Roland RE-201 Space Echo

Well, the echo is easy to use as an effect. But is a lot of rattle to maintain. You can't find the original tapes (if soemone does, please contact me), in a small country as mine, there aren't a suffucient number off people who know how to repair a precious piece of equipment as this. Tha maintenance isn't very hard, it is just how to find it. Therefore the 6.

How can you not be a space echo lover? This is the sound I was looking for. No echo can make me cry like this one. Problem is, now I'm talking about a perfect working space echo. Mine isn't. Mine is giving a distorted sound. The sound you get when your batteries on your sissy boss delay is running empty.
Still I give it a 10 for the sound it has when it works perfect.

Well, mine is 25 years old and the motor still works. But the sound died some time ago. I have to find me a new one. It still is operational and maybe the poor distorted sound I get comes from a minor problem (now if you all hope with me, then maybe it is just that). But I guess it wont let you down on a gig, more like in between.

Roland tells you to bug off. Well not in so many words. In no words at all actually, wich is basically the same. But hey, maybe someone else was lucky enough to get an answer from the roland company?
And I would like to give my repairman a 10, but the only repair man i know off is too busy working on this things that he has a waiting list of 6 months, if you're lucky. So please Roland, reissue these things, I cant afford to miss it, and I can't afford to fly allover the world to get the gear to fix it. Maybe I should learn how to fix it myself, so if anyone knows and wants to share this craft with me, look up to the email adress.

I play alternative rock, somewhere between radiohead/coldplay and massive attack/portishead. So you know why I love this jewel. Overal ratings are difficult. I'd give a leg for a working Re-201, but there is allways a maximum price you can pay before it becomes ridiculous, and it is getting close to the border (some products have allready crossed it, try to find a moog or a fender rhodes or a B3 hammond with a leslie) I'm pissed cos mines not working properly and I cant find a tape in my country (belgium) to see if it is just the tape, and you know that it doesn't work the same with self spliced tapes. I can't find someone to look at it and tell me what is wrong with it. But once it works then the tears roll over your cheeks and you know that it is worth all the trouble.

Easy enough to use, no major problems. Ive got a modified space echo, it has a little switch next to the From P.A input, it will only play the echo and not the bass note when switched on.

WOW!! Noisy as hell but thats why i bought it....Its good noise!!! The echo on the unit is amazing, it sounds out of this world when vocals are put through it too! Im running a Fender Tele(Squire though...I like them more!)--->Digitech Whammy-->Boss Tremelo-->Small Clone -->Big Muff-->Small Stone Phaser-->Electro Harmonix Frequency Analyzer-->Memory Man-->Space Echo-->Marshall JCM 800...WOW these effects sound awsome through the echo! I can really get some radiohead/portishead sounds outta the space echo too!

As its nearly 30 years old, i would like to be able to depend on it, but i can see this thing breaking down when i most need it! MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR ECHOS PEOPLE!!!

Never dealt with Roland, but i doubt they would know anything about the space echo...Too busy selling rubbish digital reverbs to rubbish bands!

As im really into bands such as Radiohead, Pumpkins, Pink Floyd, Primal Scream, Cooper Temple Clause, Mogwai i find this unit to bring out a certain tone, which is reminicent of these bands! If it were stolen i would definetly buy it again! Maybe even the 301?!?!I love the whole idea of there being lots of moving, noisy parts going around in it, i prefere hands on effects then digital ones! I also own a Memory Man, and thats got a very similar sound to the space echo, but theres something missing. If you can't afford/find a space echo i would recommend a Memory Man! I feel this as improved my sound and the way i play, and my life! My girlfriend is beginning to get jelous of it, i asked if it could come to bed with us but she told my to P**s O*f ! The sound out this thing is so good, you might even consider splitting up with your partner for one!

treble, bass, intenstiy, time (up to 400ms), echo volume, input vols, reverb.

the best echo ever! this blows everything else away. the delay is great, goes very fast, the reverb works well with the delay (not alone), you can overdrive the inputs for a nice full sound. The echo has a quite subtle vibrato/chorus sound which adds to the vintage beauty. it's quiter than most pedals and doesn't ruin your tone on or off. it goes from 1 repeat to infinte (self oscillation) when the rate changed speed and pitch. this complements every effect: distortion, tremolo, phase, filter. the only bad thing is having to replace tape (i haven't yet) because i don't often turn the effect off.

