The Dark Echo: Press, News and Reviews

The launch and release of the Dark Echo has shaken a lot of players up. Folks are picking these up just as fast as I can build 'em. The Dark Echo is being used for a variety of applications, from ambient additions, to airy chorus'd lead lines, and even into the wild world of noise generation! Find out what the Rave is all about!

It seems that the state of the echo pedal is improving these days. With so many out there, makers have to come up with new twists on functionality or new tonality. The Dark Echo goes for the tone. It is an unassuming package in a small box about the size of many popular effects. The simple controls are blend, repeat, time, and sway. One footswitch is for off and on with clickless true bypass. The unmarked input and output jacks are located on the end of the box rather than the sides like some pedals. It features the usual 9-volt negative center power jack on the side as well. A small blue LED shows on or off status. There is also an internal trim pot that controls the unit’s output volume, giving a -2 to +6 db boost.

So, how does it sound?
The first thing I look at when checking out any echo unit is of course the echo itself. The long-standing debate over analog-versus-digital delay still is with us. Digital delays are much more faithful to the original input signal, which can be great if you are trying to do repeating echoes and timed echo tricks. On the other hand, analog units are known for a warmer, more natural sound. In real life, echo repeats do not come back exactly as they were made. The delay repeats grow darker as they trail off. The Dark Echo seems to have a bit of both worlds.

The repeats are very close to the original at first, and then they decay into a magical sounding abyss. The maker compares it to playing your guitar under the ocean, and he is correct. The delay time ranges from 50 to 450 ms, an adequate range for most users. Digital delays may provide longer delay times, but they often sound very hard and clanky toward the end of their repeat cycle. With the Dark Echo, slap back echoes used in country music and ‘50s-type music are on the money—not harsh or brittle sounding. The longer delays are smooth and provide a much better ambience than most other delays I have heard. The Dark Echo competes well with its peers in the arena of echo units.

The repeat control can be turned past 3:00 for endless oscillation like an old Echoplex. This is very controllable and will not run away unless you wish it to. Furthermore, when the unit is in bypass mode the echo is still running so you can have your oscillations going while bypassed and bring them back when you turn the pedal back on. This is a pretty cool feature for special effects.

Wait there’s more!
The magic of this unit lies in the sway control. I have seen many delay units trying to simulate tape stretch and the mechanical warble of the Echoplex. This is usually accomplished by using modulation. Sometimes random modulation is used. On the Dark Echo, the sway control provides a triangle wave- type modulation that increases in intensity and frequency at the same time when turned up. This type of modulation, coupled with the pedal’s darkening echo repeats, provides an unreal characteristic to the sound. This pedal produces some intense ambience as well as the ability to make strange other-worldly sounds. Because of the sensitivity of the sway control and its effect relative to the delay time control, I found many very cool usable sounds in the unit.

The Final Mojo
I found the Jack Deville Dark Echo to be a well-built and extremely useable tool for anyone’s pedalboard—even if you already have an echo unit. This unit also combines well with other pedals. I tried it with various types such as distortion, overdrive pedals, flangers and even tremolo. I can definitely foresee hearing some of these unique tones on upcoming recordings.

Buy if...
you're looking for an echo effect with the best of both analog and digital worlds

Skip if...
your allegiance to analog is complete and unwavering

Rating...

The delay pedal field has long been split into old-school analog – promising tonal warmth and richness – and new-school digital – promising power and versatility. The Dark Echo (retail $199/street N/A), however, stands proud with a foot in each bucket. Built by Jack Deville Electronics in Portland, OR, with early design consultation from guitarist Cameron Morgan, the Dark Echo utilizes the functionality of a digital echo processor, but combines that with a fully analog dry signal path and analog support circuitry. This means the proportion of the un-echoed signal determined by the Blend knob setting remains entirely analog, while a digitally-produced delay blended into it creates the echo effect (meanwhile, true bypass switching ensures that your “off” signal remains entirely analog, too). It’s already a clever way to approach an echo pedal, but the Dark Echo has further tricks up its opaque sleeve.

