Rockman Stereo Echo

Very easy to use. Just adjust the sliders until it sounds the way you want. The sliders are actually way better than knobs for real time manipulating. You can almost play the thing like an instrument. The right and left echos are automatically out of sync for some reason. I wish that you could change this feature, but I have learned to live with it.

Really nice analog sound. Very little noise. Makes crappy sounding things sound better.

So far no problems.

For the price ($200-$300) and the half rack size, this is a great effect unit. I use it with drum machines and synthesizers.

easy

beautiful

works

who?

this is merely a response to several reviews that considered this unit to be "over-hyped". this unit excels at "subtlety" (much like it's sister unit the Stereo Chorus). there are no Elvis era "slapbacks" or pounding "replicant" echoes here. one slider controls "Echo Time" and it is "staggered" between the left and right channels. while this may seem to be a limitation (at first) I feel that it adds a wonderful bit of organic "movement" to the echo. the repeats seem to "move" or "drift" slightly in space. i also own an Ibanez AD202 and UE405 and several Yamaha analog delays. i love all of them..but there is something unique about THIS particular unit. when coupled with the matching Stereo Chorus the Rockman Stereo Echo makes my guitar emit the most unearthly (yet organic) panoramic widescreen sweetness imagineable. i love this unit. if you want modulation and slapback and other results LOOK ELSEWHERE. if you want subtle depth and dimension....look at the Rockman Stereo Echo.

It's not hard to figure out but it's not that versatile. There's only one slider to set BOTH delays. The manufacturer presumes that their hard-wired relationship between the left and right channels is the only one you'll ever want. I felt very trapped immediately. Maybe I was unrealistically expecting two separate delay units in one box.

I'm in complete agreement with the reviewer before me. I was drawn in by the hype and was sorely disappointed. I love the Rockman Stereo Chorus but the Stereo Echo doesn't hold a candle to the Ibanez AD202. This is obviously my subjective opinion but I couldn't hear what people find so special about this unit. I want to buy up the world's AD202's and wait for them to appreciate to $600.

No opinion. Didn't have it long enough to say for sure but it was 25 years old and worked perfectly.

No opinion.

You might love this unit. It's just not for me.

I'm into anything creative and original. I play through a V4, 147 and a JCM800. I own a '71 Les Paul, and lots of other guitars in rotation, but my main guitar is actually a Memphis copy of a Les Paul Junior Special, very similar to the 2-pickup Univox version, which I also like very much. I mod most of my pedals other than my stock Home Brew Germacide.

No manual, but who needs one. Pretty straight forward.

This unit is a total hype, and I can't believe I fell for it. I bought it for its stereo option and I sold my Ibanez AD202 (idiot), I figured it would work well with my Marshall Jmp-1's stereo effect loop (I also use a Maxon AD9 in front of the preamp which is amazing. It's just a really cheesy 80s sounding delay and in no way comparable to Ibanez/Maxon BBD delays even though it uses similar BBD chips. I believe the people praising the unit here are just trying to drive up the prices on Ebay. I hope I'll be lucky enough to find another AD202, and when I do get it, I'm never parting with it again.

Looks quite sturdy.

I've never dealt with them, apparently Jim Dunlop still services these.

If you're looking for a Boston type sound this delay unit might be for you, it just has that character about it. Other than that, it will be really difficult to incorporate it into your own unique sound/setup. The only thing I like about it is its stereo inputs. I've been trying forever to put together an all analog rackmount stereo setup and I finally thought this is it, but the unit was a total disappointment.

Super easy. Delay time and Feedback are your main controls. Have a choice of stereo mix via 3 slider switch, and echo volume for each channel.
There is a bypass 1/4" jack on back to remotely bypass the unit in a rack setup. Can use a midi octopus or footswitch.

This thing sounds so sweet. Warm and glowy delay. Tweeaking the feeback and delay times range from simple slapback, to a pseudo reverb, to full-on space-like echo. Always sounds good no matter how I yank the settings around.

I use this with a marshall preamp, also have a rockman sustainor, banks of eq (2 rockman eq units and digitech midi programable eq... it's a bit overkill), rockman stereo chorus, rockman midi octopus to control it all, into 4channel mixer, then into carvin and marshall stereo poweramps. Also use a rackmounted rockman x100.

This is used both live and in studio. Mostly for studio because the thing sounds SOooooooo good. I am nervous about taking it outside the shop!!!

