create this sound, we connected a guitar to the input of the EF-X3, and then connected an expression pedal to the CV Remote Feedback jack, swelling the feedback each time we finished a pass of a chord. With the regular mono output, it sounds beautiful, but by using the individual head outputs and panning them around the stereo field, the result is positively ethereal. Have a listen below:

VintageKingAudio · Guitar Swells Mono

VintageKingAudio · Guitar Swells Stereo

Bass Chorus: A classic 80’s technique with a bit of an Echo Fix flavor; we plugged a bass directly into the instrument input on the front of the EF-X3, driving the input ever-so-slightly, switching off the echo circuit and switching on the chorus circuit for a warm, lush bass tone. The combination of the analog chorus combined with the warmth of the preamp on the Echo Fix makes for a fantastic bass sound. We also recorded a pass with the echo circuit-switched in, set low in the mix to add a sort of phantom space and width to the sound of the bass, great for post-rock or new wave-inspired mixes.

VintageKingAudio · Bass Chorus Mono

VintageKingAudio · Bass Chorus Stereo

PART III: KEYS & SYNTHS

Space Vintage Vibe: Tape echoes and Rhodes pianos go together like peanut butter and chocolate, so we decided to utilize the Vintage Vibe piano in the Vintage King Showroom to create a wide stereo delay. The clean and angelic sound of the piano was deeply accentuated by the EF-X3, and panning around the multiple head outputs created a lush and warm tonality.

VintageKingAudio · Rhodes Stereo

However, we decided to take it a step further by applying a slight pitch modulation to each head output in the DAW, as well as auto-panning at different rates for each track. we then bussed them all to a group and applied Valhalla Vintage Verb to the whole thing, to create a deep, fluid, spacey sound that easily fills up a room.

VintageKingAudio · Space Rhodes Stereo

Minimoog: Again utilizing the vast cornucopia of synthesizers and keyboards at our disposal in the Vintage King Showroom, we decided to go for a classic Minimoog patch, enhanced by the individual head outs to create a characterful and wide lead sound.

VintageKingAudio · Minimoog Stereo

FM Operator: Using Ableton’s inbuilt FM synth called Operator, we wanted to find a patch that sounded unabashedly digital. Applying the warmer sound of a tape delay to it helped balance out some of the sharper digital overtones, and created a lovely contrast of a sound that could easily find its place in many modern or even vintage-style productions.

VintageKingAudio · Operator Mono

VintageKingAudio · Operator Stereo

We're only scratching the surface of what’s possible with the Echo Fix EF-X3, and as you can hear, it excels in nearly every single situation we’ve thrown at it thus far. We hope this inspires you to further explore the possibilities of your own unit and to go where no sound designer has ever gone before!

If you’re interested in purchasing the EF-X3 or have any questions about other Echo Fix products, contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.

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Echo Fix EF-X3: A Guide To Tape-Based Creative Sound Design

EX-FX3 Setup

PART I: DRUMS

PART II: GUITARS

PART III: KEYS & SYNTHS