1960's and is my most reliable pedal.

i've been playing guitar for ten years.
radiohead have two of these. listen to the radio in EXIT MUSIC and NATIONAL ANTHEM aswell as the lead in SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK ALIEN, with a whammy. i play acoustic indie to space rock and this works with anything. if it were stolen i'd pay $1,000,000 to replace it. the LINE 4 immitation is nothing like this: that sounds clinical and the distortion is sharp in comparison to the bassy tape saturation of this.
my set up: Rickenbacker/USA Tele >>> Ibanez Tube Compressor >>> Frostwave Funk-a-Duck >>> Colorsound Wah >>> 70's EHX small stone >>> Boss BF-2 >>> AC-15TBX (shit).
You can find these in ebay. if you like echo, buy one now!

Well, having had tons of different echo units, I would definitely say this is a very easy to use plug and go unit. Mine is probably 30 years and it takes a little warming up (love to fix it, but, oh well, it is the price you pay). The reverb, like they said, is cheap and brash, but I love that! Too clean of a sound doesn't give any personality to what you do, anyway. But, boy, mess with it a little bit, and you can get all kinds of slapback, creamy washes, smooth repeats, anything. But, I suggest you play with it a while to find what you want.

I play a modified Japanese Jag with DiMarzio humbuckers in it. I tend to record direct to not color the tone of my effects, which are 95% analog, anyway. Is it noisy? A little, but I don't care so much. Like I said, its not noise, its like a little personality. Now, as for analog delays, I have the Boss DM-2 and a 80's guyatone analog delay,as well as a line 6 delay thingy. The tape echo is 100 times more musical than the line 6, The line 6 ACTS like a space echo, but the depth of the tone is what I find missing (but any way, I love line 6!). IF I HAD ONLY ONE EFFECT, IT WOULD BE THE SPACE ECHO!! For sure, hands down. The tone is just beautiful, not counting the reverb and the multi-tap effects you can do on it, it is the tone of the thing that counts. Its simply warm and lush (could romantic be a good word?). Fantastic.

Well, this thing is old, and I don"t know of many people that service it, but, in and of itself, it is o.k. The warmup time (of mine, being old) is a pain, but, oh well!

If anybody has info and space cho repairs, please email me. Thank You. Arigato Gozaimasu. Daedanhi Kamsa Hamnida.

Now, a little about myself. I lived in Japan for 3 years, and now, I live in Korea (I am into languages). I have a few different guitars (my favorite is the jag), and about 40 effects (rare, vintage, and modern) and I love them like my children (us guys and our toys). Even my businesss cards have a space echo on them, and an ex-lover made a space echo t-shirt as a present, so, I love this thing. My first one was a re-101 echo I found for 10 dollars at a junk shop in the japanese countryside. I knew the verve used one on their first album, and since then, I learned many artists used and still use them. I picked up two more since then (one for free, as a gift and one for $50, which I still use today). Well, the 101 died, and one of the re-201's echo got shortened (why? Don't know). So, I gave them to friends, and am now searching for one more (found it, cheap, but haven't got it yet). I like to play styles from the 60's to the late 90's (I especially love 80's psychedleic rock: echo and the bunnymen, the cure, the waterboys, the stone roses, and, of course, my bloody valentine), so the echo fits well in those categories. Like I said before, IT'S THE TONE. What I like about analog effects is the unpredictability of them. The slight pitch shift of the turning tape in the echo is great, but it is that soupy, thick, gorgeous TONE that would sell anyone thinking of buying. Digital can"t match it(yet, anyway, but I DO like and use my Line 6), and although I love analog pedals, they are still not the same. TONE. If was stolen, well, first, if children are listening, I can't use that kind of language, O.K.? I have a lot of effects to make a variety of sounds, but if I had one, it would be this. Very beautiful, but unpredictable (as in very slight pitch shift) sounds, which I think should appeal to all fans of delay. Basically, if you want perfection, get a digital delay, if you want beautiful.... If you think it is expensive, you will spend your money on something else, anyway. Don't consider price, consider sound and tone, which is what music is about. Breathtaking. Space echo. I wish roland would send make me a sponsor. I would tattoo a sign on my forehead (thus killing every chance have to get laid in the future ..."What the heck is that??? Oh this, it is a space echo! Not that, that!!!! hahahahaha)!