I have no doubt that this thing will last as long as there is power in the outlet. Would I gig without a backup? Yes and no. Yes, because I know this will last forever. No, because they are getting harder to come by, and fear for it getting ripped off, so I am reluctant to gig with it.

SR&D is kaput. Support is not needed with this puppy. It just works. A nice legacy for them to leave behind.

I play all kinds for almost 20 years. From funk to fusion, to reggae and ska-jazz and your garden variety of pop metal influenced stuff.
I won't talk about this thing being stolen... it would be bad.
I love the shimmering, swirly tones I get with this... like a wash of sound. With a dynacomp, a solidstate marshall preamp, a rockman stereo chorus unit, this stereo delay, 2 cabs, and out of phase single coil tones, I get some of the BEST clean sounds. Andy Summers and Gilmour can eat their heart out. I kid you not, it's that good. After trying lots of digital crap, I swear by an all analog pipeline. Sure it can be a tad noisier, but now I find VST plugins which are used to add pops and AC current noise to sterile digital tones. Talk about coming full circle... but they don't add the warmth. I know people are saying this and that about warmth, but this is the real deal. Digital effects always sound metallic and grainy by comparison. Sure they are sharper, and depending how you mix, you might not ever be able to tell. But I'm a believer now. Digital is only good for controlling analog equipment and final mix down in a program like cubase. Digital is not good for creating or capturing sound.
Overall, you will not be able to find a better sounding delay unit. There might be other analog units that sound just as good, but I will put my neck out and say they are probably not better.

Completely intuitive once you're hooked up. This is made for old 60's guys who pulled long on the bong. If you have fingers, eyes and ears you can figure it out. Brain is optional.
Having said that, there are some technical tweaks that take time. Understanding input gain, the subtleties of pan select, and setting the L/R echo volumes and WHY they work so well are explained in techno detail in the manual, which can be accessed on www.rockman-central.com. But again, this comes intuitively once you're in the woodshed. I'm only giving it a 9 because it's not as simple as an old stompbox, but the sound....oiyh

Hands down the finest analog echo I've ever heard or used. There is nothing like it for warmth, spacious ambience, and subtle 'floatiness'. It demands attention, and can almost bring you to tears. Basically I concur with most of what's been said before.
However, I did notice a bit of distortion and gainy dirt at very loud volume, contrary to what somebody said about ultra clean. But maybe that's part of the analog warmth...

It shipped from the states and was opened at customs. Then I immediately dropped it on the floor when setting it up. It looks like it's used to this kind of treatment. But it works like a charm, and is built like an old Buick.

You know the story here.

I should have bought this years ago. It can add such majesty and depth to a solo, and warmth and beauty to chord work. It's durable and user-friendly.
I've been playing for 35 years and feel like I've stumbled onto holy ground. I'd play barefoot if my old Traynor wouldn't electrocute me.
I mainly use a g&l legacy with Fralin p'ups, or my beloved 335, into a McIntyre Stereo 30 watt Tradition with t 2-10's and stereo tubed fx loops. The amp loves this effect. I also use the Rockman chorus in front of the echo in a Rockman rack. Together they take you to the very vestibule of heaven itself. Sometimes I put a George Dennis wah/volume and an Option 5 overdrive pedal in front. But that's gravy.
I play mainly blues, fusion, classic rock, reggae. This thing makes anything sound better and FEEL better. It takes you to the best places musically and makes you want to play more. I catch myself phrasing and leaning in totally new ways. Who could ask for more than that from a 15 year old black and blue box of metal and wires?

It's a Rockman...anybody can use it ! Although I got it used (on Ebay) without the owner's manual, you don't need the manual to understand the various controls. It's very user-friendly and takes about one minute for you to fully grasp the working of this unit.

The really cool feature is the stereo inputs and outputs; you can use on or two inputs, and you still have a stereo imaging at the outputs.

By pluging into the left input, and by putting a dummy 1/4" plug in the right input, the right output becomes "wet signal" only. You must ajust the "PAN SELECT" switch at the middle position.

This unit is so quiet (for an analog echo). There is no noise added whatsoever, the processed effect has no distortion of any kind and the echoes are clean. We're talking FAT analog sound here. They don't make this technology anymore.

Some companies will try to fool you into thinking their pedals or racks are analog, but they're not. I've actually checked a few ones, and it's a digital circuit with an eq at the end to simulate the loss of high frequencies associated with analog circuitry.

