Hiwatt CTE Custom Tape Echo

Very easy to use. 3 knobs; one for input volume, one for echo volume and one for repeat/feedback (the number of echo repeats).

It also has a mode switch, with three modes. Mode 1 is specialized for short delay times, mode 2 for long delay times and mode 3 makes a mix of both the short and the long echos.

The manual explains everything thoroughly and even has some sample settings.

It takes a while to find out how to make the delay sounds like you want it to. But like someone else wrote; what delay doesn't?

I use it as an outboard effect when mixing tracks, using the aux send of my mixing board.

In contrast to other tape echoes I've owned this unit does NOT produce a lot of noise. I can't say it doesn't produce any noice, but it's not much.

The delay sound is as good (or perhaps even better) as the sound of old tape delays. And, of course, approximately 5000 times better than on any other digital or analog delay unit/pedal.

You can produce any echo fr??n 100 ms to 2000 ms. I don't think anyone can ask for more than this.

I've only had it for a few months, so I can't really tell. Looks and feels reliable.

Haven't really dealt with them, but I know you can find all the manuals on their website.

I realize it sounds like I'm being over-enthusiastic but this delay is awesome; it sounds just like I want it to.

The only - is the price.

It is very easy to use. As easy as a delay pedal, but sounds way better.

I wanted to compare this to the older vintage delay units and see if it would stack up.

I have to say the review that says a beat to death echoplex sounds better needs to get his ears checked.

I have owned a few tape delays in my years and still have a vintage korg stage echo. this one can cop those tones 100%. All you have to do is use the slow tape speeds and all that cool lo-fi tape tone comes out in spades.

The unit has two playback heads. One is close to the record head one is farther. If you use the farther head you will get a more high fi sound closer to a very warm digital delay on the first couple of repeats. You can use the first head at a lower speed to get most of the same delay times but with a warmer and more vintage tone. While the sound is more lo-fi it is also more pleasing and is the classic tape delay tone that most of us crave: nice and dark from the first repeat fading into a liquidy goop of tonal bliss.

Don't shy away from this unit thinking it won't be warm or dark enough it very capable of that and is also capable of higher resolution sounds that no vintage delay can do.

It is really the best of both worlds and with nearly 2 seconds of delay it has more time than the maxon or moog delays. You can sweep the delay time with an expression pedal which is very cool.

The only place this unit doesn't deliver is the record mode. Firstly it makes a loud click when it is engaged and the click is recorded. The only way around it is to put it in record mode while it is in automatic mode so the tape starts to run when the sound comes in. Also it is not sound on sound so it is pretty pointless anyway. I have a looping pedal so i don't really care about the record mode it seems like it was an after thought.

This is the first NEW tape delay since the korg stage echo that I am aware of (i'm not counting the two crappy echoplex remakes: junky "the plex" and unreliable fulltone copy) It delivers so i have to give it a ten in spite of the record mode.

Awesome but expensive, however you could get two for the cost of the fulltone.

This is a continuation of my last review, the one below, and I have a few more things to add.
1) The main volume knob can act as a pre-amp when turned past it's half-way point, a nice way to drive a tube amp.
2) I cleaned the heads with a q-tip the other day and must give warning to anyone who considers doing this (really helps the sound after a few hours of play): there is a little metal strip with some foam that holds the tape against the record head, to clean the head, this must be moved, loosen the screw rather than trying to bend the strip out of the way. If you loosen the screw, you can rotate the strip out of the way, clean the head, rotate it back, and tighten the screw. If you just try to bend it, you won't be able to get it back to the proper position and the unit won't work properly.

It takes some fooling around with, but, hell, what delay doesn't. I bought a footswitch on musicians friend for $15 and would suggest that you use one unless you always use delay. I plan on getting an expression pedal to control the tape speed remotely (an analog answer to tap tempo and allows you to get some kick ass effects i.e. spaceship taking off), as well. But, hey, turn the knobs until you find a sound you like. Time knob adjusts tape speed, rather than change the distance between the record head and playback head, which allows you to change the pitch of the delays. And it has two playback heads that can be used individually or together.

Pretty damn good. Much better than any digital units I've used with their brittle reproductions. Digital units are just too damn clean. You don't get crystal clear reproductions with tape but I never play clean so it works for me. You can get anything from slapback echo all the way to scare the hell out of the neighbors delay. The longer the delay time is set, the dirtier the delays get. I love it. I set it up at the end of my chain, after a Dunlop crybaby classic, 70's MXR Distortion+, Voodoo Lab Super Fuzz (soon to be a tonebender clone), and a Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe. Then it just goes into a Soldano SLO 100. Sure, it may not have the same soul as a vintage echoplex, but it's probably a lot more reliable than those old units. Would be nice if it was tube, though.