If anybody is a convert, please email, and headline it "Space Echo" so I will not delete it. Thanks.

lots of knobs to fiddle with but great fun and you'll quickly learn it. Sure beats the tedium of scrolling through soft menus. Separate control plus EQ for reverb. Delay and delay/reverb settings offer many useful variations. The manual is stapled to the lid. Very flexible controls and I/O.

analog warmth! sure some tape hiss, but when played into a guitar amp it just adds some air. It's easy to dissassemble: use Caig Deoxit once to clean the pots and switch controller --you'll never have to open it up again. The effect is just tasty. The great thing about true tape delay is the attenuation of each successive repeat's high frequencies: as it fades, it cools off so that it doesn't interfere with the attack of the new note. It's a spring reverb --hey, the reverb tank inside has a label that states that it is hand assembled by "beautiful girls in controlled atmosphere" in Wisconsin: honest! I play amplified harmonica and this effect just drips cool. You can push it into self-ocsillation which results in a slamming, graduallly glowing percussive alien take over. My kids love playing with it to emulate space travel and ray guns. You can get a quick slap back or rockabilly or pretty much any other WARM delay effect.

Got it at a flea market for $30 without the Roland tape cartridge. You don't need one! Make a 17' loop (diagonal splice) of backcoated i/4 inch low to medium bias tape and prepare for tedium when you load it up cause it will loop all over the place and jump out at you. Be gentle, friend, and take your time. Keep the heads clean (isopropyl alcohol). This device is made well and should operate for a long time.

I'm sure that someone works on them: call Roland service for a referral.

I play rock, blues, etc. I would weep if it were stolen. I really love it: the sound is terrific and it's great to fiddle with the controls as you're playing. Oh yes, it has a delay cut remote pedal.
Bring this thing back into production! It kicks the ass of all the digital delays I've heard (OK, the new Line 6 delay thing is cool and good value, I guess).

This unit is dead easy to use & highly tweakable. All the control parameters are situated on the front of the panel including the outputs, so the only thing you'll have to feel around the back for is the little hole for the power cord recess. Front panel provides a peak level meter, VU meter, Two MIC volume dials & their respective inputs below those. Beside which is the single instrument input & instrument volume dial. A Normal/Echo switch to cancel effect, 11 stage 360degree Mode selector switch & then a Reverb only as the twelfth selection. Theres a PA out & then the normal output with a three way selector switch High/Medium/Low for the kind of output level you want depending on the amp you are using beside which is the Foot Switch/Echo cancel input. Above these are the Bass/Treble/Reverb Volume dials below which are the Rate/Intensity/Echo Volume dials. Finally the power on off switch. It's not hard to lose the manual because traditionally it's stapled against the inside lid where you access the tape section. Within this theres also a little instruction etched into the metal plating telling you exactly how to reload the tape 300hrs max they suggest before replacement. Finally there should be a little plastic packet sitting atop the tape cartridge containing the cleaning fluid & brushes for your own maintenance of the unit. Switch on twiddle the knobs & away you go.

The sound off this thing is nothing short of amazing. It's rich, warm thick dark & soupy. Gritty comes to mind & totally addictive once you start playing about with all the various combinations of tape speed ocillation, echo, reverb & delay repeats. This is contrary to what the previous reviewer had to say is a far from noisy unit. Please note people that the unit becomes noisy when other factors of maintenance come into play. The tape if it is old over 300hrs old will make the unit noisy. If the heads are not properly cleaned & maintained there again you will have noise. My unit has new tape & has been serviced & makes only the noise which you would expect from such a tape echo unit & nothing more than that. It actually carries a slightly compressed sound which is what others refer to as the dark sound of tape echo. I must again disagree with the the previous post when it was suggested that this thing eats your tone < Might want to try some EQ >. I havent has this problem at all & again it seems more to do with the tradesman than the tool & how well the tool has been maintained. Ofcourse this unit has a very trashy & brash Reverb which is fantastic & when you tweak the intentsity dial ofcourse the thing begins ocillating invariably & there again you get your NOISE! but this is much sought after noise & not the kind that offends. I'm running the RE-201 at the very end of my FX chain for my Guitar rig before which i have a couple of choice distortions hitting a wah then to a Zoom 9030 fx processor signal then runs to Octave, Vibrato, Phaser at which point any choice of two extra delays one digital & the other a DM-3 analogue. All this finally slaps the input stage of the Space Echo & travels to a SOUND CITY 120 head driving a Marshall Slant Cab. The sounds are truly amneotic!

