terryg - just sent you a PM!
travsbluz - no problem man! my pleasure.
tas - YOU'RE ON! ;D And now for that mini (or not so mini) review:
Intro:The EchoCzar was DEFINITELY well-worth the wait... After a few short hours with it, I don't know what I even did without it! This is an unparalleled tool that would prove indispensable for more conservative traditionalists on a fanatical search for the ulitmate in analog purity, all the way to ambient-soundscape shoegazers and everything in between!
To summarize in one phrase: This is the ultimate in analog delay/echo/verb boxes both in terms of tonality, and functionality.
The slightly longer summary:The fidelity surpases any repeat-oriented device I've ever encountered.
The dynamic and interactive response of this device surpases ANY kind of device I've ever put in front of my amp before.
The versatility in functionality yielding such a huge plethora of tones makes me want to call this thing "the ulitmate analog delay modeller," but without any negative connotation that the word "modeller" may carry.
My application thus far:I've really got the Echoczar dialed very well now for what I want to do in a "live" context. That said, it's really an incredible tool, and it's capable of seemingly infinite functionality if you're in a setting where you can tweak knobs (such as the studio).
The single most important aspect to me is the way the Echoczar COMPLETLY enhances my base tone on it's subtle settings (or ANY setting for that matter, as I have not yet gotten a BAD sound out of this box) --- Maybe it's just the honeymoon, but when I turn it off after having it on a subtle setting, I immediately want to turn it back on! It just makes everything about my tone sweeter and more musical.
So here's how I've got it set up for now:-Dry signal to Matchless Lightning / 50% wet mix to Z Ghia
-Amps in correct phase with each other for a more focused sound. Though 'out of phase' is also very cavernous and cool soundscape, and it EQ's the tone in a very retro and surreal way - I almost wish phase in/out was footswitchable. Of course this is only relevant if you're running a stereo setup.
-Toggles set to Vintage mode (versus modern), Echo mode (versus Delay), and Multihead-Slaback mode(verus 'standard' or 'multi-head' reverb).
-Expression pedal controlling number of repeats (HIGHLY useful for changing tones of any of the 3 delay channels, and also real-time control for expressive special effects)... So number of repeats for the following three delay settings are controlled variably as desired.
-Delay 1: The "soft-mix" toggle function is assigned to delay 1 to soften the wet mix sound by about 60%. This channel is set up for slap-back, with a delay time of about 115ms. I almost can't bring myself to go back to my dry, no-echoczar tone when I could be using this setting instead! Certainly there are tones I like that I don't want any wet signal, but right now I'm completely addicted to the way the Echoczar completely enhances my tone.
-Delay 2: I've got this set up for a LOOOONNNNGG Echo, approximately 625ms. This will be used for ambient washes of echo, where I'm using it more as an effect than as just a tone enhancer. It's on this mode with the longer delay time that you really get to appreciate what the multi-head slaback mode is doing.
-Delay 3 (angelbaby): My FAVORITE setting. I would describe the tone I've got this one set up for to be the sound of a two guitars doubled on a recording, both with slap-back at just slightly different times, and ever so slightly out of sync with each other. VERY cool tone for leads, and also for semi-whacked out rythym tones. This is EXACTLY the tone I had in mind in wanting to create live when I added my angelbaby to the order, and after about a 1/2 hour of dialing and tweaking, I've nailed what I was seeking... Here's how I got there:
Short delay time of around 125ms just like Delay 1, but that's where the similarities end. Of course the soft-mix function doesn't apply here, so right away the wet signal is much more apparent. The depth of the modulation is set about 90% of the way up, just before the wow and flutter get REALLY extreme, but the repeats are noticeably moving in a uniquely subtle phase-shifting relationship to one another. The rate knob is set so there are about 2-3 complete sweeps per second.
Expressive Feedback:
With the multi-head slapback mode engaged, the expression pedal allows me to induce feedback at any time on any of the three delay settings simply pushing my toe all the way forward, and then to bring the feedback swell back, I just ease back on my heel.
Special-f/x Feedback:For space ship landing type effects, I've got the safety almost completely off to get the most dramatic effect, possible... To enhance this effect, I'm leaving the 'slide' knob all the way up to maximize the transition when switching between the long time setting on Delay 2 (the low rumbling landing on earth sound) to the short time setting on either Delay 1 or the angelbaby Delay 3 (both of which get me to the higher-pitched 'taking off into the outer atmosphere sound).
So with the Feedback footswitch engage, all you have to do is change back and forth between one of the shorter delays (1 or 3) and the long delay (2) and the space ship is on "autopilot" so to speak.
Ridiculous continued rambling about Feedback F/X:I wrote/recorded a song about a year ago that incorporates this space ship landing sound into the background of the chorus as a big part of the song, with a dry guitar riff going over the top of it... What is INCREDIBLY cool is that I can get the space ship landing coming and going with the feedback coming through the Ghia, while playing the dry riff over the top that's coming through the Lightning.
Further, as the "spaceship" takes off with the high pitched sound, it sounds like it's getting further away because of the "soft-mix" assigned to Delay 1, and then as the spaceship rumbles back to earth everythings louder with the more prominent wet signal on Delay 2... Therefore, the riff I'm playing through the dry amp (Lighting) becomes much more audible when the 'ship' is far away, and then it gets all droned out as the 'ship' returns to earth!
Pic of my current settings, grubby fingerprints included :Negative aspects: Other than the wait time, there weren't any. As I've already made clear, the wait was worth it without question... If I had to, I'd do it all over again even if the wait was a year or two! Ed Rembold's outstanding willingness to keep me updated and informed on the status of my order made the 9 months go by quickly and smoothly. Further, Ed has been FANTASTIC in supporting me with answers to all of my questions before, during, and after this whole process (pre-sale, sale, delivery, after support).
Final comments for now:I hope that doesn't all sound like too much dribble... I tried to describe my uses/settings thus far as coherently as possible, but I'm not always the best wordsmith.
Honestly, in two short days, this thing has become more indispensable than just about any other piece of gear I own! It's the ultimate tool to help define "your" sound, or to help you recreate sounds from the past in a real and life-like way (not just a model).
I know there are a lot of other aspects that I could cover (all of them very positive that I can think of), but I think a lot of them have already been covered, so I thought it was best to just keep this review focused on what roles the E'Czar and Co. will be playing for me.
Follow-up:That said, I'd be happy to try to answer any additional questions from a new-user standpoint. Now, back to the honeymoon! ;D