Constructed in a compact, black crinkle-finish metal box measuring just 4.25" x 2.25" x1.25", the Dark Echo sports engraved silver logos and legends on its top face. Controls include the standard knobs for Blend, Repeats, and Time (length of delay, from 50ms–450ms), and the single input and output and center-negative 9V adaptor jack are all par for the course, but this pedal’s added dimension reveals itself in the enigmatically-named Sway knob. The Sway circuit applies a triangle wave to modulate the delayed portion of the signal. Set fully counter-clockwise Sway is off, but rotating it through its sweep changes the intensity and frequency of the modulation simultaneously, but in an inverse relationship. Lower settings yield a faster speed with a lower intensity, higher settings produce higher modulation intensities at a slower speed. In addition to the external controls, the Dark Echo carries an internal output volume trim-pot that provides up to +12 dB of gain (the unit ships set to unity gain).

Used as a plain old echo pedal, the Dark Echo offers a smooth, warm tone that I might have guessed was totally analog if I hadn’t known better. Repeats darken progressively in a manner that’s musically pleasing, and the overall performance certainly leans toward vintage-styled delay tone, with just a little noise behind the decay of the echoed notes. Despite the digital engine, there are no super-long echoes to be had here. Delay times run from an effective slap-back to an atmospheric 450ms chop. The Repeat control functions as expected, and can even drive the pedal into oscillation for special effects (and since the signal runs through the delay circuitry even when bypassed, you can begin your feedback oscillations at any time, then kick them in mid-riff for some wild affects). The Dark Echo would be a fun and hip-sounding delay pedal even if it only carried the upper three knobs, but the Sway function adds a deeper dimension still. Sway’s a bit counterintuitive in that it affects your tone more at shorter delay times, since the modulated repeats are coming at you in tighter bunches, but stretch out your Time setting and you feel its subtle depths better. I liked it most when added judiciously to medium and longer delay settings, which added a hypnotic shimmer to the echoed signal, increasing this little delay pedal’s “wow” factor exponentially. With shorter delays, however, Sway can get a touch nauseating—a trick for sheer noise production and retro space-age special effects. Even as such, it’s a groovy addition to a tasty little delay pedal.
—Dave Hunter

This week I am sharing a new and amazing new pedal, the Dark Echo, made by Jack Deville. This pedal will give you all of those wonderful dark tape delay tones that you have been forever seeking. Yes, think Echoplex, Space Echo, Deluxe Memory Man etc etc…all of the pedals you wish you still owned. Built with the highest quality components, the Dark Echo uses a digital echo processor with a fully analog dry signal path and analog support circuitry.

This handsome, solid, well made pedal (the size of an MXR phase 90) will make a delay junkie out of you in a minute. Retail is $199 (currently on sale) and my guess is that this pedal will be in high demand (can you say “waiting list”?) so I would not be surprised if you see it fetching higher prices on ebay. Well worth the two bills, I just got delivery on my pedal a couple of days ago and I cannot stop playing my guitar through this thing. Prior to this, I was not a delay-pedal-loving-kinda guy. To give you an idea of how sold I am on this sound, I am re-arranging my pedal board around this baby! Many delays are bright and crisp and sometimes make you feel like you are fighting with another guitarist, playing through the same rig. The Dark Echo’s repeats get darker and looser with each generation and, I swear, you can get some very close-to-reverb sounds out of this baby.

The Dark Echo is true bypass. The inputs are at the top of the pedal, another well thought out feature which more pedal manufacturers seem to overlook. (The obvious advantage being better use of pedal board real estate). Lately, I have made “top inputs” a requirement for any pedals that I take out on my smaller pedalboard. You can get as many as 6 or 7 pedals on the smallest pedal train pedalboard with this feature. I dunno, I guess I really don’t like carrying a lot of stuff around anymore…. Roadies don’t like it either!

Four controls on the pedal are:

Blend: Controls the amount of effect that is mixed in with your original signal. Full rotation mixes an equal amount of delay with the original signal

Sway: Controls the modulation of the delay effect. You can dial in anything from a slight watery chorus to a full on warble a la John Scofield. (MXR had a nice thing going with the modulation switch on their Carbon Copy pedal. The dark Echo takes this feature to another level)

Repeat: Controls the feedback of the echo circuit, or the number of repeats. The repeats grow darker, a very nice effect. You can almost get this pedal to sound like a reverb unit, but a little less “cavernous”

Time: This controls the duration between the delay repeats, (50ms – 450ms)

In addition there is an internal output trim providing 0-6db gain from the Dark Echo. The pedal operates on a 9v battery or a center negative power supply input.

Another nice feature is that the echo circuit in this pedal operates at all times even when the effect is bypassed. You can therefore store your oscillations (they will continue to grow and degrade or be affected by the controls while the unit is in bypass mode) and they are available again upon switching the pedal on. Surprise your audience by switching this on at the high point of a solo…! Woodstock! Jimi!