You can depend on this unit as long as you do your maintenance. Do it not & you'll find out sooner or later what happens. I would have to gig it without a backup because i own the one only. When maintained theres nothing to fear here. Be careful though as the reverb is sensitive to shock so handle with care when loading or gigging. I havent gigged it yet & i'm still deciding whether i will actually take it out with me or just use the DM-3 analogue to approximate the tape delay sound & keep the Unit out of harms way for home studio use only. Hmmmmm

Roland don't do these anymore but there are experts to be found by contacting any of your local music stores or second hand/vinatge guitar repair places .. they always know WHO does the service on these things. I have no trouble with service having a small cartel of guys that do this stuff. So the ten goes to those guys actually

I have to say sorry if this is too glowing a report to be printed whereas you say nothing is perfect ? i don't think i should have to scratch my head to be critical or to fault find. The Space Echo gets a ten right across the board as far as i'm concerned because i genuinely can't find anything wrong with it. So having said all this lets get on with the overall rating. This product is a perfect match for the kind of music i play which is very intense Space Rock/ Avant Garde buzzsaw/psychedelique sound scaping. So the SPACE ECHO was a unit MADE for the stuff i write in my band. I've been playing for 12 years doing session work for even longer. I own a slew of guitars & amps effects & drums ..sitars etc etc .. but this isn't going to help anyone wanting to know about the RE-201 soooo. I never come on saying i wish something had something or WAS something else because it's just a waste of energy but! i'll make a tiny exception & this can serve as a warning to others about the models & the differences between them. Ok the models in the ROLAND TAPE DELAY'S run thus. RE-101 < Tape delay ONLY >- the little known RE-150 - the RE-210 SPACE ECHO with Reverb < this unit has NO 'sound on sound' function > the RE-301 CHORUS ECHO < this unit HAS 'sound on sound'& is NOT a SPACE ECHO!!!!! & neither are any models after this model > the RE-501 & 555 all have the Sound on Sound function. The only thing i wish the SPACE ECHO had was the sound on sound funtion so in future i am on the look out for a RE-301 Chorus echo. The point is although they are ALL generically known as SPACE ECHO'S the only SPACE ECHO truly is the RE-201 which has the SPRING REVERB. The only product i compared this unit to was an Echoplex which had the sound on sound capability up to 3 minutes worth but looking at it & how open the casing was & errr i got wary fast ...like looking at a beautiful OLD motor car & then thinking about all the upkeep you're going to have to do on it. I avoided it in favour of the more reliable SPACE ECHO with the trade off of not having that sound on sound function but i'm happy anyway & less the headache. I will wait as i said for a 301. If this were lost or stolen i would be supremely dark for as long as it took me to get another, sleepless nights & all that. This baby is adorable, magical, It's tape delay people.

It's fairly easy to use. Lots of knobs, you have a mode selector, bass and treble controls for the echos, reverb level, rate, effect level, intensity, and three volume controls (one per input). You have to watch where you have the intensity knob, or it will go into self oscillation at awkward times. There are a lot's of different modes, but once you play around a bit and figure out what you like, it's a breeze. It requires more care than a pedal. You have to keep the heads clean, the motor oiled, and change the tape every now and again. Roland has stopped making the tapes, so you will have to splice your own.

This is it kids, a tape echo unit. It doesn't get much sweeter than this. For an old unit, it's very quiet. If you are anal about signal noise, you will notice it, but it isn't that bad. The echo's sound amazing. The reverb isn't great on it's own, but it isn't made to be a reverb unit. It adds a nice nice dimension to the echos. When you turn the intensity up beyond half, it goes into self oscillation mode, and starts generating all sorts of sounds on it's own. You will quickly recognize this from albums all over the place. The only reason for a 9 instead of a ten is that it really kills your tone, worse than anything else I've used.

Well, it's over 20 years old, and it still works, so i'd say thats dependable. The reverb died about four months after I bought it. This is a common problem with Space Echos. I would gig without a backup simply because I don't have another one.

I doubt if Roland will touch these.

Spectacular. It beats analog delays into the ground. If it was lost or stolen, I would cry for a while, then replace it by paying three times what I paid for mine. Roland should clue in here. People love analog gear, and people want these. they really reissue them.