I've had it for a year and haven't had any problems and I got it used. Since it is a tape delay, it needs some help from time to time. I have to oil the rollers and clean the heads. I'd use it without a backup.

It's a great unit if you can find one for a fair price. You can get a wide range of sounds out of it. Tape delays are the best if you don't mind a little bit of work.

Very easy.

Me and the guys at my shop (all guitar players) were very eager to hear this thing. We have the REAL echoplex at our place as well. We thought that a better tape system, modern electronics and RACK mountable was gonna give us a better tape echo. We hook it up dial it in (very easy) and test drive. 1st thing was were is the tone???. The unit was very good at not altering the tone and the repeats were very accurate. Hey not bad we thought. Then we hooked up the old EP3 Echoplex (we call it "grandpa") and SORRY the EP3 killed the new guy. Yes the EP3 colored the tone (in an awesome way), is noisy and is big to haul around. IT HAD TONE!!!
Side by side the old school vintage ecoplex beats all delays hands down. This thing (Hiwatt echo) is still better than your digital delays all day long but its not even close to the old vintage echoplex as far as soulful tone. The EP3 just whips the Hiwatts ass EASY. If you NEED space, this unit is sill better than the old school echoplex BUT if you want TONE the real plex is the way to go.
Now this unit does sound real good and is worth checking so I give it a strong "8".

Looks very dependable. Well designed.

Nope

Great unit but I like the vintage unit 500% more. Kills bucket delay and digital delays all day long. Does not color tone (well that is a good thing). I think Hiwatt should get the EP3 schematic and build that circuit into this thing and this thing would just f*$%ing rock. Its got everything else going on esp. being rack mountable it just needs a soul.

Fairly easy to use, 3 modes of echo. I was able to easily dial up nice rock-a-billy style echo, change the mode switch and have a nice dreamy echo. SO MUCH BETTER THAN DIGITAL! Thier is nothing like the sound of real tape delay. The manual shows how to use the unit in several applications and how to set it up. My biggest gripe is paying as much money as I did and the thing didn't include a footswitch! Without the switch the unit is on all the time, so I'll have to deduct a point for that! You can control the tape speed via an expression pedal. I haven't tried that yet.

My setup is fairly simple I run either a ES-135 w/bigsby or a Epi Sharaton with Rio Grande pickups through a Fender pedal tuner, a Ibanez TS-9, and a Visual Sound H20 (which I'm shelving for the Hiwatt!) into a early 90's white Fender Deluxe Reverb fitted with a custom Bruce Zinky 12" speaker and modified to use 6L6's. All my cables are George L's (vintage red w/unplated brass ends.) My biggest sound gripe is they say it has true bypass. But somehow it seems to change my sound when the unit is bypassed in the direct chain. Thanks to someones Guyatone Tape echo review I learned a nice trick. From the TS-9 I run the signal into a Morley ABY box. From channel A the signal goes direct to the reverb channel of my amp giving a true bypass, and retaining the tone I'm farmiliar with. From channel B the signal goes to the Hiwatt and into channel 1 or the dry channel of my deluxe. This works well because I really don't mix echo and reverb. The sound is pure analog and gritty. I easily nailed the Setzer Tone in mode 1. Mode 2 does more of the spacey, 60's delays, and mode 3 combines the two for way cool sounds. This thing kills any analog or digital pedal! The adaptor adds a small amount of noise along with a very minimal tape hiss. Hiwatt used low noise DC motors which helps reduce unwanted sound. There's nothing like tape delay!

I don't know I've only had it for 1 week. As far as a backup unit, I couldn't afford to have two, so I'll have to take a Digital delay for backup. The unit is built like a tank and looks very reliable

I emailed Hiwatt to find out about foot switches or the expression pedal, and to find out how long before you need to change the tape. I get the impression only they can do it. They have yet to respond so I'm going to have to low ball this one. Thank goodness the guys at Pro Musician Outlet in Clearfield, UT were able to help.

I've wanted a tape echo for years, but was never able to afford one. You always hear people praise them in the studio, but shun them on stage because of reliability reasons. Nothing to worry about with this unit. It retains the retro sound with modern technology. I play a mix of rock-a-billy, surf, blues ,swing, old school country and even some rock-n-roll. I've been playing for around 15 years and always been a minimalist with my rig. In fact this is the first effect I've used in my rig that dosn't use 9V's. Adaptors save money but add noise from neon lights in clubs. Oh well, it's the sacrifice you make I guess. It's nice and compact too. If your looking for real tape echo, look no further than this unit! My saluete to Hiwatt R&D. If I lost it or it got stole, I'd have to replace it, it just might take a while to get the cash together. Excellent value considering what the vintage units go for.