Whether your choice in delay sounds is like U2’s The Edge, or the Police or Elvis or Johnny Cash, this pedal can give you what you need. The Dark Echo can take you from classic sounds to stuff with a more contemporary edge. Moods and rhythms and colors all within a few tweaks of a few knobs! AAAAAA+++

"Have had a few weeks to get acquainted with the Dark Echo. IMHO it is the best delay I've ever played through. I've had a few echoplexes, space echos, and tons of delay pedals but none compare to this. The Dark Echo adds the shimmering fullness to my sound that allows me to play sparse and tasteful when needed, but also allows me to shred when necessary without clouding everything up. I LOVE it... and will be getting one or two more as my budget allows. Thanks for refreshing my enthusiasm to play more guitar.... !!"

-Pete

"I have to say first off that the first time I finally got to plug this pedal in to my own stuff with my guitars and hear what it can really do in person it completely exceeded my expectations. I've been carefully watching the youtube demos for awhile now, and have always been very curious about this pedal.

To me it seems like the goal on the Dark Echo was to nail the analog tape style echo of the tube Echoplex, complete with the modulation options from the Deluxe Memory Man, and then after that make it simpler, smarter, and frankly build it better. I feel like I can get all the sounds of those aforementioned units, but this pedal is still it's own entity. It has personality.

The first thing that stands out is the warmth. The tone on the Dark Echo is like taking a warm bath. See, I've used dozens of echo/delay pedals over the years and I always felt like I had a great guitar sound until I turned any of these pedals on. I'm talking about pedals that "simulate" old space echo's or other analog echo's. The problem with them is that they also add this brittle, digital type sound to the guitar tone. Yuck. The Dark Echo doesn't.

The "sway" knob was described to me as "where the magic is." No kidding.
I was a little fearful of the "sway" knob. I was afraid it was going to cheapen the tone, and make it sound goofy. I could not have been more wrong. Again warmth. The sway is absolutely where the magic is. It goes from subtle "vibe" sounds from the old tape echo's, to a killer leslie type tone. Seriously...Killer. Then beyond that you can probe the depths of phycedelia by pushing the sway further.

Lastly I just want to say something about the way this pedal is built. There are several reasons that I finally ended up with one of these Dark Echo's. To support a local business, to get a better echo tone and so on. But one of the biggest things is that this unit is built like a tank. The Dark Echo uses only the highest quality jacks, switches, and components. So the next time my pedalboard goes down on stage because of a loose jack or a capacitor that has opened up, I know I don't have to look at my Dark Echo to find the culprit.

This is by far the coolest echo I've ever used. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get one. Maybe I need two?

-Chris Hayes
www.jonahtheband.com
www.myspace.com/jonah

I just took delivery of my DARK ECHO (serial# 15) and - WOW! What a powerful and COOL addition to my tone-chain....

It's a CHORUS/DELAY/ECHO/VIBRATO - no it's SUPER-PEDAL!!!!!!

So much in such a small, exquisitely made, bulletproof package. It's built like a brick sh*thouse.

True craftsmanship and attention to detail. Take the back off and admire the beauty of it's clean design. They ought to put it in a clear case - it's SO pretty inside!

The DARK ECHO is made by JACK DEVILLE ELECTRONICS in Portland, ORYGUN - which is a good thing. I live just south of PDX and I was able to get a 30 minute primer from "Doctor Tone" himself, CAMERON MORGAN. (a.k.a. "Mr. Eclecticsoundspdx")

Fifteen minutes into the session with my Tone Sensei, my head was spinning! (not unlike the sounds coming from the amp). TONS of tone and INFINITE possibilities - and Cam chains TWO of them together for double the fun. A tweak and a turn here and there of the 4 knobs - excuse me while I gush - but I've never heard that many QUALITY sounds coming from one pedal. And a coo, blue LED, too!

Let's make one thing clear: we've ALL bought pedals, used them for a while, and tossed them in the closet. THe Dark Echo is a pedal that you will USE - it's an idea machine. You'll become a tone whore. Your friends will envy you.

But it does have one MAJOR problem: PRICE - they're a steal at $200. True boutiqueness at a cookie-cutter price.

BUY ONE NOW - while you can, and before they realize they're giving them away.

THE EDGE and ANDY SUMMERS will be jealous - it's THAT good.

-Gary Kosikowski