Not this one ! Nothing comes close to its richness and magic; this is true analog circuitry. A must have (if you can find one).

Althougt the rockman sound of the Sustainor or Distortion Generator may not be my cup of tea, the Stereo Echo is in fact, great (along with the Stereo Chorus). What's very interesting is how quiet it is.

A maximum of 500ms of delay may seem short, but actually, it's not. This unit also performs great when wanting some 1950's type slap-back.
You should try it on vocals.

It's built to last. After having a look inside and examining the guts of this unit (I'm an electronic technician), this is how any piece of electronic equipment SHOULD be built. I own other rockman racks (since the late 80's) and not once has any one of them failed on me.

It's trustworthy and needs no maintenance, except for the usual contact cleaner on the switches and faders once every two years or so.
Cleaning the front panel is also very easy: you take out four screws (on the panel), and then just use soapy water to clean it.

The electronics are also reassuring: all the parts inside are standart, rugged and easy to find components (should you need to do a repair. I, for one, never had to).

The company is closed. Bummer.

The legendary sound in a half-rack format. This unit will adapt itself when connected to different equipment from different companies (sound level wise).

An analog echoe may not be for everybody, due to shorter delay times (compared to digital delays) and no delay "hold" function. It is still a classic sound that cannot be duplicated with digital circuitry. I've seen a few companies try and all of them failed (see "SOUND QUALITY" above).

One feature may seem a bit odd: 75ms-300ms of delay on the left channel and 125ms-500ms on the right channel. There is a reason for this difference: The echoes will bounce left and right without ever interfering with each others (because of the difference in time delay). Somehow, it just works right.

I'm keeping all my Rockmans forever, as these also may turn into vintage collectible pieces of gear.

I give this unit two thumbs up, way up. I've been playing for 22 years, and I've seen my share of effects. A rockman is a great addition to any rig, whether you play guitar, bass, keyboard...

If you can find one, get it ASAP. These babies are going fast and they don't make this kind of rack anymore.

piece of cake!

simply put this is the best delay/echo unit EVER made.Forget about anything else,digital,analog,tape or no tape!NOTHING comes close to this thing!!!I rate it 100!!!Notes are clear and clean engulfed by the sweetest echo ever!

built like a tank it is 15 years old and still goes on.Just spray a bit of antistatic in the connections every 3 or 4 years.I even connected a DC *(instead of AC) convertor once and nothing blew off!!

This is the bussiness!!If you want the best forget about the rest!Try and find one since the company is out of bussiness.NOTHING I repeat NOTHING even comes close is terms of sound.

1/2 rack space. a few sliders and switches. grade school stuff.

this thing sounds so good it makes me sick....SICK that i blew all
that cash on those hokey digital delay units with all that slick
advertising. it IS analog,..don't expect PERFECT MIRROR IMAGE
repititions of you you funnel into it. but i certain cases, analog
is good. and this is as good as it gets.

no problems.

i called information for the Boston area and asked for Tom Sholz's
phone number,...but didn't have much luck. heh heh.

i run this AFTER my Rockman Stereo Chorus. i plug in a guitar. i pick
a few notes and strum a few chords. everything is allright with the
world. analog delay is blurry and sweet and unrefined,...kinda like
an old Hollywood film....the older it gets, the better it seems.
good stuff. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Very easy to use. A few sliders for feedback, delay time (up to 500ms0 and output level for each delay time.

Very organic sounding delay. Also very quiet.

Rock solid.

Never needed.

Not a noisey unit, but I do have complaints. Every one who rates this never says anything bad, and lets face it, everything lacks somewhere. The biggest problem is with the outputs. This unit is made to run in series, hence the stereo inputs. If you run effects in parellel in the send of a line mixer this unit is a problem. There is no way to remove the dry signal at the outputs in a parrelel setup, which leads to unity gain problems when the effect is engaged. If it had a seperate dry output, you could not connect it and blend the beautiful sound og the echo with the original dry signal from your guitar. I'm surprised it doesn't incorporate this because I have a stereo chorus/ Delay unit that has a seperate wet and dry output. Si it forces you to use it in series which leads to another problem. The bypass switch is functional at the output stage rather than the input stage, which means the echo doesn't trail off all the way. That's why input muting in a parallel set up is so organic. If these problems could be fixed this would without a doubt be one of the greatest analog delays ever produced. Great sound.