Universal Audio UAFX Starlight Echo Station Stereo Delay Pedal

Universal Audio has been busy building its UAFX lineup with choice amp simulations and thoughtful combinations of classic effects. The brand's initial nine releases have used the same two-footswitch enclosure,  but now they are back with four new pedals that break that mold.  Meet the Orion Tape Echo, Heavenly Plate Reverb, 1176 Studio Compressor, and Evermore Studio Reverb.

This expansion to the UAFX lineup finds Universal Audio delving into the classic stompbox-size format. Each pedal features stunning emulations of vintage gear with a three-way switch and five control knobs for opening up a whole new world of unique sounds. We'll talk a little bit more about the specifics of each pedal below, but before we do...

Vintage King's Dustin McLaughlin recently got hands-on with the Orion Tape Echo, Heavenly Plate Reverb, 1176 Studio Compressor, and Evermore Studio Reverb. Watch our new Quick Hits video below to hear these four pedals in use on a number of sources, including electric guitar, bass, Moog Matriarch, Subharmonicon, and DFAM. 

Universal Audio UAFX Orion Tape Echo

The UAFX Orion Tape Echo condenses the Maestro EP-III emulation of the Starlight Echo Station into a stompbox. This pedal offers a trio of tape character options—Mint, Worn, and Old—accessible through a three-way switch. More traditional tape echo fans will be pleased to know that the EP-III's preamp can come into play via a switch on the top of the pedal. For those who really want to push their sounds out there, you can use the Wonk control to create odd splices and get modulated repeats.

Universal Audio UAFX Heavenly Plate Reverb

Guitarists and synth enthusiasts will be delighted to learn that Universal Audio has also brought its plate reverb emulation from the Golden Reverberator to this form factor. Drawing inspiration from the EMT 140, the Heavenly Plate Reverb introduces a trio of tonal selections—Vintage Bright, Vintage Dark, and Modern Full—courtesy of a three-way switch. The pedal provides a versatile toolkit for refining your reverb sound, including five knob selections; Decay, Predelay, EQ, Mod, and Mix. There are also two top-mounted switches for adjusting Mod Rate (Slow/Fast) and Bypass (Trails/True).

Universal Audio UAFX 1176 Studio Compressor

The 1176, renowned as one of the most legendary pieces of studio equipment ever created, has been skillfully reimagined in a compact pedal form by the very designers and builders who understand it best. Retaining the classic controls—Input, Output, Attack, Release, and Ratio—this compressor pedal stays faithful to its iconic namesake. Notably, the Ratio knob even offers an "all buttons in" option, producing some much sought-after gritty sounds. And for those aiming to layer compressors, UA accommodates you with a three-way switch that toggles between Single, Dual, and Sustain modes.

Universal Audio UAFX Evermore Studio Reverb

Completing this exciting new wave of UAFX pedals, the Evermore introduces yet another captivating reverb offering. Universal Audio is returning to the Golden Reverberator, but this time is opting to utilize the pedal's plate reverb emulation. The Evermore's three-way switch allows you to choose between room, Small Hall, and Large Hall sounds, and you can dial it in with Treble, Mid, Bass, Mod, and Mix controls. This pedal also features two switches on top of the enclosure, one for Mod Rate (Slow / Fast) and one for Bypass (Trails / True).

If you’re interested in purchasing UAFX pedals or have questions about other Universal Audio gear, contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.

When we were talking about doing a giveaway with Universal Audio, we knew we wanted to take it to the next level. Maybe an Apollo Twin X? Maybe a UAFX pedal? Incredible prizes, to say the least, but we wanted to spread the love to more than just one winner.

So, Vintage King and Universal Audio have teamed up to give four lucky winners each a prize in our April giveaway. The first randomly selected winner will receive an Apollo Twin X QUAD, the award-winning audio interface with two onboard Unison preamps, elite AD/DA conversion, and a killer bundle of UAD plug-ins.  Our three runner-ups will get their choice of a UAFX pedal, including new releases like the Del-Verb, Galaxy '74, and Max.

As for the winning part, you know us, we like to keep it simple. Fill out the form on this page, follow us on Instagram, like the post with the giveaway graphic, and you'll be entered to win. Be sure to select the UAFX pedal you would like as a prize from the dropdown menu on the form. You have until 11:59 pm on May 24th to enter and then we will select four random entries and announce our winners here on the blog. Be sure to read our official rules and we wish you all the best of luck.

Congratulations to our grand prize winner Raymond Gonzalez of South Miami, Florida. Our runner-up winners were Terrence McDaniels of Hercules, California, Alan Serrano of Riverside, California, and Annette Prejean of Opelousas, Louisiana.

Want to get more familiar with our prizes? Check out these videos below:

Universal Audio Apollo Twin X

Universal Audio UAFX Pedal Demos

Have questions about gear from Universal Audio? Please contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160

Universal Audio has a long history of creating authentic digital emulations of classic analog designs. Today, UA announced three new amp emulation stompboxes, adding to the brand's current collection of popular UAFX pedals. The new Dream ‘65 Reverb Amplifier ($399), Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier ($399) and Woodrow ’55 Instrument Amplifier ($399) UAFX pedals utilize powerful dual-engine processing and world-class UAD modeling to recreate the sound and feel of three timeless amps.  Continue reading →

At the beginning of 2021, Universal Audio introduced the world to its new series of UAFX pedals, including the Astra Modulation Machine, Golden Reverberator and Starlight Echo Station. Each pedal features three impeccable UAD emulations of vintage studio gear with six knobs, three switches and two footswitches for controlling your sound. Universal Audio is now expanding your ability to command its UAFX pedals with the new UAFX Control Mobile App. This free app for iOS and Android phones enables users to control aspects of each pedal via Bluetooth connectivity. As of right now, you can rename your pedal, control switchable bypass options for effect trails and customize your footswitch modes. Continue reading →