Softube Tape Echoes released

[_leras]

Ouch €99

People at Gearspace mentioned that you need to login first to lower the price to 65 and also use this discount code for another 10% off:

PROGEARVINTAGEVIBE

Yeah €59 incl VAT!

Thanks again!

[jens]

It's like a teaser for Valhalla Delay - only that even with two discounts applied it still costs more than it - and - knowing Softube - probably uses way more CPU to boot...

Well it probably oversamples to reduce aliasing, unlike Valhalla...

*hides*

Well to be fair, Tape Echo's drive does seem to alias quite a bit, while Valhalla Delay's saturation is 100% clean - the Softube one takes up about 3-4 times as much CPU though... so, nope that's not it.

I don't know how Softube does it, but their marketing works amazingly well. I assume it must be the shiny GUIs plus the high prices...

[_leras]

Well to be fair, Tape Echo's drive does seem to alias quite a bit, while Valhalla Delay's saturation is 100% clean - the Softube one takes up about 3-4 times as much CPU though... so, nope that's not it.

I don't know how Softube does it, but their marketing works amazingly well. I assume it must be the shiny GUIs plus the high prices...

I don't think Valhalla delay has the same flavour as this. This is much more dubby and dirty.

It's also €59 so I don't see how it's really any higher priced than Valhalla Delay either.

So what are you talking about Jens?

[jens]

That's just the discounted introduction-price though - and the feature set is somewhat reduced, right?

I thing it might be nice to compare the saturation of both with a few example snippets.

"More dubby and dirty"? What do you mean with that? Its drive certainly doesn't go to 11

[tq]

Feature set may be reduced, and it may eat more CPU - but, man, the sound is superb. Having that within Modular is a big bonus, too. Like all the stuff Softube produces, this has its quirks, but it beats the competition when it comes to the actual results. This is not marketing or shiny GUI - it's just that their stuff usually sounds more real and alive, at least to my ears. But as always, YMMV.

[jancivil]

looks neat-o

[jens]

But as always, YMMV.

Yes, I for one was very disappointed - first when watching a Couple of videos, the when trying it out myself...

and I still stand by my opinion that their stuff tends to use way too much CPU for what it does.

but I can see how this can be hugely attractive if one bought into their Modular eco-system (which I didn't).

For me so far their only indispensable plugin is the Eden... I wouldn't want to live without that one.

[tq]

Well yeah, admittedly, I bought into their Modular environment (rabbit hole? not good for people with GAS...). For that, this plug in is superb, as having these invidiual modules within an Eurorack environment is very desirable. I can understand, though, why some people won't like the "limited control" approach of the plug in as an independent effects unit.

But again, I like their sound a lot - their Model 72 moves some massive air here and makes my sub sweat. It just has this kind of "oomph" that I like. Also, the Model 84 is excellent (although I didn't buy it - not enough use for another Juno 106 clone here).

Now if I just could make some sense of the Buchla 296e - but that's a different story....

[_leras]

"More dubby and dirty"? What do you mean with that? Its drive certainly doesn't go to 11

By dubby I just mean it seems it would work better than valhalla as a delay for dubby laid back styles of music (think anything from Mad Professor, OTT etc) . Seems like a great sound for that kind of dubby reverb on guitars and off beat parts, as well as having a nice delay throw sound for those splashy drum effects.

And Valhalla delay does have a nice smooth tape feel - really good. But with this one the tape feel is more aged, grungier and dirty, which means that the delay really slips in nicely behind the part being delayed and have a really nice vibe. It's a bit like the Roland Space Echo - but a different flavour.

Tape sound with no delay and built in reverb are also both nice to have as well for sure.

Yes, Valhalla Delay is great - but I think it really can't do what this does.

[SonicDimension]

Tape Echoes has a simple spring reverb, which is an important component of the Space Echo's character. Valhalla Delay does not have a spring reverb emulation.

For a less expensive and more flexible tape delay emulation (which includes multiple reverb and modulation modes), check out Surreal Machines Modnetic.

[Obsolete462444]

Tape Echoes has a simple spring reverb, which is an important component of the Space Echo's character. Valhalla Delay does not have a spring reverb emulation.

For a less expensive and more flexible tape delay emulation (which includes multiple reverb and modulation modes), check out Surreal Machines Modnetic.

Or alternatively use the free Spaceship Delay. Still hoping that eventually it will receive the overhaul which Ivan the developer had originally planned.

[Lotuz2019]

But not every Space Echo kind of plugin does add 'dirt' like Tape Echoes does and let you use it as a lofi tape effect (Just Dirt) without having to compensate x ms of delay.

Outer Space can go as low as 10 ms, but I wish it could sound a little bit grimier like Reels.

[Ploki]

It's like a teaser for Valhalla Delay - only that even with two discounts applied it still costs more than it - and - knowing Softube - probably uses way more CPU to boot...

Well it probably oversamples to reduce aliasing, unlike Valhalla...

*hides*

Say what now?


Anywho I think this one is pretty good. Like most softube tools, good and useful control set hard to make sound bad

[MogwaiBoy]

It's like a teaser for Valhalla Delay - only that even with two discounts applied it still costs more than it - and - knowing Softube - probably uses way more CPU to boot...

Well it probably oversamples to reduce aliasing, unlike Valhalla...

*hides*

Say what now?


Anywho I think this one is pretty good. Like most softube tools, good and useful control set hard to make sound bad

I was merely being facetious. I LOVE ValhallaDelay and I don't have much interest in this Softube one : ) Looks great though but I need another tape delay like I need another fractured foot.

[jens]

"More dubby and dirty"? What do you mean with that? Its drive certainly doesn't go to 11

By dubby I just mean it seems it would work better than valhalla as a delay for dubby laid back styles of music (think anything from Mad Professor, OTT etc) . Seems like a great sound for that kind of dubby reverb on guitars and off beat parts, as well as having a nice delay throw sound for those splashy drum effects.

And Valhalla delay does have a nice smooth tape feel - really good. But with this one the tape feel is more aged, grungier and dirty, which means that the delay really slips in nicely behind the part being delayed and have a really nice vibe. It's a bit like the Roland Space Echo - but a different flavour.

Tape sound with no delay and built in reverb are also both nice to have as well for sure.

Yes, Valhalla Delay is great - but I think it really can't do what this does.

I think I now get what you mean - I thought you were talking about the saturation, which is really much tamer on the Softube one than Valhalla Delay can be (while having a similar character, albeit ever so slightly slightly darker than the Tape Modes of V Delay) - but yes, as SonicDimension mentioned thanks to the included Spring Reverb you get dubby tones out of it which you can't get out of V Delay itself, flexible as it may ever be.